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[Roll Call]
11 ON SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2025.WELCOME TO THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF EDUCATION, INCLUDING CLOSED SESSION ITEM.
I'M GONNA TAKE ROLE MS. NEW BILL PRESENT DR.
REVA PRESENT, MR. MELVOIN, MS. REGO, MS. EZ, MS. ORTIZ FRANKLIN.
PRESENT BOARD PRESIDENT SCHON PRESENT.
AND I'LL READ THE PURPOSE AND AUTHORITY FOR THIS SPECIAL MEETING.
UM, THERE IS JUST ONE ITEM TO BE HEARD THAT IS UNDER TAB ONE PERSONNEL PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 4 9 5 7 AND IT WILL BE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S EVALUATION.
WE WILL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT IS SPECIFIC TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S EVALUATION AND THEN RECESS DIRECTLY INTO CLOSED SESSION AS IS OUR PRACTICE.
[Public Comment ]
CALL ON THE FOLKS WHO ARE LISTED AS BEING IN PERSON AND THEN WE WILL CALL ON THE FOLKS WHO ARE LISTED AS REMOTE.SO IF YOU ARE HERE, UH, PLEASE BE PREPARED TO SPEAK AFTER THE PERSON IN FRONT OF YOU HAS COMPLETED.
SO, JOHN COLEMAN, ARE YOU HERE? JOHN COLEMAN, PLEASE COME ON DOWN.
YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
JOHN COLEMAN, ARE YOU HERE? UM, ANNABEL MOSCOWITZ, ARE YOU HERE? ANNABEL? UH, JASMINE BANKS, ARE YOU HERE? COME ON DOWN.
UH, MS. BANKS, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN AND AFTER MS. BANKS IS CHARLA HARRIS AND THEN ELVIA RODRIGUEZ.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S EVALUATION.
AND THEN, UM, THAT WILL BE IT.
SUPERINTENDENT CARVALLO, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND BOARD SECRETARIAT.
JASMINE BANKS AND I'M THE HEAD OF SCHOOL AT VOX COLLEGIATE.
I AM ALSO HERE TO SPEAK TO THE EVALUATION OF OUR SUPERINTENDENT, AND ONE OF THOSE COMPONENTS IS, UH, NAMING THE IMPORTANCE OF CHARTER SCHOOLS AND THE RELEVANCE AND EXCELLENCE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, THE ARCHITECT, PAUL REVERE WILLIAMS, WHOSE WORK HAS SHAPED MUCH OF SOUTH LOS ANGELES ONCE SAID THAT I AM NOT ON THIS PLANET TO GET SOMETHING DONE.
I AM HERE TO ACCOMPLISH THINGS THAT EXPRESS MY PURPOSE.
AND THE PURPOSE OF VOX COLLEGIATE IS TO ENSURE THAT ALL STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO EXCEL IN COLLEGE AND BEYOND KNOWING THE POWER AND POTENTIAL OF THEIR VOICE.
LIKE WILLIAMS, WE HAVE BUILT SOMETHING ENDURING ARM IN ARM WITH OUR STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS.
WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED GOES BEYOND THE CLASSROOM.
WE HAVE CULTIVATED OPPORTUNITIES THAT SEGUE SOUTH LA'S, UH, CULTURAL WEALTH AND OF INTERWOVEN ACADEMIC RIGOR, CHARACTER CONFIDENCE AND DEVELOPMENT.
IN THIS CONSTRUCTION, THE FOUNDATION OF V'S HEART, THE FRAMEWORK IS STRONG INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES AND THE DESIGN IS THE BRILLIANCE OF OUR STUDENTS.
VOX IS PROUD TO BE A 2024 CALIFORNIA DISTINGUISHED SCHOOL AND A CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY SCHOOL.
THESE HONORS REFLECT THAT WE HAVE A PASSION FOR EXCELLENCE AND INTENTIONAL CARE FOR OUR BUDDING LEADERS.
SINCE RETURNING FROM DISTANCE LEARNING AT ELA, VOX HAS CONSISTENTLY OUTPERFORMED THE STATE WHEN IT COMES TO COMPARISONS TO STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT STUDENT GROUPS.
IN PARTICULAR, OUR BLACK STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT HAS SURPASSED THE STATE BY 60 POINTS.
IN ADDITION FOR MATH, OUR STUDENTS HAVE OUTPERFORMED THE SAME SIGNIFICANT STUDENT GROUPS ACROSS THE BOARD.
THESE COMPLIMENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS SHOW THAT GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENT ARE POSSIBLE WHEN MISSION LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY ALL ALIGN, WHETHER IN SPEECH AND DEBATE, CLASSROOM DIALOGUE, EXPRESSING THEIR FEELINGS OR ADVOCATING FOR THEMSELVES AND OTHERS.
OUR STUDENTS ARE LEARNING TO LEAD WITH COURAGE AND CONVICTION LIKE MR. WILLIAMS, THE STRUCTURES THAT HE HAS CULTIVATED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
CHARLA HARRIS, COME ON DOWN AND REMEMBER TO PLEASE KEEP THOSE REMARKS CONSTRAINED TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S EVALUATION.
SO CHARLA HARRIS, AND THEN ELVIA RODRIGUEZ.
I AM HERE TO SPEAK TO THE EVALUATION OF OUR SUPERINTENDENT, WHICH DOES INVOLVE THE EVALUATION OF SCHOOLS, INCLUDING CHARTER SCHOOLS.
SO I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SPEAK TO THE SUCCESS OF LEARNING BY DESIGN CHARTER SCHOOL, WHICH I AM THE FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
UM, PART OF OUR MISSION IS TO ULTIMATELY CULTIVATE DIVERSE STUDENTS INTO THOUGHTFUL, COURAGEOUS CHANGE MAKERS THROUGH EXPERIENTIAL HANDS-ON LEARNING.
THE QUESTION IS, HAVE WE DONE THAT OVER THE PAST SEVEN YEARS? THE ANSWER IS YES.
THE MORE IMPORTANT QUESTION IS, HAVE WE DONE THAT SUCCESSFULLY? WELL, LET'S SEE.
NUMBER ONE, OUR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT HAS GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY, SIGNIFICANTLY WITH THE 50% IMPROVEMENT IN ELA AND MATH SINCE 2022.
BUT WE KNOW TEST SCORES ONLY TELL PART OF THE STORY.
AND OUR STUDENT RUN GARDEN OR EDIBLE GARDEN, OUR KIDS GROW, HARVEST AND COOK THEIR OWN FOOD AND NOW HOST A MONTHLY FARMER'S MARKET PROVIDING FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES FROM OUR GARDEN TO THE COMMUNITY AND OUR MAKER SPACE.
IN PARTICULAR, STUDENTS ENGAGED IN THE DESIGN THINKING PROCESS TO PROTOTYPE AND 3D PRINT SHOES TO PUT ON DISPLAY AT OUR ANNUAL STUDENT PROJECT
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EXHIBITION.AND THEN COLLECTED OVER 250 REAL PAIRS OF SHOES TO DONATE TO THE UNHOUSED.
THROUGH OUR STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM, STUDENTS TRAVELED TO COSTA RICA WHERE THEY PLANTED TREES IN THE RAINFOREST, CARED FOR INJURED ANIMALS IN A LOCAL WILDLIFE HABITAT, AND IMMERSED THEMSELVES IN COSTA RICAN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE FOR A WEEK.
AND WHEN THE FAMILIES, UH, FIRES IMPACTED FAMILIES, UM, IN EATON COUNTY AND THE PALISADES, OUR STUDENTS RESEARCHED, DESIGNED, CREATED BLUEPRINTS AND BUILT MODELS OF ESCAPE ROUTES, FIRE RESISTANT HOMES AND BUSINESSES, WHICH WERE ALL PUT ON DISPLAY AT OUR STUDENT PROJECT EXHIBITION.
THESE WERE JUST A FEW EXAMPLES OF HOW OUR MISSION IS BEING LIVED OUT DAY TO DAY, CREATING REAL WORLD STUDENT DRIVEN LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT REQUIRE OUR STUDENTS TO THINK DEEPLY AND CRITICALLY.
AND WITH YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT, WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING, EXPANDING AND EXTENDING OUR IMPACT IN SOUTH LA.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
ELVIA RODRIGUEZ, ARE YOU HERE? LVR.
UM, MS. RODRIGUEZ, ARE YOU GONNA SPEAK IN SPANISH? OKAY.
SO MS. RODRIGUEZ IS GONNA SPEAK IN SPANISH.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT SHE'S SAYING IN ENGLISH AS SHE'S SPEAKING IN SPANISH, PLEASE PUT YOUR HANDS UP AND WE'LL GET YOU THESE TRANSLATION HEADSETS SO YOU CAN EXPERIENCE SIMULTANEOUS TRANSLATION.
AND, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
MY NAME IS ELVIE RODRIGUEZ AND I AM A MOTHER OF TWO STUDENTS, ONE IN SEVENTH GRADE AND ANOTHER ONE AND 11TH GRADE.
BOTH OF THEM HAVE BEEN PART OF PARA LOS ZINOS FOR MANY YEARS.
THE WORK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT IS TO SUPPORT QUALITY SCHOOLS AND FOR STUDENTS, THAT IS ONE OF THEM.
AND TODAY I WANT TO PROUDLY SHARE MY EXPERIENCE AS A FAMILY OF THIS COMMUNITY.
IT'S NOT JUST A SCHOOL FOR US, IT IS A PLACE OF COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT WHERE OUR STUDENTS RECEIVE HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION AND CARE FOR THEIR, UM, SOC SOCIAL EMOTIONAL HEALTH, WHICH IS SO IMPERATIVE IN THESE TIMES.
WE HAVE RECEIVED FAMILY THERAPY IN A FAST AND RESPECTFUL MANNER, WHICH HAS BEEN CRITICAL FOR THEIR WELLBEING AND FOR MY DEVELOPMENT AS A MOTHER.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, AS PARENTS, THEY ALWAYS OFFER US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMS SUCH AS PARENT AMBASSADORS AND COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, WHICH ALSO HAVE OFFERED USEFUL WORKSHOPS AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP OUR LEADERSHIP, THE PROGRAM AFTER SCHOOL.
IT IS KEY FOR MANY FAMILIES JUST LIKE MINE BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO WORK AND SUPPORT OUR FAMILIES WHILE OUR CHILDREN RECEIVE EDUCATION AND CARE THAT THEY NEED.
ALSO OUR OLDER CHILDREN THAT ARE ALREADY IN HIGH SCHOOL UP TO GO BACK AS VOLUNTEERS TO REINFORCE THAT STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY FOR THOUSANDS, HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES.
IT WOULD BE A GREAT LOSS THAT THIS SCHOOL WOULD CLOSE.
IT IS A SAFE SPACE, A TRUSTING SPACE AND, AND INCLUSIVE SPACE WHERE OUR CHILDREN NOT ONLY LEARN, BUT THEY DEVELOP AS PEOPLE.
BECAUSE OF ALL THIS, WE REQUEST YOUR RESPECTFULLY YOUR SUPPORT TO KEEP OPEN THE SCHOOL CHARTER, MIDDLE SCHOOL PARA LOS.
THIS INSTITUTION IS A PILLAR FOR OUR FAMILIES AND OUR COMMUNITIES.
OKAY, ANNA CHAVEZ, COME ON DOWN.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO CONSTRAIN YOUR REMARKS TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S EVALUATION.
AND THEN, UM, AFTER ANNA CHAVEZ IS, UH,
THE SUPERINTENDENT PLAYS A PIVOTAL ROLE IN RENEWING CHARTERS, UM, HERE TO SPEAK.
I'M YIELDING MY SPOT TO OUR PARENT.
GOOD MORNING, SUPERINTENDENT CARVALHO AND MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.
GOOD MORNING, SUPERINTENDENT CARVALHO AND MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
MY, MY NAME IS GLORIA SARADA MORALE.
I'M THE PROUD GRANDMOTHER, UH, JEREMIAH.
ETHAN LEON, A JUNIOR AT CENTRAL CITY VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL.
BEFORE ATTENDING CENTRAL CITY, JEREMIAH WAS A STUDENT AT ST.
FRANCIS OF ASI CATHOLIC SCHOOL AND VISTA CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHERE HE EARNED HONORABLE RECOGNITION, LED LEADERSHIP AWARDS, AND EVEN ACCOMMODATION FROM THE COUNCILMAN MITCH O'FARRELL.
HIS PARENTS AND I ARE SO PROUD OF HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS, BUT WE KNOW THAT HIS GROWTH HAS TRULY FLOURISHED AT CENTRAL CITY, VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOL'S DEDICATION TO ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN ITS STRONG CORE VALUES, THE TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS AT CENTRAL CITY VALUE ARE DEEPLY COMMITTED TO PREPARING EVERY STUDENT FOR SUCCESS IN COLLEGE.
WITH THE BALANCE OF RIGOROUS ACADEMICS, ENRICHING ELECTIVES, RANGING FROM MATH TO ART, JEREMIAH HAS BEEN ABLE TO THRIVE ACROSS THE DISCIPLINES.
HIS HARD WORK COMBINED WITH THE SCHOOL SUPPORT HAS HELPED TO MAINTAIN A 3.4 GPA AT CENTRAL CITY.
JEREMIAH IS ENCOURAGED NOT JUST TO MEET
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EXPECTATIONS, BUT TO EXCEED THEM.THE SCHOOL CHALLENGES, TO, TO GROW AS A LEARNER AND AS A LEADER AND AS A YOUNG MAN READY TO CONTRIBUTE POSITIVELY TO SOCIETY.
RESPECT IS MORE THAN A WORD HERE.
TEACHERS MODEL RESPECT FOR THEIR STUDENTS AND IN RETURN, STUDENTS REFLECT THAT SAME RESPECT TOWARDS STAFF AND PEERS.
AS A PARENT AND A GRANDPARENT, I HAVE WELCOME INTO THIS COMMUNITY.
I NOW MY, MY SECOND YEAR OF SERVING ON THE SCHOOL SIDE COMMITTEE WHERE FAMILY, STAFF AND ADMINISTRATORS WORK TOGETHER TO STRENGTHEN AND IMPROVE OUR SCHOOL.
THIS PARTNERSHIP DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
CENTRAL CITY INSTILLS IN STUDENTS THE IMPORTANCE OF OF SERVICE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
ARE YOU HERE? BERNICE LARDO, COME ON UP.
GRACIA, UH, SO THE SPEAKER'S GONNA SPEAK IN SPANISH, SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT SHE'S SAYING IN ENGLISH AS SHE'S SPEAKING IN SPANISH, PLEASE PUT YOUR HANDS UP AND WE'LL GET YOU THESE TRANSLATION HEADSETS.
I THANK GOD FOR THIS PRIVILEGE AND FOR EACH ONE OF YOU, MY NAME IS BEDO AND I AM A MOTHER OF THREE STUDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN THROUGH AND ARE GOING THROUGH, UH, TOCE ALLIANCE TOE ALLIANCE.
I'M HERE TO REPRESENT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE 495 STUDENTS AND APPROXIMATELY A THOUSAND PARENTS OF ELIAS DOSIER.
I SPEAK AS A SMALL BUSINESS ORDER FOR 30 YEARS IN THE COMMUNITY OF SOUTH CENTRAL, VERY CLOSE TO THE SCHOOL.
I WANT TO SHARE THE STORY OF MY DAUGHTER.
UH, BENI SAYS, SINCE KINDER, SHE HAS HAD HIGH ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN SELECTING THE HIGH SCHOOL.
WE, UH, CHOSE ALLIANCE DOSIER DUE TO THE FOLLOWING REASONS, ONE DUE TO THE ACADEMIC RIGOR AND THEN THE LOW NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM, AND THREE IN THE PARTICIPATION IN SPORTS.
AND FOUR, BECAUSE OF LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS. ELIAS DOSIER IS WHY MY DAUGHTERS WAS VALEDICTORIAN.
OH, TODAY,
AND THOSE RESULTS ARE NOT JUST UNIQUE TO MY DAUGHTER ON THE ACADEMY.
THE STUDENTS ARE EVEN 29 POINTS ABOVE IN MATH IN COMPARISON TO, UH, OTHER STUDENTS IN OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE ZONE AND IN ABSENCES.
WE ARE LOWER THAN THE SCHOOLS IN THE ZONE, THE DISTRICT SCHOOLS, AND EVEN THE SCHOOLS IN THE STATE.
AND, AND ON BEHALF OF THE THOUSANDS OF PARENTS OF ALLIANCE SCHOOL, I ASK FOR YOUR, UH, VOTE YES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
I SEE YOU SIGNED UP TO SPEAK REMOTELY, BUT I DON'T HAVE YOU ONLINE.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
OKAY? GOOD MORNING EVERY TO EVERY ONE OF YOU, BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT.
MY NAME IS CARINA LOPEZ SUNGA, AND I AM CALLING ABOUT THE TOPIC, THE, OF THE EVALUATION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT.
AND WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS THE CORRECT WORD, BUT IT IS FOR YOU TO TAKE THE DECISION IF WE, UH, CONTRACT THE SAME PERSON THAT HAS BEEN WITH US FOR SO MANY YEARS, THE SUPERINTENDENT CAVALLO, AND BEFORE YOU DECIDE FOR US OR FOR ALL OF THE STUDENTS AND PARENTS AND FAMILIES AND ABOVE ALL, FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, THE COMMUNITY THAT VOTED FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU SEATED THERE, THANK YOU.
BUT THE NEED, YOU NEED TO RESEARCH IF THE NEEDS ARE BEING ADDRESSED OR IF THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PLANT IS APPROPRIATE, HAS BEEN APPROPRIATE, AND WHAT IT IS THAT WE NEED TO ACCOMPLISH.
IF WITH HIM YOU NEED TO, BECAUSE HE SIGNS CONTRACTS, RIGHT? I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE CLAUSE THEMSELVES, BUT IF YOU WILL, UH, WILL SUPPORT HIM.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU WILL DECIDE FOR HIM.
AND SO FOR MR. CARAVALO, AND YOU NEED TO DOCUMENT THE CLAUSES THAT REALLY ADDRESS
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THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS IN THE COMMUNITIES.THE COMMITTEES UNFORTUNATELY ARE NOT BEING SUCCESSFUL.
THE A AUTHOR, THE VOICE OF THE PARENT IS NOT BEING FAVORABLE OR SUCCESSFUL.
WE ARE, SINCE MANY A YEAR, WE HAVE BEEN OUT OF COMPLIANCE OF THE EDUCATION LAW HERE IN LOS ANGELES.
MR. TRUMP, THE US PRESIDENT IS PRIORITIZING THIS CONCERN.
WE CALL ON EVERYBODY ON THE LIST AND THE BOARD WILL NOW RECESS INTO
[Recess into Closed Session]
CLOSED SESSION AT 9:27 AM THANK YOU FOR MY FRIENDS IN THE AUDIENCE.THE BOARD IS GONNA GO INTO CLOSE A CONFIDENTIAL CLOSED SESSION AND THEY'LL COME OUT AROUND 10:00 AM AT WHICH POINT WE'LL START THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED 10:00 AM MEETING.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE.
[Reconvene to Open Session ]
HAVE FOUR BOARD MEMBERS.UH, MS. NEWVILLE IS ON HER WAY.
MS. OTI FRANKLIN IS HERE AND BOARD PRESIDENT SCHMERIN IS HERE.
THEY HAVE RETURNED FROM CLOSED SESSION.
UM, AND UNLESS THERE'S ANY OBJECTIONS, WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE THE MEETING.
THIS MEETING IS NOW CLOSED AT 10 52 AND WE'LL REOPEN THE NEXT MEETING IN ABOUT FIVE MINUTES.