We tracked the contracts. Here’s what we found.
“What can we exploit in LAUSD?”
— Text message, vendor to LAUSD IT manager, 2018. Both now face felony charges.
Read the full story →Zero improvement in student outcomes.
Instead, that money could have gone to:
Source: UTLA research / Private Equity Stakeholder Project, 2025
LAUSD is the second-largest school district in the country — and private equity firms treat it like a market. 86% of new digital instruction contracts go to PE or VC-backed companies. Nearly 70% of those vendors were paid more than their contracted amounts. This is not mismanagement. It is a system working as designed.
See the contracts →The district holds $5 billion in reserves while claiming it cannot afford to pay teachers fairly. Hours before a strike deadline, it found money for raises it said for months were impossible. 99% of support staff can’t afford a one-bedroom apartment in Los Angeles. The money exists. The priorities are wrong.
See the evidence →The superintendent who oversaw $6.7 billion in private contracts is on paid leave following an FBI raid. A former employee faces felony charges in a $22 million pay-to-play scheme. Public records requests go unanswered. This is what happens when no one is watching.
Follow the money →Your voice matters. Here’s how to get involved.
Use our pre-written email templates to contact your LAUSD board representative in under 5 minutes.
Write to Your Board MemberFive investigations connecting LAUSD contracts to student outcomes, teacher pay, and private equity.
See What We Found