Sam Schulz
@sam-schulz.bsky.social
Watchdog & government editor at The San Diego Union-Tribune. New Yorker in California (now Sacramento). Priors: LA Times, Bloomberg, Politico, NBC, Forbes. Talk to me about transit, transparency & topographical maps.
Cucina Urbana in Bankers Hill lets kids make their own pizzas. I haven’t been there myself, but I’ve heard good things about the food & liked what the chef’s done elsewhere.
October 25, 2025 at 7:39 AM
Cucina Urbana in Bankers Hill lets kids make their own pizzas. I haven’t been there myself, but I’ve heard good things about the food & liked what the chef’s done elsewhere.
Many issues L4L highlights — related-party transactions, lax oversight by small rural authorizers, entities that run schools avoiding transparency — are familiar for CA charters.
But oversight efforts keep failing. Reforms the moratorium aimed to buy time for haven't materialized.
It lifts Jan. 1.
But oversight efforts keep failing. Reforms the moratorium aimed to buy time for haven't materialized.
It lifts Jan. 1.
In Learn4Life charter school network, millions of taxpayer dollars get spent by one private corporation
Lifelong Learning operates outside state transparency laws, despite its outsize role in managing the schools and despite the millions it reaps in public funding.
www.sandiegouniontribune.com
October 13, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Many issues L4L highlights — related-party transactions, lax oversight by small rural authorizers, entities that run schools avoiding transparency — are familiar for CA charters.
But oversight efforts keep failing. Reforms the moratorium aimed to buy time for haven't materialized.
It lifts Jan. 1.
But oversight efforts keep failing. Reforms the moratorium aimed to buy time for haven't materialized.
It lifts Jan. 1.
One teacher specifically took issue with the expansion, given these results: “Their model doesn’t work, & it shouldn’t be used elsewhere until it works.”
For now, the expansion is only in other states: For 5+ years, CA has banned opening new non-classroom-based charters to buy time to make reforms.
For now, the expansion is only in other states: For 5+ years, CA has banned opening new non-classroom-based charters to buy time to make reforms.
October 13, 2025 at 11:23 PM
One teacher specifically took issue with the expansion, given these results: “Their model doesn’t work, & it shouldn’t be used elsewhere until it works.”
For now, the expansion is only in other states: For 5+ years, CA has banned opening new non-classroom-based charters to buy time to make reforms.
For now, the expansion is only in other states: For 5+ years, CA has banned opening new non-classroom-based charters to buy time to make reforms.
And as in CA, Learn4Life schools elsewhere graduate fewer kids than other schools with similar populations.
L4L schools in CA graduated 29% of students within 5 years, compared to 54% for all alternative high schools. For out-of-state L4L schools, it's 9% to 35%. (L4L takes issue with this metric.)
L4L schools in CA graduated 29% of students within 5 years, compared to 54% for all alternative high schools. For out-of-state L4L schools, it's 9% to 35%. (L4L takes issue with this metric.)
‘This isn’t right’: Teachers question priorities, track record of Learn4Life charter schools
The network’s model has drawn criticism of its effectiveness, and some teachers described its schools as more focused on funding than on results.
www.sandiegouniontribune.com
October 13, 2025 at 10:59 PM
And as in CA, Learn4Life schools elsewhere graduate fewer kids than other schools with similar populations.
L4L schools in CA graduated 29% of students within 5 years, compared to 54% for all alternative high schools. For out-of-state L4L schools, it's 9% to 35%. (L4L takes issue with this metric.)
L4L schools in CA graduated 29% of students within 5 years, compared to 54% for all alternative high schools. For out-of-state L4L schools, it's 9% to 35%. (L4L takes issue with this metric.)
That adds up: Lifelong Learning’s assets doubled from $18M to $36M in 3 years.
It's using them to expand in other states.
As in CA, the out-of-state schools' boards are controlled by one entity tied to Lifelong Learning — this one Educational *Improvement* Corp, not Educational Advancement Corp.
It's using them to expand in other states.
As in CA, the out-of-state schools' boards are controlled by one entity tied to Lifelong Learning — this one Educational *Improvement* Corp, not Educational Advancement Corp.
In Learn4Life charter school network, millions of taxpayer dollars get spent by one private corporation
Lifelong Learning operates outside state transparency laws, despite its outsize role in managing the schools and despite the millions it reaps in public funding.
www.sandiegouniontribune.com
October 13, 2025 at 10:52 PM
That adds up: Lifelong Learning’s assets doubled from $18M to $36M in 3 years.
It's using them to expand in other states.
As in CA, the out-of-state schools' boards are controlled by one entity tied to Lifelong Learning — this one Educational *Improvement* Corp, not Educational Advancement Corp.
It's using them to expand in other states.
As in CA, the out-of-state schools' boards are controlled by one entity tied to Lifelong Learning — this one Educational *Improvement* Corp, not Educational Advancement Corp.
As for the financial benefits, Lifelong Learning takes a cut of each school's revenue — so the more ADA funding schools can get out of students & teachers, the more Lifelong Learning collects.
School admins wouldn't say how much they pay Lifelong Learning. But documents suggest 14-15% of revenue.
School admins wouldn't say how much they pay Lifelong Learning. But documents suggest 14-15% of revenue.
In Learn4Life charter school network, millions of taxpayer dollars get spent by one private corporation
Lifelong Learning operates outside state transparency laws, despite its outsize role in managing the schools and despite the millions it reaps in public funding.
www.sandiegouniontribune.com
October 13, 2025 at 10:43 PM
As for the financial benefits, Lifelong Learning takes a cut of each school's revenue — so the more ADA funding schools can get out of students & teachers, the more Lifelong Learning collects.
School admins wouldn't say how much they pay Lifelong Learning. But documents suggest 14-15% of revenue.
School admins wouldn't say how much they pay Lifelong Learning. But documents suggest 14-15% of revenue.
Watchdogs have warned about such arrangements — in which the client is controlled by a party related to one that financially benefits.
(It's a regular issue in CA charter world.)
They raise questions of whether school boards are doing what's best for students or for the entity that controls them.
(It's a regular issue in CA charter world.)
They raise questions of whether school boards are doing what's best for students or for the entity that controls them.
In Learn4Life charter school network, millions of taxpayer dollars get spent by one private corporation
Lifelong Learning operates outside state transparency laws, despite its outsize role in managing the schools and despite the millions it reaps in public funding.
www.sandiegouniontribune.com
October 13, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Watchdogs have warned about such arrangements — in which the client is controlled by a party related to one that financially benefits.
(It's a regular issue in CA charter world.)
They raise questions of whether school boards are doing what's best for students or for the entity that controls them.
(It's a regular issue in CA charter world.)
They raise questions of whether school boards are doing what's best for students or for the entity that controls them.
Nearly all the schools' boards are controlled by one obscure entity called Educational Advancement Corporation w/ close ties to Lifelong Learning.
And each school is governed by one of a constellation of entities with one thing in common: They pay & are largely managed by Lifelong Learning.
And each school is governed by one of a constellation of entities with one thing in common: They pay & are largely managed by Lifelong Learning.
In Learn4Life charter school network, millions of taxpayer dollars get spent by one private corporation
Lifelong Learning operates outside state transparency laws, despite its outsize role in managing the schools and despite the millions it reaps in public funding.
www.sandiegouniontribune.com
October 13, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Nearly all the schools' boards are controlled by one obscure entity called Educational Advancement Corporation w/ close ties to Lifelong Learning.
And each school is governed by one of a constellation of entities with one thing in common: They pay & are largely managed by Lifelong Learning.
And each school is governed by one of a constellation of entities with one thing in common: They pay & are largely managed by Lifelong Learning.
It also plays an outsize role in running each school:
It handles their finances, PR, facilities, recordkeeping, planning & financial reporting.
It gets first right of refusal for potential admin contracts.
It helps develop schools' educational models & curricula & prepare school board agendas.
It handles their finances, PR, facilities, recordkeeping, planning & financial reporting.
It gets first right of refusal for potential admin contracts.
It helps develop schools' educational models & curricula & prepare school board agendas.
In Learn4Life charter school network, millions of taxpayer dollars get spent by one private corporation
Lifelong Learning operates outside state transparency laws, despite its outsize role in managing the schools and despite the millions it reaps in public funding.
www.sandiegouniontribune.com
October 13, 2025 at 10:30 PM
It also plays an outsize role in running each school:
It handles their finances, PR, facilities, recordkeeping, planning & financial reporting.
It gets first right of refusal for potential admin contracts.
It helps develop schools' educational models & curricula & prepare school board agendas.
It handles their finances, PR, facilities, recordkeeping, planning & financial reporting.
It gets first right of refusal for potential admin contracts.
It helps develop schools' educational models & curricula & prepare school board agendas.
Still, because it’s a nonprofit, there are things we know:
We know it paid multiple executives >$400K a year.
We know it paid its cofounder >$600K a year.
We know it hired at least 3 of his relatives in high-paying exec jobs.
And we know it’s one of CA’s top spenders on education lobbying.
We know it paid multiple executives >$400K a year.
We know it paid its cofounder >$600K a year.
We know it hired at least 3 of his relatives in high-paying exec jobs.
And we know it’s one of CA’s top spenders on education lobbying.
In Learn4Life charter school network, millions of taxpayer dollars get spent by one private corporation
Lifelong Learning operates outside state transparency laws, despite its outsize role in managing the schools and despite the millions it reaps in public funding.
www.sandiegouniontribune.com
October 13, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Still, because it’s a nonprofit, there are things we know:
We know it paid multiple executives >$400K a year.
We know it paid its cofounder >$600K a year.
We know it hired at least 3 of his relatives in high-paying exec jobs.
And we know it’s one of CA’s top spenders on education lobbying.
We know it paid multiple executives >$400K a year.
We know it paid its cofounder >$600K a year.
We know it hired at least 3 of his relatives in high-paying exec jobs.
And we know it’s one of CA’s top spenders on education lobbying.
Lifelong Learning insists it’s not a charter management organization but rather a vendor, and therefore isn’t subject to public records law.
California’s school auditing agency has said otherwise.
But Lifelong Learning rejected our requests for board meeting and financial records on that basis.
California’s school auditing agency has said otherwise.
But Lifelong Learning rejected our requests for board meeting and financial records on that basis.
In Learn4Life charter school network, millions of taxpayer dollars get spent by one private corporation
Lifelong Learning operates outside state transparency laws, despite its outsize role in managing the schools and despite the millions it reaps in public funding.
www.sandiegouniontribune.com
October 13, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Lifelong Learning insists it’s not a charter management organization but rather a vendor, and therefore isn’t subject to public records law.
California’s school auditing agency has said otherwise.
But Lifelong Learning rejected our requests for board meeting and financial records on that basis.
California’s school auditing agency has said otherwise.
But Lifelong Learning rejected our requests for board meeting and financial records on that basis.
So who's behind Learn4Life, & where is all that public money going?
Hundreds of millions of it is going to one obscure private corporation that effectively manages much of the schools’ operations — Lifelong Learning Administration Corporation.
www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/10/06/i...
Hundreds of millions of it is going to one obscure private corporation that effectively manages much of the schools’ operations — Lifelong Learning Administration Corporation.
www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/10/06/i...
In Learn4Life charter school network, millions of taxpayer dollars get spent by one private corporation
Lifelong Learning operates outside state transparency laws, despite its outsize role in managing the schools and despite the millions it reaps in public funding.
www.sandiegouniontribune.com
October 13, 2025 at 10:26 PM
So who's behind Learn4Life, & where is all that public money going?
Hundreds of millions of it is going to one obscure private corporation that effectively manages much of the schools’ operations — Lifelong Learning Administration Corporation.
www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/10/06/i...
Hundreds of millions of it is going to one obscure private corporation that effectively manages much of the schools’ operations — Lifelong Learning Administration Corporation.
www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/10/06/i...
We asked Learn4Life about it, their lawyer accused us of not understanding how schools are funded & said the question could “mislead the public into believing that L4L is breaking the law, which is categorically false.”
This was the most specific a response we got from them on anything. 7/x
This was the most specific a response we got from them on anything. 7/x
‘This isn’t right’: Teachers question priorities, track record of Learn4Life charter schools
The network’s model has drawn criticism of its effectiveness, and some teachers described its schools as more focused on funding than on results.
www.sandiegouniontribune.com
October 13, 2025 at 10:24 PM
We asked Learn4Life about it, their lawyer accused us of not understanding how schools are funded & said the question could “mislead the public into believing that L4L is breaking the law, which is categorically false.”
This was the most specific a response we got from them on anything. 7/x
This was the most specific a response we got from them on anything. 7/x
Speaking of ADA, some Learn4Life schools filed ADA numbers even higher than the total number of students enrolled *at any point in a calendar year.*
At one, the disparity was >800 kids — worth >$10M.
We asked state auditing officials about it. They said it’s so unusual it merits investigation. 6/x
At one, the disparity was >800 kids — worth >$10M.
We asked state auditing officials about it. They said it’s so unusual it merits investigation. 6/x
‘This isn’t right’: Teachers question priorities, track record of Learn4Life charter schools
The network’s model has drawn criticism of its effectiveness, and some teachers described its schools as more focused on funding than on results.
www.sandiegouniontribune.com
October 13, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Speaking of ADA, some Learn4Life schools filed ADA numbers even higher than the total number of students enrolled *at any point in a calendar year.*
At one, the disparity was >800 kids — worth >$10M.
We asked state auditing officials about it. They said it’s so unusual it merits investigation. 6/x
At one, the disparity was >800 kids — worth >$10M.
We asked state auditing officials about it. They said it’s so unusual it merits investigation. 6/x
And kids don’t have to show up to count as attending. ADA is measured by how much work they do.
“Even if the student barely did enough work to count as 1 day’s worth of work, the students & teachers were strongly encouraged to sign off for the entire [~20-day] learning period,” a teacher said. 5/x
“Even if the student barely did enough work to count as 1 day’s worth of work, the students & teachers were strongly encouraged to sign off for the entire [~20-day] learning period,” a teacher said. 5/x
‘This isn’t right’: Teachers question priorities, track record of Learn4Life charter schools
The network’s model has drawn criticism of its effectiveness, and some teachers described its schools as more focused on funding than on results.
www.sandiegouniontribune.com
October 13, 2025 at 10:18 PM
And kids don’t have to show up to count as attending. ADA is measured by how much work they do.
“Even if the student barely did enough work to count as 1 day’s worth of work, the students & teachers were strongly encouraged to sign off for the entire [~20-day] learning period,” a teacher said. 5/x
“Even if the student barely did enough work to count as 1 day’s worth of work, the students & teachers were strongly encouraged to sign off for the entire [~20-day] learning period,” a teacher said. 5/x
The model Learn4Life schools use is non-classroom-based (kids mostly work remotely) and independent-study (kids don't attend remote classes but rather complete assignments on their own).
To some teachers, that lack of structure was especially tough for their vulnerable student population. 4/x
To some teachers, that lack of structure was especially tough for their vulnerable student population. 4/x
‘This isn’t right’: Teachers question priorities, track record of Learn4Life charter schools
The network’s model has drawn criticism of its effectiveness, and some teachers described its schools as more focused on funding than on results.
www.sandiegouniontribune.com
October 13, 2025 at 10:15 PM
The model Learn4Life schools use is non-classroom-based (kids mostly work remotely) and independent-study (kids don't attend remote classes but rather complete assignments on their own).
To some teachers, that lack of structure was especially tough for their vulnerable student population. 4/x
To some teachers, that lack of structure was especially tough for their vulnerable student population. 4/x
What schools really cared about, teachers said, was posting high average daily attendance, or ADA — the basis for school funding in California.
“You gotta get ADA. That was the real driver,” one said.
But they had qualms about how they say they were expected to do it.
“You gotta get ADA. That was the real driver,” one said.
But they had qualms about how they say they were expected to do it.
‘This isn’t right’: Teachers question priorities, track record of Learn4Life charter schools
The network’s model has drawn criticism of its effectiveness, and some teachers described its schools as more focused on funding than on results.
www.sandiegouniontribune.com
October 13, 2025 at 10:09 PM
What schools really cared about, teachers said, was posting high average daily attendance, or ADA — the basis for school funding in California.
“You gotta get ADA. That was the real driver,” one said.
But they had qualms about how they say they were expected to do it.
“You gotta get ADA. That was the real driver,” one said.
But they had qualms about how they say they were expected to do it.
“It just felt like I’m perpetuating this problem of this kid falling further and further behind even when they’re trying. I remember feeling at the time, ‘This isn’t right, it shouldn’t be this way.’”
“We didn’t graduate enough students.”
“We didn’t treat them like we should’ve.”
“We didn’t graduate enough students.”
“We didn’t treat them like we should’ve.”
‘This isn’t right’: Teachers question priorities, track record of Learn4Life charter schools
The network’s model has drawn criticism of its effectiveness, and some teachers described its schools as more focused on funding than on results.
www.sandiegouniontribune.com
October 13, 2025 at 10:08 PM
“It just felt like I’m perpetuating this problem of this kid falling further and further behind even when they’re trying. I remember feeling at the time, ‘This isn’t right, it shouldn’t be this way.’”
“We didn’t graduate enough students.”
“We didn’t treat them like we should’ve.”
“We didn’t graduate enough students.”
“We didn’t treat them like we should’ve.”
First up: The education.
Kristen Taketa spoke with a dozen current and former teachers and administrators. They shared a sense of frustration at their schools’ priorities and regret at the schools' track records. 2/x
Kristen Taketa spoke with a dozen current and former teachers and administrators. They shared a sense of frustration at their schools’ priorities and regret at the schools' track records. 2/x
‘This isn’t right’: Teachers question priorities, track record of Learn4Life charter schools
The network’s model has drawn criticism of its effectiveness, and some teachers described its schools as more focused on funding than on results.
www.sandiegouniontribune.com
October 13, 2025 at 10:08 PM
First up: The education.
Kristen Taketa spoke with a dozen current and former teachers and administrators. They shared a sense of frustration at their schools’ priorities and regret at the schools' track records. 2/x
Kristen Taketa spoke with a dozen current and former teachers and administrators. They shared a sense of frustration at their schools’ priorities and regret at the schools' track records. 2/x
Beyond their own futures — a few are planning cross-country moves — they wonder what this means for a military already struggling to recruit & now losing experienced members.
“The DoD cannot, one for one, replace us overnight.”
(Photo: Ana Ramirez, U-T)
www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/07/13/s...
“The DoD cannot, one for one, replace us overnight.”
(Photo: Ana Ramirez, U-T)
www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/07/13/s...
July 14, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Beyond their own futures — a few are planning cross-country moves — they wonder what this means for a military already struggling to recruit & now losing experienced members.
“The DoD cannot, one for one, replace us overnight.”
(Photo: Ana Ramirez, U-T)
www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/07/13/s...
“The DoD cannot, one for one, replace us overnight.”
(Photo: Ana Ramirez, U-T)
www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/07/13/s...