ATTENDANCE URGED FOR TESTS.Byline: Staff and Wire Services Los Angeles Unified School District The Los Angeles Unified School District (the "LAUSD") is the largest (in terms of number of students) public school system in California and the second-largest in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population. officials urged parents Friday to send their children to school Monday for the start of standardized testing after rumors of racial unrest kept thousands of students out of class this week. Communications Director Stephanie Brady said it's important for students to take CAT 6 and California Standards Tests, which are used to compile the Academic Performance Index, the main state measurement of school performance. ``Let the rumors die, and let's get back to normal,'' Brady said. ``For individual students, it's very important that they take these tests and perform well on these tests. These tests follow them through school, and at any point along the way, someone can be accessing the academic strength of the student.'' About 18 percent of the 290,000 students enrolled in middle and high schools failed to show up Thursday, roughly 8 percent higher than the absence rate the previous Thursday. A circulating e-mail rumor had said Hispanic gang members planned to use the Cinco de Mayo Cinco de Mayo (Spanish; “Fifth of May”) Mexican holiday commemorating the Mexican victory over the French at Puebla in 1862. The French army, better-equipped and far larger than the Mexican army, had been sent by Napoleon III to conquer Mexico. holiday to attack black gangsters in retaliation for drug thefts, Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Police Chief William Bratton said. The rumors followed two outbreaks of ethnic violence that ended with injuries and arrests last month at Jefferson High School Jefferson High School is the name of numerous high schools in the United States, most named in honor of Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, including:
Bratton said the LAPD 1. LAPD - Link Access Procedure on the D channel. 2. LAPD - Los Angeles Police Department. investigated the rumors and concluded that they were baseless. However, school and city police beefed up security at campuses as a precaution. Administrators at San Fernando Middle School and Canoga Park High School Canoga Park High School is a public school located in Canoga Park in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, California, USA, within the Los Angeles Unified School District. It is located right across the street from the Topanga Plaza shopping center. said several parents called, concerned about the rumors, but there were no unusual absences or fights either Thursday or Friday. The unusual absences could cost the district nearly $600,000 in state funds, which are based on average daily attendance figures. However, district officials said they probably would seek reimbursement of the money, arguing that the absences could be considered unusual circumstances. |
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