L.A. teachers union complaint is dismissed

A state agency on Thursday denied the Los Angeles Unified teachers union's attempt to stop several school district initiatives, including a new educator evaluation system and plans to give charter school organizations control at two campuses.

The union, United Teachers Los Angeles, filed a complaint last week with the Public Employment Relations Board, which could have filed a court injunction on the union's behalf. But the board denied the union's request in a single-sentence letter on Thursday that did not state a reason for the action.

The union had argued that the distict violated collective bargaining laws by not negotiating a new teacher evaluation system that would have used student test scores as one component. Los Angeles Unified  officials had planned to start a pilot version of the program next year before implementing it districtwide in 2012-13.

The union also wanted to stop a plan to let Green Dot Public Schools take over all of Clay Middle School and about half of Jordan High School and a requirement to impose so-called "thin" union contracts, which generally give administrators more flexibility, at some campuses.

The two sides will still have to attend meetings over the complaint, but "we can continue with our plans," said LAUSD Supt. John Deasy in a statement.

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-- Jason Song