Birmingham charter request on tap

Los Angeles Unified board members are expected to decide today whether to approve a plan to split Birmingham High School into an independent charter and a district magnet high school - putting to rest a months-long battle between faculty and parents at the 3,200-student campus.Connie LLanos in the Daily News.

Charter proponents say they want to bring reform and financial freedom to a school that has suffered from worse-than-average dropout rates and declining test scores over the years.