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01/28/2006:

"Mayor Maps Plans to Run L.A. Unified"

WASHINGTON — Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa accelerated his drive Thursday to take over the troubled Los Angeles Unified School District, announcing for the first time that he wants full control in two years and will unveil a detailed reform plan in three months.

In recent weeks, Villaraigosa has assembled a team of advisors who are beginning to draft a plan to take on the elected school board and the city's powerful teachers union to win voter approval for a takeover.

This week, Villaraigosa and key aides launched a blitz of speeches to begin to lay the foundation for the coming campaign.

At a conference of mayors in Washington on Wednesday and Thursday, Villaraigosa argued that the district is failing its 727,000 students. He also consulted with Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino, who have oversight of their school boards.
latimes.com

This is a country filled with failing schools.