In a move that could stem the flow of tens of millions of dollars to cash-strapped Los Angeles Unified, the school board has empowered itself to endorse -- or veto -- applications for grants topping $1 million.Members voted 4-3 last Tuesday to require the board to approve every major grant proposal before it can be submitted. The move was prompted by concerns that Superintendent John Deasy and his staff have hijacked the authority to make policy and budget decisions in their quest for supplemental funding.
"I'm looking for transparency, because every grant comes with strings attached," South Bay board member Richard Vladovic said in an interview. "We have been applying for grants that have strings regarding policy issues that were never discussed."
In introducing the resolution last Tuesday, Vladovic said he was upset about a $50 million grant the district received that stipulated the development of a merit-pay system for educators and the use of student test