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THE TIME IS NOW 10:43 AM WELCOME TO THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF EDUCATION.
THE DATE IS DECEMBER 16TH, 2025.
[Roll Call]
I'M GOING TO TAKE ROLE, UH, MS. NEWBELL.PRESENT BOARD PRESIDENT SCHON PRESENT.
WE'LL NOW DO THE, UH, LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THEN BOARD PRESIDENT'S REPORTS.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT OPERATES ON LAND ORIGINALLY AND STILL INHABITED AND CARED FOR BY THE GNO AND FERNO TIAN PEOPLES WHO HAVE STEWARDED THIS LAND FOR GENERATIONS.
WE RECOGNIZE THESE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES ONGOING PRESENCE AND CONTRIBUTIONS, AND HONOR THEIR CONNECTION TO THIS REGION.
WE RECOGNIZE GNO PEOPLE AS THE ORIGINAL STEWARDS OF LOS ANGELES BASIN AND THE NEARBY COASTAL LANDS, AND THE FERANDO AVIUM AS PROTECTORS OF THE NORTHERN VALLEYS.
THESE LANDS HAVE AND CONTINUE TO HOLD DEEP, CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE TO THEIR PEOPLE AND HAVE SHAPED THE COMMUNITY WE LIVE IN TODAY.
WE PAY OUR RESPECTS TO THE HANUK ANCESTORS,
WE COMMIT TO DEEPENING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE HISTORIES AND CULTURES OF THE NATIVE PEOPLES OF THIS LAND.
THIS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT DEMONSTRATES OUR ONGOING EFFORTS TO BUILD AND SUSTAIN RELATIONSHIPS WITH INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES AND CONTRIBUTE TO HEALING AND RECONCILIATION.
[Board President’s Reports]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.AND BEFORE WE DO OUR BOARD REPORT AND WE GET TO LABOR PARTNERS, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY A FEW MINUTES, UH, A FEW THINGS FOR A MINUTE ABOUT BEING PRESIDENT, AND I ALSO LET MS. RIVA SPEAK, DR.
UH, YOU CAN'T IMAGINE HOW MUCH WORK GOES INTO MAKING A BOARD MEETING HAPPEN.
YOU JUST CANNOT IMAGINE THE WORK.
AND I APPRECIATE WHAT EVERYONE DOES BEHIND THE SCENES.
AND RIGHT HERE, THE DE IS ABOUT GETTING A BOARD MEETING COMING OUT, JUST FLAWLESS, AND I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.
AND MR. MCLEAN, TOO, FOR KEEPING THINGS RUNNING SMOOTHLY.
WHAT CAN I SAY? IT'S JUST BEAUTIFUL.
I JUST FEEL THAT MY MAIN JOB HERE AS BOARD PRESIDENT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS ARE HEARD.
NO ONE IS INTERRUPTED, NO ONE IS CUT SHORT, AND NO ONE IS PUT DOWN.
ALL BOARD MEMBERS HAVE EQUAL SAY IN THIS SCHOOL BOARD, AND I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT AND WILL CONTINUE THE TRADITION.
UH, FIRST I WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR, UH, ONCE AGAIN, UH, VOTING, NOMINATING, AND VOTING FOR ME, UH, FOR THIS POSITION.
UM, YES, EQUALLY SO, IT'S, IT IS, THERE IS WORK.
IT'S ONE COMMITTEE, BUT IT'S, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE INCLUDING, UM, I DO INCLUDE THE VOICES OF BOARD MEMBERS, THEIR PRIORITIES, WHAT PRESENTATIONS THEY WANT, AND COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE IS, UM, A LOT OF PRESENTATIONS WANNA, YOU KNOW, COME INTO PLAY IN ONE, IN ONE MEETING.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ONLY LIMIT IT TO A FEW.
BUT THERE'S A LOT THAT WE WANNA INCLUDE IN THE COMMITTEE.
SO WE ARE TRYING TO, I AM, AND MY STAFF, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE INCLUSIVE OF THE PRIORITIES OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS, BUT ALSO THE PRIORITIES OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, MAKING SURE THAT THE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE AROUND, UM, BUDGET AND, UM, ALSO OTHER AREAS THAT, UM, IMPACT OUR COMMUNITIES.
UM, AND ALSO WANTING TO BRING EXTERNAL VOICES TO ALSO PRESENT.
SO WE CAN ALSO HEAR FROM, UM, FOLKS THAT ARE IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT ALSO WANNA HAVE A SPACE, UM, HERE BEFORE THE BOARD.
SO, UM, ONCE AGAIN, I'M, I'M VERY GRATEFUL WE WOULD CONTINUE TO BE INCLUSIVE AND ALSO TRANSPARENT IN THE COMMUNITY OF THE WHOLE MEETINGS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR. RIVAS, AND I AGREE WITH YOU.
UM, I APPRECIATE HAVING YOU AS VICE PRESIDENT AND WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC IS SERVED.
IT'S TIME FOR LABOR PARTNERS, AND I DID SEE MY FRIEND FROM UTLA.
BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT.
UM, I'M HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF UNITED TEACHERS LOS ANGELES,
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AND WE ARE STANDING IN SOLIDARITY WITH SEIU LOCAL 99.AFTER NEARLY TWO YEARS AT THE BARGAINING TABLE WITH LOCAL 99, L-A-U-S-D HAS CONTINUED TO DISRESPECT SCHOOL WORKERS AND IS REFUSING TO MOVE ON CORE ISSUES THAT DIRECTLY AFFECT SCHOOL, STAFF, STUDENTS, AND SCHOOL SAFETY.
THIS IS A PATTERN WE KNOW IS NOT A BUDGET PROBLEM, IT'S A PRIORITIES PROBLEM.
CAFETERIA WORKERS, CUSTODIANS, BUS DRIVERS, AND DEAR TO MY HEART.
SPECIAL EDUCATION ASSISTANCE ARE ESSENTIAL TO STUDENT LEARNING.
L-A-U-S-D CONTINUES TO PAY POVERTY WAGES TO ITS EMPLOYEES WHOM THEY CLAIM TO VALUE.
SO 65% OF THESE EMPLOYEES REPORT BEING HUNGRY.
65%, 10% HAVE REPORTED BEING UNHOUSED WHILE THEY'RE WORKING FOR THIS DISTRICT.
99% CAN'T AFFORD A ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT IN LA COUNTY.
SO, UTLA STANDS IN SOLIDARITY WITH LOCAL 99, AND WE URGE THIS BOARD TO DIRECT OUR SUPERINTENDENT BACK TO THE TABLE WITH REAL MOVEMENT SETTLE A FAIR CONTRACT THAT RESPECTS WORKERS AND SUPPORTS STUDENTS.
NOW, ON TOP OF THAT, THE DISTRICT IS CUTTING SCHOOL SITE BUDGETS AND AT THE SAME TIME TAKING AWAY ALL CARRYOVER MONEY.
AS OF FEBRUARY, THIS IS CREATING EXTREME UNCERTAINTY FOR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES.
FOLKS ARE PANICKING AND THAT IS DESTABILIZING SCHOOLS AT A TIME WHEN THEY NEED MORE STABILITY, NOT LESS.
THE DISTRICT IS ASKING SCHOOL SITES TO DO MORE WITH LESS WHEN IT HASN'T SETTLED ANY LABOR AGREEMENTS.
HOW DO WE EXPECT SCHOOLS TO PLAN A BUDGET THIS EARLY WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW YET WHAT NEXT YEAR'S STAFFING OR CLASS SIZES WILL BE? THE ACCELERATED BUDGET DEVELOPMENT HAS ONLY SPREAD FAIR UNCERTAINTY AND DOUBT.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE DISTRICT IS IMPOSING THESE CUTS.
IT IS SPENDING MORE AND MORE ON SUBCONTRACTING USING SECRET CONTRACTS THAT NO ONE HAS SEEN.
THIS IS CORPORATE BEHAVIOR, AND IT'S NOT THE WAY PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS ACCOUNTABLE TO THE COMMUNITY SHOULD ACT.
IN ADDITION, WE SEE THE DISTRICT IS PROJECTED TO EXCEED ITS SERVICES BUDGET BY 37% BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
MEANWHILE, UTLA HAS BEEN WAITING ALMOST FOUR MONTHS TO RECEIVE JUST 29, JUST THE 29 OUT OF 2,500 OF THESE CONTRACTS THAT WE REQUESTED UNDER THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT.
WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED A SINGLE ONE, NOT ONE.
UNLIKE OTHER PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
L-A-U-S-D CHOOSES NOT TO INCLUDE THIS CONTRACTS IN BOARD MATERIALS, AND THERE IS NO SEARCHABLE BOARD RECORDS SITE THAT INCLUDES THIS INFORMATION.
THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE, AND THE BOARD SHOULD DEMAND MORE TRANSPARENCY ON CONTRACTING.
AND THEN FINALLY, FOR LOS ANGELES AND FOR EVERY OTHER CITY THAT'S BEEN INVADED BY ICE AND CBP TERROR, THAT'S BEEN FLANKED BY MILITARY TROOPS THIS PAST YEAR, WHAT HAS BEEN TRUE IS THAT SAFETY HAS BEEN CREATED AND DEFINED BY COMMUNITY NETWORKS THAT HAVE RESPONDED TO THIS.
FEDERAL TERROR VOLUNTEERS, INCLUDING SOME OF OUR UTLA MEMBERS, HAVE KEPT WATCH BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL.
I'M TALKING BEING OUT THERE AT FIVE 30 IN THE MORNING.
THEY'VE SHOWN UP TO ACTIVE IMMIGRATION RAID TO DOCUMENT WHAT'S HAPPENING AND TO OFFER SUPPORT TO FAMILIES.
THE VOLUNTEER LED ICE RESPONSE MODELS ALSO INCORPORATE A SAFE PASSAGE RESPONSE.
VOLUNTEERS LEAD WITH LOTS OF LOVE.
THEY CENTER SAFETY, DEESCALATION AND RESTORATIVE PRACTICES THAT THE COMMUNITY-BASED SAFETY RESOLUTION THAT IS COMING TO A VOTE TODAY SEEKS TO BOLSTER AND INCORPORATE AT MORE SCHOOLS.
WE CAN ALSO LOOK TO THE MODELS IN BSAP PROGRAMMING FOR HOW TO SET UP THESE SAFE PASSAGE PROGRAMS. SO WE URGE BOARD MEMBERS TO SUPPORT THIS COMMUNITY SAFETY RESOLUTION.
WE NEED IT MORE THAN EVER AND TO LOOK FORWARD.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING ITS IMPLEMENTATION IN ORDER TO PROTECT SCHOOL COMMUNITIES, OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES
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FROM VIOLENCE AND MORE TRAUMA.MR. ARIAS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK FOR SEIU? YES.
MY NAME IS AARON JACKSON, AND I'M A SCHOOL CLIMATE ADVOCATE AT BANNING HIGH SCHOOL.
I'M A FORMER SPECIAL EDUCATION ASSISTANT AND PLAYGROUND DIRECTOR, NEARLY 15 YEARS COMBINED WITH L-A-U-S-D AND A PROUD SEIU LOCAL 99 MEMBER.
EVERY DAY I'M ON THE FRONT LINES MAKING SURE OUR SCHOOLS ARE SAFE, SUPPORTIVE PLACES FOR OUR STUDENTS TO LEARN.
THAT'S THE WORK I WAS HIRED TO DO, BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS, DEESCALATING CONFLICTS, HELPING STUDENTS STAY ON TRACK.
BUT TOO OFTEN THAT'S NOT THE WORK I'M ACTUALLY ABLE TO DO.
INSTEAD, I'M BEING PULLED TO COVER OTHER POSITIONS.
BECAUSE OUR SCHOOLS ARE SO SHORT STAFFED, I STEP IN BECAUSE OUR STUDENTS DESERVE ADULTS WHO CARE, BUT IT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE WHEN ONE PERSON IS DOING THE WORK OF THREE, EVERYONE LOSES THE STAFF, THE STUDENTS, AND THE ENTIRE SCHOOL COMMUNITY.
AND THE PROBLEM IS BIGGER THAN ME.
ONE OF MY COWORKERS TOLD ME THAT HE GOT A JOB AS A SCHOOL CLIMATE ADVOCATE, BUT WHEN HE SHOWED UP TO START THE SCHOOL SITE, SUDDENLY TOLD HIM THE FUNDING WASN'T AVAILABLE AND STARED TO HIRE HIM AS A LOWER PAID CAMPUS AID.
THEN ON HIS FIRST DAY OF WORK, HE CHANGED AGAIN.
HE WAS ASSIGNED TO A STUDENT WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND TOLD HE'D BE WORKING WITH THEM AS A ONE-ON-ONE.
SO NOW HE'S DOING THE WORK OF A SPECIAL EDUCATION ASSISTANT, A POSITION THAT PAYS MORE, BUT HE'S GETTING PAID LESS.
IT'S A PRACTICE THAT IMPACTS STUDENTS AND LEAVES WORKERS UNDERPAID AND MISCLASSIFIED.
AND IT'S HAPPENING TO TOO MANY OF US.
THE DISTRICT KEEPS FINDING WAYS TO STRETCH OUR LABOR, UNDERPAY OUR WORK, AND ACT LIKE WE SHOULD JUST BE GRATEFUL TO HAVE A JOB.
THIS BOARD APPROVED A CONTRACT FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT WITH A $50,000 ANNUAL RETIREMENT BONUS, AN AMOUNT THAT MANY EDUCATION WORKERS DON'T EARN A YEAR ON TOP OF A $400,000 PLUS SALARY.
SO WHEN WE'RE TOLD THERE ISN'T ENOUGH MONEY TO FULLY STAFF SCHOOLS OR TO PAY WORKERS FAIRLY, THAT DOESN'T ADD UP.
IT MAKES IT CLEAR THAT THIS IS NOT ABOUT A LACK OF RESOURCES, IT'S ABOUT PRIORITIES.
AND THOSE PRIORITIES ARE PUSHING WORKERS FURTHER BEHIND.
THE COST OF LIVING IS PROJECTED TO RISE BY NEARLY 24% OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, BUT THE DISTRICT OFFER IS JUST 8% OVER THAT SAME TIME.
THAT LEAVES EDUCATION WORKERS WITH A 16% GAP, SENDING US FURTHER INTO POVERTY.
WAGES NOT CLOSER TO STABILITY.
LET'S BE CLEAR, THAT'S NOT A RAISE, THAT'S A PAY CUT.
WE KNOW OUR WORTH, AND WE KNOW THE IMPACT WE HAVE EVERY SINGLE DAY ON STUDENT SAFETY, STUDENT WELLBEING, AND SCHOOL CULTURE.
AND WE ARE DEMANDING THAT L-A-U-S-D RECOGNIZE IT TOO.
THAT MEANS LIVABLE WAGES, AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE, REAL STAFFING AND RESPECT FOR EVERY EDUCATION WORKER.
BECAUSE WHEN EDUCATION WORKERS ARE SUPPORTED, OUR STUDENTS SUCCEED.
WHEN OUR ROLES ARE RESPECTED AND FULLY STAFFED, STUDENTS GET THE CONSISTENCY, GUIDANCE, AND STABILITY THEY DESERVE.
I'M SPEAKING TO YOU TODAY BECAUSE THESE ARE DECISIONS ONLY YOU CAN MAKE.
YOU HAVE THE POWER TO STOP THESE STAFFING PRACTICES.
YOU HAVE THE POWER TO ENSURE WORKERS ARE HIRED INTO JOBS THEY'RE QUALIFIED FOR AND PAID ACCORDINGLY.
YOU HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE SURE OUR SCHOOLS ARE NOT RUNNING ON BURNOUT AND EXHAUSTION.
SO TODAY I'M ASKING YOU TO HEAR US CLEARLY.
NO MORE SHORT STAFFING, NO MORE POVERTY WAGES, NO MORE EXCUSES.
IT'S TIME FOR L-A-U-S-D TO INVEST IN US, THE WORKERS WHO MAKE SCHOOLS WORK SO WE CAN DO THE JOBS WE WERE HIRED TO DO AND STUDENTS CAN RECEIVE THE THE SUPPORT THEY DESERVE.
GOOD MORNING, UM, BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT MR. CARVALLO.
I'M A FOOD SERVICE WORKER AT BEACHY AVENUE ELEMENTARY.
I HAD BEEN WITH L-A-U-S-D FOR 18 YEARS.
WHEN I STARTED BACK IN 2007, I WAS A SINGLE MOM JUST TRYING TO MAKE ME, AND I NEVER IMAGINED THIS
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JOB WILL BECOME MY PASSION, MY PURPOSE, BUT IT DID.THAT'S BECAUSE EVERY DAY I GET TO FEED OUR FUTURE.
I START MY DAY AT SIX 30 IN THE MORNING.
I COOK, I COOK, SERVING BREAKFAST, PREPPING LUNCH, AND EVEN SUPPER.
WE DO IT ALL SO THAT NO STUDENT GOES HUNGRY BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WHEN, WHEN KIDS ARE FED, WE CAN, THEY CAN LEARN AND THEY CAN GROW AND THEY CAN ALSO THRIVE.
BUT LET, BUT LET ME TELL YOU, IT'S NOT EASY.
MANY DAYS WE'RE SHORT STAFFED.
WHEN STAFFS ARE OUT, THREE OF US WILL END UP DOING THE WORK OF FIVE FOOD SERVICE WORKERS.
AND STILL, WE MAKE IT HAPPEN BECAUSE THAT'S WHO WE ARE.
WE DON'T GIVE UP ON OUR STUDENTS.
I'LL NEVER FORGET A STUDENT THAT WILL PICK UP LEFTOVER LUNCH.
HE WOULD WALK AROUND WITH A BACKPACK PUTTING INTO WHATEVER HE CAN FIND.
I STOPPED HIM ONE DAY AND GAVE HIM A HOT MEAL.
LATER ON, I LEARNED THAT HIS FAMILY AND HIM WERE LIVING ACROSS THE STREET FROM OUR SCHOOL IN A PARK.
AND THAT FOOD WAS FOR HIM, FOR HIS SIBLINGS AND MOM.
WHAT WE DO ISN'T JUST ABOUT FOOD, IT'S ABOUT DIGNITY, IT'S ABOUT CARE, AND IT'S ABOUT LOVE.
L-A-U-S-E ALSO CLAIMED TO CARE.
SUPERINTENDENT CARVALLO, YOU, YOU HAD A PRESS CONFERENCE ANNOUNCING THAT FREE MEALS FOR ALL CHILDREN'S.
WHEN SNAP BENEFITS WERE CUT, YOU HAD ANOTHER PRESS CONFERENCE TO ANNOUNCE THAT ALL STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE THREE MEALS A DAY.
THESE ARE NOBLE EFFORTS, BUT YOU MUST DO MORE THAN THAT.
YOU MUST ENSURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH STAFFING AND HOURS TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS.
WE ARE WORKERS WHO FEED OUR FUTURE.
WE DESERVE FAIR PAIN FOR THE HARD WORK THAT WE DO EVERY SINGLE DAY, WE DESERVE RESPECT.
MORNING, UH, BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT CARVALLO.
UM, AFTER TWO YEARS OF CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS, WE HAVE REACHED THE END OF THE LINE WITH L-A-U-S-D.
YESTERDAY WE NOTIFIED YOUR BARGAINING TEAM THAT NEGOTIATIONS HAVE REACHED AN IMPASSE AFTER 20 MONTHS OF LETTING L-A-U-S-D KNOW HOW UNDER STAFFING IS IMPACTING STUDENTS.
HOW A-L-A-U-S D'S PRACTICE OF SUBCONTRACTING TO FOR-PROFIT CORPORATIONS UNDERMINE STUDENT SAFETY AND HOW LAD'S DEDICATED EDUCATION WORKERS ARE STRUGGLING WITH FOOD AND HOUSING INSECURITY.
L-A-U-S-D HAS RESPONDED WITH DEAF EARS, A MEASLY WAGE OFFER AND PIECEMEAL PROPOSALS WITH NO PERMANENT SOLUTIONS.
YOU HAVE HEARD THE STORIES OF DEDICATED EDUCATION WORKERS ON THE VERGE OF HOMELESSNESS DESPITE SUPERINTENDENT CARVALLO FRAMING TRYING TO FRAME THESE THINGS AS JUST ADULT ISSUES.
THEY'RE NOT JUST ADULT ISSUES.
THEY ARE FOR CLEAN, SAFE, SUPPORTIVE SCHOOLS.
THEY'RE SO STUDENTS CAN HAVE A CLEAN PLACE TO LEARN SO THEY CAN HAVE NUTRITIOUS MEAL, SAFE TRANSPORTATION.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE FIGHTING FOR.
AND THOSE THINGS CAN ONLY HAPPEN IF THERE'S ENOUGH ADULTS IN THE SCHOOLS.
AND THESE ARE GOOD UNION JOBS.
YOU HAVE HEARD THE STORIES OF SCHOOL BATHROOMS THAT MUST BE LOCKED BECAUSE THERE IS NOT ENOUGH STAFF TO KEEP THEM CLEAN.
YOU HAVE ALSO HEARD THE STORIES OF SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS WHOSE ROUTINES ARE DISRUPTED BECAUSE YOU CHOOSE TO SUBCONTRACT SERVICES TO NOT NON-DISTRICT VENDORS.
THEY BEIS YOU HAVE HEARD ALL OF THIS, BUT YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO IGNORE IT.
THE FACT IS, SUPERINTENDENT CARVALLO AND THIS SCHOOL BOARD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT A COMMITMENT TO EQUITY.
IN FACT, TODAY, YOU'RE TAKING UP RESOLUTIONS ADDRESSING COMMUNITY SAFETY IN RESPONSE TO EYES RATES AND CELEBRATING SPECIAL EDUCATION.
THEY'RE THE RIGHT WORDS, BUT THEY RING EMPTY.
WHEN YOUR FISCAL STABILIZATION PLAN CALLS FOR LAYOFFS OF CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES AND CUTS TO STUDENTS AND FAMILY SERVICES, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH OF OUR MEMBERS TO DO THE WORK YET.
YOU'RE THREATENING CUTS, YOU THREATENING CUTS.
IF THERE'S A RACE, FOR EXAMPLE, WE'VE HEARD THAT BEFORE.
IT'S TIME FOR THIS BOARD TO STOP RUNNING.
ITS OPERATING BUDGET LIKE A FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION TRYING TO FIND PROFIT NET INCOME.
YOU CAN CHOOSE TO CREATE A BUDGET THAT REFLECTS THE VALUES THIS DISTRICT CLAIMS TO HAVE, INSTEAD OF PASSING ON YOUR BUDGET SHORTFALLS TO THE WORKERS AND THE STUDENTS BECAUSE THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
WHEN YOU EXPECT WORKERS TO KEEP DOING THIS WORK, YET NOT BE ABLE TO FEED THEIR FAMILY OR HOUSE THEIR FAMILY ADEQUATELY, YOU CAN CHOOSE TO STOP HIRING AMAZON, ANOTHER CORPORATIONS THAT UNDERMINE SAFETY AND THE FUTURE OF
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OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.YOU CAN CHOOSE TO FUND PROGRAMS THAT PROMOTE EQUITY AMONG OUR BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS.
YOU CAN CHOOSE TO INTERRUPT POVERTY BY PAYING LIVABLE WAGES.
YES, YOU CAN INTERRUPT POVERTY.
YOU'RE THE SECOND LARGEST EMPLOYER IN THE COUNTY WITH OVER 5 BILLION RESERVES.
WE'VE HEARD THE THINGS AROUND ONE TIME FUNDS TWO TIME.
EVEN IF YOU DID NOT HAVE THAT RESERVE, YOU CANNOT CONTINUE TO EXPECT PEOPLE TO DO THE WORK, YET ALWAYS BE ON THE VERGE OF LOSING THEIR HOMES.
LIFTING FRONTLINE EDUCATION WORKERS ABOVE THE POVERTY LINE WOULD AMOUNT TO LESS THAN 1% OF THE OPERATING BUDGET.
AND I SAY THAT KNOWING THAT THE DEMANDS WE'RE MAKING ARE NOT GOING TO LIFT OUR MEMBERS ABOVE THE POWER POVERTY LINE FOR TOO LONG WITH INFLATION CATCHING UP.
AFTER 20 MONTHS AT THE BARGAINING TABLE, WORKERS HAVE HAD ENOUGH ENOUGH OF BEING IGNORED.
ENOUGH OF THIS DISTRICT DISRESPECTING WORKERS WITH UNILATERAL DECISIONS TO CUT THEIR HOURS AND EVEN FORCING SOME WORKERS TO SELF THE MALT.
ENOUGH OF THIS DISTRICT BALANCING ITS BUDGET ON THE BACKS OF WORKERS BY INTENTIONALLY ASSIGNING HOURS THAT KEEP THEM JUST 12 TO 15 MINUTES SHORT OF ELIGIBILITY FOR HEALTHCARE BENEFITS.
NEXT MONTH, OUR MEMBERS WILL BE TAKING A STRIKE VOTE TO PROTEST UNFAIR PRACTICES BECAUSE WE DARE DEMAND BETTER BECAUSE WE DARE FIGHT TO GET HEALTHCARE.
YOU DECIDED TO TRY AND SILENCE OUR VOICES BY RETALIATING WITH OUR MEMBERS JUST FOR DARING.
NOT ONLY IS THAT UNACCEPTABLE, IT IS UNLAWFUL.
THAT IS WHAT AN UNFAIR PRACTICE, UH, THAT IS WHAT AN UNFAIR, UH, CHARGE IS AT THE END OF THE DAY.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE TAKING A STRIKE VOTE TO PROTEST THESE UNFAIR PRACTICES JUST FOR DARING DEMAND BETTER FOR OURSELVES AND OUR STUDENTS.
OUR MEMBERS DID NOT SET OUT TO STRIKE IN 23, NOR ARE THEY TRYING TO STRIKE RIGHT NOW.
BUT YOU ARE GIVING US NO CHOICE.
YOU HAVE IGNORED FRONTLINE WORKERS FOR DECADES.
I KNOW IT WAS YOUR PREDECESSORS THAT DID IT, BUT YOU HERE NOW YOU HAVE THE POWER TO FIX IT.
NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, NO JUSTICE.
NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, NO JUSTICE.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER LABOR PARTNERS WHO WISH TO SPEAK, WHO ARE PRESENT? OKAY.
GOOD MORNING, SUPERINTENDENT CARVALLO AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
LET ME START OFF BY CONGRATULATING BOTH DR. RIVAS FOR HER VP NOMINATION AND MR. SEN.
IT'S NICE TO HAVE A BOARD MEMBER WHO UNDERSTANDS THE WORK AT THE SCHOOL SITE AS AN ADMINISTRATOR.
AND IT'S ALSO VERY REFRESHING TO HAVE SOMEONE WHO SITS IN THE HEALTH BENEFITS COMMITTEE AND ATTENDS OUR MONTHLY MEETINGS TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE WORK THAT WE DO THERE AND TO REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH COST SAVINGS THAT COMMITTEE HAS DONE AND IS COMMITTED TO CONTINUING TO DO THAT FOR THE WORKERS TO ENSURE WE CONTINUE TO GET THE AMAZING HEALTH BENEFITS STATE OF THE ART THAT WE HAVE.
I AM MARIA NICHOL, ALL LA TEAMSTER, PRESIDENT, MIDDLE MANAGEMENT ADMINISTRATORS IN L-A-U-S-D.
I STAND HERE ECHOING THE WORDS OF MY UTLA LABOR COALITION PARTNER AND ALSO OF MR. MAX AREAS AND THE WORKERS IN SEIU.
AND ONE COMMON THEME THAT CAME ACROSS IS THE SAME THEME THAT I AM HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR WITH MY FOLKS.
THE AMOUNT AND THE ABUNDANCE OF WORK, THE WORKLOAD THAT IS UNSUSTAINABLE.
OUR PRINCIPALS, OUR MIDDLE MANAGERS, OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, OUR APIS ARE DOING THE WORK OF TWO TO THREE PEOPLE WHEN WE DON'T HAVE COVERAGE, CAMPUS AIDS, BIS, CAFETERIA WORKERS.
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GUESS WHO IT IMPACTS? GUESS WHO HAS TO TAKE CARE OF THAT AT THE SCHOOL SITE? BECAUSE MY FOLKS ARE THE OPERATIONAL MANAGERS.THEY HAVE TO ENSURE OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS WHEN THERE IS TRAUMA, WHEN THERE'S A CRISIS, WHEN THERE'S ICE.
WHO MANAGES ALL OF THAT? AND YET THE WORDS ECHO THAT WE ARE UNDERSTAFFED ACROSS THE DISTRICT AND EVERY ENTITY AND EVERY LABOR COALITION UNIT.
THAT IS WHAT I HEAR IN ATTENDING OUR MONTHLY MEETINGS.
WHAT'S BINDING US TOGETHER NOW, IS THIS COMMON CAUSE THAT WE HAVE A FEELING AND A SENSE THAT WE ARE NOT BEING HEARD? I RESPECTFULLY THANK ALL OF YOU THAT ARE HERE, THE SENIOR CABINET FOLKS THAT I MEET WITH MONTHLY, AND WE HAVE EXTRAORDINARY, HONEST, TRANSPARENT, AND FORMATIVE CONVERSATIONS.
I THANK THE BOARD MEMBERS FOR OPENING THEIR DOORS AND LISTENING, BUT LISTENING IS NOT ENOUGH.
WE MUST NOW SHOW WHAT THE ACTIONS THAT THIS BOARD TAKES TO REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND CHANGE.
ONE OF THE THINGS I LEARNED SITTING ACROSS THE TABLE FROM THE FOLKS THAT I DEEPLY RESPECT, BECAUSE MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT I AM FOUR DECADES IN IN L-A-U-S-D AND THE FOLKS THAT ARE SITTING ACROSS FROM THE TABLE FROM ME, I KNOW AND RESPECT DEEPLY AS WORKERS, MY COLLEAGUES, AND EVERYBODY HAS A ROLE.
AND WE MIGHT HAVE A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION.
BUT WHEN WE COME TO THE TABLE WITH PROPOSALS AND CHANGE AND WHEN WE COME TO THE TABLE WITH IDEAS THAT OTHER DISTRICTS ARE IMPLEMENTING IN THEIR CONTRACT, AND ALL WE GET IS, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE KNOW THAT IT'S HARD OUT THERE.
THIS IS WHAT YOUR FOLKS SIGNED UP TO DO.
THEY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE GETTING INTO.
THAT'S CURRENT CONTRACT LANGUAGE.
I'VE SAID IT BEFORE AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN.
WE ARE NOT NEGOTIATING AGAINST OURSELVES.
A NEGOTIATION INTENT ENTAILS JUST THAT COMMUNICATION, COLLABORATION AND DISAGREEMENTS ALONG THE WAY.
BUT DISCUSSIONS THAT TAKE AND MOVE THE AGENDA FORWARD MEETING IN MIDDLE GROUND, WE ARE GETTING AT A POINT WHERE THERE ARE TWO ARTICLES THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE RELENTLESS ON.
I HAVE DISCUSSED THOSE WITH THE BOARD MEMBERS WHEN I'VE MET WITH YOU.
I HAVE DISCUSSED THAT WITH SENIOR MANAGEMENT.
MY STYLE OF LEADERSHIP IS VERY HONEST, VERY TRANSPARENT, AND VERY FORTHRIGHT.
WE WILL BE JOINING OUR LABOR COALITIONS AND ECHOING THEIR WORDS.
THE WORDS YOU HEARD TODAY, INVEST IN OUR FOLKS.
LISTEN TO THE FACT THAT WORKING CONDITIONS ACROSS THIS DISTRICT ARE UNSUSTAINABLE.
WE TAKE CARE OF THE CHILDREN OF THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE, BUT DO WE GET TO SEE OUR OWN? WE DID NOT GET INTO THIS JOB TO SACRIFICE OURSELVES, YET WE DO U SCHOOLS THAT ARE SAFE AND CLEAN IS ESSENTIAL.
AND WE RELY ON OUR SEIU PARTNERS TO DO THAT FOR US TO FEED OUR STUDENTS.
AND THE PRINCIPAL MANAGES ALL OF THAT.
WE ALSO WANNA ENSURE THAT OUR FOLKS THAT ARE MENTAL MANAGEMENT, THAT MAKE BETTER SALARIES ARE TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT WHEN THEY REQUEST FLEX HOURS AND ARE BEING DENIED, WHAT CONSTITUTES EXTRA DUTY, PAY AND COMPENSATION ABOVE AND BEYOND WHEN WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A DEFINED WORKDAY BECAUSE WE'RE BEING TOLD WE'RE SALARY.
OUR TIME IS NOW ENOUGH, IS ENOUGH TODAY.
WE WILL STAND TOGETHER ONCE AGAIN WITH OUR LABOR PARTNERS AND COALITION IN UNITY, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO ASK YOU TO LISTEN AND MOVE FROM LISTENING AND
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ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THERE IS A SYSTEMIC CHALLENGE IN OUR DISTRICT.IT IS NOT THE PEOPLE THAT SERVE THIS DISTRICT.
THE PEOPLE THAT SERVE IN THIS DISTRICT ARE EXTRAORDINARY, TALENTED, DEDICATED TO THE CHILDREN AND THE COMMUNITIES.
DO WHAT IS RIGHT, DO WHAT IS FAIR, COMPENSATE FAIRLY YOUR FOLKS, THE WORKERS.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE ALL GET THE SAME RAISE BECAUSE IT LOOKS DIFFERENT, BUT REALIZE NOW THAT THE MEDIUM SALARY IN CALIFORNIA TO BE ABLE TO LIVE IS $186,000.
YOU HAVE BILLIONS IN RESERVES.
YOU'VE CREATED PACKAGES FOR OUR SUPERINTENDENT AND OTHER SENIOR CABINET MEMBERS THAT MAKE QUITE A, A NICE LIVING.
SO DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THE WORKERS AND STOP TELLING MY PEOPLE THAT THEIR WAGES ARE PRETTY DARN GOOD AND THAT THIS IS WHAT THEY SIGNED UP TO DO, BECAUSE THAT'S AN INSULT AND IT'S DISRESPECTFUL.
GIVE US THE DIGNITY AND RESPECT THAT WE DESERVE IN THIS DISTRICT BECAUSE MY FOLKS ARE THE FOLKS THAT CARRY THE WEIGHT IN THE COMMUNITIES.
MY FOLKS ARE THE SHAKERS AND THE DREAMERS OF WHAT KIDS ARE ABLE TO DO.
MY FOLKS MAKE YOU THE DISTRICT LOOK GOOD, SUPPORTING OUR TEACHERS AND SUPPORTING THE ENTIRE STAFF THAT THEY HAVE TO NAVIGATE AT THEIR SCHOOL SITES, AT THE REGIONS, AND ALSO OUR CENTRAL FOLKS THAT PUT OUT THE CURRICULUM AND MATERIALS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS THAT WE NEED.
I KNOW WE CAN COME TO AN AGREEMENT AND IT'S TIME TO STOP LISTENING AND START ACTING AND TAKE ACTION BECAUSE I KNOW L-A-U-S-D CAN DO BETTER.
ANY OTHER LABOR PARTNERS? COME ON DOWN MR. GOMEZ.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE LA SCHOOL POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION.
AND ONCE AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO WITNESS NICHOLS SAID, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THE FOR, UM, NEGOTIATING HELPING US GET A TWO YEAR CONTRACT FOR OUR HEALTHCARE.
ARGUABLY HEALTHCARE IS WORTH MORE THAN OUR SALARY.
AND I'M NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT FINANCIALLY, IT'S, IT'S LIFE SAVING.
UM, SECOND OF ALL, SUPERINTENDENT, I DON'T WANT YOUR JOB.
THIS IS RESENTMENT THING AS FAR AS COMPARING MY JOB TO THE SUPERINTENDENT.
IT'S, IT'S, THEY'RE TRYING TO CREATE A VISIBLE RESPONSE FROM PEOPLE.
UM, BUT I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THAT.
UM, MY CHIEF OF STAFF, UH, OFFICER NOW, OFFICER ALONZO JUST GRADUATED THE LAPD ACADEMY.
HE GOT THE NUMBER ONE SHOOTER IN THE ACADEMY, WHICH IN, IN THE POLICE WORLD, THAT'S A BIG THING IN THE REAL WORLD.
HE RECEIVED THE PRESTIGIOUS HUMANITARIAN AWARD, WHICH MEANS HE'S AN ALL AROUND GOOD GUY IN THE ACADEMY.
AND I EXPECT NOTHING LESS FROM HIM.
UM, NOT JUST BECAUSE HE WAS MY CHIEF OF STAFF, BUT BECAUSE OUR SCHOOL POLICE TRAINING UNIT, UM, HAS, THEY, THEY TRAIN THEM FOR ABOUT FOUR WEEKS BEFORE THEY ENTER THE ACADEMY.
SO I, I BELIEVE, UH, A COUPLE ACADEMY CLASSES AGO, UM, WE HAD RECRUITS THAT WERE TOP RECRUITS AS WELL.
SO JUST SO YOU KNOW, YOUR OFFICERS RANK AT THE HIGHEST IN THE LAPD ACADEMIES.
UM, AND HE'S A REALLY GOOD GUY.
CHRISTIAN GUY, IF I MAY, IF I MAY SAY THAT, UM, CHRISTIAN, BY, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, WHEN, WHEN LABOR PARTNERS COME UP AND THEY TALK ABOUT OUTSOURCING AND, UM, HIRING NON-DISTRICT EMPLOYEES, IT MAKES ME CRINGE BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, WHEN YOU OUTSOURCE, UM, PEOPLE TO DO NON-POLICE WORK, NOT THAT, NOT THAT, UM, YOU CAN'T HAVE CONSEQUENCES, DIRE CONSEQUENCES.
I'M NOT, I'M NOT, UM, SAYING YOU CAN'T, BUT IT WILL NOT RESULT IN USUALLY THINGS LIKE, UM, SOMEBODY GETTING HURT, SHOT OR KILLED ON AND AROUND OUR CAMPUS.
I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT WILSON HIGH SCHOOL, AND I WASN'T GOING TO, BUT A COUPLE WEEKS AGO THERE WAS A INCIDENT AT WILSON HIGH SCHOOL AT DISMISSAL.
AND AROUND 3 35, THERE WAS A, A SHOOTING INCIDENT AROUND OUR CAMPUS.
[00:35:01]
THREE DAYS AFTER THE INCIDENT HAPPENED, I WALKED MYSELF, 'CAUSE I LISTENED TO WHAT THE MEDIA SAID, AND I WALKED MYSELF, I WALKED THE CAMPUS.I USED TO WORK THE CAMPUS, AND I GOT PHONE CALLS TO GO TO THE CAMPUS.
AND I SPOKE WITH BYSTANDERS WHO WATCHED EVERYTHING FOR STARTERS.
AT THREE O'CLOCK, THE STAFF TOOK THEIR PLACES AROUND THE PERIMETER AND RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET THERE WAS AN INDIVIDUAL IN A, UM, A A COUPLE INDIVIDUALS IN, IN, IN A CAR WITH BALLOONS IN THEIR MOUTH, UM, INHALING NAS, NITRIC OXIDE.
USUALLY PEOPLE DO DRUGS BEFORE THEY'RE ABOUT TO COMMIT A VIOLENT CRIME.
I ASKED THE PEOPLE AROUND THERE WHAT WOULD'VE NORMALLY HAPPENED.
THEY SAID WE WOULD'VE CALLED SCHOOL POLICE BECAUSE SOMEBODY WAS ACROSS THE STREET DOING DRUGS AND THE SCHOOL POLICE CAR WOULD'VE DROVE, UM, TO THE FRONT OF THE SCHOOL AND WOULD'VE POSSIBLY PREVENTED THIS INCIDENT.
I MEAN, WHEN YOU USE THE ANALOGY OF THE HUMAN BODY, WHAT, WHEN A PATHOGEN, A A BACTERIA COMES IN THE BODY, IT HEIGHTENS THE IMMUNE SYSTEM AND THE THE T CELLS, THE KILLER CELLS THAT KILL CANCER SHOW UP.
THIS IS, THIS IS THE RESPONSE, THE TYPE OF RESPONSE THAT THE SCHOOL POLICE OFFICERS DO WHEN, WHEN THERE IS AN INCIDENT OF WHATEVER LEVEL, SOME SUCH AS SMOKING NAS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET OR INHALING NAS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, THE STAFF COULD CALL THE SCHOOL POLICE OFFICERS THAT'S ASSIGNED THERE.
AND WITHIN MINUTES, THE SCHOOL POLICE CAR, AT THE VERY LEAST, WOULD BE A DETERRENT FOR PEOPLE TO NOT CREATE, UM, IN THIS CASE A SHOOTING.
HAVING SAID THAT, FIVE MINUTES LATER, AN INDIVIDUAL, UM, GOT EXITED THE CAR.
A A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND STORY IN THE AREA OF THE HIGH SCHOOL.
YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO DRIVE-BY SHOOTINGS.
THE PRISON GANGS FIGURED THIS OUT.
WE WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GONNA NAME THEM OR GIVE THEM CREDIT.
SO YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO DRIVE-BY SHOOTINGS.
YOU COULD DO WALK UP, YOU COULD DO INTENDED TARGET SHOOTINGS.
SO JUST LIKE A TEXTBOOK, UH, GANG HIT, PEOPLE EXITED A VEHICLE, WALKED UP, AND APPARENTLY THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE SHOOTERS.
AND THIS IS NOT COMING FROM OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND THE SOURCES ON THE GROUND THAT I SPOKE WITH, THE, THE STUDENTS WERE THE INTENDED TARGET.
I BELIEVE THERE WAS TWO OF THEM RUNNING IN THE PARKING LOT.
AND THE, THE SHOOTERS WERE SHOOTING AND THEY HIT TEACHER'S CARS IN THE PARKING LOT AT DISMISSAL, A PACKED DISMISSAL.
THERE WAS AN, UH, A DISTRICT EMPLOYEE SITTING IN THEIR CAR AND WHILE SITTING IN THEIR VEHICLE, A BULLET HIT THE, THE, THE PASSENGER, I'M SORRY, THE WINDSHIELD RIGHT IN THE CENTER BETWEEN THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER.
THE PRINCIPAL, GOD BLESS HIM, WHO I DID NOT SPEAK TO, HITS THE GROUND BECAUSE HE HEARD BULLETS WHIZZING ACCORDING TO BYSTANDERS, AS DID OTHER PEOPLE HEAR BULLETS WHIZZING BY.
AND, AND WHEN WE'RE, WHEN WE'RE, WHEN WE WERE REPLACED ON CAMPUS BECAUSE OF A, AN INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED IN A CITY THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR CITY, AND WE WERE REPLACED WITH, UM, SAFE PASSAGE GROUPS WHO DO NOT WORK FOR THE DISTRICT.
THIS IS THE EPITOME OF OUTSOURCING.
AND THEY DO NOT HAVE THE, THE, THE, THE SKILL, THE, THE, THE, THE AND ANYTHING ON THEIR, ON THEIR TOOL BELT OR THEY DON'T HAVE THE, THE, THE, THE EXPERTISE TO PROTECT STUDENTS.
BUT STILL, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE ARE TRYING TO FUND THEM.
FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THERE'S ABOUT $18 MILLION THAT WE GIVE TO SAFE PASSAGE GROUPS WHO THEY DON'T WORK FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WHY DON'T WE TAKE SOME OF THAT FUNDING AND GIVE TO THE CAMPUS AID SO WE CAN GIVE THE SCIU MEMBERS A RAISE.
WHY DON'T WE TAKE SOME OF THAT MONEY BACK THAT WE'RE OUTSOURCING TO THEM AND, AND GIVE TO OUR EMPLOYEES SO THEY CAN TRY TO KEEP OUR, OUR CAMPUS SAFE.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, THEY CAN'T EVEN KEEP OUR CAMPUS SAFE BECAUSE THERE IS NO PERSON TO CALL THE PROTECTOR.
AND WE ARE PART OF YOUR FAMILY.
THE, THE, THE, THE NUMBER ONE PROTECTIVE UNIT IN THE FAMILY WAS REMOVED FROM THE SCHOOL.
AND OUR JOB IS JUST TO RESPOND AND TAKE A REPORT WE CAN NO LONGER PROTECT.
ONCE YOU, ONCE YOU FIGURE THAT OUT, MAYBE WE CAN GO FORWARD AND HAVE A CONVERSATION THAT IT'S NOT IDEOLOGICALLY BASED OR, AND WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT POLITICS.
WE CAN JUST TALK ABOUT PROTECTING CHILDREN.
I THINK, UH, YOU, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE YOUR, UH, YOUR HANDS FULL IN REGARDS TO NEGOTIATIONS IN THE UNION WORLD.
WE'LL BE THIS, WE, WE ASK TO BE TREATED LIKE FAMILY.
WE ASK TO BE TREATED, YOU KNOW, FAIR.
WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING SPECIAL.
UM, JUST BE THOUGHTFUL AT THE TABLE.
ANY OTHER LABOR PARTNERS WHO WISH TO SPEAK? OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO PASS ON TO A, A PLEASANT, PLEASANT, PLEASANT PART OF OUR BOARD MEETING.
AND FIRST UP IS THE RECOGNITION OF CHIEF PI WITH THE SCHOOL POLICE OFFICERS COME ON DOWN, WHO ARE GOING TO DO THIS PRESENTATION UPON CHIEF'S RETIREMENT COMMITTEE.
[00:40:01]
SO, GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY.UH, MY NAME IS MARK CLARK AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS A CHIEF OF POLICE FOR THE VAL VERDE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND AS PRESIDENT OF THE CALIFORNIA K THROUGH 12 POLICE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION.
TODAY, IT IS TRULY AN HONOR TO BE HERE TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF OUR STATEWIDE ASSOCIATION TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE OUTSTANDING CAREER OF CHIEF AARON PIZITZ.
I'VE BEEN PRACTICING FOR LIKE 10 MINUTES.
CHIEF PIZITZ BEGAN HIS SERVICE WITH THE LOS ANGELES POLICE SCHOOL POLICE DEPARTMENT IN JULY OF 1997, DEDICATING NEARLY THREE DECADES OF HIS LIFE TO PROTECTING STUDENTS, STAFF, AND FAMILIES ACROSS THIS GREAT DISTRICT.
OVER THE YEARS, HE SERVED IN KEY LEADERSHIP ROLES, INCLUDING TRAINING SERGEANT, LIEUTENANT, AND LEADER OF THE SAFE SCHOOL TASK FORCE, HELPING TO STRENGTHEN SAFETY PRACTICES AND INTERAGENCY COLLABORATION THROUGHOUT LOS ANGELES UNIFIED.
IN 2021, HE WAS PROMOTED TO DEPUTY CHIEF OF POLICE, LATER SERVING AS ACTING CHIEF.
AND IN OCTOBER OF 2024, HE WAS OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED AS CHIEF OF POLICE.
IN EVERY ROLE, AARON HAS LED WITH INTEGRITY, COMPASSION, AND PROFESSIONALISM, ALWAYS PUTTING THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF STUDENTS FIRST.
WHAT TRULY SETS CHIEF P APART, UH, IS HIS HEART FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, WHETHER MENTORING STUDENTS, WORKING ALONGSIDE SCHOOL STAFF, OR GUIDING NEW OFFICERS, HE HAS ALWAYS UNDERSTOOD THAT SCHOOL POLICING IS NOT JUST ABOUT ENFORCING LAWS, IT'S ABOUT BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS, EARNING TRUST, AND BEING A POSITIVE INFLUENCE IN THE LIVES OF KIDS.
ON BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA K THROUGH 12 POLICE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION, IT IS MY PRIVILEGE TO PRESENT HIM WITH THIS SHADOW BOX AND RECOGNITION OF CHIEF AARON PIZITZ FOR HIS LEADERSHIP, DEDICATION, AND LONG LASTING CONTRIBUTIONS TO SCHOOL SAFETY IN LOS ANGELES AND THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, YOUR FRIENDSHIP, AND YOUR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO THE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES OF THIS DISTRICT.
YOU'VE MADE AN INCREDIBLE IMPACT AND YOUR LEGACY WILL CONTINUE TO INSPIRE ALL OF US.
IF ANY BOARD, ANY BOARD BOARD MEMBERS WANT TO COME UP AND TAKE A PICTURE, WE, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU.
YOU KNOW, I'LL PUT YOU GUYS, I'LL GO ON, GET HERE, YOU GUYS.
BUT YOU GUYS, WE'LL, WE'LL SQUEEZE ON THE OUTSIDE.
WANNA BE IN THE MIDDLE? I WOULD KNEEL IN THE FRONT.
NOT I, I KEEP MY HANDS IN MY POCKET.
ALRIGHT, EVERYBODY RIGHT OVER HERE,
FOLKS MIGHT WANT TO SAY SOMETHING.
THIS FIRST ONE, WHERE IS HE? CHIEF P, COME BACK.
SO CHIEF, UM, A LOT OF WHAT I WAS ABOUT TO SAY, UM, IT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID, UH, FROM A POLICE OFFICER TO A SERGEANT TO LIEUTENANT A VARIETY OF ROLES TO DEPUTY CHIEF, TO THEN CHIEF, UH, APPOINTED BY THIS BOARD AND THIS ADMINISTRATION.
[00:45:01]
IN THE WORK YOU'VE DONE, THE LOYALTY, UH, YOU HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE INTEGRITY WITH WHICH YOU HAVE CONDUCTED YOURSELF AND YOUR TEAM.UH, ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I'VE ALWAYS APPRECIATED A CANDOR WITH WHICH YOU HAVE APPROACHED THE WORK AND DEALT WITH ME PERSONALLY.
YOU ARE A MAN AND A PROFESSIONAL OF HIGH INTEGRITY.
UH, AND YOUR CONDUCT, UH, REFLECTS WELL ON YOUR ENTIRE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHETHER IT WAS SITTING THROUGH ENDLESS HOURS AND DATA DIALOGUES AND PROBLEM SOLVING IMMEDIATELY, UH, OR LISTENING CAREFULLY TO THE VOICES OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, OR BRINGING A SWIFT RESPONSE, UH, THAT WOULD BRING PEACE OF MIND TO PARENTS, UH, WHEN CRISIS SURROUNDING OUR SCHOOLS ERUPTED.
YOU'VE BEEN A GREAT LEADER AND A GREAT PROFESSIONAL.
SO AS WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, UH, WE CELEBRATE AT LEAST A TEMPORARY DEPARTURE OF GREAT PROFESSIONALS WITH A BELL.
WE HAVE A BELL FOR YOU THAT YOU SHALL RING IN A LITTLE BIT, BUT I BELIEVE BEFORE WE DO THAT, OUR BOARD PRESIDENT, UH, HAS SOME WORDS.
YES, CHIEF, I DON'T KNOW HOW I CAN THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR L-A-U-S-D AND ALL OF YOUR OFFICERS FROM THE SCHOOL OFFICERS TO YOUR, UH, MANAGEMENT PEOPLE.
IT'S JUST AMAZING THAT I COME TO WORK EVERY DAY AS A PRINCIPAL AND AS A TEACHER AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, AND ALWAYS FELT SAFE AT OUR SCHOOLS.
AND IT'S, A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH YOU.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT SO MUCH.
YOU KNOW, UM, THE ONLY EMPLOYEES WHO, UM, IN TIME OF CRISIS RUN TO THE PROBLEM ARE THE SCHOOL POLICE.
EVERYONE IS RUNNING AWAY BECAUSE THEY WANT TO PROTECT THEMSELVES, AND I DON'T BLAME THEM, BUT ONLY THE SCHOOL POLICE RUNS TO THE PROBLEM TO SOLVE IT.
I JUST WANT TO ADD, I WAS TELLING THE CHIEF WHEN WE WERE DONE TAKING A PICTURE THAT IF THIS WERE LIKE AN ITEM, I WOULD BE VOTING NO ON YOUR RETIREMENT
UM, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD LET YOU GO.
I'VE SAID THAT FOR SOME TIME, AND I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN TRYING TO RETIRE AND HAVE STAYED KINDA WELL BEYOND, UH, WHAT WHAT WAS EXPECTED OF YOU TO SERVE THIS DISTRICT AND OUR STUDENTS.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU.
IT HAS NOT BEEN AN EASY FEW YEARS FOR THE LA SCHOOL POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND AS A BOARD MEMBER WHO'S BEEN HERE THROUGH THOSE YEARS, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
BUT THE, THE GRACE IN WHICH YOU HELPED LEAD THIS DEPARTMENT THROUGH CHALLENGING TIMES BACK IN 2020 AND EMERGING AND REBUILDING AND RE-IMAGINING AND, AND SH FASCINATING, THIS DEPARTMENT TO SERVE THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF LA UNIFIED AND BE A PARTNER, UM, HAS BEEN REALLY, UH, A PRIVILEGE TO WATCH.
AND I THINK, UM, IT WAS THE, IT'S NOT LOST ON US THAT IT'S YOUR LEADERSHIP THAT HELPED GET US TO A PLACE, UH, THAT I THINK IS A MODEL FOR THE NATION AND AND BEYOND FOR WHAT, UH, WHAT A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SCHOOL POLICE FORCE CAN DO.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I ALSO JUST PERSONALLY WANT TO THANK YOU.
YOU KNOW, MY DISTRICT WAS DEVASTATED BY THE FIRES ALMOST A YEAR AGO.
AND SCHOOL POLICE TOOK ON A NEW ROLE.
I MEAN, LIKE MR. SM WAS SAYING, RAN, YOU KNOW, LITERALLY TO THE FIRE.
UM, BUT HELPED NOT ONLY PROTECT, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR PROPERTIES, UH, AT TIMES WHEN THEY WERE BEING DESTROYED AND VANDALISM AND, AND SALVAGING WHAT WE COULD.
BUT, UH, IT WAS HUGE HELP TO ME AND MY CONSTITUENTS AND MY STAFF EVEN, UH, IN HELPING US KIND OF SEE WHAT WAS LEFT AND HELP PEOPLE PUT BACK SOME OF THE PIECES OF THEIR LIVES AT A TIME WHEN ONLY, YOU KNOW, UH, EMERGENCY RESPONDERS AND, UH, POLICE PERSONNEL CAN GET IT IN.
AND THE, THE WAY THAT YOU AND YOUR, YOUR, UM, THE SCHOOL, THE LA SCHOOL POLICE HELPED OUR OFFICE IN THIS DISTRICT DURING THOSE REALLY TOUGH FEW WEEKS IS SOMETHING I WON'T FORGET.
SO I JUST WANNA PERSONALLY THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UH, AND I HOPE YOU'RE NOT A STRANGER.
I HOPE KIND OF LIKE YOUR PREDECESSOR, UM, CHIEF ZIPPERMAN, YOU'RE BACK IN LIKE A FEW MONTHS, UH, IN A DIFFERENT ROLE.
BUT, UH, UH, JUST KNOW YOU ALWAYS HAVE A PLACE AT THIS DISTRICT AND JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. NEWVILLE.
WELL, I, TOO, I THINK MANY OF THE WORDS HAVE BEEN SAID ALREADY AND SHARED.
UM, BUT I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO THIS FOR SOME TIME AND WE'VE BEEN KIND OF IMPEDING YOUR PROGRESS HERE.
UM, AND RETIREMENT IS DEFINITELY SWEET.
AND I KNOW JUST THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THIS DISTRICT, UM, AS MENTIONED IN THE TIMES WHICH WE'RE IN AND WHERE YOU HAVE PROTECTED OUR STUDENTS, PROTECTED OUR, OUR STAFF AND MADE SURE THAT THEY WERE FELT AND BELIEVED TO BE SAFE AT ALL TIMES.
AND SO, REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THIS DISTRICT AND JUST THE TRAINING OF OTHER OFFICERS THAT YOU'VE BROUGHT UP THAT ARE FROM OUR DISTRICT, WHICH I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THIS IS A LEGACY DISTRICT WHERE WE SEE MANY OF OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE NOW ON THE FORCE AND WITH YOUR TRAINING HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTINUE TO PROTECT OUR STUDENTS AND KEEP THEM SAFE.
AND SO, UH, IT IS BITTERSWEET, BUT I TOO BELIEVE THAT YOU'LL COME BACK IN SOME FORM, UM, TO BE ABLE TO SU CONTINUE TO SUPPORT US, SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS, AND CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK THAT YOU WERE BUILT TO DO.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'VE DONE THAT WITH THIS
[00:50:01]
DISTRICT AND FOR THE TIME IN WHICH YOU SPENT WITH THIS DISTRICT.WELL, THANK YOU CHIEF, FOR JUST YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR LEADERSHIP AND DEDICATION TO OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.
UM, I HAVE ALWAYS REALLY APPRECIATED YOUR RESPONSIVENESS.
WHENEVER THERE'S AN ISSUE HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY, I FEEL LIKE YOU ARE QUICK TO ANSWER AND GET BACK TO ME, WHICH IN THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS, WE NEED THAT LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION.
UM, AND I THINK YOU'VE BEEN A HELPFUL PARTNER IN BRAINSTORMING ISSUES THAT HAVE COME UP IN THE COMMUNITY THAT I REPRESENT IN THE EAST SAN FERNANDO VALLEY WHEN WE'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, MUTUAL MEETINGS WITH FAMILIES, UM, WHO WERE CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY INCIDENTS AROUND OUR SCHOOLS.
UM, YOU WERE, I FEEL LIKE SUCH A HELPFUL PARTNER AND THOSE DISCUSSIONS, ALWAYS WILLING TO, TO DO WHATEVER YOU COULD TO HELP FOR THE, THE SAFETY AND THE WELLBEING OF OUR STUDENTS AND OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY.
AND I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
UM, I AGREE WITH MR. MELVOIN THAT IF YOU WANNA COME BACK, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE ALWAYS WELCOME HERE.
UM, BUT I HOPE YOU, I DO HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR RETIREMENT AND SOME WELL DESERVED TIME WITH, WITH YOUR LOVED ONES.
I, I, UM, ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF, UH, MY COLLEAGUES OF THANKING YOU FOR YOUR, UH, COMMITMENT OF IT'S BEEN, WHAT, 28 YEARS, ALMOST THREE DECADES, UM, THAT YOU'VE SERVED THE DISTRICT, UM, AND FOR YOUR COMMITMENT FOR SAFETY AND THE WELLBEING OF OUR STUDENTS.
SO I WANNA THANK YOU AND, YOU KNOW, UM, ENJOY THIS TIME IN YOUR NEXT ENDEAVOR, NEXT OF YOUR PHASE.
I KNOW, I, I UNDERSTAND YOU LOVE THE OUTDOORS, SO I HOPE YOU GET TO ENJOY SOME NATURE, UM, CONNECT.
AND ALSO I HEAR YOU, YOUR LOVE FOR TACOS, WHICH IS ALSO MY LOVE.
SO I HOPE YOU ENJOY A LOT OF TACOS AS WELL IN YOUR TIME OFF.
BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THIS DISTRICT AND TO OUR COMMUNITIES AND STUDENTS.
EVERYONE JUST HERE ONE, TWO AND MORE THIS WAY.
THAT'S HOW WHEN IT, WHEN IT ECHOES, THAT'S HOW YOU KNOW YOU DID IT.
SO OUR NEXT RECOGNITION IS A SPECIAL ONE, ESPECIALLY TO ME AND TO BOARD DISTRICT THREE, BECAUSE IT'S OUR OWN CYNTHIA
EVERYONE IN THIS BUILDING KNOWS CYNTHIA RON SOME WAY.
SOMEHOW THEY'VE HAD INTERACTION WITH CYNTHIA.
EVERYBODY KNOWS HIM, HER, EVERYBODY LOVES HER.
LEMME TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT HER.
SO, CYNTHIA
SHE HAS SHOWN LEADERSHIP INGENUITY.
SHE DOES INGENUITY, CREATIVITY, AND A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE OVER THE SPAN OF HER CAREER.
MS. RO, MS. EU BEGAN HER L-A-U-S-D CAREER IN 1999 AS A SECRETARY.
THROUGH HARD WORK AND UNWAVERING DEDICATION, SHE ROSE THROUGH THE RANKS BECOMING SENIOR SECRETARY AND ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY IN 2001.
IN 2003, SHE TOOK ON THE VITAL ROLE OF ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT TO BOARD
[00:55:01]
MEMBERS AND BEGAN SERVING IN BOARD DISTRICT THREE, WHERE HER REMARKABLE CAREER CULMINATES IN 2025.HER MANY YEARS OF CHERISHED SERVICE TO THE BOARD DISTRICT THREE FAMILY HAVE BEEN TRULY INVALUABLE.
CYNTHIA IS LEAVING FINGERPRINTS ON OUR LIVES.
HER KINDNESS, HER PROFESSIONALISM, HER STEADFAST COMMITMENT HAVE SHAPED OUR COMMUNITY IN LASTING WAYS.
BUT I'M SO HAPPY FOR HER THAT SHE CAN RETIRE.
BUT I WILL MISS HER WITH HEARTFELT APPRECIATION.
WE HONOR YOUR EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND CELEBRATE THE LEGACY THAT YOU HAVE LEFT BEHIND.
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RETIREMENT BOARD.
DISTRICT THREE FOLKS, COME ON DOWN.
WE'RE GONNA PRESENT CYNTHIA WITH A COUPLE OF THINGS.
THIS IS OUR BOARD DISTRICT THREE FAMILY, WHICH WE SHOULD INTRODUCE OURSELVES.
I'M THE BOARD COMMUNITY COORDINATOR FOR BOARD MEMBERS.
WILSON, JEANIE, CAM FIELD OFFICE DIRECTOR.
SYLVIA MARTINEZ, CHIEF OF STAFF.
IS THERE ANYBODY? POLICY DIRECTOR.
AND MILTON WILL BE OUR REPLACEMENT.
EVERYBODY KNOWS MILTON TOO, BY THE WAY, SO THAT'S GREAT TOO.
BUT MILTON WILL BE OUR REPLACEMENT FOR, FOR CYNTHIA.
WILL HER FAMILY COME UP AND INTRODUCE YOURSELVES TO HER SONS? YES.
WE WANT, THIS IS A BIG DEAL FOR ME.
UM, I'M, UH, RUSSELL FRANCISCO.
UM, I'M JUST SO HAPPY YOU, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW WONDERFUL CYNTHIA HAS BEEN TO US IN BOARD.
DISTRICT THREE SAID EVERYBODY KNOWS HER, HER VOICE, HER CALMNESS, EVERYBODY CALLS HER.
THEY ALWAYS TELL ME OUT IN THE FIELD OF THE VALLEY.
WE LOVE CYNTHIA
WE'RE GONNA LET YOU WE'RE LET, LET ME GO ON THE SIDE OF HER.
WE'RE GONNA LET YOU PULL THIS.
WE'RE GONNA LET YOU PULL THIS BELL.
I'M NOT MESSING NUMBER TWO, SON.
ONE MORE COMMEMORATION AND IT'S NICE TO DO THESE.
THE THIRD RECOGNITION IS OF MIRIAM RUBAL.
WOULD YOU LIKE LOTS OF KIDS? LOTS OF KIDS.
SO MIRIAM, UH, IS, UH, BOARD DISTRICT SIX, KELLY EZ AND SHE'S GOING TO START OUR RECOGNITION.
I AM EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE AN AMAZING MEMBER OF MY TEAM AND ALSO THE GENERAL BOARDS TEAM WHO IS RETIRING AT THE END OF THE MONTH.
MIRIAM HAS SERVED LUSD FOR NEARLY FOUR DECADES,
[01:00:01]
39 YEARS, STARTING AS A TEACHER'S ASSISTANT AT FIRST STREET ELEMENTARY.SHE SERVED AT EIGHT ADDITIONAL SCHOOLS FROM ELEMENTARY ALL THE WAY TO ADULT SCHOOL.
UM, AND THEN SHE JOINED THE BOARD SECRETARIAT'S TEAM, UM, UNDER MR. MCLEAN, WHERE SHE SUPPORTED ALL OF US, ALL SEVEN BOARD MEMBERS, UM, AS WELL AS OUR BOARD MEETINGS AND OUR OFFICES BEFORE JOINING BOARD DISTRICT SIX, TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO.
UM, AND EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, IN EVERY SINGLE ROLE, SHE'S JUST BEEN A MODEL OF DEDICATION TO OUR STUDENTS, OUR FAMILIES, AND OUR TEAMS. SHE'S BEEN AN EXCEPTIONAL COLLEAGUE AND TEAMMATE WHO ALWAYS THINKS OF OTHERS FIRST.
WHAT REALLY HAS SET MIRIAM APART WAS HER BIG HEART.
UM, SHE BROUGHT THAT TO EVERY TASK AND RESPONSIBILITY, ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR THOSE AROUND HER.
WHETHER THEY WERE STUDENTS REACHING OUT TO US FOR SUPPORT, FAMILIES WHO NEEDED OUR ASSISTANCE OR HER COLLEAGUES IN THE BOARD OFFICE.
UM, WE ARE GOING TO MISS MIRIAM SO VERY MUCH, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, SHE HAS A HUGE AND LOVING FAMILY THAT IS EXCITED TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH HER.
AND I KNOW MY BOARD COLLEAGUES WILL JOIN ME IN SAYING THAT WE WISH YOU THE VERY BEST IN YOUR RETIREMENT AND WE ARE GOING TO MISS YOU.
UM, AND THEN WE DO HAVE A CERTIFICATE TO PRESENT, BUT I, I WANNA PASS IT TO, I KNOW MR. MCLEAN, UM, WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOME NICE THINGS ABOUT MIRIAM TOO.
WHAT AN HONOR TO SAY ANYTHING, UH, THIS DAY, BUT TO BE ABLE TO SAY IT TO YOU AS EXTRA SPECIAL.
UH, MS. EZ WAS VERY GENEROUS AND HOW SHE DESCRIBED YOU COMING INTO MY OFFICE, BUT I REALLY CAME INTO YOUR OFFICE AND WHEN I STARTED IT WAS INCR.
I MEAN, I'M STILL ON A LEARNING JOURNEY, BUT WHAT YOU WERE ABLE TO GET ME CAUGHT UP WITH YOUR KINDNESS AND YOUR PATIENCE, A LOOK THAT YOU WOULD GIVE ME, WHICH WOULD TELL ME, OH MY GOD, KID, YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING, BUT I'M GONNA SEE IF I CAN LIMP YOU ALONG THROUGH THIS.
AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF YOU BROUGHT, YOU WOULD BRING ME FOOD BECAUSE I WOULD FORGET TO EAT.
YOU WOULD BRING ME A COSTCO HOTDOG WITH THE, WITH, WITH THE STUFF ON THE SIDE, NOT ALREADY APPLIED, WHICH TO ME IS A DETAIL THAT LIKE, YOU CANNOT OVEREMPHASIZE
SO, I MEAN, THAT'S JUST A TINY, TINY ASPECT.
AND I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ALL OF YOUR FAMILY, WHICH IS ALSO FUN.
UM, AND YOU'RE A PIECE OF THE DISTRICT THAT I THINK, AND I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, ADDS AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF CHARACTER.
AND I, I SOMETIMES LIKE TO THINK OF THIS AS MY FAMILY IN A SENSE, BECAUSE I SPEND SO MUCH TIME HERE.
SO HAVING SOMEONE PROVIDE BOTH PRACTICAL INFORMATION AND CARING FOR OUR SOULS A LITTLE BIT IS ABSOLUTELY INVALUABLE.
SO THE DISTRICT IS A LITTLE BIT LESSER FOR YOU, FOR YOU LEAVING, BUT I KNOW YOU'RE GIVING TO YOUR FAMILY MORE THAN MORE THAN YOU COULD EVER GIVE TO US.
SINCE HE BROUGHT UP FOOD, I HAVE TO MENTION THAT MIRIAM RUB CALVA MAKES THE BEST TURKEY DRESSING THE BEST I HAVE EVER, EVER HAD FROM COAST TO COAST, THE BEST TURKEY DRESSING.
AND SO WE'D LOVE TO PRESENT A, A CERTIFICATE ON MIRIAM'S BEHALF.
SO PERHAPS WE CAN GO DOWN AND, AND TAKE A PHOTO.
UNLESS MIRIAM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA SAY, NOT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
DO YOU WANNA STAY ANNIE? I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THIS SPECIAL RECOGNITION.
UM, I FEEL REALLY HONORED TO BE HERE AND TO HAVE SERVED THE BOARD.
UM, IT'S JUST BEEN ANOTHER HOME FOR ME FOR THE PAST 39 YEARS, AND I JUST FEEL SO PRIVILEGED AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AND I WANNA THANK MY FAMILY AND THERE'S SOME FAMILY AND FRIENDS OUT THE AUDIENCE AS WELL THAT CAME TO SEE.
AND MY FAMILY MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME.
SERENA, SYDNEY, SCOTTY, ERIC, YVETTE, MY BABIES AND MY HUSBAND WHO COULDN'T BE HERE, JESSIE, BUT THE WORLD TO ME.
NICE TO THINK MIRIAM GAVE US SOME HURDLE.
[01:09:03]
THAT WAS THE MOST FUN I EVER HAD AT A BOARD MEETING, SO THAT WAS REALLY, REALLY NICE.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO ONTO OUR COMMITTEES AND WE'LL START WITH, UH, FACILITIES AND PROCUREMENT.
SO ON DECEMBER 2ND, WE HAD OUR SECOND FACILITIES AND PROCUREMENT COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE YEAR.
UM, WE RECEIVED AN UPDATE ON THE PALISADES WILDFIRE RECOVERY REBUILD NEARLY ONE YEAR AFTER THE DE DEVASTATING FIRE.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT WAYS AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DISCUSS WAYS TO EXPEDITE THE PERMANENT REBUILD, UM, AND, UH, GET STUDENTS BACK TO THEIR PERMANENT CAMPUSES AS SOON AS WE CAN.
UM, I THINK WE MAY HAVE SOME PARENTS WHO ARE JOINING US EVEN FOR TODAY'S MEETING, TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS ON THAT AS WELL AS THEY DID FOR THAT COMMITTEE MEETING.
SO I THINK THEM FOR THEIR ADV, THEIR SHARED AND JOINT ADVOCACY.
[01:10:01]
A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE RECENT MGT REPORT, WHICH REVIEWED DISTRICT CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES AND COMPARED THEM TO OTHER ENTITIES.UH, TWO AREAS OF INTEREST AND FOCUS HAVE EMERGED FOR THE COMMITTEE, INCLUDING FINDING BETTER WAYS AND BEST PRACTICES AROUND CHANGE ORDERS DURING CONSTRUCTION, AND FINDING WAYS TO INCREASE COMPETITION BY EXPANDING THE NUMBER OF ENTITIES THAT, UH, WORK ON DISTRICT PROJECTS.
FINALLY, WE RECEIVED AN OVERVIEW OF THE NEW PLAYGROUND SHADE STRUCTURE PROJECTS.
AND WHILE COMMITTEE MEMBERS EXPRESSED GREAT ENTHUSIASM FROM MORE SHADE, UM, AS WE FACE CLIMATE EMERGENCIES, THEY ALSO, UH, EXPRESS GREAT SKEPTICISM AND FRUSTRATION AND QUESTIONING AROUND THE COST, UM, AND THE TIME OF, OF SHADE STRUCTURES.
UM, AND WE'LL CONTINUE THOSE DISCUSSIONS IN THE NEW YEAR AND IN A FUTURE ACTUALLY AT OUR ADVOCACY AGENDA, HE, TODAY, I'LL BE SUGGESTING AN AMENDMENT.
THANK YOU MS. ALVAREZ, WHO'S HERE ON MORE WE CAN DO AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL AROUND, UM, LOWERING THE COST OF SHADE STRUCTURES.
UH, OUR NEXT MEETING IS IN FEBRUARY.
UM, AND, UH, HOPE TO SEE SOME OF YOU THERE.
AND OUR NEXT COMMITTEE REPORT IS GREENING SCHOOLS AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE.
UH, THE GREENING SCHOOLS AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE COMMITTEE CONVENED ON DECEMBER 3RD FOR A FOCUS DISCUSSION ON ADVANCING DISTRICT-WIDE SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES AND ELEVATING COMMUNITY ROOTED CLIMATE RESILIENCE EFFORTS.
THROUGH A PARTNER SPOTLIGHT, MR. CHRISTUS CLIO, UH, CHIEF ECOS SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER SHARED UPDATES ON KEY PILLARS OF THE DISTRICT'S CLIMATE WORK, INCLUDING STRENGTHENED PARTNERSHIPS WITH L-A-D-W-P IMPLEMENTATION OF WATER CONSERVATION PILOTS, EXPANSION OF WASTE DIVERSION STRATEGIES AND COORDINATION WITH O-E-A-O-E-H-S AND FOOD SERVICES AND EARLY IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RESILIENT SCHOOLS, EXTREME HEAT MITIGATION AND DISASTER PREPARERS RESOLUTION.
FOR THE SECOND PRESENTATION, YOUTH LEADERS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS FROM REDEEMER COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP GREENHOUSE SOUTH LA HIGHLIGHTED HANDS-ON CLIMATE RESILIENCE WORK IN SOUTH LA, INCLUDING ELECTRIFICATION, TRAINING, COMMUNITY GARDENS, ENERGY AUDITING, AND STUDENT LED EMERGENCY RESPONSE DURING EXTREME HEAT AND WILDFIRE EVENTS.
THE COMMITTEE DISCUSSED OPPORTUNITIES TO BETTER ALIGN THESE EFFORTS WITH DISTRICT CTE LINK LEARNING AND WORK-BASED LEADER LEARNING PATHWAYS, STRENGTHEN PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY HUBS AND CENTER YOUTH LEADERSHIP AND PLANNING, GREENING AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE PROJECTS.
UH, THE NEXT GREEN COMMITTEE MEETING DATE WILL BE ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28TH, 2025.
AND ALSO JUST WANNA, UH, REMIND EVERYONE THAT THE COMMITTEES ARE RECORDED AND YOU CAN VIEW THEM ON THE, UM, BOARD OF EDUCATION WEBSITE IN CASE I REALLY WANT TO, UM, UM, ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO SEE THIS LAST ONE BECAUSE YOU WOULD BE REALLY, REALLY AMAZED AT THE PRESENTATION FROM THE GREENHOUSE SOUTH LA THE STUDENTS AND THEIR VOICES.
I THINK IT WAS, IT WAS JUST REALLY MOTIVATING TO HEARING THEM SPEAK.
[Superintendent’s Reports]
AND NEXT WE'LL HAVE A SUPERINTENDENT REPORT.THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. PRESIDENT.
A VERY BRIEF REPORT, BUT AN IMPORTANT ONE.
RECENTLY, OUR DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT, DR.
CARLA ESTRADA, AND BOARD MEMBER, SHE NEWBELL, UH, ATTENDED THE CALIFORNIA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION, UH, CONFERENCE, AND THEY BROUGHT BACK A VERY PRESTIGIOUS PRIZE.
IN FACT, THEY BROUGHT BACK THE CALIFORNIA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL GOLDEN BELL AWARD, UH, FOR 2025 IN RECOGNITION OF THIS SCHOOL BOARD, THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR OUTSTANDING, UH, PROGRAM IN ADDRESSING GAPS IN STUDENT OUTCOMES CATEGORY.
UH, SPECIFICALLY, UH, RECOGNIZING THE EDUCATION TRANSFORMATION OFFICE AND THE GAINS MADE BY THE PRIORITY SCHOOLS AND LOS ANGELES UNIFIED.
UH, THIS PRIZE, UH, CAME WITH A $1,000 CHECK, UH, TO BE INVESTED, UH, INTO OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR STUDENTS.
SO THE GOLDEN BELL IS A PRESTIGIOUS RECOGNITION, UH, BY, UH, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ACROSS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS REMARKABLE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THANK YOU BOARD MEMBER NEW BILL FOR ATTENDING, UH, THE CONFERENCE AND RECEIVING THIS AWARD ALONGSIDE DR.
CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE WHO MADE THIS, UH, RECOGNITION POSSIBLE.
OKAY, NOW WE'RE GONNA GO TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR, UH, MR. MCLEAN.
GONNA GO INTO THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO MOVE IT? MOVE BY MS. GO SECOND.
[Consent Items ( Part 1 of 4)]
OKAY.THE CONSENT CALENDAR IS A PROCEDURAL MECHANISM, MECHANISM THAT THE BOARD USES TO TAKE
[01:15:01]
A NUMBER OF ITEMS IN A SINGLE VOTE AS OPPOSED TO VOTING ON THEM ALL INDIVIDUALLY.IT CREATES AN EFFICIENCY IN THE PROCESS AND MOVES THINGS ALONG A LITTLE BIT MORE SWIFTLY.
UH, I READ THROUGH THE ITEMS ON THE LIST AND THE BOARD MEMBERS THEMSELVES WILL SAY DISCUSSION OR CONSENT IF THEY WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT.
IT GOES ON DISCUSSION FOR A DIRECT VOTE INSTEAD OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
UM, IF IT GOES ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR, YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.
UH, TAB ONE, REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF 2026.
DONATIONS OF MONEY TO THE DISTRICT.
TAB THREE, PROVISIONAL INTERNSHIP PERMITS.
TAB FOUR, APPROVAL OF ROUTINE PERSONNEL ACTIONS.
SO, UH, REPORT, UH, TAB FIVE, REPORT OF CASH DISBURSEMENTS CONSENT.
TAB SIX, APPROVAL OF NON-FORMAL GRANT AGREEMENTS.
TAB SEVEN, COMMUNITY CHALLENGE GRANT 2.0.
UH, TAB EIGHT, APPROVAL OF PROCUREMENT ACTIONS.
TAB NINE, APPROVAL OF FACILITIES, CONTRAST ACTIONS, CONSENT.
TAB 10, DEFINE AND APPROVED THREE PROJECTS TO PROVIDE CRITICAL REPLACEMENTS AND UPGRADES.
TAB 11, DEFINE AND APPROVED TWO.
EARLY EDUCATION CENTER OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS. CONSENT.
TAB 12, DEFINE AND APPROVE THE 24TH STREET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BARRIER REMOVAL PROJECT.
TAB 13, DEFINE AND APPROVE SEVEN.
BOARD DISTRICT PRIORITY AND REGION PRIORITY PROJECTS.
TAB 14, AMENDMENT TO THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, STRATEGIC EXECUTION PLAN, CONSENT.
TAB 15, AMENDMENT TO THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, STRATEGIC EXECUTION PLAN TO APPROVE THE SCHOOL NETWORK.
ALTERNATIVE CONNECTIVITY PILOT PROJECT SENT, SENT TAB 16 AMENDMENT TO THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, STRATEGIC EXECUTION PLAN, CONSENT.
TAB 17, APPROVAL OF THE CON CONS, CONSOLIDATION OF SAN FERNANDO MIDDLE SCHOOL AND SAN FERNANDO INSTITUTE OF APPLIED MEDIA.
QUESTION, UH, QUESTION TAB 18, APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR NEW ACADEMY CANOGA PARK, CONSENT.
CONSENT TAB 19, APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR NEW ACADEMY OF SCIENCE AND ARTS.
CONSENT TAB 20, APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR ASPIRE TITAN ACADEMY.
CONSENT TAB 21, APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL.
PETITION FOR GO INTERNATIONAL CHARTER.
CONSENT, APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR THE PORT OF LOS ANGELES HIGH CONSENT.
THE TAB 23 AND 24 CANNOT BE ON CONSENT.
TAB 25, UM, CELEBRATING NATIONAL SPECIAL EDUCATION DATE CONSENT.
AND YEAH, I'M SORRY, I'M LOOKING FOR A TIME CERTAIN ON THAT.
I USUALLY HAVE IT LISTED TIME CERTAIN I DO NOT BELIEVE THERE'S A TIME CERTAIN ON THAT WE CAN LEAVE IT ON CONSENT.
I'D LOVE TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS.
AND THEN I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT MR. MOLSEN AND BOARD MEMBER GRIEGO ARE CO-SPONSORING THE RESOLUTION.
TAB 26, NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH RESOLUTION CONSENT.
SENT TAB 27 COMMEMORATING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
AND THE NATIONAL DAY OF SERVICE CONSENT.
I ALSO NOTED IT NEEDS TO BE AMENDED, UM, A CO-SPONSORSHIP ALSO BY TANYA ORTIZ.
THERE'S BOARD RESOLUTIONS FOR INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT.
WE DO NOT TAKE ACTION ON THOSE RESOLUTION BY MY OFFICE.
TAB 30, APPOINTMENT OF THE NEW MEMBER OF THE PERSONNEL COMMISSION.
TAB 33, REPORT OF CORRESPONDENCE.
THAT TAB 34 SHOULD GO ON DISCUSSION SINCE IT'S TIME, CERTAIN OF 3:00 PM UH, TAB 35, 20 25, 26.
FIRST INTERIM REPORT AND MULTI-YEAR PROJECTIONS.
DISCUSSION, UH, 36, UH, ADOPTION OF THE 26 27 HEALTH BENEFITS AGREEMENT.
YES, TAB 37, UH, APPOINT AD HOC BOARD RULES IN THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE.
UM, I'M GONNA READ THROUGH THE LIST AGAIN JUST TO MAKE SURE I DIDN'T MAKE ANY ERRORS.
AND THEN, UM, WE CAN BEGIN TAKING PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS. UH, TAB ONE IS DISCUSSION.
[01:20:01]
TWO AND THREE IS CONSENT.TAB SEVEN IS A QUESTION TABS 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, AND 16 ARE CONSENT.
TAB 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 ARE CONSENT TABS 23 AND 24 ARE DISCUSSION TABS 25, 26, AND 27 ARE CONSENT TABS.
28 AND 29 ARE NOT ACTION ITEMS. TAB 30 IS CONSENT.
UH, TAB 31 AND 32 ARE NON-ACTION.
TAB 33 IS CONSENT TAB 34 TIMES CERTAIN.
DISCUSSION TAB 35, DISCUSSION TAB 36, CONSENT AND TAB 37 CONSENT.
[31. Charter Petitions for Public Hearings (Misc 025-25/26)]
THE BOARD IS GOING TO TAKE, UH, BEFORE THE CONSENT CALENDAR CONTINUES.TAB 31, THE CHARTER PETITIONS PUBLIC HEARING.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE ALREADY HERE FOR IT.
SO, UM, I'M GONNA READ THE PUBLIC HEARING ON TAB 31, CHARTER PETITIONS FOR PUBLIC HEARING.
THIS ISN'T FOR ACTION, BY THE WAY.
IT'S JUST TO TAKE THE, TAKE THE PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE ACTION IS TAKEN ON THE FOLLOWING, A PUBLIC HEARING MUST BE HELD.
THIS CONSTITUTES A PUBLIC HEARING ON TEACH PREP MILDRED S CUNNINGHAM AND EDITH H MORRIS ELEMENTARY, ICEF, FIELD PARK PREP HIGH, KIPP VITA PREP ACADEMY, KIPP ACADEMY OF INNOVATION, KIPP LUMINAR ACADEMY, KIPP RICE'S ACADEMY, KIPP LOS ANGELES COLLEGE PREP, OCEAN, CHARTER CAL, AND CALIFORNIA CREATIVE LEARNING ACADEMY, MIDDLE MAXIMUM OF 15 INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO ADDRESS THE BOARD AND THE ITEM WILL BE HEARD.
THOSE WHO WISH TO SPEAK SHOULD SIGN UP ONLINE AND THEY HAVE SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED BY NAME.
SO I'LL CALL THE FOLKS WHO ARE HERE IN PERSON FIRST.
AND THEN AFTER CONE IS SHARON OWENS.
BEFORE WE, OKAY, SO MS. THOMPSON, UH, LET'S SEE.
SHARON OWENS, ARE YOU HERE? COME ON UP.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
MEMBERS OF THE L-A-U-S-D BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT CARVALLO, MY NAME IS SHARON OWENS LINCOLN, AND I SERVE AS A CHIEF OF SCHOOLS FOR ISEF PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I'M HONORED TO SPEAK TODAY IN SUPPORT IN STRONG SUPPORT OF THE RENEWAL OF IS E VIEW PARK PREPARATORY HIGH SCHOOL'S.
CHARTER IS E VIEW PARK HIGH SCHOOL SERVES A STUDENT POPULATION THAT IS 96% AFRICAN AMERICAN AND 93% SOCIOECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED.
THESE DEMOGRAPHICS ARE NOT JUST STATISTICS.
THEY REPRESENT A COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED BY PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEMS. AND THAT CONTEXT MAKES OUR RESULTS, UH, OVER THE COURSE OF OUR CHARTER TERM EVEN MORE MEANINGFUL.
AT ISOP PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN VIEW PARK HIGH SCHOOL, OUR MISSION IS TO EDUCATE AND EMPOWER COURAGEOUS LEADERS TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL FOR COLLEGE, CAREER AND LIFE.
AND WE ARE DELIVERING ON THAT MISSION EVERY DAY THROUGH THE WORK TAKING PLACE AT VIEW PARK HIGH SCHOOL, AND HAVE BEEN DOING SO FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS IN THE CRENSHAW COMMUNITY OVER THE CURRENT CHARTER TERM VIEW PARK HIGH SCHOOL HAS DEMONSTRATED REMARKABLE ACADEMIC GAINS.
MOST NOTABLY, IN SPRING 25, OUR STUDENT ACHIEVE.
OUR STUDENTS ACHIEVED GAINS OF 51.2 POINTS IN ELA AND 74.8 POINTS IN MATH.
IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS, WE ARE OUTPERFORMING THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA EARNING A DISTANCE OF STANDARD OF 4.4 POINTS ABOVE STANDARDS AND MATHEMATICS.
OUR GAINS EXCEED BOTH STATE AND DISTRICT AFRICAN AMERICAN SUBGROUP PERFORMANCE.
WE, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR GRADUATION RATES, THE STORY IS JUST AS POWERFUL VIEW PARK HIGH SCHOOL IS OUTPERFORMING THE STATE GRADUATION RATE FOR ALL STUDENTS AND FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS, WE EXCEED THE STATE AVERAGE BY 13 PERCENTAGE POINTS ACROSS EVERY MAJOR DATA POINT VIEW.
PARK HIGH SCHOOL IS SERVING AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS BETTER THAN LOCAL SCHOOLS AND THE STATE AS A WHOLE.
BUT WHAT MAKES VIEW PARK HIGH SCHOOL TRULY UNIQUE IS THAT OUR SUCCESS IS NOT LIMITED TO ACADEMICS ALONE.
WE'RE A CALIFORNIA EXEMPLARY ARTS EDUCATION, AWARD-WINNING SCHOOLS WITH NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED PROGRAMS IN THEATER AND DIGITAL MUSIC PRODUCTION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF VIEW PARK HIGH SCHOOL'S CHARTER PETITION.
[01:25:11]
GOOD MORNING.I'M PART OF THE PORT DISTRICT NUMBER THREE.
UM, BUT EVER SINCE MY DAUGHTER WAS DIAGNOSED AUTISTIC, UH, I KNEW THE ROAD WAS NOT GOING TO BE AN EASY ONE.
MY BIGGEST WORRY OF, OF COURSE, HAS BEEN HER PERSONAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE WILLINGNESS OF MAKING HER A FULLY INDEPENDENT INDIVIDUAL.
THAT IS, OF COURSE, MY MAIN GOAL.
SO I'VE BEEN HER STRONG AND BIGGEST ADVOCATE, NOT ONLY WITH THE HOME DISCIPLINE THAT IS REQUIRED FOR THE, FOR A NARROW DIVERGENT KID THERAPY CAMPS, EXTRACURRICULAR AND SUPPORT TUTOR, AND ANY SUPPORT THAT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO HER SUCCESS.
I MEAN, UH, WHEN LOOKING FOR MIDDLE SCHOOLS OPTIONS, UH, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE GREAT RATED MIDDLE SCHOOLS NEARBY, UM, THE SETUP WAS SO BIG AND MY FEAR WAS VERY, VERY HIGH.
WHEN YOU HAVE, UM, NEURODIVERGENT KID THAT IS IN THE TEEN AGE OF WILLING TO BE PART OF SOMETHING, UM, IT'S, IT'S VERY, IT'S VERY HARD BECAUSE YOU'RE IN YOUR WILLINGNESS TO FIT YOUR EXPOSED TO DIFFERENT DANGERS.
AND THE BIGGEST SCHOOL, THE BIGGER THE DANGERS.
SO I WAS LOOKING FOR A BETTER SETUP, AND I FOUND MIRACLE LESLIE A GREAT SCHOOL.
THE NAME IS CALIFORNIA CREATIVE LEARNING ACADEMY, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK FOR THEM.
UM, IT'S A CHARTER SCHOOL THAT IS, NEEDS THE RENEWAL, AND, UH, IT'S BEEN CRUCIAL IN HER DEVELOPMENT.
UM, THE COMMUNITY'S AMAZING, AND IT'S SO EMBRACING OF THE DIFFERENT AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE KIDS.
I HAVE MORE THINGS TO SAY, BUT I, I REALLY WANTED TO SUPPORT THE SCHOOL AS CALIFORNIA CREATIVE.
MANNY, ARE YOU HERE? PHIL, COME ON UP.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE, UH, JUST ELECTED.
UH, MY NAME IS PHIL MANLEY AND I'M A PARENT OF A STUDENT AT CAL CREATIVE.
UM, I'M HERE AS A, A GLENDALE RESIDENT, AND I WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR THE RENEWAL OF CAL CREATIVES CHARTER.
UH, MY STORY, MY SON, UH, WENT TO OUR LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOL AND IT WAS A VERY, UH, UH, STRUCTURED AND RIGID EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT.
AND WHAT I THOUGHT, WHAT I SAW WAS HE WAS RETREATING.
HE WAS BECOMING A SHADOW OF HIMSELF.
AND I, AS A PARENT, I HAD TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
SO WE DECIDED TO LOOK FOR A NEW SCHOOL.
UM, AT THIS TIME, MY WIFE TOOK, UH, MY SON TO THE BOB BAKER MARIONETTE THEATER.
AND, UM, IT'S A MARIONETTE THEATER IN HIGHLAND PARK, AND THERE WAS A GROUP OF KIDS THERE THAT WERE HAVING JUST SUCH A WONDERFUL, A WONDERFUL TIME.
IT WAS A MUSICAL PERFORMANCE, AND THEY WERE DANCING.
THEY WERE JUST FREE IN A WAY THAT I, THAT I HADN'T SEEN.
AND, UH, MY WIFE WAS LIKE, WELL, WHERE DID, WHERE DID THOSE KIDS GO TO SCHOOL? 'CAUSE THEY LIVED NEAR US.
AND, UH, WE WENT AND TALKED TO ONE OF THE PARENTS AND THEY WERE LIKE, OH MY GOD, IT'S THIS, IT'S THIS TINY CHARTER SCHOOL.
AND, UH, THEY, THEY REALLY FOCUS ON, UM, COMMUNITY AND ARTS WITHIN THE CURRICULUM AND SOCIO, UM, EMOTIONAL EDUCATION.
AND WE GOT OUR SON TRANSFERRED OVER THERE, AND HIS TRANSFORMATION HAS, HAS BEEN AMAZING.
HE'S HAVING CONVERSATIONS THAT HE NEVER WOULD'VE HAD ABOUT, UM, RACE AND ETHICS AND CULTURE AND HISTORY AND HIS TRANSFORMATION HAS BEEN AMAZING.
AND I JUST, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH HOW VALUABLE THIS SCHOOL HAS BEEN, UH, TO HIM AND, UH, US AS A FAMILY, AND I'M JUST REALLY HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THEIR RENEWAL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, JESSICA.
COME ON UP, JESSICA, FIRSTHAND.
AND THEN, UH, ANGELA MARTINEZ.
UH, MY NAME IS JESSICA FIRSTHAND AND I AM THE PROUD PARENT TO A CALIFORNIA CREATIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT.
HE IS IN SIXTH GRADE BRAND NEW TO CAL CREATIVE.
THIS YEAR WE ARE FROM BURBANK UNIFIED.
[01:30:01]
WE MOVED THERE BECAUSE OF THE GRADE SCHOOLS, BUT CODY STRUGGLED THROUGH ELEMENTARY AND TRADITIONAL SCHOOL IS JUST NOT THE PLACE FOR HIM.WE FOUND CAL CREATIVE AFTER EXHAUSTIVE SEARCHES THAT I WENT THROUGH FOR CHARTER MIDDLES AND CAL CREATIVE IS THE PLACE FOR HIM.
HE DID NOT, HE DID NOT WORK WELL IN A TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM.
HE COULD NOT PARTICIPATE LIKE A TRADITIONAL STUDENT.
HE LEARNS BY DOING, HE LEARNS BY EXPERIMENTING.
HE LEARNS THROUGH ART AND MOVEMENT AND MUSIC, AND THAT IS NOT SOMETHING TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS CAN GIVE HIM, BUT CAL CREATIVE MIDDLE CAN GIVE HIM THAT AND HE COULD NOT CONNECT TO THE LESSONS AND THE WORKSHEETS AND READING THE BOOKS.
HE NEEDS TO MOVE, HE NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO TINKER AN ENGINEER, AND HE CAN'T DO THAT IN A TRADITIONAL SCHOOL, BUT HE CAN DO IT AT CAL CREATIVE MIDDLE.
HE HATED SCHOOL, BUT HE LOVES IT NOW.
WE DON'T FIGHT IN THE MORNING.
HE WANTS TO BE THERE, AND HE'S MAKING CONNECTIONS TO STUDENTS WHO LIKE HIM, ARE NOT TRADITIONAL LEARNERS.
THEY NEED PLACES LIKE CAL CREATIVE MIDDLE BECAUSE THEY DO NOT SURVIVE AND THRIVE IN TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS.
I AM HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR CAL CREATIVE MIDDLE FOR THE RENEWAL TO BE RE-UPPED SO MY KID CAN CONTINUE GOING TO THE SCHOOL WHERE HE HAS BECOME THE KIND OF STUDENT THAT HE KNOWS HE CAN BE.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR HIM, FOR OUR FAMILY, AND HE WILL BE DEVASTATED IF HE CANNOT CONTINUE GOING THERE.
L-A-U-S-D SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT CARO.
MY NAME IS KIRA KALUZA AND I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE OCEAN CHARTER SCHOOL TEACHERS ASSOCIATION AFFILIATED WITH CTA FOR 20 YEARS.
OUR UNION AT OCEAN CHARTER HAS BEEN GROUNDED IN COLLABORATION AND RESPECT AND A SHARED VISION.
TODAY WE SERVE OUR TK THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES ON A BEAUTIFUL NEW CAMPUS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY THAT COLLABORATION AND BY LAD'S PARTNERSHIP AND SUPPORT.
WE HAVE WEATHERED DIFFICULT YEARS, THE PANDEMIC, THE RECENT ATTACK ON CIVIL LIBERTIES OF STUDENTS DIFFICULT BUDGET YEARS.
WE HAVE STOOD TOGETHER STRONG ON BEHALF OF OUR UNION MEMBERS.
I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF OCEAN CHARTER SCHOOLS CHARTER RENEWAL AT THE FEBRUARY BOARD MEETING NOW IN OUR 22ND YEAR AS AN INDEPENDENT L-A-U-S-D CHARTER SCHOOL.
OCEAN IS A HIGH PERFORMING SCHOOL BY DISTRICT AND STATE MEASURES.
WE OFFER AN ARTS INTEGRATED PUBLIC WALDORF PROGRAM THAT IS RELATIONSHIP-BASED AND DEVELOPMENTAL.
OUR GRADUATES SHOW THAT OCEAN CHARTER PREPARES STUDENTS NOT JUST TO REPLICATE THE WORLD THEY SEE, BUT TO HELP MAKE IT A BETTER PLACE.
WE SERVE APPROXIMATELY 560 STUDENTS, ABOUT 15% WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
I AM PROUD TO HAVE TAUGHT ONE CLASS FROM FOURTH THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE AND AM NOW CYCLING AGAIN WITH A NEW SIXTH GRADE.
I BELIEVE SO STRONGLY IN OUR SCHOOL THAT BOTH MY CHILDREN ATTEND IT ON BEHALF OF OCEAN CHARTER TEACHERS ASSOCIATION AND OUR ENTIRE SCHOOL COMMUNITY, I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR CHARTER RENEWAL AT THE FEBRUARY BOARD MEETING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
ALL RIGHT, NOW ANGELA, COME ON UP.
MY NAME IS ANGELA MARTINEZ AND I'M THE CHIEF ACADEMIC SHE ACADEMIC.
THAT WAS OLD SCHOOL CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR KIPP SOCAL.
UM, I WANNA STATE THAT KIPP SOCAL TAKES ANY CONCERN RELATED TO STUDENT SAFETY, STAFF CONDUCT AND LEGAL COMPLIANCE EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY.
WE INVESTIGATE EVERY CLAIM WITH RIGOR, URGENCY, AND TRANSPARENCY.
WE FOLLOW ALL APPLICABLE LAWS, REGULATIONS, AND REQUIRED REPORTING PROTOCOLS, AND WE COOPERATE FULLY WITH LUSD ON ANY RELEVANT AND ANY RELEVANT AGENCIES WHENEVER A CONCERN IS BROUGHT FORWARD.
AS YOU HEARD EARLIER TODAY IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT, DURING YOUR ANNUAL MEETING, WE CONCLUDED AN INVESTIGATION AFTER CLAIMS WERE BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION OF AN UNFAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR A PARENT.
THESE CLAIMS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED THOROUGHLY AND OUR INTERNAL INVESTIGATION FOUND NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER OF WRONGDOING.
CONTINUING TO REPEAT ALLEGATIONS THAT HAVE ALREADY
[01:35:01]
BEEN PROVEN UNFOUNDED RAISES SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE DEFAMATORY NATURE OF THESE STATEMENTS AND THE HARM THEY CAUSE TO THE REPUTATION OF DEDICATED EDUCATORS WHO SERVE OUR STUDENTS AND COMMUNITIES EVERY DAY.OUR FAMILIES ARE INTEGRAL TO OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY, AND WE WORK TIRELESSLY TO ENSURE ALL STUDENTS AND FAMILIES FEEL WELCOME AND SAFE AT ALL TIMES.
WE REMAIN STEADFAST IN OUR COMMITMENT TO BEING TRANSPARENT, ACCOUNTABLE, AND RESPONSIBLE PARTNERS WITH LUSD AND WITH THE FAMILIES WE SERVE.
OUR EDUCATORS WHOSE INTEGRITY IS BEING QUESTIONED TODAY DESERVE TO HAVE THE TRUTH UNDERSCORED AND UPHELD.
YOU'D LOVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK WHEN YOU BEGIN, AND THEN AFTER THAT, IT'S JORGE BIELA.
GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT CAVALLO.
MY NAME IS KIM KPA AND I'M HERE ALONG WITH OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON BEHALF OF THE BOYLE HEIGHTS IMMIGRANT RIGHTS NETWORK, ALSO KNOWN AS THE B-H-I-R-N.
WE ARE A COALITION DEDICATED TO PROTECTING, EDUCATING, AND MOBILIZING IMMIGRANT FAMILIES ACROSS BOYLE HEIGHTS, EAST LOS ANGELES, AND OUR SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SPEAK TODAY.
IN SUPPORT OF KIPP SOCAL SCHOOLS, WHICH HAVE SERVED IN TRUSTED COM, UH, COMMUNITY SCHOOLS IN BOTH BOYLE HEIGHTS, EAST LA AND SOUTH LA.
OVER THE COURSE OF THIS PAST YEAR, OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE ENDURED PAINFUL AND FRIGHTENING IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS.
FAMILIES HAVE ENDURED FEAR OF SEPARATION, FEAR OF RETALIATION, AND FEAR OF SIMPLY LEAVING THEIR HOME.
IN RESPONSE, THE B-H-I-R-N HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY TO CREATE SAFETY THROUGH RAPID RESPONSE MOBILIZATIONS, KNOW YOUR RIGHTS, EDUCATION AND WORKSHOPS THAT EMPOWER COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES IN THIS WORK.
KIPP SOCAL HAS BEEN MORE THAN A PARTNER.
THEIR COMMUNITY SCHOOL MANAGERS STEPPED IN AND JOINED OUR COMMUNITY SUPPORT EFFORTS.
THEY ATTENDED OUR RAPID RESPONSE TRAININGS, EQUIPPED THEIR STAFF AND HELPED DESIGN SAFETY PROTOCOLS AROUND THEIR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES.
AT THE RECENT BACK TO SCHOOL RESOURCE FAIRS OPEN TO ALL, KIPP MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEIR CAMPUSES ARE NOT ONLY FOR CENTERS OF LEARNING, THEY ARE FOR CENTERS OF SAFETY, BELONGING, AND DIGNITY.
IN TIMES OF CRISIS, A SCHOOL'S VALUES ARE REVEALED.
KIPP SOCAL CONTINUES TO SHOW UP FOR FAMILIES WHEN IT MATTERS MOST.
FOR THESE REASONS, WE RESPECTFULLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE CHART RENEWAL.
FOR KIPP AIS, KIPP LUMINAR KIPP ACADEMY OF INNOVATION, KIPP LA PREP AND KIPP VITA.
THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF THE BOYLE HEIGHTS IMMIGRANTS NETWORK.
I CONCEDE MY TIME TO LARA GARCIA EZ.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS GARCIA.
MY NAME IS LAURA GARCIA AND I AM A PROUD MOTHER OF TWO STUDENTS ARE LIN CRUZ, WHO'S IN SEVENTH GRADE, AND MY OTHER STUDENT THAT IS SIXTH GRADE IN KIPP INNOVATION.
I AM ALSO A RESIDENT IN DISTRICT TWO AND I'M HERE TO SHARE THAT I SOLIDLY, UH, SUPPORT THE RE RENEWAL FOR KIPP ACADEMY INNOVATION FOR MANY REASONS.
BUT ONE VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME IS A NO CHILD NEEDS TO LEAVE LIVE WITH THE STRESS OF NOT KNOWING WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH THEIR SCHOOL, WITH THEIR FRIENDS, WITH THEIR TEACHERS.
THIS COULD BE A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE, ESPECIALLY IN THESE VERY DIFFICULT TIMES FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS SCHOOL HAS OFFERED MY CHILDREN AND MANY OTHER CHILDREN A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION WITH A SYSTEM OF EDUCATION.
KIPP INNOVATION DOES EVERYTHING SO THAT NO CHILD IS LEFT BEHIND.
NOT ONLY ACADEMICALLY, BUT ALSO IN A PERSONAL MATTER.
I ALSO LIVE RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL AND I HAVE SEEN ALL OF THE RESOURCES, VALUABLE RESOURCES THAT HAVE BROUGHT TO OUR, OUR COMMUNITY FREE, UH, FOOD, UH, WORKSHOP HELP FOR FAMILIES.
KIPP INNOVATION IS ALSO A PART OF A WONDERFUL TRADITION WITH AN ANNUAL FAIR WITH THE RESOURCES, A BEAUTIFUL TRADITION, RESOURCES SO THAT THE CLASSES IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER SCHOOLS I HAVE ATTENDED AND I HAVE SEEN ALL OF THE STUFF THAT THEY HAVE BROUGHT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
FROM FREE BACKPACKS TO CLOTHES UNIFORM FOR SCHOOLS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT OFFER RESOURCES AND SERVICES.
AS AN IMMIGRANT, I VALUE TRULY HIGH VALUE THAT THIS SCHOOL HAS, HAS PROVIDED LEGAL HELP.
KIPP INNOVATION GOES BEYOND TO ENSURE THAT ALL FAMILIES FEEL SUPPORTED AND ALSO THE PRESENCE OF THE SCHOOL IN A COMMUNITY HAS MADE IT A CLEANER COMMUNITY AND WITH BETTER SUPPORT.
KIPP INNOVATION IS A PILLAR TO OUR COMMUNITY WHERE WE ALWAYS FEEL A TRUE, LIKE A TRUE FAMILY.
I'VE ASKED YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART TO SUPPORT THE KIPP ACADEMY RENEWAL AND TO CONTINUE PROVIDING THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER IS VIC CANNON.
AND THEN AFTER VIC IS TANYA HERNANDEZ.
HI, I'M CONCEDING MY TIME TO MARCO VIDIA.
[01:40:02]
GOOD AFTERNOON.THIS TEAM, SUPER ATTENDANCE AND BOARD MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS MARCO RIA AND I'M A PROUD WOMEN OF KIPP RICES ACADEMY.
I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I STRONGLY SUPPORT THE RENEWAL OF RACIST CHARTER PETITION.
WHEN MY PARENTS IMMIGRATED TO THIS COUNTRY, THEY HAD NO IDEA HOW TO CHOOSE A SCHOOL FOR ME.
I WAS THE OLDEST AND ENGLISH LEARNER AND EVERY SCHOOL VISITED FELT CONFUSING AND OVERWHELMING.
RICES WAS THE FIRST PLACE THAT WALKED IN.
MY FAMILY EXPLAINED EVERYTHING WITH PATIENCE AND TREATED MY PARENTS WITH RESPECT.
AT THAT TIME WHEN THEY FELT LOST, THAT MOMENT DIDN'T JUST PLACE THEM IN A SCHOOL, IT OPENED A DOOR MY FAMILY DIDN'T KNOW EXISTED.
I STARTED RACI SPEAKING, VERY LIMITED ENGLISH FROM KENYA.
THROUGH SECOND GRADE, I MOVED VERY SLOWLY.
I STILL REMEMBER SITTING AT MY TINY DESK WATCHING OTHER STUDENTS READ OUT LOUD WHILE I STAYED QUIET.
AFRAID OF MIS EVEN A SINGLE WORD.
BUT NOT ONCE DID MY TEACHERS MAKE ME FEEL BEHIND.
THEY REPEATED STRUCTURES WITHOUT RUSHING ME.
THEY CELEBRATED EVERY NEW WORD.
YEARS HELPED ME UNDERSTAND ENGLISH.
IT GAVE ME THE CONFIDENCE TO BELIEVE I COULD GROW EVEN WHEN I FELT LIKE THE SLOWEST KID IN THE ROOM THAT SUPPORTED, CREATED A COMMUNITY WHERE I FELT SEEN, VALUED, AND CAPABLE.
RACE DIDN'T JUST TEACH ME, IT BUILT MY FOUNDATION.
TODAY THAT FOUNDATION IS VISIBLE IN MY ENTIRE FAMILY.
MY BROTHER IS A QUESTBRIDGE SCHOLAR, HEADED TO BOWDEN COLLEGE.
MY SISTER'S IN EIGHTH GRADE AND MY YOUNGEST SISTER IS NOW A FIRST GRADER, BEGINNING HER OWN RACES ACADEMY JOURNEY.
AND I'M MY FIRST YEAR AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY.
A GAY SCHOLAR AND QUESTBRIDGE SCHOLAR.
OPPORTUNITIES RUINED THE CONFIDENCE RACE HELPED ME FIND RACE IS MORE THAN JUST A SCHOOL.
IT IS A LIFELINE FOR IMMIGRANTS, FAMILIES WHO NEED GUIDANCE, DIGNITY, AND A COMMUNITY THAT BELIEVES IN THEIR CHILDREN.
LOSING THE SCHOOL WILL CLOSE DOORS FOR THE VERY STUDENTS WHO NEED 'EM THE MOST.
WHO REMINDS ME OF WHO AT ONCE WAS I RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO RENEW KID RAICES ACADEMIES CHARGE PETITION BECAUSE WHEN YOU PROTECT RAICES, YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE NOT JUST RENEWING A SCHOOL, YOU'RE RENEWING FUTURES THAT HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN BEGUN YET.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
HERNANDEZ, KANYE HERNANDEZ, AND THEN AFTER MS. HERNANDEZ IS LINDSAY BRIANA ZA.
GOOD AFTERNOON, SUPERINTENDENT CARVALLO AND MEMBERS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MY NAME IS TANYA HERNANDEZ AND I AM THE PROUD SCHOOL LEADER OF CAPE LUMINA ACADEMY.
I AM ALSO A FIRST GENERATION LATINA, AN EDUCATOR, A PARENT, AND A FOUNDING LEADER OF THIS SCHOOL.
ILUMINA WAS BUILT FOR FAMILIES LIKE MINE, FAMILIES WHO BELIEVE DEEPLY IN EDUCATION EVEN WHEN THE SYSTEM HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN BUILT FOR US.
WHEN WE OPENED OUR DOORS IN 2013, WE MADE A PROMISE THAT OUR STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE A RIGOROUS, JOYFUL EDUCATION AND THAT THEIR IDENTITIES, LANGUAGES, AND EXPERIENCES WOULD BE HONORED, NOT IGNORED.
OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, OUR COMMUNITY HAS FACED CHALLENGES AT TESTED THAT PROMISE.
COVID DISRUPTED LEARNING ROUTINES AND A SENSE OF SAFETY FOR MANY OF OUR FAMILIES.
LATER, FEAR AROUND IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT DEEPLY IMPACTED OUR COMMUNITY.
WE SAW FAMILIES NAVIGATING UNCERTAINTY, STUDENTS CARRYING ADULT WORRIES INTO THE CLASSROOMS AND EDUCATORS STEPPING UP NOT JUST AS TEACHERS, BUT AS ANCHORS OF STABILITY.
AND THROUGH IT ALL, ILLUMINA DID NOT BACK AWAY.
WE STRENGTHENED OUR SYSTEMS. WE DOUBLED DOWN ON INSTRUCTION, ON RELATIONSHIPS AND ON SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WHO NEED US THE MOST.
TODAY, OUR CLASSROOMS ARE PLACES WHERE STUDENTS WHERE STUDENT THINKING IS VISIBLE AND FEEDBACK IS IMMEDIATE BECAUSE WE KNOW WE STILL HAVE A LOT TO WORK TO GET DONE FOR OUR STUDENTS TO GET ON GRADE LEVEL.
WE ANALYZE DATA NOT TO LABEL STUDENTS, BUT TO SERVE THEM WITH URGENCY AND CARE.
THIS WORK IS PERSONAL TO ME AS WELL.
MY OWN CHILDREN ATTENDING LUMINA.
I WALK OUR HALLWAYS NOT ONLY AS A SCHOOL LEADER BUT AS A MOTHER WHO TRUSTS THIS COMMUNITY.
ALL HER HEART FAMILIES CHOOSE ILUMINA BECAUSE THEY KNOW WE ARE HONEST ABOUT OUR CHALLENGES.
RECENT RELENTLESS ABOUT, ABOUT OUR GROWTH AND UNWAVERING IN OUR BELIEF IN THEIR CHILDREN.
CHARTER MEANS PROTECTING A SCHOOL THAT HAS PROVEN ITS RESILIENCE, ITS IMPACT, ITS COMMITMENT TO EQUITY.
IT MEANS ENSURING THAT STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE FROM HISTORICALLY MARRIAGE, GENERALIZED COMMUNITIES, CONTINUE TO HAVE ACCESS TO A SCHOOL THAT SEES THEM, BELIEVES IN THEM, AND PREPARES THEM FOR A FUTURE THEY DESERVE.
ILUMINA IS MORE THAN A SCHOOL, IT IS A PROMISE KEPT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
I, GOOD MORNING, SUPERINTENDENT CARVALLO AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MY NAME IS JESSICA COA AND I'M THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF KI VIDA PREP.
I'M ALSO A FOUNDING TEACHER, A PROUD PARENT OF TWO KISTER AND A SAFA NATIVE.
OUR PRINCIPAL IS CURRENTLY EXPECTING TWINS DUE IN JANUARY AND WISHES SHE COULD BE HERE, BUT I AM HERE TO REPRESENT OUR SCHOOL AND READ HER SPEECH IN HER HONOR.
MY NAME IS AMANDA T TR AND I'M THE PROUD PRINCIPAL OF KEVITA PREP.
AS A PRINCIPAL AND A FOUNDING TEAM MEMBER, I'VE HAD THE HONOR OF WITNESSING AND GUIDING OUR SCHOOL'S GROWTH OVER THE PAST 12 YEARS.
FROM ITS INCEPTION, KEVITA PREP HAS STOOD AS A COMMITMENT TO JOYFUL AND EXCELLENT EDUCATION WITHIN THE VIBRANT COMMUNITY OF SOUTH
[01:45:01]
CENTRAL.MEETING LIFE EMBODIES A MISSION DEEPLY ROOTED IN OPPORTUNITY AND POTENTIAL REFLECTING MY PERSONAL JOURNEY AS A PROUD DAUGHTER OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, THIS MISSION, MISSION DRIVES US TO NURTURE YOUNG LEADERS WHO ARE PREPARED TO LEAD FULFILLING CHOICE FILLED LIVES AND MAKE MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
THROUGHOUT MY LEADERSHIP, WE HAVE SEEN A CONSISTENT AND NOTABLE INCREASE IN STUDENT PERFORMANCE ON THE SAC ASSESSMENTS EACH YEAR.
THIS STEADY GROWTH IN ACADEMIC OUTCOMES IS A TESTAMENT NOT ONLY TO THE RESILIENCE AND DEDICATION OF OUR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS, BUT ALSO TO THE EFFICACY OF OUR EDUCATIONAL PRACTICES AND LEADERSHIP.
THIS FALL, OUR EFFORTS WERE FURTHER RECOGNIZED WHEN WE AWARDED THE PBIS GOLD RECOGNITION, MAKING A SIGNIFICANT, SORRY, MARKING A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE IN JOURNEY TOWARDS CREATING A NURTURING STUDENT-CENTERED AND POSITIVE COMMUNITY FOR ALL THEIR STUDENTS.
THIS HONOR SYMBOLIZES THE HARD WORK AND COMMIT COMMITMENT OF OUR TEAM TOWARDS EXCELLENCE AND FULL FULFILL OUR PROMISE IN BUILDING A SAFE AND JOYFUL SCHOOL COMMUNITY AS WE CONSIDER THE FUTURE.
THE CONTINUED SUPPORT FROM THE BOARD IS CRUCIAL FOR SUSTAINING AND IT HAS A DECENT ACHIEVEMENTS.
RENEWING OUR SCHOOL ENSURES THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO SERVE AS A SANCTUARY OF LEARNING AND BEACON OF HOPE FOR OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING THE RENEWAL OF K VIDA PREP.
LET US CONTINUE TOGETHER BUILDING ON THIS LEGACY OF GROWTH AND IMPACT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
MAGGIE ZAYA, MAGGIE Z, COME ON UP.
YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
AND THEN AFTER MS. C IS ALMA RALO.
GOOD AFTERNOON, SUPERINTENDENT CARVALLO AND BOARD MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS MAGGIE ZAYA AND I'M THE PROUD PARENT OF THREE BRILLIANT KIPPERS, ISABELLA AND SARAH WHO ARE IN EIGHTH AND SIXTH GRADE AT KIPP LA PREP.
AND MATHIAS, WHO'S IN THIRD GRADE AT KIPP PROMESA AND ALREADY LOOKING FORWARD TO ATTENDING LA PREP.
WHEN DECIDING WHERE TO SEND MY CHILDREN, I'LL BE HONEST, I HADN'T HEARD MUCH ABOUT LA PREP, BUT AFTER CONNECTING WITH OTH OTHER PARENTS, DOING MY RESEARCH AND SEEING THE STRONG ACADEMIC AND ATTENDANCE DATA, I FELT DRAWN TO THE SCHOOL.
ONCE WE JOINED, I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE STRUCTURES, THE DEDICATED STAFF, AND THE RESOURCES OFFERED TO ALL FAMILIES.
MY DAUGHTER ISABELLA IS AUTISTIC AND HAS THRIVED ACADEMICALLY BECAUSE OF THE RIGOROUS TEACHING AT PREP BEYOND ACADEMICS.
THE SPECIAL EDUCATION TEAM WORKS CLOSELY WITH HER, UNDERSTANDS HER NEEDS AND SUPPORTS ME AS HER MOM IN NAVIGATING HER BEHAVIORS, ALL WITH CARE AND RESPECT.
BEFORE PREP, ISABELLA DIDN'T CARE MUCH ABOUT HER GRADES OR OR HER PROGRESS.
NOW SHE TRACKS HER GROWTH, USES HER RESOURCES, AND PUSHES HERSELF TO MEET HER GOALS.
PREPPED HELPED HER SEE HER POTENTIAL AND THAT MATTERS MORE THAN NANNY SINGLE DATA POINT.
MY SECOND DAUGHTER, SARAH, IS NOW IN HER SECOND YEAR AT PREP AND ADVANCING AT AN INCREDIBLE PACE.
SHE'S READING AT A NINTH GRADE LEVEL AND PROUDLY SERVED AS HER CLASSROOM LIBRARIAN.
BOTH MY CHILDREN FEEL SEEN, SUPPORTED AND CHALLENGED.
WHAT MAKES L PREP SPECIAL IS THAT IT FEELS LIKE A VILLAGE.
OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY IS SMALL, PERSONAL, AND DEEPLY CONNECTED.
EVERYONE KNOWS MY CHILDREN BY NAME, EVEN MY THIRD GRADER.
AND AFTER GROWING UP IN SCHOOLS WHERE I FELT JUST LIKE A NUMBER, THIS MEANS EVERYTHING.
AS I BEGIN LOOKING AHEAD TO HIGH SCHOOL, I AM ALSO GRATEFUL FOR KIPP FORWARD, WHICH ENSURES I DON'T NAVIGATE THESE NEXT STEPS ALONE.
AND I KNOW KIPP'S SUPPORT WON'T STOP THERE.
YOUR DECISIONS HAVE A LONG LASTING IMPACT AND SHOULD CENTER PARENTS AND STUDENTS LIKE MINE RENEWING KIPP VALLEY PREP IS NOT JUST A CONTINUATION, IT'S A REAFFIRMATION OF WORKS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND SUPPORT.
YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
I'M ALMA AND I CONCEDE MY TIME TO BRENDA GOMEZ.
MY NAME IS BRENDA GOMEZ AND I AM PROUD TO SERVE AS A COMMUNITY SCHOOL MANAGER AT KLA PREP.
NEARLY 20 YEARS AGO, I BEGAN MY JOURNEY WITH PREP AS AN AFTERSCHOOL TUTOR.
I COULD NOT HAVE KNOWN HOW DEEPLY THIS SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY WOULD CHANGE MY LIFE.
TODAY SOME OF THE STUDENTS I TUTOR ARE NOW MY COLLEAGUES.
IT PLANTS SEED THAT GROW INTO LEADERS WHO RETURN HOME TO SERVE THE NEXT GENERATION.
PREP HAS BEEN A CONSTANT IN BOYLE HEIGHTS FOR TWO DECADES, YEAR AFTER YEAR, A WAIT LIST SHOWS THE NEED AND DEMAND FOR A HIGH PERFORMING MIDDLE SCHOOL IN OUR COMMUNITY, A SCHOOL THAT FAMILIES CHOOSE BECAUSE THEY KNOW IT OPENS DOORS.
MIDDLE SCHOOL IS A CRITICAL TIME IN A CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT.
AT PREP, OUR STUDENTS LEAVE WITH CLEAR GOALS, BIGGER DREAMS, AND A STRONGER SENSE OF IDENTITY.
AFTER WORKING AT PREP FOR 10 YEARS, I LEFT TO SERVE IN THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE.
I'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL AT THAT CAREER, BUT I WOULD NOT BE THE LEADER I AM TODAY WITHOUT
[01:50:01]
THE FOUNDATION PREP BUILT IN ME.RETURNING LAST YEAR, IT TRULY FELT LIKE COMING HOME, SEEING FAMILIAR FACES MADE IT FEEL LIKE NO TIME HAD PASSED UNTIL I SAW THE STUDENTS I ONCE TUTORED.
NOW TEACHING AND LEADING OUR SCHOOL, THAT'S WHEN I REALIZED I MIGHT BE A LITTLE OLDER THAN I LIKE TO ADMIT.
BUT WHAT HAS NEVER CHANGED IS THE CULTURE, THE EXCELLENCE, THE BELIEF THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE CAPABLE OF ANYTHING.
PREP CONTINUES TO OUTPERFORM LOCAL SCHOOLS AND CONSISTENTLY EXCEEDS STATE AVERAGES.
THAT IS THE RESULT OF 20 YEARS OF COMMITMENT, STABILITY, AND LOVE.
TODAY I STAND BEFORE YOU, NOT ONLY AS A STAFF MEMBER, BUT AS SOMEONE WHOSE ENTIRE LIFE TRAJECTORY HAS SHAPED BY THIS SCHOOL.
WALKING INTO KIPP SCHOOLS MEANS STEPPING INTO A PLACE OF OPPORTUNITY.
IT REPRESENTS THE FUTURE OF LOS ANGELES.
ON BEHALF OF OUR FAMILIES, OUR ALUMNI, AND THE GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS YET TO COME, I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST FOR YOUR VOTE TO RENEW KITCH CHARTERS.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE TWO CALLERS TO THIS ITEM.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TEACH PREP.
TEACH PREP WAS FOUNDED IN 2018 BY TWO VETERAN LUSD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EDUCATORS TO SERVE THE FAMILIES OF SOUTH LA.
WHAT HISTORICALLY LACKED CONSISTENT ACCESS TO STABLE HIGH QUALITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
UM, 99.3% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE SOCIOECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED AND WE SERVE A LARGE POPULATION OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS.
AND UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF PRINCIPAL SHARON REED AND OUR CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICERS CNI THOMPSON, THE SCHOOL HAS FOCUSED RELENTLESSLY CONSISTENTLY ON INSTRUCTIONAL EXECUTION.
AND THAT FOCUS HAS PRODUCED RESULTS.
IN THE MOST RECENT YEAR, TEACH PREP HAS ACHIEVED GAINS OF MORE THAN 50 POINTS IN SPAC MATH AND ELA.
THIS IS APPROXIMATELY 10 TIMES THE STATEWIDE AVERAGE OF GROWTH IN THAT SAME YEAR.
UM, THIS BRINGING OUR DASHBOARD PERFORMANCE LEVELS IN BOTH SUBJECTS TO THE YELLOW ON THE STATE DASHBOARD WITH ALL REPORTED SUBGROUPS ALSO ACHIEVING YELLOW IN OUR ELA OR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS.
AT THE GREEN PERFORMANCE LEVEL IN MATH, THIS IMPROVEMENT IS NOT ACCIDENTAL.
IT REFLECTED A CLEAR INSTRUCTIONAL SYSTEMS FOCUSED FREQUENT DATA CYCLES AND AN ACTIVE OVERSIGHT AT BOTH THE SCHOOL AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL.
THESE STRUCTURES THAT PRODUCE THESE RESULTS ARE IN PLACE AND THEY'RE CONTINUING.
AND THIS DATA CONFIRMS THAT TEACH PREP MEETS THE CRITERIA OF A MIDDLE PERFORMING SCHOOL.
UNDER AB 1505, WE ARE DEMONSTRATING REAL STRONG AND ACCELERATING IMPROVEMENT AND WE RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF TEACH PREP'S RENEWAL AT THE UPCOMING MEETING SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO SUSTAIN THIS PROGRESS AND SERVE THIS COMMUNITY.
AND I'M GONNA CALL ONCE AGAIN ON ION THOMPSON ION.
NOT HERE REMOTELY AND NOT HERE IN PERSON.
ALRIGHT, THAT CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR TAB 31.
I HAVE A SMALL BIT OF, OH, HOLD ON.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
SUPERINTENDENT CARVAL, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M THE CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER FOR TEACH SCHOOLS.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ON THE PROGRESS AND COMMITMENT OF TEACH PREPARATORY MILDRED S CUNNINGHAM AND EDITH H MORRIS ELEMENTARY.
I ECHO MR. BROWN'S TESTIMONY REGARDING THE SIGNIFICANT GAINS MADE IN BOTH ELA AND MATH.
IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS STUDENTS IMPROVED MAKING MORE THAN 54 POINTS OF GROWTH IN A SINGLE YEAR.
SIMILARLY, IN MATH, STUDENTS IMPROVED WITH A GAIN OF 51 POINTS.
THESE SHIFTS MOVED THE SCHOOL FROM THE LOWEST PERFORMING LEVELS INTO THE MIDDLE PERFORMING BANDS REFLECTING REAL PROGRESS TOWARDS GRADE LEVEL PROFICIENCY.
THE INDICATORS REFLECTING LOWER PERFORMANCE INCLUDE CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM AND ENGLISH LEARNER PROGRESS.
IN RESPONSE, THE SCHOOL HAS IMPLEMENTED STRUCTURED EARLY WARNING SIGNS AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS IN PARTNERSHIPS WITH FAMILIES TO IDENTIFY CONCERNS PROMPTLY AND ADDRESS BARRIERS TO REGULARLY ATTENDANCE.
IN ADDITION, TEACH PREP IS MAXIMIZING ACADEMIC RECOVERY OPPORTUNITIES BY PROVIDING TARGETED INSTRUCTION SUPPORT DURING SCHOOL BREAKS AND THROUGH SATURDAY SCHOOL, ALLOWING STUDENTS TO RECOUP LEARNING TIME LOST DUE
[01:55:01]
TO ABSENCES FOR OUR ENGLISH LEARNERS.THE SCHOOL HAS STRENGTHENED ITS FOCUS ON RESEARCH-BASED EO INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE ACCESS TO CORE INSTRUCTION.
THESE SUPPORTS INCLUDE INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION, PULLOUT SERVICES, AND DEDICATED SMALL GROUP LEARNING ALIGNED TO STUDENT LANGUAGE NEEDS.
AS A RESULT OF THESE INTENTIONAL EFFORTS, WE ARE OBSERVING MEASURABLE GROWTH AMONG OUR ENGLISH LEARNERS AND REMAIN CONFIDENT AND OPTIMISTIC ABOUT IMPROVED OUTCOMES IN UPCOMING STATE ASSESSMENT RESULTS.
IN CLOSING, TEACH PREPS GROWTH IN ELA AND MATH DEMONSTRATE THE SCHOOL'S CLEAR UPWARD TRAJECTORY THROUGH DISCIPLINE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR SYSTEMS TO ADDRESS LOW PERFORMING INDICATORS.
WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT WE ARE MAKING SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS TOWARDS MEETING ALL STANDARDS.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE OUR SCHOOL'S PROGRESS WITH YOU TODAY, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO OUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP AND WE STRONGLY THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
RECOMMEND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT ON THAT PUBLIC HEARING.
[Consent Items ( Part 2 of 4)]
I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF HOUSEKEEPING TO DO ON TAB.SO WITH RESPECT TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR, I HAVE LEARNED THAT, UM, WHERE ARE WE? TAB 36, THE ADOPTION OF THE HEALTH BENEFITS AGREEMENT HAS TO COME SECOND IN TIME TO THE 25 26 FIRST INTERIM REPORT BECAUSE THE BUDGETARY ASSUMPTIONS AND TAB 36 RELY ON APPROVING TAB 35.
SO, UM, PROCEDURALLY I'M A LITTLE BIT OF A LOSS HOW TO REMOVE SOMETHING FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR IF THE BOARD IS OKAY WITH REMOVING IT FROM CONSENT IN ORDER TO MOVE BY MS. EZ.
ANY OBJECTIONS TO THAT? UH, TAB 36, MOVING FROM CONSENT TO DISCUSSION.
[37. Appoint ad hoc Board Rules and Governance Committee (Misc 039-25/26)]
AND THEN, AND AS FOLKS ARE LEAVING THE ROOM, TAB 37, UH, CAN BE A STRAIGHT APPOINTMENT.IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE AN ACTION ITEM.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO DO SO, I WOULD LIKE TO APPOINT, UH, TO THE, UH, AD HOC BOARD RULES AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE.
I'D LIKE TO APPOINT TANYA ORTIZ, FRANKLIN AND DR.
AND IF THERE'S ANY DISCUSSION, I'D BE WILLING TO HAVE IT, BUT OTHERWISE I'D LIKE TO APPOINT THEM.
AND THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THAT ITEM EITHER, SO I'M GONNA REMOVE THAT FROM CONSENT.
[Consent Items ( Part 3 of 4)]
OKAY.AND NOW WE WILL CONTINUE TAKING CONSENT TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO MOVING ON TO TAB TWO, DONATIONS OF MONEY TO THE DISTRICT.
WE HAVE ONE COMMENT TO MR. DAVID KOSKI.
ARE YOU HERE, SIR? MR. TOSKI TAB? WE WILL, UM, HE'S NOT HERE RIGHT NOW.
UH, WE WILL MOVE ON TO TAB THREE.
TABS EIGHT AND NINE HAVE NO COMMENT.
I HEAR MR. TOSKI MAKING HIS WAY.
SO LET'S GO BACK TO, UH, THIS IS TAB TWO.
UH, YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN, SIR.
UH, ITEM TWO, UH, IS THE, UH, CONTRIBUTIONS, AND IT'S ABOUT TIME, I THINK HAVING BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR 12 YEARS, THAT WE PUT SOME POLICY INTO THIS THE WAY WE DO FILMING, WHEREAS A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE GOES TO THE WHOLE DISTRICT AND CERTAIN PERCENTAGE GOES TO THE SCHOOL.
IT IS PROBABLY WISE FOR THE BOARD TO STEP IN AND FIND SOME POLICY IN WHICH A CERTAIN CHAIR OF THE MONEY, UH, COMING FROM DISPROPORTIONATELY, UH, AS WE'D UNDERSTAND THE WEST SIDE OF, OF THE, UH, DISTRICT.
UH, AND THEN IT'S A DE FACTO PARCEL TAX IN A SENSE.
SO IF YOU CAME UP WITH AN 80 20 OR A 70 30 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT WOULDN'T BE A DISINCENTIVE.
AND THAT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, A PARENT GROUP COULD FOCUS AND HELP US WITH THAT.
BUT I THINK YOU NEED A POLICY THAT SOMEHOW BALANCES THE TWO.
UH, OTHERWISE KEEP THE MONEY FLOWING IN.
UH, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK AS WELL ON THE, UM, THE MAGIC OF GOING FROM A QUALIFIED BUDGET IN JUNE TO A POSITIVE BUDGET, UH, AT THE FIRST INTERIM TODAY WITHOUT ANY NEW REVENUE COMING IN.
UM, SO THE BOARD WAS ASKED TO, TO DECLARE A FISCAL STABILIZATION PLAN, DECLARE THAT THERE WAS, UH, UH, TROUBLE ON THE HORIZON.
AND THEN WITHOUT ANYTHING, WE SUDDENLY SWITCH TO HAVING THE WIND IN OUR SAILS AND HAVE A FIRST INTERIM.
THERE'S VERY LITTLE MENTION OF PROP 98 IN THERE AT ALL.
THERE'S NO MENTION OF THE CHILDREN YOUTH BEHAVIORAL
[02:00:01]
HEALTH INITIATIVE MONIES FOR THREE YEARS FORWARD.THAT THAT JUST SEEMS ABSURD THAT YOU CAN'T EVEN PUT $10 MILLION OR $15 MILLION ADDITIONALLY, UM, IN THE, UM, LEGISLATIVE ANALYST.
AND, UH, IS THE 24 25 MONEY MAY BE IN THERE.
I CAN'T SEE THE 200 MILLION, BUT IT MIGHT BE IN THE 24 25 AND THE 25 26 MONEY IS NOT THERE.
AND FINALLY, THE COMMENT IN THE MATERIALS THAT SAYS WE NEED THE GOVERNOR'S ANNOUNCEMENT IN JANUARY.
I THINK THAT'S FAKE TO UNDERSTAND THAT JANUARY, HE WILL BE VERY CONSERVATIVE, BUT IT IS OUR JOB TO WORK WITH OUR LABOR PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THE MONEY BY MAY IS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE.
THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR TAB TWO.
UH, VICTOR AALIYAH, ARE YOU HERE, VICTOR A TO SPEAK TO TAB 10, DEFINE AND APPROVE THREE PROJECTS? NO.
UM, AND THEN EMMANUEL T TURNER, ARE YOU HERE? YOU SIGNED UP TO SPEAK REMOTELY, BUT I DO NOT HAVE YOU ONLINE.
SO THAT CONCLUDES TAB 10, PUBLIC COMMENT TABS 11, 12 AND 13, 14, 15, AND 16.
TAB 18, APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR NEW ON CONSENT CALENDAR, UM, BOARD ANYTHING ON CONSENT, THE BOARD PLANS TO APPROVE.
UM, I WILL START GOING THROUGH TAB 18.
LET ME READ THE PUBLIC HEARING STATEMENT FIRST FOR TABS 18 THROUGH I BELIEVE 25.
THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING STATEMENT FOR TABS 18 THROUGH 24.
BEFORE ACTION IS TAKEN ON THE FOLLOWING BOARD REPORTS, A PUBLIC HEARING MUST BE HELD.
THIS CONSTITUTES A PUBLIC HEARING ON NEW ACADEMY, CANOGA PARK, NEW, ACADEMY OF SCIENCES AND ARTS, ASPIRE TITAN ACADEMY, UH, ERTA INTERNATIONAL CHARTER PORT OF LOS ANGELES, HIGH NEW HORIZONS CHARTER ACADEMY, A NEW MILLENNIUM SECONDARY MAXIMUM OF 15 INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO SPEAK ON EACH OF THE ITEMS WILL BE HEARD.
THOSE WHO WISH TO SPEAK SHOULD SIGN UP ONLINE AND THEY HAVE SIGNED UP ONLINE.
UM, AGAIN, HERE WE GO FOR APPROVAL OF THE RENEWABLE PETITION FOR NEW TAB 18, UH, JOANNA ESPINOZA.
SO I'LL, I'LL READ THE NAMES JUST IN CASE.
I KNOW IT SOUNDS LIKE AN EXERCISE IN FUTILITY, BUT I WANT THE RECORD TO REFLECT THAT WE CALLED THE NAMES, UH, AND ELISA DI SDO.
UH, VANESSA GARCIA, WAIVED, WAIVED, UH, KENNY HANH.
UH, VANESSA MARTINEZ NOT HERE.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT TAB.
TAB 19, APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR NEW ACADEMY OF SCIENCE AND ARTS.
I'M HEARING WAVING, SO I'LL CALL THE NAMES AGAIN.
MAKE SURE WE DIDN'T MISS ANYBODY WHO HAD AN ALTERNATE OPINION.
ANTHONY BATES WAVE, UH, YONA SANCHEZ.
UH, VENEZUELA WA UH, MARY ROSA WADE MARIELLA BARNO, UH, MARTHA MARIN.
APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR ASPIRE TITAN ACADEMY.
[02:05:01]
GAMMA.THIS IS FOR APPROVAL OF THE RENEWAL PETITION FOR ERTA INTERNATIONAL CHARTER RASHID KAHAN WAIVING CASEY JONES.
LOOKING NOW TO TAB 22, APPROVAL OF THE PETITION FOR PORT OF LOS ANGELES.
UH, MARIA JANE LIVERPOOL AND MARY JANE LIVERPOOL.
IN VEDO WAVE, UH, TIM TON, WAVE.
UH, JOAQUIN FONSECA, WAVE WAVE, UH, PATRICIA RAMIREZ.
ARTURO ES UH, JASMINE EZ WAIVED.
MARIA VARGAS AND ERIN LOPEZ WAIVED.
TABS 23 AND 24 ARE ON DISCUSSION.
[25. Ms. Gonez - Celebrating National Special Education Day and Calling for the Protection of Special Education Programs and Funding (Res-028-25/26) (Waiver of Board Rule 72)]
CELEBRATING NATIONAL SPECIAL EDUCATION DAY AND CALLING FOR THE PROTECTION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS. UM, DID YOU WANNA TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT OR FIRST AND THEN, OKAY.SO MARIA DURAN IS ONLINE, SIGNED UP TO SPEAK REMOTELY FOR TAB 25.
SO THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR, UM, THIS ITEM.
WANT ME TO MAKE COMMENTS NOW OR WAIT TILL LATER? COMMENTS NOW? SOUND PRETTY GOOD? SURE.
UM, WELL, TODAY WE ARE CELEBRATING NATIONAL SPECIAL EDUCATION DAY, AND THE MORE THAN 64,000 STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES THAT L-A-U-S-D SERVES, ALONG WITH THE FAMILIES AND EDUCATORS THAT SUPPORT THEM EVERY DAY.
THIS RESOLUTION, WHICH AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, IS CO-SPONSORED BY MR. MOLSON AND BOARD MEMBER GREGGO RECOGNIZES THAT SPECIAL EDUCATION IS FACING REAL AND IMMINENT THREATS, INCLUDING EFFORTS TO INTENTIONALLY WEAKEN IDA ENFORCEMENT CUT MEDICAID FUNDED SERVICES THAT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES RELY UPON AND CONSOLIDATE AND THREATEN FEDERAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS UNDER THE CURRENT PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION.
NEXT YEAR, L-A-U-S-D ALONE WILL SPEND OVER $2 BILLION ON SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES, WHILE FEDERAL FUNDING CONTINUES TO FALL FAR SHORT OF ITS COMMITMENT TO MEETING 40% OF, OF THE COST FOR OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
CELEBRATING SPECIAL EDUCATION DAY MEANS HONORING OUR INCREDIBLE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND STANDING IN DEFENSE OF THE FUNDING AND PROTECTIONS THAT THEY'RE LEGALLY ENTITLED TO.
SO, WITH THAT, I, I THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR CO-SPONSORSHIP AND THEIR SUPPORT OF THIS RESOLUTION.
I'D LOVE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR.
SO, AS CO-SPONSORS, THAT WAS MS. ORTIZ FRANKLIN.
AND, UH, MR. MELVIN, RIGHT? MM-HMM
TAB, UH, 26, CELEBRATING NATIONAL MENTOR MONTH.
UM, BEFORE WE GET THERE, DID ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WANNA COMMENT ON TAB 25? YES, I, OKAY.
ACCORDING TO THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WEBSITE, 850,995 STUDENTS IN THE STATE FROM NEWBORN TO 22 YEARS OF AGE,
[02:10:01]
QUALIFIED FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS DURING THE 2324 SCHOOL YEAR.AND THAT MEANS THAT OUR STUDENTS IN LA UNIFIED RECEIVE SERVICES FOR AUTISM, HEARING IMPAIRMENT, SPEECH, OR LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENT, DEAFNESS, AND OTHER CATEGORIES.
DESPITE THE SUCCESS OF THESE PROGRAMS, WE CONTINUE TO SEE YEAR AFTER YEAR HOW UNDERFUNDED SPECIAL EDUCATION IS AROUND THE NATION.
IT APPEARS THAT EVERY TIME THAT THERE IS BUDGET TALKS IN WASHINGTON DC SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING IS USED AS A BARGAINING CHIP.
IT IS BEING USED AS A PROXY TO GAIN ACCESS TO FUNDS THAT ARE NOT RELATED TO EDUCATION.
WHAT, SO, HOWEVER, SPECIAL EDUCATION AFFECTS STUDENTS REGARDLESS OF THEIR LOCAL, STATE, OR NATIONAL POLITICS.
WHEN IDEA WAS PASSED IN 1975, IT CAME WITH A SPECIFIC PURPOSE IN MIND.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WAS TO COMMIT TO FUNDING 40%, 40% OF EXCESS COST FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS AROUND THE COUNTRY 50 YEARS LATER.
AND THAT 40% FUNDING HAS NEVER REACHED OUR STUDENTS.
MEANWHILE, THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES CONTINUES TO RISE, AND L-A-U-S-D HAS LESS MONEY TO COVER THOSE COSTS IF WE HAVE NOT BEEN CLEAR ENOUGH.
I WANT TO STATE THE UNIFIED POSITIONS OF THIS BOARD AND THIS DISTRICT.
WE DON'T JUST WANT 40% OF THE COSTS COVERED.
WE WANT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION COSTS COVERED, AND WE CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR IT.
I KNOW THE SITUATION SEEMS GRIM AS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS SEEKING TO TERMINATE STAFF THAT WORK WITH IDEA COMPLIANCE.
AND WE ALSO SEE THIS FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO DISMANTLE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
THESE ARE NOT THE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM AND WILL CAUSE DISRUPTIONS IF SUCCESSFUL.
SO IN ADDITION TO THIS BOARD AND DISTRICT ADVOCATING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING, I ALSO INVITE THE PUBLIC, YOU, THE PUBLIC, TO GET INVOLVED AND WRITE TO YOUR FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES, CALL THEIR OFFICES AND LET THEM KNOW HOW CRUCIAL WE NOT ONLY PROTECT THIS FUNDING, BUT ENHANCE IT.
AND AGAIN, MS. GONI, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION FORWARD, AND I'D LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR AS YOU GRACIOUSLY HAVE PERMITTED ME.
THANK YOU, UH, MS. GONI FOR BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION.
UM, AS A FORMER SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER FOR 20 YEARS, UM, I HAVE SEEN, UM, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU START, UH, TAKING FUNDS AWAY FROM SPECIAL EDUCATION.
THERE ARE LESS SUPPORTS FOR STUDENTS WHO NEED IT THE MOST AT ALL LEVELS.
ELEMENTARY UP ALL THE WAY UP TO 22 YEAR OLDS.
UM, AS CHAIR OF THE SPECIAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE, I HAVE HEARD FROM PARENTS AND FROM EDUCATORS ABOUT THE NEEDS NOT DECREASING AS TIME GOES ON, BUT RATHER INCREASING FOR OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
THE NEEDS NOT ONLY FOR STUDENTS, BUT ALSO FOR PARENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
EVEN AT THE POINT WHEN CHILDREN ARE JUST IDENTIFIED WHEN THEY ARE THREE YEARS OLD, PARENTS NEED SUPPORT.
WHEN YOU FIND OUT THAT YOUR CHILD HAS A DISABILITY, IT IS VERY SCARY BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF SUPPORTS ARE OUT THERE.
AND IF YOU ONLY HEAR THAT THERE IS LESS FUNDING, THE MORE SCARED YOU GET BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT IT'S GONNA BE HARDER FOR YOUR CHILD.
SO OUR PARENTS ALSO NEED SUPPORT, AND MANY PARENTS HAVE ADVOCATED FOR MORE, UH, WORKSHOPS ON THEIR RIGHTS.
THEY WANNA KNOW WHAT RIGHTS THEY HAVE AT IEP MEETINGS.
THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT PROGRAMS ARE AVAILABLE, AND THEY WANT THOSE TO BE PROVIDED AT THEIR SCHOOL SITE, NOT REGIONALLY.
OUR DISTRICT HAS MADE SOME IMPROVEMENTS IN LISTENING TO PARENTS AND TRYING TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS, BUT AS BUDGET CUTS LOOM, IT'LL BE VERY CHALLENGING TO BE ABLE TO MEET THOSE NEEDS AND THOSE ASKS FROM OUR FAMILIES, EVEN THOUGH THEY REALLY NEED THEM.
AND SO, AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER NOW, I WANT TO COMMIT AND RECOMMIT TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR FULLY FUNDING SPECIAL EDUCATION.
AND I WANT OUR DISTRICT TO DEMAND THAT OF OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
WE'VE BEEN SAYING WE'RE GONNA DO IT, BUT I HAVE NOT SEEN IT YET.
AND WE NEED TO DEMAND THE STATE TO ALSO MAKE THAT DEMAND OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
OUR STUDENTS SHOULD NOT BE AN AFTERTHOUGHT.
[02:15:01]
BE THE CENTER.WHEN YOU CAN SERVE THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION, YOU SERVE EVERYONE.
AND ALL OF OUR STUDENTS NEED TO HAVE AN EDUCATION THAT IS DIGNIFYING AND GIVES THEM ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THEIR EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE.
SO, AS WE RECOGNIZE NATIONAL SPECIAL EDUCATION DAY, THIS MONTH AND BEYOND, AND EVERY SINGLE DAY, WE REAFFIRM OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT OTHER CIVIL RIGHTS ADDRESS CHRONIC UNDERFUNDING, AND ENSURE THAT EVERY STUDENT RECEIVES THE SUPPORTS NECESSARY TO THRIVE.
AND AGAIN, AS A BOARD MEMBER, NOW, I RECOMMIT TO CENTERING SPECIAL EDUCATION AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ALWAYS PUT THEIR NEEDS AT THE FOREFRONT.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT PARENTS FOUGHT FOR BACK IN THE SEVENTIES, AND WE NEED, LIKE SCOTT SAID, WE DO NEED PARENTS TO CONTINUE AND FAMILY MEMBERS OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT, TO BUILD A MOVEMENT AGAIN, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROTECT, DEFEND, AND TO CONTINUE TO DEMAND INVESTMENTS FOR OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
SO, THANK YOU AGAIN, MS. GEZ, FOR SHINING THE LIGHT ON THIS.
APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS, UM, BOARD MEMBER EZ TO THE FOREFRONT AND INTRODUCING THIS RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE, UM, DECEMBER 2ND, AS A NATIONAL SPECIAL EDUCATION DAY IN LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, AS MENTIONED, EVERY STUDENT DESERVES THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A QUALITY EDUCATION IN A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT MEETS THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS.
AND OUR DISTRICT PROVIDES SUPPORT AND RESOURCES TO THOSE STUDENTS IN ORDER TO THRIVE ACADEMICALLY AND SOCIALLY.
AND SO WE CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO FULFILL, AS MENTIONED, THE 50-YEAR-OLD PROMISE TO FULLY FUND THE IDA, THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT.
AND AGAIN, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU, UH, MS. EZ, AND I'M HAPPY TO LEND MY SUPPORT TO THIS RESOLUTION.
ANYONE ELSE FOR TAB 25? I KNEW IT.
YES, PLEASE ALSO ADD ME AS A CO-SPONSOR TO THIS VERY IMPORTANT, UH, RESOLUTION.
AND, UM, I WAS LISTENING TO WHAT MY COLLEAGUES MENTIONED, UM, BOARD MEMBER GREGO, UM, SCHON AND EVERYONE, AND SUPPORTING OUR FAMILIES AND OUR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IS AT, UM, UTMOST IMPORTANCE AND PRIORITY.
UH, TIME AND TIME AGAIN, I MEET WITH A LOT OF PARENTS, SCHOOLS, AND TEACHERS WHO ARE RAISING A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT, UM, THE SUPPORTS AND CLASSES FOR OUR STUDENTS AS SPECIAL NEEDS.
SO, UM, JUST WANTED TO ADD A COMMENT JUST FOR OUR, OUR DISTRICT LEADERSHIP HERE TO TAKE REAL CONSIDERATION WHEN YOU, UM, DECIDE TO CLOSE A CLASSROOM, UH, WHEN YOU DECIDE TO CLOSE, UM, A PROGRAM OR WHEN AN RSP TEACHER IS REMOVED BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT MEETING THE NUMBERS, THIS CAUSES HARM TO STUDENTS.
IT REALLY DISRUPTS THEIR, UH, ROUTINE, THE PERSON THAT THEY, THE TEACHER OR THE SUPPORT, UM, THAT IS THERE ON A DAILY BASIS WHEN IT'S TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM.
IT JUST, UM, THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTAND THAT.
SO I THINK THAT COMES AT A, AT A BIG, AT A BIG CONCERN TO ME.
BUT I DO FULLY SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION AND FOR THE DISTRICT TO CONTINUE, UM, ARDUOUSLY, UM, ADVOCATING AND DEMANDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THE, UM, THE FUNDS THAT THIS DISTRICT AND SO MANY DISTRICTS NEED, BUT PARTICULARLY OUR, FOR OUR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
AND I WILL CONTINUE WORKING WITH THE DISTRICT AND OUR FAMILIES AND SCHOOLS, AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL THE NEEDS FOR OUR STUDENTS OF SPECIAL NEEDS ARE MET AND THAT THEIR PROGRAMS ARE NOT, UM, CLOSED, UM, WITHOUT, UM, A RESPONSE, AN ANSWER.
ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS FOR TAB 25? SUPERINTENDENT, YOU HAVE A STATEMENT FOR US? JUST VERY BRIEFLY, I WANNA THANK, UH, BOARD MEMBER EZ AND THE, THE COMMENTS MADE BY THE REST OF THE BOARD ON THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC FOR OVER THREE DECADES, UM, I, I HAVE MEMORIES OF GOING OUT TO WASHINGTON DC ADVOCATING FOR FAIR FUNDING AND FULL FUNDING, UH, UNDER THE PROMISES OF AT LEAST 40% OF THE AVERAGE, UH, EXPENDITURES ASSOCIATED WITH THE EDUCATION OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AS
[02:20:01]
A NATION WITH NEVER EVEN COME CLOSE TO 20%.UH, WHICH MEANS THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN UNFUNDED MANDATE AT LEAST BY 50% AT A TIME, UM, UH, WHEN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS ACROSS AMERICA WHO HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED WITH ONE OR MORE DISABILITIES HAS ACTUALLY INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY, PARTICULARLY THOSE ON A SPECTRUM.
UH, SO IT'S AN OUTRAGEOUS, UH, IT'S AN OUTRAGEOUS, UH, EVOLUTION OF A VERY PROMISING, UH, LANDMARK PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
ONE THAT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED NOW, UM, AS, UH, IDA AND ALL ISSUES DEALING WITH STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, BUT PARTICULARLY THE ADMINISTRATION OF IDA IS, UH, BEING SHIFTED OVER TO, UH, HHS, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, MUCH LIKE OTHER FEDERAL PROGRAMS, TITLE ONE, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, ET CETERA, UH, WHICH, UH, BRINGS ABOUT AN ADDITIONAL THREAT OF DILUTION OF IMPACT.
UH, SO THE, THE OUTLOOK IS NOT POSITIVE, AND I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE BOARD'S POSITION ON THIS, UH, CRITICALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. MCLEAN.
[26. Ms. Newbill – National Mentoring Month 2026 (Res-032-25/26) (Waiver of Board Rule 72 )]
OKAY.MOVING ON TO TAB 26, UH, NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH.
UH, MS. NEWBELL, DID YOU HAVE COMMENTS TO MAKE? YES.
UM, THIS IS, UM, OBVIOUSLY VERY DEAR, NEAR AND DEAR.
UM, I THINK I CONTRIBUTE A HUNDRED PERCENT OF WHY I AM HERE TO MENTORS.
UM, I WOULD NOT BE HERE IF IT WASN'T.
SO IT BRINGS ME GREAT JOY TO BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE THIS RESOLUTION ON THE TOPIC OF MENTORING AND MENTORING, UH, A NATIONAL MONTH OF MENTORING FOR US TO CELEBRATE IN JANUARY.
UM, AS EDUCATORS, WE OFTEN SERVE IN AS MENTORING ROLES FOR OUR STUDENTS.
MENTORING HAS BEEN PROVEN TO HAVE POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR LIVES OF OUR STUDENTS.
AND I CAN, UM, AGAIN, ATTEST AS A STUDENT, AS AN ATHLETE, AS A COACH, AS A TEACHER, AND EVEN NOW AS A BOARD MEMBER.
I FEEL LIKE THIS HAS BEEN DEFINITELY AN IMPACT OF MENTORSHIP.
AND SO AS YOUNG PEOPLE WITH MENTORS, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO VOLUNTEER, UM, IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND WHOLE LEADERSHIP POSITIONS AND CLUBS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND SPORTS TEAMS, AS WELL AS A PATH TO MORE POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH.
MENTORING MAY START FOR US IN OUR YOUTH, BUT IT CAN CERTAINLY CONTINUE WELL INTO OUR ADULTHOOD.
JUST ABOUT EVERY SUCCESSFUL PERSON STILL HAS SOMEONE IN THEIR LIFE THAT THEY CONSIDER A MENTOR OR A COACH.
THE DISTRICT HAS WORKED TO ESTABLISH A NUMBER OF PARTNERSHIPS WITH MENTORING ORGANIZATIONS AS THE 5,000.
WE KNOW SOME OF THE LEGACY LADIES MOTIVATED MEN, JUST TO NAME A FEW.
WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO EVERY MENTOR PROGRAM WITHIN LA AND EVEN REGISTER TO BE A MENTOR.
UH, JUST THIS WEEKEND, I ENCOUNTERED ONE OF OUR VERY OWN SCHOOL OFFICERS WHO, IN TURN HAD A MENTOR WHO GAVE HIM A VISION TO BE ABLE TO SEE HIMSELF IN SOMETHING THAT HE NEVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE.
UH, THEY BELIEVED IN HIM, WAS ABLE TO SHOW HIM THAT YOU CAN DO THIS.
AND 20 YEARS LATER, HE IS STILL GRATEFUL TO THAT MENTOR.
AND SO WE KNOW THE VALUE OF MENTORSHIPS AND IT CAN EXCEED DECADES.
AND SO WITH THIS RESOLUTION, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO EVERYONE.
THIS IS ALWAYS, THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR MORE CARING ADULTS WHO WANT TO BE AN EXAMPLE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND OUR STUDENTS AS WELL.
AND THAT WE CAN BE, AND NOT ONLY SEE AS IT SAYS, OUR STUDENTS CANNOT BE WHAT THEY CANNOT SEE.
AND SO I WANNA SAY THANK YOU AND I URGE YOU, UH, FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS RESOLUTION.
THANK YOU, MS. NEW BILL, UM, FOR BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION FORWARD.
I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR FOR A VERY, UM, IMPORTANT RESOLUTION THAT YOU BRING FORWARD.
SO, I, I AGREE WITH YOU 100% THAT MENTORING PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN STUDENT SUCCESS, BELONGING, AND LONG-TERM OPPORTUNITY, UM, AND MENTAL HEALTH.
IT'S ALL, WHEN YOU KNOW THAT SOMEBODY BELIEVES IN YOU AND IS THERE TO GUIDE YOU, THAT IMPROVES YOUR SELF-ESTEEM, YOUR CONFIDENCE IN YOUR MENTAL HEALTH.
SO IT'S, UH, FUNDAMENTAL IMPORTANT TO HAVE MENTORS IN OUR LIVES.
AND I APPRECIATE THIS RESOLUTION.
IS IT UPLIFTS DISTRICT PROGRAMS LIKE BEYOND THE BELL LINK LEARNING GEAR UP AND FOSTER YOUTH ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM, UH, WHILE CALLING FOR THE CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN THESE SUPPORTS? SO I 100% SUPPORT YOUR THIS RESOLUTION AND LET'S SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS IN EVERY SINGLE WAY.
[02:25:02]
MS. EZ? UH, YES.WELL, I, I JUST APPRECIATE THE RESOLUTION.
I'D LOVE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR.
SAME, SAME FOR MS. TANYA ORTIZ.
AND I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT YOUR RESOLUTION ALSO, IF I MAY.
LET, UM, SO WHEN I WAS A, A TEACHER AND I WAS A COUNSELOR AND A PRINCIPAL, I WOULD ALWAYS ENCOUNTER STUDENTS WHO NOT ONLY NEEDED SOMEONE TO TUTOR THEM, BUT SOMEONE TO GUIDE THEM.
AND YOU FIND THAT IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS, THEY'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR A, A MENTOR, A GUIDE.
SOMETIMES THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO ASK FOR IT, BUT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR IT.
SO THOUGH TIMES HAVE CHANGED, THE NEED FOR MENTORS TO GUIDE OUR STUDENTS HAS NOT CHANGED.
LA HAS, UH, LA UNIFIED RATHER, HAS MADE WORTHWHILE INVESTMENTS INTO PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE BLACK STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT PLAN AND BEYOND THE BELL, AND ENSURING THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS RECEIVE HELP AND, UM, HELP THAT GOES BEYOND THE CLASSROOM AND HELPS STUDENTS TO OVERCOME OBSTACLES IN THEIR LIVES.
AND THESE PROGRAMS FOCUS ON SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING, FOSTER YOUTH, UH, FOSTER YOUTH ACHIEVEMENT, UM, AND MANY, MANY MORE.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT ASSIST US IN FULFILLING THESE NEEDS AND ALLOW OUR STUDENTS TO GET TO KNOW THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES BEYOND THE SCHOOLS.
AND THE PHRASE, AS YOU USE ALL THE TIME IT TAKES A VILLAGE IS A TRUE ONE.
EVERY STUDENT DESERVES LOVING PARENTS OR LOVING CAREGIVERS, TEACHERS WHO CARE, ADMINISTRATORS WHO KEEP THEM SAFE, AND A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT INVESTS FOR THEIR FUTURE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, MS. SHER HENLEY NEWVILLE FOR BRINGING THIS AWARENESS TO THE CONSTANT NEED FOR MENTORS.
AND IF YOU WOULD, I'D LIKE TO BE A CO-SPONSOR TOO.
ANYONE ELSE, MR. MCLEAN? ALL RIGHT.
[27. Ms. Newbill – Commemorating the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the National Day of Service (Res-033-25/26) (Waiver of Board Rule 72 )]
US TO TAB 27, COMMEMORATING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.AND THE NATIONAL DAY OF SERVICE.
UM, BOARD MEMBERS HAVE IN FRONT OF THEM, UH, AN AMENDMENT FROM MS. NEW BILL'S OFFICE, WHICH IS ALSO POSTED ONLINE.
AND SO DID YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE AND THEN TALK THROUGH THE, UM, AMENDMENT AND THEN, UH, THERE'S PUBLIC COMMENT.
YOU TAKE IT IN ANY ORDER YOU WANT, IF WE WANT.
DO YOU WANNA DO PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST? OKAY.
I'LL RUN THROUGH THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
JOSEPH WILLIAMS, KILAH WILLIAMS. BRUCE RANDY JONES.
UH, TENAYA RAY ANTON RANKIN IS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK REMOTELY.
LET ME SEE IF MR. RANKIN IS HERE.
THE, UH, FLOOR IS YOURS, MS. DUBO.
UM, AND I THINK THOSE AMENDMENTS CAME FROM, UM, TANYA ORTIZ.
SO WANTED TO OBVIOUSLY COMMEMORATE THE LIFE OF LEGACY DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, AND A NATIONAL DAY OF SERVICE AS DR. KING WAS A CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER WHO FOUGHT FOR THE RIGHTS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN AND THE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED THROUGH NONVIOLENT MEANS.
DR. KING WAS CENTRAL TO HISTORICAL EVENTS SUCH AS THE MONTGOMERY BUS BOYCOTT, THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON, AND THE BIRMINGHAM CAMPAIGN.
DR. KING BECAME THE YOUNGEST PERSON TO EVER RECEIVE THE NOBLE PEACE PRIZE.
MLK DAY WAS ESTABLISHED AS A FEDERAL HOLIDAY IN 1984 AND BECAME A NATIONAL DAY OF SERVICE IN 1994.
MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY, JUNIOR DAY OF SERVICE IN 2026 WILL BE HELD ON MONDAY, JANUARY 19TH.
ON THIS DAY, AMERICANS ARE ENCOURAGED TO VOLUNTEER TO IMPROVE THEIR COMMUNITIES.
IN LIGHT OF OUR CURRENT POLITICAL CLIMATE, OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN TESTED IN WAYS THAT WE COULD NOT EVEN IMAGINE.
THIS IS A TIME FOR US TO REFLECT ON THE VALUE OF PEOPLE POWERED MOVEMENTS, AND WE ARE CERTAINLY LIVING IN A TIME WHERE THE IMPORTANCE OF TEACHING HISTORY ACCURATELY MATTERS.
NOW, MORE THAN EVER OTHER MLK ACTIVITIES TO CONSIDER OUR VISITING OUR LOCAL MUSEUMS PARADES OR EXHIBITIONS AND READING ABOUT DR. KING,
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OR WATCHING EVEN A MOVIE OR DOCUMENTARY ABOUT HIS LIFE WORK, AS DR. KING SAID, THE TIME IS RIGHT TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT.AND SO I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY, BUT MORE SO JUST THAT DR. KING, FOR EVEN STUDENTS OF TODAY, AS WE CONTINUE TO EDUCATE OUR FAMILIES AND OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITIES, THE IMPACT THAT HE HAS HAD ON MANY LIVES PERMEATES THROUGH OUR DISTRICT.
AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO UPHOLD THAT.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE AS MY SON JUST EVEN THIS WEEK, UH, WAS REFERENCING A TIME AND PERIOD IN HISTORY ON THE LIFE AND DEATH OF MARTIN LUTHER KING, AND I'M LIKE, WOW, JUST TO USE IT AS A REFERENCE POINT THAT OUR STUDENTS SEE THE VALUE IN THE LIFE IN WHICH DR.
AND SO, I'M GRATEFUL TO BRING THIS FORTH AND FOR US TO CONTINUE AND ON THAT DAY, TO FIND SOME WAY TO BE ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT AND FOR OUR SCHOOLS TO BE ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT WAYS TO GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITIES, TO ELEVATE JUST THE WORK, AND ESPECIALLY DURING THIS TIME THAT DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
DR. RIVAS, AGAIN, PLEASE ADD, UM, ADD ME AS A CO-SPONSOR, UM, TO THIS IMPORTANT RESOLUTION AS WELL.
UM, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND CONTINUING, UM, WITH THE LEGACY, THE, THE LIVING LEGACY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
WITHIN L-A-U-S-D IN OUR SCHOOLS.
UM, PERSONALLY FOR MY SON, I KNOW THAT IN HIS ENGLISH CLASS, THEY HAD TO ANALYZE AND REALLY, REALLY DISSECT ONE OF HIS MOST IMPORTANT SERMONS, UM, SERMON OF THE MOUNT.
AND, UM, WE HAD A WONDERFUL CONVERSATION ABOUT HIS LEGACY AND WHY HE'S STILL SO MUCH IMPORTANT NOW, MORE THAN EVER.
SO I WANNA ADD THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND IT'S A RESOLUTION THAT HONORS HIS LEGACY.
UM, WE'RE ENCOURAGING ALL OF US TO BE ROOTED IN SERVICE AND JUSTICE AND NON-VIOLENCE AND COMMUNITY CARE, AND IT CALLS FOR OUR SCHOOLS TO ENGAGE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, IT DEFINITELY ENGAGED MY SON AND I AS I, UM, AS I, WE HAD ALL THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT RACIAL, UH, JUSTICE, UM, AND, AND THE HISTORY HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO ENGAGING, UM, WITH OUR SCHOOLS ON THIS IMPORTANT RESOLUTION.
ANYONE ELSE? MR. JUST, I WOULD LOVE TO BE AT AS A CO-SPONSOR AND, UH, ECHO THE APPRECIATION, AND I APPRECIATE THE AMENDED RESOLVE TO MAKE SURE THAT AT THIS TIME WE'RE NOT ERASING THIS CRITICAL HISTORY, WHICH IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY DAY WE'RE READING ABOUT SOME ATTEMPTS.
SO, AS THE NATION'S SECOND LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND THE LARGEST BY FAR WITH AN ELECTED BOARD, WE ARE GONNA STAND FIRMLY IN OPPOSITION.
AND I, I TOO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT, UM, WITH EVERY YEAR THAT PASSES, WE TAKE TIME TO COMMEMORATE THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
HOWEVER, IT IS IMPORTANT ALSO TO REFLECT AS WHAT HAS CHANGED FROM THIS TIME LAST YEAR.
WOULD DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING BE PROUD OF THE STATE OF AFFAIRS TODAY? TIME PROGRESSES.
WE MUST ALWAYS LOOK FOR WAYS TO ADVANCE JUSTICE.
AND WHEN WE SAY JUSTICE, WE MEAN SOCIAL JUSTICE, ECONOMIC JUSTICE, EDUCATIONAL JUSTICE, AND MANY OTHERS DO NOT BE FILLED WITH DESPAIR OR HOPELESSNESS, SEEING WHAT IS GOING ON IN THIS WORLD.
WE ARE MORE THAN ENTITLED TO FEEL THE THINGS THAT WE FEEL SUCH AS ANGER AND SADNESS, YET WHEN THE TIME COMES, LET OUR FEELINGS ALSO BE MET WITH ACTION AND ACTIONS THAT TEAR DOWN WALLS AND BUILD BRIDGES.
SO ACTIONS THAT HAD THAT LEAD TO GREATER EDUCATIONAL AND ECONOMIC OUTCOMES FOR TRADITIONALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.
ACTIONS THAT WOULD MAKE DR. KING PROUD OF OUR PROGRESS.
SO NOT JUST FOR TODAY OR ON JANUARY THE 19TH, 2026, BUT EVERY DAY WE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO JUSTICE IN SMALL WAYS AND IN FULFILLING OUR DUTY FOR JUSTICE.
THEN WE COMMEMORATE THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN, BOARD MEMBER NEWVILLE, FOR THIS
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RESOLUTION.AND I TOO WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR.
CAN I CORRECT MYSELF? I, I SAID THE WRONG SPEECH,
IT WAS, I HAVE A DREAM SPEECH, NOT SERMON OF THE MOUTH.
BUT THEY'RE BOTH GOOD SPEECHES.
ALL RIGHT, SO THAT CONCLUDES THAT PART OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
WE HAVE TAB 30 WITH A ONE PUBLIC COMMENT.
EZEKIEL CHU, ARE YOU HERE FOR TAB 30? APPOINTMENT OF NEW MEMBER TO THE PERSONNEL COMMISSION? NOT HERE.
UH, TAB 33, REPORT OF CORRESPONDENCE HAS NO COMMENT.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THE COMMENT ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
ITEMS 32 IS NOT FOR ACTION, SIR.
SO WE'LL TAKE THAT WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT.
AND I WANT TO NOTE FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE HOUSEKEEPING TABS 25, 26, 27, UM, ALL SEEK WAIVER OF BOARD RULE 72.
THESE ARE RESOLUTIONS THAT ARE COMMEMORATIVE IN NATURE.
UNLESS THERE ARE ANY OBJECTIONS FROM THE BOARD, WE CAN TAKE THE VOTE SIMULTANEOUSLY FOR THE RULE 72 WAIVER.
UM, WE CAN NOW TAKE THE VOTE ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
I'LL MENTION FOR THE RECORD, IT WAS MOVED BY MS. EZ AND SECONDED BY BOARD PRESIDENT SCHUREN.
AND ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR, MS. NEWBELL? YES.
MS. GRIEGO STEPPED OUT FOR LUNCH.
MS. ORTIZ FRANKLIN STEPPED OUT FOR LUNCH.
SO THE CONSENT CALENDAR PASSES AND WE WILL AWAIT FOR THE VOTES FROM MS. GRIEGO, MS. REGO, MS. GOMEZ, AND MS. ORTIZ FRANKLIN, THIS TAKES US BACK TO
[1. Board of Education Report No. 234-25/26 Office of Government Relations (Request for Approval of 2026 Advocacy Agenda and Guiding Principles and Priorities) Recommends authorizing the Office of Governmental Relations (OGR), on behalf of Los Angeles Unified, to sponsor legislation and proactively advocate for policy and funding proposals at the local, state, and federal levels. All advocacy efforts will align with and support the goals, strategies, and initiatives outlined in the District's 2022-26 Strategic plan. (Part 1 of 2)]
TAB ONE, UM, REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF THE 2026 ADVOCACY AGENDA AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND PRIORITIES.AND I HAVE AT A MINIMUM, UH, BOARD MEMBER GRIEGO AND BOARD MEMBER MELVOIN.
AND WE HAVE, UM, ALSO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE ITEM.
SO HAVING THE MATERIALS ALREADY BEEN OUT.
YEAH, LET'S START WITH COMMENT.
SO, WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, LOOKS LIKE SOME OF THESE PUBLIC COMMENTERS MEANT TO SIGN UP FOR ANOTHER ITEM, BUT I'LL READ THEM INTO THE RECORD.
ANYWAY, OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION, AARON LOPEZ FOR TAB ONE.
AARON LOPEZ AND NICOLE SIMS NOT HERE.
AND LET ME CHECK FOLKS ONLINE, UH, FOR TAB ONE.
ISABEL GONZALEZ, ALSO NOT HERE.
SO WE CAN BEGIN DISCUSSION OF TAB ONE, HAVING RUN THROUGH THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF IT.
UM, SO THANKS FOR THE, UH, FOR BRINGING THIS YEAR'S ADVOCACY AGENDA, AND THANKS TO MS. ALVAREZ WHO'S IN THE AUDIENCE.
UM, AND, UH, THERE ARE JUST TWO ITEMS THAT I'VE SPOKEN TO BOTH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND I THINK SOME OF MY BOARD COLLEAGUES AND MS. ALVAREZ ABOUT THAT I WANTED TO PUT A FINER POINT ON, UM, IN REGARDS TO THINGS WE SHOULD BE ADVOCATING WITH OUR GOVERNMENTAL PARTNERS.
THE FIRST IS AROUND THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL PARKS INITIATIVE.
UM, I WAS EXCITED THAT THE BOARD AND THE LA CITY COUNCIL RATIFIED EARLIER THIS YEAR.
THE, THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT ON COMMUNITY SCHOOL PARKS.
UM, AND FOR THE PUBLIC'S EDIFICATION, THAT IS WHERE WE ARE BASICALLY OPENING UP OUR SCHOOLS ON THE WEEKENDS TO BE USED AS PARKS.
AND THE CITY IS COVERING THE COST AS WE ARE SHARING LIABILITY, AND OF COURSE, HAVE THE FACILITIES 10, AS I MARKED, UH, A REMARK AT THE TIME IS GREAT, BUT IS ABOUT 1% OF OUR SCHOOLS.
AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO OPEN UP, UM, UH, A HUNDRED IF NOT A THOUSAND.
AND SO, UM, I'D LIKE, UH, AS PART OF OUR EDUCATION COMPACT WITH THE CITY OF LA, UM, TO ENCOURAGE MORE ACTION BECAUSE SINCE THAT, UM, TO JPA AND A GENERAL COMMITMENT TO OPEN MORE PARKS, NOT A SINGLE NEW PARK HAS OPENED.
UH, AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE ADVOCACY AND COLLABORATION WITH LA AND WITH ADDITIONAL CITIES TO, UM, OPEN OUR SCHOOLS ON, ON NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS.
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UH, TO AMEND THE FOLLOWING AND THE FOURTH BULLET OF THE LOCAL PRIORITIES LIST.AND IT WOULD READ, AND I SENT THIS TO THE BOARD.
AND, UH, JUST DURING THE COURSE OF THIS MEETING, IT WOULD SAY, PURSUE THE COMMITMENTS IN THE EDUCATION COMPACTS AND OPEN FIVE OR MORE COMMUNITY SCHOOL PARKS FOR ACCESS AFTER SCHOOL HOURS.
SO THE ASK WOULD BE IN ADDITION TO THE 10, UH, PARKS THAT WE ARE RUNNING WITH THE CITY THAT WE OPEN AT LEAST FIVE MORE.
AND THEN I WILL ASK FOR A SECOND FOR THAT IN A MOMENT, BUT IT WOULD MOVE IT ALSO, UM, WITH ANOTHER, UH, AMENDMENT.
UM, RELATED TO SHADE INSTALLATION.
I, I REMARKED AS I WAS, UM, GIVING A SYNOPSIS OF OUR FACILITIES AND PROCUREMENT COMMITTEE OF A FEW WEEKS AGO THAT, UM, THE COST FOR SHADE STRUCTURES IS STILL EXORBITANT, EVEN WITH CHANGES THAT WE PUSHED FOR AT THE STATE LEVEL A FEW YEARS AGO.
UM, WHAT WE SAW AT BOTH OUR BOARD FACILITIES WORKSHOP A MONTH OR SO AGO, AND OUR BOARD COMMITTEE MEETING A FEW WEEKS AGO, IT STILL COSTS OVER $400,000 FOR A SHADE STRUCTURE, UH, JUST TO COVER SOMETHING LIKE AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PLAY STRUCTURE.
HAD A TIME WHEN IT'S SO CRITICAL, UH, TO PROTECT OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF FROM THE HEAT EXPOSURE, GIVEN THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO AMEND AND ADD THE FOLLOWING, UM, CHANGE REQUIREMENTS AND REMOVE BARRIERS TO SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THE COST FOR STRAIGHT SHADE STRUCTURE INSTALLATION.
UM, I'VE BEEN TOLD PRIOR ADVOCACY AND LEGISLATIVE TEAM THAT WE MIGHT HAVE EXHAUSTED AT LEAST SOME OF THE OPTIONS AT THE STATE LEVEL, BUT, UH, WE CAN GO TO THE FEDS WHEN IT COMES TO SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR WHAT THIS TRIGGERS.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, JUST TO SUMMARIZE, WANT US TO OPEN AT LEAST FIVE MORE PARKS, UH, AND CHANGE REQUIREMENTS TO REDUCE THE COST OF SHADE STRUCTURES.
AND I APPRECIATE MS. ALVAREZ AND HER TEAM.
SO I GUESS, MIKE, I'LL MOVE, IT'S A SUPERINTENDENT'S ITEM, BUT I'LL MOVE THOSE AMENDMENTS AND, UH, I'LL ASK FOR A SECOND.
I GUESS, DO WE VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT? THAT'S CORRECT.
MS. ORTIZ FRANKLIN, UH, BOARD PRESIDENT SCHUREN? YES.
I'LL NOTE THAT WE NEED TO COME BACK FOR MS. ORTIZ FRANKLIN FOR A VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT, BUT THE AMENDMENT PASSES NO MATTER WHAT.
THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES, DR. RIVAS.
UM, SO THANK YOU, MS. ALVAREZ.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA COME FORWARD, BUT, UM, WELL, USUALLY WE HAVE SOMEBODY AT THE PODIUM, SO YOU, SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR TEAM FOR ADVANCING THIS CRITICAL WORK AND THOUGHTFUL PRESENT, UM, ADVOCACY AGENDA.
I KNOW THAT YOU USUALLY WOULD COME BEFORE THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE RIGHT BEFORE, AND UNFORTUNATELY WE DIDN'T HAVE, UM, THE TIME BECAUSE WE'RE GOING THROUGH, YOU KNOW, CLOSED SESSION AND BUDGET AND THE FSP.
SO SORT OF TOOK, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU WOULD USUALLY REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICES TO HAVE MEETINGS.
DID YOU MEET WITH ALL OF US ON, ON TO HELP SET THESE PRIORITIES? SO THANK YOU FOR THE, A GOOD, GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD MEMBERS AND BOARD PRESIDENT AND STAFF.
UM, LET ME BACK UP ONE MOMENT, AND THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THAT EVERY YEAR I HAVE ASKED, UH, TO HAVE THE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD AT A, AT A PUBLIC, UM, DISCUSSION.
USUALLY I COME IN NOVEMBER, UM, AND THEN I WAS GOING TO COME IN DECEMBER, BUT THAT MEETING ALSO GOT, UH, CANCELED AND WAS GOING TO BE RESCHEDULED.
SO I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT HAVING HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A PUBLIC DISCUSSION WITH ALL OF YOU AT THE SAME TIME.
UM, WITH THAT SAID, UM, WE, MY OFFICE RECEIVES, UH, SURVEY IDEAS EVERY FALL FROM BOTH, UH, DIVISIONS, DEPARTMENTS, AND ALSO FROM BOARD OFFICES.
UM, AND THEN I HAVE WITH MANY OF YOU, UH, I HAVE STANDING MEETINGS WITH YOUR STAFF OR YOURSELVES, UH, NOT ALL OF YOU, BUT WITH MANY OF YOU HAVE STANDING MEETINGS.
UM, UH, I HAVE NOT SPOKEN WITH EACH OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY ABOUT THE PRIORITIES, UH, BUT IT IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THE RESOLUTIONS HAVE THAT THE BOARD HAS PASSED.
UH, IT'S CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THE COMMENTS THAT THE BOARD HAS MENTIONED.
UH, EVEN IN FACT, AS YOU MENTIONED TODAY AS AN EXAMPLE WITH IDA FULL FUNDING, UH, WE HAVE SEVERAL PLACES IN THE, UM, THE GUIDING PRINCIP AND PRIORITIES, UH, THAT WE HAVE AND ALSO ON THE ADVOCACY AGENDA.
SO MY TEAM AND I, EVEN THOUGH, UH, WE DID NOT MEET WITH YOU INDIVIDUALLY, UM, WE DO, UH, TAKE TO HEART EVERY FEEDBACK THAT YOU PROVIDE.
AND WE BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT WHAT'S BEFORE THE BOARD, UM, IT HAS THAT INTENT OF, UM, FOCUSING ON YOUR PRIORITIES.
UM, I'LL ALSO INDICATE THERE'S ONE LINE IN THE ADVOCACY AGENDA, UM, AT THE BOTTOM OF THE FIRST PARAGRAPH WHERE IT SAYS, UM, UH, LEMME SEE HERE.
IN ADDITION TO THE ISSUES IDENTIFIED BELOW, THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS ALSO SUPPORTS AND ADVOCATES FOR LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS INITIATIVES THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND WILL PURSUE NECESSARY POLICIES AND FUNDING IN 2026 AS NEW ISSUES ARISE AT THE LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL.
UM, SO WE'VE ASKED FOR THE BOARD TO, UH, ADOPT THIS, UH, PROVISION
[02:45:01]
IN THE PAST, AND IT'S CONSISTENT WITH PAST BOARD ACTION IN ORDER TO ALLOW FOR FLEXIBILITY FOR MY OFFICE TO NOT ONLY FOR ISSUES THAT YOU BRING UP TODAY, BUT ANY FOR FUTURE MEETINGS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.UH, WE DON'T WANT TO WAIT FOR A BOARD RESOLUTION TO BE PASSED TO TELL US HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR SOMETHING.
UH, WE WILL PROACTIVELY, UH, PURSUE THOSE AREAS.
UM, AND LASTLY, UH, THIS VERY COMPREHENSIVE FIVE PAGE DOCUMENT, UM, CAPTURES MANY OF THE ISSUES, UH, THAT THE BOARD HAS BROUGHT UP THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE PAST YEAR.
AND IF THERE'S SOMETHING WHERE WE FELL SHORT, UH, WE'D BE HAPPY TO EXPLORE AND SEE WHETHER IT FITS WITHIN THE CURRENT LANGUAGE OR IF WE NEED TO PURSUE ANY MODIFICATIONS TO THE LANGUAGE.
THANK YOU FOR THAT, UM, EXPLANATION.
SO I DID ASK YOU IN OUR INDIVIDUAL BOARD BRIEFINGS, UH, BOARD BOOK BRIEFINGS ABOUT, UM, WELL, ACTUALLY, YOU ACTUALLY BEAT ME TO IT.
I WAS GONNA ASK YOU ABOUT COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, BUT YOU MENTIONED THAT, AND I, UM, I DISAGREE AND HOW THE DISTRICT IS MOVING FORWARD WITH, UM, ADVOCATING FOR FUNDS AND NOT DIRECTLY ADVOCATING FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.
UM, AS YOU MENTIONED, YOU ALSO LOOK AT RESOLUTIONS THAT WE'VE PASSED, AND THIS YEAR WE'VE PASSED, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL RESOLUTIONS IN COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, AND THAT IS A DIRECT PRIORITY.
SO I KNOW INDIRECTLY YOU'RE ADVOCATING FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, BUT I, I, UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD AN AMENDMENT TO DIRECTLY, UM, ADVOCATE FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, PARTICULARLY SINCE, UM, WE NEED TO LET THE, THE STATE KNOW THAT THIS DISTRICT IS SERIOUS ABOUT COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.
AND THE FACT THAT WE DID NOT RECEIVE FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS IS, IS AN ISSUE.
AND WE NEED TO, UM, PUSH BACK ON THAT AT THE STATE.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT TO ADD THE FOLLOWING, UH, TO THE STATE BUDGET PRIORITIES.
UH, SECURE, ONGOING, DEDICATED STATE FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, INCLUDING PROTECTING AND EXPANDING EQUITY-BASED FUNDING FORMULAS AND ALIGNING EDUCATION, HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICE INVESTMENTS TO ENABLE, UH, BRAIDED FUNDING MODELS THAT SUSTAINABLY SUPPORT, UH, COORDINATION AND STAFF HOLD CHILD SERVICES.
AND I'LL SEND IT TO YOU, IT'S A LOT.
AND CROSS AGENCY PARTNERSHIPS IN HIGH NEED SCHOOLS.
AND THIS IS FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, AND IT ENCOMPASSES EVERYTHING THAT, UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING TOWARDS IN, IN COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.
SO, WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, AS I SAID, I'VE RAISED THIS BEFORE, BUT I WANNA, I WANNA BE CLEAR ABOUT HOW WE'RE PRIORITIZING SECURING RESOURCES FOR THIS BOARD PRIORITY, WHICH IS, AND I KNOW THAT I SHARE THAT WITH OTHER BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL, PRIORITY OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.
BUT BEYOND MONITORING WHAT CONCRETE ADVOCACY ACTIONS, UM, THIS IS A QUESTION, WILL WE ADVANCE IN 2026 TO SECURE DEDICATED SUSTAINING FUNDING IN COMMUNITY SCHOOLS RATHER THAN RELYING ON GENERAL FUNDING THAT MAY LATER BE SPREAD ACROSS COMPETING PRIORITIES? UM, HOW ARE WE ENSURING COMMUNITY SCHOOLS ARE INTENTIONALLY RESOURCED AS A CORE STRATEGY, NOT JUST AS AN OUTCOME FOR BROADER FUNDING DECISIONS? SO THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
I KNOW THAT IS ALSO THAT I'VE HAD A DISCUSSION WITH BOARD AND REGO AND OTHER, UH, AND HER STAFF ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PRIORITY.
UM, I WILL LET YOU KNOW A FEW THINGS.
FIRST, UM, IN DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHER GROUPS IN SACRAMENTO, INCLUDING CTA, UH, THERE'S AN EFFORT OF NOT ASKING AS OF NOW AS I UNDERSTAND NOT OF, UM, EARMARKING FUNDING FOR THIS PURPOSE, BUT RATHER TRYING TO LEVERAGE EXISTING FUNDING SOURCES.
UM, I KNOW A PRIOR SPEAKER DURING PUBLIC COMMENT BROUGHT UP THE CHILD YOUTH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INITIATIVE.
UM, THAT'S ONE AREA THAT THERE'S BEEN INTEREST FROM SOME ORGANIZATIONS AT THE STATE LEVEL TO TRY TO LEVERAGE SOME OF THOSE RESOURCES.
UM, THERE'S, UH, THE FEE SCHEDULE, WHICH IS PART OF CHILD YOUTH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INITIATIVE.
UM, THERE'S THE LEA BOP, UM, THE, UH, MEDICARE, MEDICAID, UM, REIMBURSEMENTS THAT WE PURSUE, WHICH RIGHT NOW IT'S A CHALLENGE WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, BUT IN DISCUSSION WITH OTHER STATE ORGANIZATIONS, UH, AS OF NOW, I AM NOT AWARE THAT THERE'S PARTICULAR ASKING FOR A YEAR MARK, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE PART, PART OF PROP 98.
UM, AS THE LAO INDICATED IN, IN THE BUDGET PROJECTIONS IN NOVEMBER, THERE'S GOING TO BE, UM, LIMITED ONGOING FUNDING BEYOND THE ABILITY TO PAY FOR A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT AT THE STATE LEVEL, THE COLA FOR LCFF AND THE CORRESPONDING CATEGORICAL PROGRAMS. UM, SO WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD AND LEADERSHIP ON THIS PRIORITY AT THE STATE LEVEL.
UM, BUT I'LL JUST MENTION THAT THE CHALLENGE WILL BE, UM, THE COMPETITION WITH LCFF FUNDING BECAUSE LCFF IS DISCRETIONARY AND, UM, THERE'S, UH, ANTICIPATED A LOT OF ONE-TIME RESOURCES.
UH, LAO MENTIONED LAST MONTH, $7.2 BILLION, UM, THAT COULD BE USED TO PAY BACK DEFERRALS, UM, UH, A PRIOR, UH, LEARNING BLOCK RENT, UM, DURING COVID.
UH, BUT IT'S A LOT OF ONETIME MONEY.
UM, SO A LOT OF THE INTEREST IN SACRAMENTO RIGHT NOW, AGAIN, FROM ORGANIZATIONS WHO'VE BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, AS I UNDERSTAND IT'S ON TRYING TO, UM, MAXIMIZE, UH, REIMBURSEMENTS SUCH OF LEAB, UM, CHILD
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YOUTH HEALTH INITIATIVE AND OTHER FUNDING SOURCES.UM, UH, BUT AGAIN, WE WOULD BE GLAD TO INCORPORATE IT IF THAT'S THE BOARD'S DECISION OF, OF WANTING US TO BE EXPLICITLY CALLING IT OUT.
UM, IT IS IN THE ADVOCACY, UH, GUARDIAN PRINCIP AND PRIORITIES.
UM, IT IS, UH, UH, LET ME SEE HERE, UNDER THE WHOLE CHILD SECTION.
UM, ON PAGE SIX, UM, IT'S NOT AS COMPREHENSIVE AS YOU JUST MENTIONED, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO LOOKING AT YOUR LANGUAGE TO, UH, SEE WHERE WE CAN INCORPORATE IT.
WELL, I MEAN, I THINK, UM, HAD YOU REACHED OUT KNOWING THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M, THIS IS A PRIORITY, HAD YOU, YOU OR YOUR STAFF REACHED OUT ABOUT THIS OR INFORMED ME, I WOULD'VE HELPED TREMENDOUSLY.
BUT SINCE THERE WAS NO COMMUNICATION IN TERMS OF, UM, THIS PRIOR OR THE PRIORITIES THAT SORT OF, WHERE THERE'S LIKE DISCONNECTION, RIGHT? UM, SO THAT WOULD'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, UM, IMPORTANT TO HAVE HAD THAT DISCUSSION.
AND I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, UM, WHAT YOU JUST SAID RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF, UM, THE COMPETING FUNDS WITH SO MANY OTHER PRIORITIES THAT ALSO CTA HAS.
BUT I THINK BEYOND THAT, WE NEED TO BE MORE, UM, FORCEFUL AND, YOU KNOW, STRONG AND, AND SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.
'CAUSE THEIR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, UM, HERE IN THE DISTRICT ARE DOING SO MUCH WORK WITH SO LITTLE MONEY AND, UM, NOT HAVING THOSE FUNDS IN THE STATE REALLY HAS IMPACTED OUR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.
JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THAT.
AND IF I MAY ASK, UM, SINCE I DID NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD PREVIOUSLY, AND I I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT HAVING HAD A ONE-ON-ONE WITH EACH OF YOU ABOUT THIS, UH, PRIORITIES, UH, FOR EVERYONE'S AWARENESS.
IN ADDITION TO COMMUNITY SCHOOLS FUNDING, UH, WE DID GET INTERNAL STAFF, UM, FEEDBACK, UH, WHICH, UM, UH, WE DID NOT CALL OUT SPECIFICALLY IN THE BUDGET PRIORITIES BECAUSE AGAIN, IF WE PUT EVERYTHING THERE, THEN THERE WON'T BE REALLY A PRIORITY.
UM, SOME FOR EXAMPLES THAT ONE TIME MONEY THAT THE STATE, UM, THE FUNDING ALREADY EXPIRED OR WILL BE EXPIRING IN JUNE OF 2026, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, EDUCATOR EFFECTING A BLOCK GRANT.
THAT WAS A MULTI-YEAR GRANT THAT, UH, EXPIRED THIS YEAR IN JUNE, 2026.
WE HAVE THE A THROUGH G, UH, COMPLETION BLOCK GRANT THAT ALSO WAS A MULTI-YEAR GRANT WE RECEIVED DURING THE PANDEMIC.
THAT MONEY'S NOT GOING TO BE REAPPROPRIATED UNLESS THERE'S A NEW ALLOCATION.
UM, THERE'S A PRE-K LEARNING, UH, PRE-K, UM, EARLY EDUCATION PLANNING GRANT THAT WE GOT DURING COVID, ALSO FOR PRESCHOOL PLANNING, UM, FOR ADDITIONAL EXPANSION OF PRESCHOOL.
THAT MONEY IS ALSO A ONE TIME THAT ALSO ENDED.
SO THERE WAS PROBABLY ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE, UM, UH, IDEAS REQUESTS THAT WE GOT EITHER FROM BOARD OFFICE OR DIVISIONS.
UM, BUT AGAIN, IF WE PUT ALL OF THEM, THEN IT, UH, CREATES THIS TENSION ABOUT LOCAL CONTROL AND LCFF DISCRETIONARY FUNDING FOR THE BOARD TO DECIDE HOW TO ALLOCATE THE RESOURCES OR, UM, ASKING FOR CATEGORICALS.
UM, L-A-U-S-D WAS THE, ONE OF THE STRONGEST CHAMPIONS IN 2013 WHEN LCF WAS ADOPTED.
UM, SO WE ARE AT THIS CROSSROADS, UM, AND I CAN PRO PROVIDE TO YOU ALL, EVEN THOUGH IT'S AFTER THE FACT, UM, THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION THAT I HAD PREPARED FOR THE CAL MEETING WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT SOME OF THE, UH, UM, PROPOSALS FOR LCFF MODIFICATIONS THAT WOULD ALLOW THE BOARD TO, UH, FURTHER, UM, UH, INFORM, UH, WHERE WE WANT TO STAND ON LCFF MOVING FORWARD.
BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALSO VERY MUCH LOOKING AT IN SACRAMENTO IN OUR TEAM, BECAUSE SACRAMENTO LEGISLATORS THE, UM, PROBABLY NOT THE GOVERNOR HIS LAST YEAR IN OFFICE, BUT HE'S ANTICIPATED THAT THE LEGISLATURE WILL CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT LCFF AND WHAT HAPPENS WITH IT, GIVEN THAT MANY OF THEM WERE NOT IN SACRAMENTO IN 2013.
ANYONE ELSE FOR TAB ONE? MS. NEWVILLE? THANK YOU MARTHA, UH, FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
OBVIOUS, UM, A LOT OF ADVOCACY FOR 2026.
WANTED TO JUST, UM, CLARIFY OR ELABORATE ON WHAT IS MEANT ON THE INVESTMENTS IN SAFER STREETS WITHIN OUR LOCAL PRIORITY AGENDA.
'CAUSE IT WASN'T REALLY CLEAR.
AND I KNOW, UM, WE HAVE THE CROSSING GUARDS IN THERE AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT IS BACK IN THE CITY BUDGET OR IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS PART OF THIS ADVOCACY.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SAFER STREETS, UH, IT'S A COMBINATION OF NOT JUST, UH, SO YOU HAVE CROSSING GUARDS, BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO THE TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS.
SOMETIMES THERE'S, UH, ONE TIME, UH, CITY OF LA OR OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE ONE-TIME TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, THEY MIGHT ADD, UM, SPEED BUMPS, THEY MIGHT ADD BOLLARDS, UM, QUICK DESIGN BUILD PROJECTS WHERE IT'S A ONE-TIME COST, BUT THEY STILL HELP SLOWING DOWN TRAFFIC.
SO SAFER STREETS WAS PART OF THAT.
UM, BUT THE OTHER PIECE THAT ALSO WITHIN THE, UH, POSITIVE SCHOOL CLIMATE AND SAVE ROUTES TO AND FROM SCHOOLS, UH, WE CONTINUE TO HEAR CONCERNS FROM SCHOOLS AND PRINCIPALS AROUND, UM, HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS NEXT TO SCHOOLS.
THAT CHALLENGE, IT CREATES FOR SOME COMMUNITIES WHERE STUDENTS HAVE TO WALK, UM, ON THE STREET, THEREFORE IT CREATES SOME SAFETY CHALLENGES THEY GET TO AND FROM SCHOOL.
SO THAT WAS, UM, TRYING TO CAPTURE A LOT OF BROADER, UH, AREAS WITHOUT BEING TOO SPECIFIC.
UM, BUT LEMME KNOW IF YOU HAVE MORE FEEDBACK OR QUESTIONS HOW WE CAN BETTER, UM, EXPLAIN THAT.
[02:55:01]
AND THEN WITH THE CROSSING GUARDS, I KNOW THAT WAS A, AN AREA OF AG THAT WE HAD TO ADVOCATE FOR WITH THE CITY.IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S BACK IN THE CITY BUDGET ONGOING OR IS THAT GONNA BE AN ANNUAL? SO, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
IT'S, UM, JUST LIKE WE HAVE OUR OWN ANNUAL BUDGET THAT THE BOARD HAS TO APPROVE.
THE CITY COUNCIL ALSO HAS TO APPROVE THE ANNUAL BUDGET THAT THE MAYOR PRESENTS.
UM, WE PLAN TO, UH, UH, WRITE A LETTER.
UH, OGR WILL BE WRITING A LETTER IN JANUARY TO, UM, SEND TO THE MAYOR AND THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL, UM, THAT WOULD OUTLINE CROSSING GUARDS.
UM, BUT THE, THE MAYOR WOULD HAVE TO, UM, UH, DECIDE WHETHER TO, UH, KEEP THE FUNDING AT THE CURRENT AMOUNT.
UM, THERE POSSIBLY COULD BE HIGHER COSTS DUE TO STAFFING RELATED COSTS THAT THE CITY HAS FOR THEIR CROSSING GUARD, UM, GUARDS.
UM, SO THEY WOULD EITHER HAVE TO AUGMENT THE PROGRAM, KEEP IT WHERE THEY ARE, MAINTAIN THE FUNDING LEVEL.
UM, THE OTHER OPTION MIGHT BE REDUCING IT.
UH, BUT WE INTEND TO INCLUDE THIS AS A PRIORITY IN OUR LETTER TO THE CITY COUNCIL ALONG WITH THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL PARKS AND OTHER AREAS THAT REQUIRE CITY, UM, FUNDING INVESTMENTS TO OUR SCHOOLS.
AND THEN LAST THING, AND I KNOW IT, I'M NOT SURE IF IT WAS CAPTURED OR NOT, BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ENROLLMENT VERSUS A DA, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO KEEP ON OUR AGENDA? IS IT EMBEDDED IN HERE AND WE JUST CAN'T SEE WHERE IT IS? 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE OFTEN TALKED ABOUT ADVOCATING FOR.
UM, SO WE, UM, WE SPONSORED A BILL SB 98, 2 YEARS AGO.
UM, THAT REQUIRED THE LAO TO COME UP WITH THE ANALYSIS ABOUT WHAT WOULD IT TAKE THE STATE TO GET TO ENROLLMENT BASED FUNDING, LOOKING NOT JUST AT THE COST, BUT ALSO, UM, WHAT WOULD BE THE PATHWAY TO GET THERE.
UM, WHAT WOULD BE THE OPTIONS FOR LCFF? BECAUSE LCF IS BASED ON ATTENDANCE, THAT ENROLLMENT, THAT REPORT'S COMING OUT FROM THE LAO WITH ORANGE, UH, THIS MONTH IN DECEMBER OR JANUARY.
UM, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE, UM, THE COST, THE RECOMMENDATIONS, WHAT IT INDICATES, UH, WILL BE TAKING THAT INTO OUR, OUR ADVOCACY.
AND AS I RECALL, THE ADVOCACY AT, UH, THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE PRIORITY.
THE LONGER DOCUMENT, I WANT TO SAY THAT WE STILL HAVE A REFERENCE THERE.
ON PAGE TWO, UM, IT SAYS HERE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR CALIFORNIA TO JOIN MOST STATES IN FUNDING SCHOOLS BASED ON STUDENT ENROLLMENT RATHER THAN ATTENDANCE, WHICH MORE ACCURATELY REFLECTS A FIXED COST FOR SERVING STUDENTS.
THANK YOU, KELLY, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
UH, WELL FIRST I JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY CIRCLE BACK ON DR.
IS THERE A MOTION ON THE TABLE FOR THAT? SO, YEAH, DR. RIVAS MOVED, UH, TO ADD THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGE TO, UM, TO THE BULLET POINT TO THE SENATE BUDGET PRIORITIES, SECURE, ONGOING, DEDICATED STATE FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, INCLUDING PROTECTING AND EXPANDING EQUITY BASED FUNDING FORMULAS AND ALIGNING EDUCATION, HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICE INVESTMENTS TO ENABLE BRAIDED FUNDING MODELS THAT SUSTAINABLY SUPPORT, COORDINATION STAFF WHOLE CHILD SERVICES AND CROSS AGENCY PARTNERSHIPS AND HIGH NEEDS COMMUNITIES.
SO I'LL SECOND THAT AND, AND NOW A VOTE.
I JUST HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION 'CAUSE IT SOUNDS TO ME, SO WOULD THIS BE A CATEGORICAL WE'RE ASKING THE STATE TO SET ASIDE, UM, 'CAUSE IT SORT OF SOUNDS LIKE IT'S, WE'RE A LITTLE BIT AT ODDS TRYING TO HAVE LESS CATEGORICAL.
SO I GUESS I'M ASKING, IS THE AMENDMENT ASKING FOR SOMETHING LIKE A CATEGORICAL? YES.
FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENT THAT HAS BEEN SECONDED.
UH, MS. NEWBELL, HOW THIS IS FOR THE VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT? YES.
AND THEN I DO HAVE JUST A, A COUPLE OTHER ITEMS TO RAISE.
FIRST THANK YOU TO, UM, OUR OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS FOR PULLING THIS ADVOCACY AGENDA TOGETHER.
AND I, I RECOGNIZE IT'S A CHALLENGING TIME AND IT, IT'S COMPLICATED BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF PRIORITIES, BUT WE ALSO WANNA ENSURE THAT WE'RE ADVANCING WORK ON, ON THE ONES THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT.
UM, AND, AND IT'S A CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT, ESPECIALLY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
UM, I DO WANT TO BRIEFLY LIFT UP A FEW IMMIGRATION RELATED PRIORITIES THAT ARE ESPECIALLY URGENT FOR THE COMMUNITIES I REPRESENT IN THE EAST SAN FERNANDO VALLEY.
I, I DO NOTE THAT IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT IS REFERENCED, BUT I DON'T, I DON'T THINK IT'S SPECIFIC ENOUGH.
UM, AS THE BOARD KNOWS, UH, OBVIOUSLY THE, THE RAIDS AND ATTACKS ON OUR FAMILIES ARE CONTINUING TO AFFECT OUR STUDENTS FEELING SAFE COMING TO SCHOOL, HOW OUR FAMILIES ARE INTERACTING WITH OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND CONTINUITY OF LEARNING, UM, FOR OUR STUDENTS.
UM, SO TWO PIECES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ME AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON THIS.
ONE IS ENSURING THAT AS THE STATE ALLOCATES FUNDS TO RESPOND TO THE ICE RATES, I WANT TO ENSURE THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE ELIGIBLE ENTITIES TO RECEIVE THOSE DOLLARS SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE WRAPAROUND SERVICES AND SUPPORTS MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS SAFER ROUTE TO SCHOOLS, AND, AND MONITORING
[03:00:01]
THE SAFETY AROUND THE PERIMETERS OF OUR CAMPUSES, UM, AND OTHER SUPPORTS THAT WE KNOW ARE CRITICAL TO RESPONDING TO THIS CRISIS.THE OTHER AREA WHICH IS RELATED TO FUNDING IS STATE FLEXIBILITY AROUND A DA IMPACTS THAT ARE DIRECTLY TIED TO THE RAIDS AND TO THE FEARS THAT OUR FAMILIES ARE FEELING ABOUT ENGAGING IN SCHOOLS, ATTENDING SCHOOLS, AND, AND FULFILLING THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO A PUBLIC EDUCATION.
THIS IS SOMETHING I'VE BROUGHT UP WITH LEGISLATORS IN INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS, BUT I HOPE AS A DISTRICT WE CAN BE ADVOCATING FOR, UM, FOR NO HARM TO BE DONE TO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT BECAUSE OF THE IMPACTS OUR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES ARE EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN WORK WITH OTHER URBAN DISTRICTS ON, ON SOLUTIONS IN THIS AREA AS WELL.
I HAVE A COUPLE OTHER DIFFERENT ITEMS, BUT I DON'T KNOW, UM, MS. AVAREZ, IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT ON THAT.
SO HAPPY TO WORK WITH MEGAN ON YOUR TEAM JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LANGUAGE WE REFINE IT AND ADDED ON AS, UM, AS INTENDED HERE FROM WHAT THE BOARD WILL BE APPROVING FOR ANY AMENDMENT ON THE A DA IMPACTS TO FUNDING.
WE DID HAVE A REFERENCE IN THE ADVOCACY AGENDA UNDER THE STATE BUDGET PRIORITIES.
UM, IT WAS, AGAIN, WE WANTED TO KEEP THIS AT TWO PAGES, NOT AGAIN, A LONGER DOCUMENT LIKE THIS.
BUT WHAT WE HAD HERE, UM, WHICH WAS IN ALIGNED WITH THE INTENT THAT YOU JUST BROUGHT FORTH A PRIORITY.
UM, THE FOURTH BULLET AND THE STATE PRIORITIES SAYS RESPOND TO IMPACTS DUE TO IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
UM, WE ARE WORKING WITH OTHER URBAN DISTRICTS, UM, IN THE COMING DAYS, UM, WE'LL BE DOING A JOINT ADVOCACY LETTER TO THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR AROUND BUDGET PRIORITIES AND THE IMPACTS TO IMMIGRATION IS ONE OF THOSE AREAS.
UM, UH, SO, SO YES, THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE PLAN TO ALREADY DO.
UM, I WILL SAY THE GOVERNOR DID BETO A BILL THIS YEAR, AB 1348 THAT WE SUPPORTED THAT WOULD'VE ALLOWED, UM, SOME, UH, UH, THROUGH THE J 13 WAIVER PROCESS.
UM, IT ALLOWS, UH, FOR WHEN THERE'S A MATERIAL, UH, DECREASE IN ATTENDANCE, YOU CAN PURSUE A WAIVER.
UM, THE ADMINISTRATION HAS INDICATED MULTIPLE TIMES SCHOOL DISTRICTS ALREADY HAVE A BUILT IN HOLD HARMLESS BECAUSE LCFF IS BASED ON A, A ONE OF THREE, WHATEVER'S THE HIGHEST, EITHER YOUR CURRENT A DA, UM, YOUR LAST YEAR'S A DA OR THE AVERAGE OF THREE THE LAST THREE FISCAL YEARS.
SO IN ESSENCE, IF OUR A DA WAS HIGHER LAST YEAR, UM, BECAUSE WE HAD, UH, MAYBE NOT AS MUCH IMPACTED ATTENDANCE, THEN WE WOULD GET FUNDED UNDER LCFF BASED ON LAST YEAR'S A DA.
SO THE STATE, UM, HAS A POSITION THAT AS OF NOW, THEY DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT THEY WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT FUNDING REDUCTION.
UH, BUT WE ARE PROMOTING THE, THE DATA THAT WE HAVE FROM THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS THAT INDICATES, UM, EVEN FOR NEWCOMER STUDENTS, THE IMPACTS OF LESS KIDS THAT WE ANTICIPATED.
SO WHAT YOU INDICATED IS VERY MUCH ALIGNED WITH WHAT WE'VE ALREADY BEEN WORKING ON, UM, AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO.
YEAH, I, I HOPE, I MEAN, I, I KNOW THAT WE ARE, WE ARE DOING A LOT ON THIS FRONT.
UM, I THINK TO THE POINT OF THERE'S A BUILT-IN HOLD HARMLESS, THE PRESIDENTIAL TERM IS FOUR YEARS, SO WE CAN ANTICIPATE WE WILL FEEL THOSE IMPACTS.
UM, AND I JUST WANT TO ENSURE THAT AS WE'RE TRYING TO MITIGATE THOSE, WE'RE NOT THEN ALSO LOSING RESOURCES BECAUSE OUR STUDENTS ARE TOO AFRAID TO COME TO SCHOOL.
UM, AND THEN TWO SEPARATE ITEMS. UM, IN 2021, THE BOARD PASSED A RESOLUTION, CLEAN, SAFE, SANITARY SCHOOLS FOR ALL THAT CALLED FOR INCREASED, DEDICATED AND CONSISTENT FUNDING TO MAINTAIN THE STAFFING LEVEL LEVELS NECESSARY TO KEEP OUR CAMPUSES CLEAN.
UM, I HOPE THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT FUNDING AS PART OF OUR OVERALL PRIORITIES TO ENSURE WE CAN MEET THE MINIMUM CLEANLINESS STANDARD.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, UM, GREENING IS A PRIORITY FOR ME.
AND AS WE ARE INVESTING IN NEW GREEN SPACES ON OUR CAMPUSES, IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO KEEP THOSE SPACES GREEN AND THRIVING IN YEARS TO COME.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US WORK TO INCORPORATE MAINTENANCE OF OUR LANDSCAPES, OUR GREEN SCHOOLYARDS INTO THE ROUTINE RESTRICTED MAINTENANCE FUNDING FROM THE STATE.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT FUNDING RIGHT NOW CANNOT BE USED FOR MAINTAINING GREEN SPACES, WHICH IN MY VIEW IS AN OUTDATED READING AND IN DIRE NEED OF UPDATING.
SO I, I HOPE THAT WE CAN PURSUE THAT CHANGE.
UM, AND THEN I JUST HAVE ONE REALLY SMALL AMENDMENT TO THE DOCUMENT, UM, ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO JUST INCLUDE A REFERENCE TO OUR STAFF, OUR, OUR IMMIGRANT STAFF, BECAUSE WE, WE KNOW IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT PROTECTING OUR IMMIGRANT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, BUT ALSO FINDING PATHWAYS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO PROTECT OUR IMMIGRANT STAFF, UM, AS WELL.
SO I WOULD JUST, UH, MOVE TO AMEND THE SECOND BULLET UNDER FEDERAL TO RESTATE IT AS IMMIGRANT STUDENTS, STAFF, AND FAMILIES.
ALRIGHT, LET'S VOTE ON THAT AMENDMENT.
UM, CHANGING THE SECOND BULLET UNDER TO IMMIGRANT STAFF AND STUDENTS.
COULD YOU RESTATE IT? STUDENTS, STAFF, STUDENTS.
[03:05:01]
GRIEGO? YES.UH, BOARD PRESIDENT SCHON? YES.
SO I'M GLAD TO SEE SOME OF THE PRIORITIES THAT I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION, UM, THE WHOLE CHILD SUPPORTING THE WHOLE CHILD AND SAFETY.
SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU HAVE INCLUDED THAT.
I'M WONDERING, CAN YOU DETAIL HOW YOU'RE GONNA, WHAT, WHAT KIND OF WORK IS GONNA HAPPEN IN ORDER TO ONE, SUPPORT, UM, OR ADVOCATE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION? WHAT IS THAT GONNA LOOK LIKE? GREAT.
SO, UM, YOU MENTIONED BEFORE THAT YOU HAVEN'T SEEN ANY MATERIALS, BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOUR STAFF.
UM, WE, UH, SO AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, UM, KNOWING THAT THIS YEAR WOULD BE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF IDA FROM THE PASSAGE, UM, FROM THE CONGRESSIONAL ACT ACTION, WE, UM, LED, UM, LAST SUMMER, UH, WEBINAR ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH LEGISLATIVE STAFF FROM CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES IN OTHER, UM, SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WE DID THIS WEBINAR WITH SAN DIEGO UNIFIED, AND WE HAVE, I BELIEVE, A RECORDING THAT WE CAN PROVIDE TO YOU.
UM, THAT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT OUR PROGRAMS. WE HAD TONY AGUILAR FROM L-A-U-S-D, WHO WAS OUR, OUR SPOKESPERSON ON THE ISSUE AND THE NEEDS FOR, FOR OUR STUDENTS.
WE ALSO HAVE LED, AND I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND PROVIDE THAT TO YOUR STAFF, UM, A COALITION LETTER OF OVER 3000 SIGNATORIES, UM, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET FROM ACROSS CALIFORNIA, THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
UM, SO THOSE ARE JUST TWO EXAMPLES THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE LAST YEAR.
UM, I WILL MENTION AS PART OF THE COUNCIL GREAT CITY SCHOOLS, SINCE WE'RE PART OF THE NATIONAL CONSORTIUM OF URBAN DISTRICTS, UM, 78 OR SO ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WHEN WE HAD BROUGHT UP, UM, SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING AS A PRIORITY, AS PART OF THE COUNCIL ADVOCACY AREAS, UM, WHAT THEY HAVE SHARED WITH US, UM, THE COUNCIL HAS FOCUSED MOSTLY ON TITLE ONE FUNDING, UM, BECAUSE AS URBAN DISTRICTS, UM, DISTRICTS, UM, GET MORE FUND THE MOST FUNDING FOR LOWER INCOME STUDENTS, UM, THAN FOR, FOR THIS PART OF FUNDING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION.
UM, SO WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO EVEN GET THE COUNCIL TO, UH, REPRIORITIZE SPECIAL EDUCATION AND NOT SEE IT AS AN EITHER OR, BUT AS A BOTH THAT WE NEED FUNDING, BOTH TITLE ONE AND SPECIAL EDUCATION.
UM, IT SHOULD BE A BIPARTISAN ISSUE.
UH, WE HAVE TRIED TO ENGAGE OTHER REPUBLICAN OFFICES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
UM, THE CHALLENGES ARE LA DELEGATION, UM, ARE IN THE MINORITY PARTY.
UM, THEREFORE THEIR, UM, EFFORTS ON THIS TOPIC, UH, WOULD NOT BE AS INFLUENTIAL AS WE WOULD WANT THEM TO BE.
UM, BUT WE KNOW THIS IS LIKE A BI SHOULD BE A BIPARTISAN ISSUE.
UM, REPUBLICANS, AS YOU KNOW, CONTROL CONGRESS.
UM, THE PRESIDENT, UH, AS PRESIDENT CARVAL ALREADY MENTIONED, UH, WANTS TO MOVE OVER IDA TO, UH, HHS.
UM, SO THERE'S A LOT OF CHALLENGES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, UM, THAT IS NOT BECAUSE OF LACK OF TRYING ON OUR EFFORT, UH, BUT IT'S JUST THE FACT THAT, UH, CONGRESS IS NOT APPROPRIATING THE FUNDING THAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING FOR THIS PURPOSE.
AND HOW ARE PARENTS ENGAGED IN THIS ADVOCACY? PARENTS AND FAMILIES OF STUDENTS? SO WE HAVE DONE A TOOLKIT, AND AGAIN, WE CAN PROVIDE TO YOU.
UM, WE HAVE WORKED WITH ANTONIO PLACENCIA AND THEIR TEAM, UH, IN TRANSLATED DOCUMENTS.
UH, AND AGAIN, WE HAVE THIS AVAILABLE, UM, ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
UM, WE HAVE DONE SAMPLE SOCIAL MEDIA TWEET SAMPLES, LETTERS OF SUPPORT, CALL TO ACTION.
UM, AND AGAIN, WE HAVE A TOOLKIT THAT WE HAVE USED ON IDA.
UM, I HAVE ALSO ENGAGED WITH THE CAC COMMITTEE IN THE PAST.
UM, THEY HAVE A LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.
SO EVERY MONTH THEY'VE ASKED ME TO PROVIDE UPDATES.
UM, NOW IT'S MOSTLY WRITTEN UPDATES ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING.
UM, THEY'RE MORE MOSTLY INTERESTED AT THE STATE LEVEL, ANY NEW LEGISLATION OR FUNDING FROM SACRAMENTO.
BUT WORKING WITH THE SPECIAL EDUCATION DIVISION WHO HELP WITH THE CAC, MY OFFICE IS SUPPORTING, UM, IN MAKING SURE THAT THE PARENTS ARE ENGAGED WHENEVER POSSIBLE.
IS THERE ANY WORK, UH, BEING DONE WITH LABOR PARTNERS? I KNOW THAT SEVERAL YEARS AGO UTLA TRIED TO LAUNCH A CAMPAIGN TO FULFILL THE PROMISE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT CAMPAIGN, BUT IS THERE ANY EFFORT TO WORK WITH LABOR PARTNERS ON THIS? YES, WE, WE CAN DEFINITELY REVISIT WORKING WITH THE LABOR GROUPS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I SUPPORT OUR ADVOCACY LEADER ADVOCACY EFFORTS.
UM, I KNOW THE CTA STAFF IN SACRAMENTO.
UM, I ALSO HAVE SPOKEN AND MET WITH, UH, JULIE, UH, VAN WRINKLE.
UM, AND, UH, CHERYL, UH, KRISTEN MURPHY HAS BEEN PART OF SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS KNOWING THAT THERE'S ADVOCACY THAT WE CAN DO JOINTLY AT THE STATE LEVEL.
YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK HISTORICALLY WE'VE SEEN THAT CHANGE HAPPENS.
LEGAL CHANGE HAPPENS WHEN IT'S BOTH, UH, GROUPS WORKING TOGETHER, RIGHT? THERE'S THE FOLKS WHO ARE LOBBYING LEGISLATORS, BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO A MOVEMENT ON THE GROUND GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT ON THE GROUND THAT TOGETHER THEY PUSH.
AND THEN THAT'S HOW CHANGE HAPPENS.
[03:10:01]
I UNDERSTAND THAT'S YOUR JOB ISN'T GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS, NOT AS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, BUT I'M FEELING LIKE WE NEED TO DO BOTH IF WE'RE GOING TO MAKE ANY CHANGE AROUND SPECIAL EDUCATION.AND THERE IS DEFINITELY A VERY BIG INTEREST AMONG FAMILIES AND PARENTS, AND I THINK WE JUST NEED TO, IF I WE'RE LEADERS IN THIS, WE'RE LEADERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN MANY DIFFERENT AREAS, AND I THINK WE SHOULD STEP UP AND BECOME LEADERS IN GETTING THE FUNDING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION.
BUT I DO THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHILE YOUR WORK IS, IS PUSHING SOME, SOME LEGISLATORS AND TRYING TO AFFECT CHANGE, I DO THINK WE NEED THE GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT OF PARENTS TO ALSO PUSH ALONG.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN OUR, UM, LEGISLATIVE PLANS SOME FORM OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZING ASPECT OF IT, AND SOME COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DOING THIS KIND OF WORK ALREADY.
SO THAT, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO ACHIEVE.
BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID, EVEN ASSOCIATIONS THAT WORK WITH SCHOOLS ARE NOT SEEING IT AS A PRIORITY, RIGHT? SO THE COUNCIL OF OF RATE SCHOOLS IS NOT SEEING IT AS A TOP PRIORITY.
AND SO THE ONLY WAY IT'S GONNA GET THERE IS WHEN THERE'S A PUSH FROM AS MANY ENTITIES AND FOLKS AS POSSIBLE.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT, BECAUSE THE SAME THING WITH SUPPORTING THE WHOLE CHILD.
I SEE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS IN HERE, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GONNA ACCOMPLISH THESE THINGS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PLAN IS FOR THESE THINGS.
AND THAT WORRIES ME BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE THINGS ARE ALL PART OF MY PRIORITY.
SUPPORTING COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, LGBTQ PLUS STUDENTS, SAFE SCHOOLS, MENTAL HEALTH, UM, THEY'RE MY PRIORITIES BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN PRIORITIZING AND HAS BEEN ASKING FOR ADVOCACY.
SO I, I'M EXCITED TO SEE IT IN THIS REPORT, BUT I ALSO WANNA SEE SOME FORM OF PLAN.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COMES AFTER, UM, BECAUSE I WOULD, UM, UH, WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME MORE DETAILS IN THAT ASPECT.
THE, THE STRATEGIES, THE TACTICS, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, TO MAKE IT A REALITY.
UM, AND THEN I, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AROUND THE, UM, COMPACTS, THE EDUCATION COMPACTS.
I'M GLAD TO SEE IT HERE, BUT, UM, I WANNA KNOW, LIKE WHAT EXACTLY IS GOING TO CHANGE? HOW ARE WE GOING TO IMPROVE HOW THESE COMPACTS ARE IMPLEMENTED? MY DISTRICT INCLUDES A LOT OF MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE ENTERED INTO THESE COMPACTS.
AND THE FEEDBACK I'M GETTING FROM, FROM, UM, ELECTEDS IS THAT THERE IS STILL, UH, NOT OPENING THE DOORS FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO OFFER SOME SERVICES, CITY SERVICES, TO THE FAMILIES AT OUR SCHOOLS.
THAT THERE'S STILL SOME DOORS BEING CLOSED, AND THEY, THE COMPACTS ARE NOT SUPPORTING, UH, ANY RELATIONSHIP BUILDING BETWEEN THE CITY AND, AND THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY.
SO HOW ARE, HOW IS THAT GONNA CHANGE? WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE LIFTING UP THE PRIORITY AND THE QUESTION.
UM, EDUCATION COMPACTS, AS A BOARD MEMBER KNOWS, WE HAVE 10 OF THEM TO DATE, UH, WITH THE GOAL OF HOPEFULLY GETTING TO MORE BY 2026 IN JUNE, 2026.
UM, THE EDUCATION COMPACTS, UH, THEY ARE NOT, UM, UH, TAKING AWAY FROM DISTRICT POLICIES.
AND ONE BY WHAT I MEAN BY THAT, AS AN EXAMPLE, I'M AWARE OF THE CITIES THAT YOU, YOU REPRESENT, UM, AND SOME OF THEM, SOUTHGATE, HUNTINGTON PARK, UH, EVEN RECENTLY, MAYWOOD, UH, THEY, UH, CONTINUE TO FACE CHALLENGES WITH ACTING OR SCHOOL FACILITIES.
EITHER THEY THEMSELVES OR SPORTING, UM, ASSOCIATIONS.
UM, SO WE KNOW THE WHO THAT GROUPS ARE.
THE, WE UNFORTUNATELY, UM, OUR OFFICE HAS NOT REWRITE THE POLICIES FOR ACCESS TO FACILITIES.
I KNOW THERE'S A RESOLUTION THAT THE BOARD APPROVED NOVEMBER WITH THE GOAL OF, UM, STREAMLINING AND ASSESSING THIRD PARTY USE.
UM, I JUST MET WITH MARK BORIS LAST WEEK, UM, TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE CITIES THAT YOU REFERENCED IN YOUR, FROM YOUR AREA, UM, THAT THEY ARE DISAPPOINTED WITH THE, THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
UM, SO EVEN THOUGH WE'RE ADVOCATING EXTERNALLY, MY OFFICE IS ALSO THE LIAISON WITH OUR OFFICES.
WERE THE ONES WHO ARE OVERSEEING THOSE DISTRICT POLICIES, UM, TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN BE BETTER PARTNERS.
UM, BUT, BUT IN SHORT, UM, THOSE POLICIES, UM, ARE OUTSIDE OF THE GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS, UH, DAY-TO-DAY WORK.
UM, THEIR DISTRICT-WIDE POLICIES THAT THE BOARD, UM, AND ADMINISTRATION, UM, YOU KNOW, ARE GOING TO BE REVISITING, UH, GIVEN THE, THE ACTION THE BOARD TOOK LAST MONTH.
UM, SO I AM HOPEFUL WORKING WITH THE FACILITIES DEPARTMENT AS AN EXAMPLE, AND ONE OF THOSE EXAMPLES THAT KEEPS COMING UP AS AN AREA OF CONCERN FROM THE CITIES, UM, THAT THIS WILL BE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE, UH, IMPROVED IN 2026.
UM, I HAVE STANDING MEETINGS WITH THE CITY MANAGERS, UM, FOR THE CITIES.
[03:15:01]
WE HAVE HAD FAMILY ACADEMY SEGMENTS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE DONE IT, UM, SINCE WE'VE HAD THE COMPACTS.UH, WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL CITIES HERE AND, AND HAPPY TO PROVIDE THE SCHEDULE OF THE ONES THAT COMING IN 2026, BUT IT'S BEEN AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, MAYOR AND OR CITY MANAGER AND STAFF, UH, TO PRESENT TO OUR FAMILIES, UM, WHAT SERVICES THEY PROVIDE FOR FAMILIES.
UM, SO IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC, UM, UH, FEEDBACK OR CONCERNS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'D LOVE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THOSE CONCERNS ARE, UM, BECAUSE THERE MIGHT BE A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THE CITY MANAGER AND THEIR STAFF.
I MEAN, IT'S AS SIMPLE AS CAN WE GIVE FLYERS ABOUT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DOING IN OUR CITY FOR FREE FOR THE FAMILIES? IT'S THAT SIMPLE.
AND THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT.
SO WE, SO, SO THANK YOU AND HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND YOUR STAFF TO SEE WHICH CITIES WE CAN BETTER, UM, CLARIFY THE POLICY.
WE CLARIFY WITH THE OPERATIONS TEAM WHO ARE OFTENTIMES THAT ONE CLOSER TO SCHOOLS DOING THE DAY-TO-DAY WORK, UM, THAT THERE'S NO DISCLAIMER LANGUAGE THAT NEEDS TO BE PUT, ADDED TO THE, UH, FLYERS.
UH, PRINCIPALS ARE AUTHORIZED TO SUBMIT, UM, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING TO THEIR FAMILIES.
UM, SO WE PROVIDE CLARIFICATION IN WRITING TO THE PRINCIPALS, AND WE CAN SHARE WITH YOU THAT LANGUAGE AS WELL.
UM, DO YOU ALSO SERVE AS A LIAISON TO OUR, UM, OUR DEPARTMENTS THAT SET POLICY AROUND CAMPUS USE OR ACCESS TO CAMPUS? ARE YOU THE INTERMEDIARY BETWEEN THE CITY AND OUR DISTRICT? YES.
SO IF A CITY IS HAVING SOME TROUBLE ACCESSING OR THEY SHOULD CALL YOUR OFFICE? YES.
AND, AND FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S BEEN TIMES WHEN SOME OF THE BOARD OFFICES HERE HAVE, UH, INFORMED ME.
WHEN THE CITY ASKED FOR A PERMIT FOR A EVENT, LET'S SAY THREE WEEKS FROM NOW, AND THEY HAVE YET TO HEAR BACK ON THE PERMIT WHERE THE STATUSES HAS BEEN APPROVED, MY OFFICE GETS OFTENTIMES TAGGED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT GETS EXPEDITED AND CAN BE RESOLVED IN A, IN AN APPROPRIATE MANNER.
BUT YES, FOR ANY OF YOU, IF YOU COME ACROSS CONCERNS, UH, I'VE GOTTEN, AGAIN, REQUEST ABOUT CROSSING GUARDS, A DIFFERENT NUMBER OF ISSUES.
MY OFFICE IS THAT LIAISON TO OUR CITY, UM, COUNTERPARTS, BUT ALSO INTERNALLY WITH OUR DISTRICT, UM, DIVISIONS AND DEPARTMENTS.
AND THEN DO YOU ALSO MEET WITH ELECTEDS OR JUST WITH THE CITY MANAGERS? SO, UM, I HAVE MET WITH, UH, THE MAYOR, VICE MAYORS AT SOME OF THE CITIES, BUT NOT WITH THE, BECAUSE OF THE BROWN ACT LIMITATIONS.
INSTEAD, MY STAFF AND I, WE'VE BEEN GOING TO THE COUNCIL MEETINGS AND ACTUALLY, UM, PROVIDING AN UPDATE AT ONE OTHER COUNCIL MEETINGS.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, CITY OF CARSON, I WAS THERE IN NOVEMBER.
UM, THINKING ABOUT MAYWOOD, I THINK I WAS THERE IN OCTOBER.
BUT IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO HEAR THE SAME INFORMATION, UH, STAFF.
AND I'VE BEEN GOING IN PERSON TO PROVIDE UPDATES OR SHARE INFORMATION.
YEAH, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
AND SOME ADVOCACY TOO, UM, TO OUR, YOU KNOW, BRING BACK THE INFORMATION TO OUR DEPARTMENTS THAT SET THE, THAT, UH, IMPLEMENT THESE POLICIES.
UH, BECAUSE THERE SEEMS TO BE, UM, AS MUCH AS WE ARE EXCITED TO HEAR THAT THESE COMPACTS EXIST, WHEN I BRING THEM UP TO FOLKS, IT DOESN'T SEEM, THEY'RE JUST LIKE, YEAH, THEY, THEY'RE NOT REALLY DOING A WHOLE LOT.
SO, UM, I WOULD WANT SOMETHING TO BE MORE, UM, SUBSTANTIAL.
AND THEN, UM, THE OTHER THING, LET'S SEE HERE.
UM, WELL, NO, THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S IT.
I JUST, UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL THIS.
I WANT TO COMMENT ALSO, UM, KELLY BROUGHT UP OUR EMPLOYEES WHO MIGHT NEED SOME IMMIGRATION SUPPORT.
I KNOW THAT IN, UH, WEST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, THE TEACHERS WENT ON STRIKE AND THEY CAME BACK.
UM, THEY, THEY SETTLED THEIR STRIKE AND THEY HAD LANGUAGE IN THEIR, UM, CONTRACT THAT THEY WON THAT WOULD, UH, SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL EDUCATORS.
AND SO I THINK THAT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD ADVOCATE FOR FUNDING FOR, UH, SUPPORTING ANY EDUCATOR WHO MIGHT NEED THE, UM, UM, TO, TO RENEW THEIR PAPERS, UH, THEIR H ONE B VISA HOLDERS WHO MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT COST HAS GONE UP TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, AND THAT'S GONNA CREATE A HARDSHIP FOR DISTRICTS.
SO IF YOU CAN LOOK MORE INTO THAT, THAT WOULD BE THANK YOU.
WELL, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ON THE, UM, IT'S BEEN AMENDED, UH, THREE TIMES.
SO A MOTION AND SECOND ON THE UNDERLYING MOTION.
MOVE IT, MOVE BY, UH, MR. SEN.
[Consent Items ( Part 4 of 4)]
[03:20:01]
TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR, UH, MS. GREGGO, MAY I HAVE YOUR VOTE ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR? YES.AND I'D LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR TO THE MARTIN LUTHER KING.
AND TO THE BLACK, OH, THE BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
THAT'S JUST, THAT'S JUST FOR THANK YOU.
SO THAT WILL BE, UH, NEXT MONTH.
AND LET'S SEE, MS. UH, EZ ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR, HOW DO YOU VOTE? I VOTE YES.
AND MS. ORTIZ FRANKLIN ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR? YES.
AND MS. EZ, WE'RE GONNA CIRCLE BACK TO YOU FOR YOUR VOTE ON TAB ONE, PLEASE.
[32. Resolution of Intention to Dedicate Corner Ramp Easement at Porter Ranch Community School (034-25/26)]
UM, ON TAB 32 IS NOT FOR ACTION, BUT WE HAVE SOME, UH, PUBLIC SPEAKERS THAT WE SHOULD TAKE SO WE CAN DISPATCH WITH THAT ITEM.UH, ALIA CARMONA, ARE YOU HERE? UH, MARTY REDDICK NOT ONLINE OR IN PERSON.
AND THEN AFTER MARTY REDDICK IS NEXT, IS, UH, DAVID TOSKI.
THERE'S, UH, THERE'S A PERSON AHEAD OF YOU.
AND WHILE WE ARE, BEFORE WE DO THE PUBLIC COMMENT, I WILL READ THE PUBLIC STATEMENT.
I MEAN, THE PUBLIC HEARING STATEMENT REFERENCE IS MADE TO BOARD OF EDUCATION REPORT NUMBER 0 5 1 DASH 25 SLASH 26.
DATED NOVEMBER 18TH, 2025, THE GOVERNING BOARD OF THE LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT ADOPTED THE RESOLUTION OF INTENTION TO DEDICATE RAMP EASEMENT AT PORTER RANCH COMMUNITY SCHOOL.
THE BOARD HAS FIXED THIS MEETING AS A TIME AND PLACE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UPON THE QUESTION OF SUCH DEDICATION, AN OPPORTUNITY IS NOW GIVEN TO ANYONE PRESENT TO FILE WITH THE BOARD PETITIONS PROTESTING THE PROPOSED DEDICATION SIGNED BY AT LEAST 10% OF THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF THE DISTRICT, AS SHOWN BY THE AFFIDAVIT ON ONE OF THE PETITIONERS.
THERE ARE 15 OPEN SLOTS, AND NOW ONTO MARTY REDDICK.
UM, HELLO, MY NAME IS MARTY REDDICK.
I AM A SENIOR CORE PARENT LEADER AT CADRE.
I AM A COMMUNITY MEMBER IN THE US SCHOOL DISTRICT REGION, SUN SOUTH BOARD DISTRICT SEVEN.
I AM A GRANDPARENT AND I HAVE FOUR KIDS AND THREE GRANDCHILDREN THAT WENT THROUGH THE LA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WHEN THERE ARE STUDENTS CONFLICTS SUCH AS BULLYING, POLICE SHOULD NOT BE INVOLVED.
INSTEAD, PARENTS AND ALL THE PEOPLE INVOLVED SHOULD COME TOGETHER TO DISCUSS HOW TO ADDRESS THE BULLYING.
SCHOOL STAFF NEED TO CONNECT AND BUILD POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE FAMILY AND THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL.
SCHOOLS NEED TO KEEP PARENTS UP TO DATE AND INFORM PARENTS ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE CLASSROOM AND ON THE SCHOOL CAMPUS SO THAT THEY DO NOT HEAR IT FROM THEIR CHILDREN.
THAT THERE WAS A FIGHT AND, AND THAT A POLICE OFFICER TOOK A STUDENT.
AFTER YEARS OF ORGANIZING, STUDENTS, PARENTS, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS HELPED PASS PBIS IN 2007 AND PUT IT INTO SUSPENSIONS FOR WILLFUL DEFIANCE.
BUT WHY IS PBIS NOT OCCURRING? CADRE PARENTS KEEP COMING YEAR AFTER YEAR TELLING YOU ALL ABOUT PBSS AND HOW IT IS NOT HAPPENING AND HOW IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE HAPPENING.
ARE YOU HEARING US? BECAUSE I AM GETTING THE IMPRESSION THAT YOU AREN'T, YOU ARE GOING TO GET TIRED OF US.
SO I THINK YOU GOTTA GET TO WORK AND ENSURE THE PBIS IS HAPPENING IN ALL OUR SCHOOLS.
DAVID KOSKI, I SEE YOU'RE HERE.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
THIS IS AS TO ITEM 32, THE TAB 32 ON THE EASEMENT.
UH, YES, I, UH, ESSENTIALLY SUPPORT THE EASEMENT, BUT I DO CALL UPON, UH, THE BOARD, THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE TO INVESTIGATE, UH, WHAT I BELIEVE IS AN INCORRECT, UH, ALLOCATION OF FEES FROM THE PORTER RANCH DEVELOPMENT.
AS WE KNOW, UH, SM MR. SML KNOWS THAT WE DID NOT BUILD ENOUGH
[03:25:01]
SEATS IN THE AREA BECAUSE SOMEHOW THERE WAS AN UNDERESTIMATION OF THE NUMBER OF HOUSES EACH HOUSE AS THE ONES BEING BUILT BY HILLCREST DEVELOPER.NOW AT 4,000 SQUARE FEET PER HOUSE WOULD BE $20,000 PER HOUSE TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UNDER IMPACT AND DEVELOPMENT FEES, WORSE THAN THE LACK OF COLLECTION OF THE FEES, UH, IN THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT, IS THE DEDICATION OF LAND.
THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES RECEIVED, I BELIEVE, OVER A HUNDRED ACRES OF PARKLAND.
MR. MALVO, WORKING WITH THE CITY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, RECEIVED FOUR OR SIX ACRES FOR AN INADEQUATE K THROUGH EIGHT SCHOOL.
THAT MEANS SOMEHOW A PREVIOUS BOARD OR BOARD MEMBER ASSIGNS SOMETHING THAT, UH, IS MENTIONED IN THIS DOCUMENT, UH, AS A JULY 23RD, 2009, UH, AGREEMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT AS TO WHAT DEDICATION OF LAND WAS GIVEN TO THE DISTRICT, UH, BASED UPON WHAT ESTIMATION OF STUDENTS.
SO IT IS BOTH THE, THE, UM, DEDICATION OF INSUFFICIENT LAND, AND IT IS THE INCORRECT, UH, UH, COLLECTION OF FEES FROM BOTH HILLCREST TOLL BROTHERS AND PERHAPS MANY OTHER DEVELOPERS WHO SEPARATED THE DEVELOPMENT AS THE DEVELOPERS OFTEN DO INTO STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT.
SO THEY SAY IN PHASE ONE, WE ONLY HAVE THIS MANY CHILDREN, BUT THEY DON'T TELL YOU ABOUT PHASE TWO, PHASE THREE, PHASE FOUR, AND PHASE FIVE OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
SO RATHER THAN OPPOSE A TINY EASEMENT, THIS GIVES US AN ENTRY INTO PERHAPS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE REVENUE FOR THE DISTRICT, IF IN FACT, UH, UH, IT IT'S INCORRECT.
AND SECONDLY, AS MR. MELVOIN STRIVES TO GO TO A HUNDRED OR A THOUSAND LOCATIONS, HERE'S A CASE STUDY WHERE THE CITY UNDER THE COUNCILMAN IN THAT AREA RECEIVED 10 TIMES THE AMOUNT OF LAND AS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT GOT.
UH, I HAVE FLIA CARMONA LISTED AS A CALL-IN.
ARE YOU IN THE ROOM? UH, THALIA CARMONA? NO.
YOU LISTED AS CALLING IN REMOTELY.
ARE YOU IN THE ROOM? NOT HERE.
SO THAT CONCLUDES, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM 32, WHICH IS A PUBLIC, WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING, UM, BUT NOT FOR ACTION.
DID SOMEONE SAY, SOMEONE IS HERE TO SPEAK TO TAB 32, THE EASEMENT EZ.
[1. Board of Education Report No. 234-25/26 Office of Government Relations (Request for Approval of 2026 Advocacy Agenda and Guiding Principles and Priorities) Recommends authorizing the Office of Governmental Relations (OGR), on behalf of Los Angeles Unified, to sponsor legislation and proactively advocate for policy and funding proposals at the local, state, and federal levels. All advocacy efforts will align with and support the goals, strategies, and initiatives outlined in the District's 2022-26 Strategic plan. (Part 2 of 2)]
A CALLER WHO JUST CALLED IN THE LAST SECOND ISABEL GONZALEZ FOR TAB ONE.PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
MS. GONZALEZ IS GONNA SPEAK IN SPANISH, SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT SHE'S SAYING IN ENGLISH, PLEASE PUT YOUR HANDS UP FOR THE TRANSLATION HEADSETS.
I'M HERE FOR THE FINANCIAL AND AUDIO FROM LOS ANGELES OF THE P THE POLICIES THAT THEY'VE DOING FOR THE SCHOOL, FOR THEM TO BE SAFE PLACES AND LEGISLATIVELY FOR THE LEARNING, FOR THE FOR SECURE LEARNINGS.
WHAT SECURITY SECURITY FOR YOU IN, FOR YOUR AGENDAS OR FOR THE STUDENTS IN AUDIBLE, WHO IS IT YOU'RE TRYING TO PROTECT? HAS THE SCHOOL VIOLENCE REDUCED? WE HAVE MORE STUDENTS.
HAVE YOU HEARD THE VOICE OF THE PARENTS, STUDENTS, AND PERSONNEL? IN WHAT WAY HAVE YOU HEARD THESE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THESE PROGRAMS AT EVERY WORKSHOP BEING HONEST AND TRANSPARENT, TO BE ABLE TO SHOW TO THE PARENTS THE FUNDS, WHERE THE FUNDS ARE COMING FROM, AND WHAT THEY'RE USED IN EVERY DOLLAR, AND WHICH WAY IS IT USED, ESPECIALLY ABOVE ALL.
WHAT ARE THE RESULTS OF ALL THESE? ALSO, THERE IS LESS VIOLENCE.
IS THERE LESS SCHOOL VIOLENCE PER YEAR IN? ARE THE STUDENTS ARE THE