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[I. Welcome and Opening Remarks]
EVERYONE.I AM DR. RIVAS AND I WELCOME YOU ALL TO TODAY'S MEETING OF THE CHARTER SCHOOLS COMMITTEE COM CHARTER SCHOOLS COMMITTEE.
UM, THIS COMMITTEE PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN ENSURING TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND THOUGHTFUL OVERSIGHT OVER CHARTER SCHOOLS OPERATING WITH AN L-A-U-S-D.
UH, OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO ENSURE THAT ALL SCHOOLS SERVING L-A-U-S-D STUDENTS ARE HELD TO CLEAR STANDARDS WHILE MAINTAINING A FOCUS ON EQUITY, STUDENT SUCCESS, AND STRONG PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES.
TODAY'S AGENDA INCLUDES REMARKS FROM OUR LABOR PARTNERS IF THEY ARE HERE PRESENT, UH, FOLLOWED BY PRESENTATIONS FROM DISTRICT STAFF, INCLUDING AN UPDATE ON PROPOSITION 39 CO-LOCATION PROCESS FOR THE 20 26 27 CYCLE, UH, AND A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE AFFECTING CHARTER SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND THE CHARTER SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT HIGHLIGHTING WORK OF, OF ISANA ACADEMIES.
AFTER THESE PRESENTATIONS, WE WILL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE ADJOURNING THE MEETING.
UH, IF THERE ARE ANY LABOR PARTNERS PRESENT WHO WANT TO COME FORWARD, NOPE.
[III.1. Status Update on 2026/27 Proposition 39 Cycle ]
WILL, UM, NOW MOVE ON TO OUR FIRST PRESENTATION UPDATE FROM THE CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION ON THE 26 27 PROP 39 CO-LOCATION CYCLE.PROP 39 REQUIRES SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PROVIDE REASONABLE EQUI EQUIVALENT FACILITIES FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS WHEN SPACE IS AVAILABLE EACH YEAR.
THIS PROCESS INVOLVES DETAILED ANALYSIS OF ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS, CAMPUS CAPACITY, AND PROGRAMMATIC NEEDS ACROSS OUR DISTRICT SCHOOLS.
TODAY'S PRESENTATION WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE TIMELINE, KEEP UPDATE KEY UPDATES FOR THIS CYCLE, AND HOW THE DISTRICT IS WORKING TO MANAGE SHARED SPACE ARRANGEMENTS EFFECTIVELY.
JOINING US IS MS. JANET BOR, BORDEN, OPERATIONS MANAGER FOR THE CHARTER SCHOOL DIVISION.
AND THE FLOOR IS YOUR SMITH BOARD.
WELCOME, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
UM, SO YEAH, MY NAME IS JEANETTE GORDON.
I'M THE CHARTER SCHOOL'S OPERATIONS MANAGER IN THE CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION, UM, OVERSEEING THE DISTRICT'S PROP 39 PROCESS.
UM, SO I'D LIKE TO START OUT TODAY, UM, WITH A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE REGULATORY TIMELINE.
UM, PROPOSITION 39 IS A STATE LAW AND THE DISTRICT'S COMPLIANCE WITH PROP 39 IS DRIVEN BY REGULATIONS SET FORTH BY THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
UM, THERE ARE KEY MILESTONES THAT CHARTER SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS ADHERE TO IN THE PROCESS.
AND, UM, THIS SLIDE PROVIDES A QUICK REFRESHER ON THAT, AND I'LL SHARE KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT WISHED, UH, WANTED TO HAVE SPACE ON DISTRICT CAMPUSES DURING THE 26 27 SCHOOL YEAR COMING UP, THEY WERE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT FACILITIES REQUESTS TO THE DISTRICT BY NOVEMBER 1ST, 2025.
UM, THOSE FACILITIES REQUESTS INCLUDE KEY INFORMATION INCLUDING, UM, THE AREA OF GEOGRAPHIC INTEREST WHERE THE CHARTER SCHOOL WISHES TO LOCATE, UM, AND PROJECTIONS OF THEIR AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE.
UM, AS A REMINDER, AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE IS A FUNCTION OF A CHARTER SCHOOL'S ENROLLMENT AND THEIR ATTENDANCE RATE, AND IT'S BASICALLY A PROJECTION OF THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT THEY ANTICIPATE HAVING IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
UM, AND PER THE REGULATIONS FROM THE STATE, A DA AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE IS THE BASIS FOR THE FACILITIES ALLOCATION IN PROPOSITION 39.
SO, UM, IT, WE REVIEW THAT PROCESS IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, AND THEN BY DECEMBER 1ST, THE DISTRICT EITHER ACCEPTS OR OBJECTS TO THE CHARTER SCHOOL'S IN-DISTRICT CLASSROOM PROJECTION OF AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE.
WE SEND A LETTER TO EACH CHARTER SCHOOL DECEMBER 1ST, AND THEN THE CHARTER SCHOOL HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO THAT BY JANUARY 2ND, UM, WITH ANY RESPONSES THEY HAVE TO THAT.
UM, THEN ONCE THE A DA IS KIND OF SET AT THAT TIME, THE DISTRICT SENDS, UM, ON FEBRUARY 1ST, OR BY FEBRUARY 1ST, A PRELIMINARY PROPOSAL TO THE CHARTER SCHOOL, WHICH INCLUDES THE LOCATION AND THAT AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE, UM, PROJECTION AND, UH, THE ALLOCATION THEY'LL HAVE FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR.
UH, CHARTER SCHOOLS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO THE DISTRICT'S PRELIMINARY PROPOSAL BY MARCH 1ST, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY.
WE'VE RECEIVED THOSE RESPONSES FROM CHARTER SCHOOLS.
WE'RE REVIEWING THOSE AND STAFF IS PREPARING, UH, FOR APRIL 1ST, WHICH IS WHEN THE DISTRICT SENDS THE, UM, THE LEGALLY BINDING FINAL OFFERS OF SPACE TO CHARTER SCHOOLS.
UM, AFTER THAT, IT BY MAY 1ST, CHARTER SCHOOLS EITHER ACCEPT OR DECLINE THE FINAL OFFER.
AND THEN FOR THOSE WHO, UH, HAVE ACCEPTED, THEY ARE ABLE TO TAKE OCCUPANCY OF THOSE SPACES 10 WORKING DAYS PRIOR TO THE CHARTER SCHOOL'S FIRST DAY OF INSTRUCTION.
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THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, UH, THAT WE'VE ENGAGED IN SINCE NOVEMBER, UM, CSD HAS BEEN COORDINATING WITH EXTENSIVE INVOLVEMENT FROM EACH REGION.UM, SO FOLLOWING WITH THAT REGULATORY PROCESS, UM, CSD HAS COLLABORATED WITH OTHER DISTRICT DIVISIONS IN THE REGIONS TO REVIEW THE STATUS OF EACH CHARTER SCHOOL'S FACILITIES REQUEST.
THIS INVOLVES A REVIEW OF THE ANNUAL DISTRICT SPACE INVENTORY, AND THEN RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHARTER SCHOOL SPACE ALLOCATIONS.
IN ADDITION, PRIOR TO THE ISSUANCE OF FINAL OFFERS, REGIONS ARE SELECTING THE INDIVIDUAL SPECIFIC SPACES AT PROPOSED CAMPUSES WHERE THE CHARTER SCHOOL WOULD BE ASSIGNED SPACE, UM, AND THEN ALSO ASSESSING ANY CAMPUS RECONFIGURATIONS IF NECESSARY THAT MIGHT SUPPORT MORE OPTIMAL SITE OPERATIONS, SHOULD THERE BE A CO-LOCATION.
UM, IN ADDITION, REGIONS ARE WEIGHING IN ON THE ASSESSMENT OF POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE AGREEMENT CONCEPTS.
I'LL TALK, TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT IN ON A LATER SLIDE.
UM, AND IN ADDITION, UH, REGIONS ALONG WITH, UH, THE CSD AND OTHERS ARE COMMUNICATING WITH RESPECTIVE BOARD MEMBER OFFICES AND SCHOOL COMMUNITIES AS APPROPRIATE, DIRECTED BY EACH REGION.
UM, SO THAT WAS A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS.
UM, NOW I'LL SHARE A MORE SPECIFIC UPDATE ON THE 26 27 PORTFOLIO.
SO WE RECEIVED 37 FACILITIES REQUESTS FOR THE 26 27 SCHOOL YEAR, AND OF THOSE 37 REQUESTS, 32 WERE FROM CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT ARE CURRENTLY OCCUPYING DISTRICT FACILITIES.
PURSUANT TO PROPOSITION 39 3 WE'RE FROM EXISTING CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY OCCUPYING DISTRICT FACILITIES AT ALL.
AND TWO, WE'RE FROM EXISTING CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT ARE CURRENTLY CO-LOCATED UNDER OTHER AGREEMENT TYPES, NOT PROP 39.
AND TO DATE, THE STATUS OF EACH OF THOSE FACILITIES REQUEST IS AS FOLLOWS.
WE HAVE 16 ALTERNATIVE AGREEMENTS.
AGAIN, I'LL GIVE A LITTLE MORE INFO ON THAT IN A MOMENT.
AND WE ISSUED 18 PRELIMINARY PROPOSALS ON FEBRUARY 1ST OR BEFORE FEBRUARY 1ST.
AND ONE FACILITY'S REQUEST WAS WITHDRAWN BY THE CHARTER SCHOOL OPERATOR.
UM, THREE FACILITIES REQUESTS WERE DENIED BY THE DISTRICT BASED ON INELIGIBILITY AND OR LEGAL INSUFFICIENCY OF THE FACILITIES REQUEST AS PART OF THAT REVIEW.
SO, I'D LIKE TO PAUSE FOR A MOMENT TO DISCUSS THE CONCEPT OF AN ALTERNATIVE AGREEMENT, UM, SO THAT EVERYONE CAN HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THAT TERM MEANS AND KIND OF HOW THAT HAPPENS.
UM, SO WHAT IS MEANT BY AN ALTERNATIVE AGREEMENT IS THAT BOTH THE DISTRICT AND THE CHARTER SCHOOL HAVE AGREED TO STEP OUTSIDE OF THAT STANDARD REGULATORY PROCESS, WHICH WAS THE TIMELINE THAT I SHARED ON THE FIRST SLIDE, AND AGREE TO AN ALTERNATIVE.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE, THE TERM ALTERNATIVE AGREEMENT COMES FROM.
UM, AND THIS IS PERMITTED BY THE STATE REGULATIONS, AND IT, IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS WHEN A MUTUAL BENEFIT IS IDENTIFIED AND BOTH PARTIES DESIRE TO ENTER INTO SUCH AN AGREEMENT.
SO THAT'S A KEY PIECE THERE THAT, UM, THESE ONLY HAPPEN WHEN BOTH PARTIES AGREE.
THE DISTRICT AND THE CHARTER SCHOOL, UM, AND DISTRICT POLICY THAT EXISTS NOW OUTLINES THE PROCESS FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF ALTERNATIVE AGREEMENTS.
UM, THEY CAN BE PROPOSED BY EITHER THE DISTRICT OR THE CHARTER SCHOOL AND FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE OTHER PARTY.
AND, UM, THERE'S ALWAYS THE REGION WEIGHING IN TO GIVE A RECOMMENDATION BEFORE ANY CONCEPT PROCEEDS ANY FURTHER.
UM, IN ADDITION, BEFORE, UH, ANY FORMAL OFFER IS MADE FOR AN ALTERNATIVE AGREEMENT, THE BOARD OFFICE IS CONSULTED AND, UM, GIVES THEIR ADVISEMENT PER DISTRICT POLICY.
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT, UH, AN ALTERNATIVE AGREEMENT IS.
SO EVERYONE, EVERY FACILITY'S REQUEST STARTS OUT ON THAT REGULATORY PROCESS FOLLOWING THROUGH THOSE TIMELINES THAT WE FOLLOWED.
AND IT'S ONLY WHEN BOTH PARTIES AGREE TO STEP OUTSIDE OF THAT PROCESS THAT WE END UP IN AN ALTERNATIVE AGREEMENT PROCESS.
OKAY, A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE 26 27 PORTFOLIO, UM, BEFORE YOU NOW IS A BREAKDOWN OF THE FACILITIES REQUEST BY BOARD, DISTRICT AND REGION.
UM, SO YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HAVE 33 TOTAL HERE.
THAT'S BECAUSE THERE WERE 37 FACILITIES REQUESTS WITH THAT ONE WITHDRAWAL, THREE INELIGIBLE.
SO 33 TOTAL FACILITIES REQUESTS THAT ARE STILL, UM, ACTIVE AND IN THE MIX RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND THIS IS THE BREAKDOWN OF THOSE, UH, 33 8 CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE PROPOSED TO OCCUPY MULTIPLE DISTRICT SCHOOL SITES.
AGAIN, THAT'S CALLED A MULTI-SITE.
AND THAT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER A CHARTER SCHOOL CANNOT BE ACCOMMODATED ON A SINGLE SITE, UM, THAT GOES BEFORE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO MAKE FINDINGS IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY.
SO THERE ARE EIGHT SUCH, UM, POTENTIAL MULTI-SITE, UM, AND
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OF THE 41 PROPOSED CO-LOCATION.SO AGAIN, 33 FACILITIES REQUESTS, 33 CHARTER SCHOOLS, EIGHT, UM, MULTI-SITES GIVES US 41 PROPOSED COLOCATIONS AS OF TODAY.
AND, UM, 90% OF THOSE ARE EXISTING CO-LOCATIONS.
UM, OF THOSE THAT ARE EXISTING, UH, THE ALLOCATIONS ARE PROJECTED TO, UH, CHANGE AS FOLLOWS.
18 OF THEM WOULD HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF SPACE.
11 ARE GROWTH, EIGHT ARE REDUCTIONS.
SO IN, IN THAT CASE, ALL THE CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE EITHER STAYING IN THE SAME AMOUNT OF SPACE, THEY'RE GROWING OR THEY'RE REDUCING.
UM, AND THEN AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, ADDITIONAL POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE AGREEMENTS, UH, CONTINUE TO BE ASSESSED.
AND SO THERE COULD BE SOME CHANGES IN, IN THESE NUMBERS AS WE CONTINUE COMMUNICATION, UH, VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS PROCESS, UM, SO THAT VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS ARE AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF THE PROCESS.
UM, SO GOING BACK TO DECEMBER, 2025, THAT'S REALLY THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS.
UM, AFTER WE'VE ASSESSED THE FACILITIES REQUESTS AND PRELIMINARY SPACE MATCHES ARE SHARED WITH BOARD OFFICES AND LABOR PARTNERS AT REGION ADVISORY MEETINGS IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER, UH, TO GIVE AN IDEA OF FOLLOWING THAT REGULATORY PROCESS, WHAT WHAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING, UM, THE PORTFOLIO LOOKING LIKE AT THAT TIME.
UM, IN ADDITION, REGIONS ENGAGE WITH SITE ADMINISTRATORS.
IT'S A BIT MORE INFORMAL AT THAT STAGE.
UM, AND THEN BY JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, AS WE'RE GETTING CLOSER TO PRELIMINARY PROPOSALS, THAT'S WHEN A MORE FORMAL, UH, WRITTEN COMMUNICATION IS SENT FROM REGIONS TO DISTRICT PRINCIPALS, UM, WHERE THERE IS A POTENTIAL CO-LOCATION FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
UM, AND THEN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT RESOURCES ARE ALSO PROVIDED, UH, TO THE REGION.
AND, UM, AND THEY ARE ABLE TO USE THOSE AS THEY DEEM APPROPRIATE FOR EACH PARTICULAR SITUATION.
UM, STAFF COMMUNICATES WITH BOARD OFFICES ABOUT POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE AGREEMENTS ON A ROLLING BASIS.
UM, THOSE CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME.
UM, AND SO AS THEY COME UP, THAT'S WHEN THE COMMUNICATION TO THE BOARD OFFICES TAKES PLACE.
UM, AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE CSD WEBSITE IS UPDATED REGULARLY THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
UM, AND SO I'M GONNA TAKE A MOMENT TO JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR WEBSITE.
UM, AS YOU, UH, MAY BE AWARE, THE CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION WEBSITE WAS RECENTLY REVAMPED, AND IT CONTAINS A HOST OF INFORMATION ABOUT ALL THINGS CHARTER SCHOOLS, UM, INCLUDING PROP 39.
UM, AND SO THIS IS THE, THE, THE MAIN PAGE ON THE CSD WEBSITE.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE QUICK LINKS AT THE BOTTOM.
UM, THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED THE INFORMATION CLEARING HOUSE.
AND IF YOU CLICK ON THE INFORMATION CLEARING HOUSE, UH, IT TAKES YOU TO THESE SIX BUTTONS.
AND EACH OF THOSE HAS, UH, A WHOLE LOT OF RESOURCES BEHIND IT.
THE SECOND ONE WITH THE RED STAR IS THE PROP 39 RESOURCES.
AND WHAT WE HAVE HERE, UM, BY, UH, SCHOOL YEAR, WE HAVE, UH, ALL OF THE ACTUAL SOURCE DOCUMENTS.
SO THE FACILITIES REQUESTS THAT WERE RECEIVED BY THE CHARTER SCHOOLS FOR ANY GIVEN YEAR, UM, ARE VIEWABLE THERE, AS ARE THE PRELIMINARY PROPOSALS THAT THE DISTRICT ISSUES TO THE CHARTER SCHOOLS.
UH, THE FINAL OFFERS THAT THE DISTRICT ISSUES TO THE CHARTER SCHOOLS, UH, BY APRIL 1ST WILL BE POSTED THERE.
AND ANY FULLY EXECUTED ALTERNATIVE AGREEMENTS ARE ALSO POSTED IN THIS SECTION OF THE CLEARING HOUSE.
UM, IN ADDITION, THERE ARE, THERE'S INFORMATION ABOUT OVER ALLOCATION.
I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT IN A FEW MINUTES.
UM, BUT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO FIND THE, UH, PRIOR YEAR'S LETTERS AND INVOICES THAT WENT OUT REGARDING OVER ALLOCATION IN THIS LOCATION.
UM, STAFF UPDATES THESE PAGES AS SOON AS PRACTICAL AFTER EACH OF THE KEY MILESTONES, ENSURING THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION IS FULLY APPRISED FIRST.
SO SOMETIMES THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A, A DELAY, BUT, UM, THE INFORMATION IS POSTED AS SOON AS ABLE AND JUST FOR THE PUBLIC, THAT WEBSITE, UM, TO FIND ALL OF THIS IS CHARTER.AD.ORG.
SO GOING INTO SOME NEXT STEPS FOR THE 26 27 SCHOOL YEAR.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN MARCH AND, UH, THE CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION IS WORKING WITH THE REGION OFFICES TO FINALIZE THE PROPOSED CHARTER SCHOOL ROOM ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE 26 27 SCHOOL YEAR.
AND THEN BY APRIL 1ST, WE WILL BE SUBMITTING THOSE FINAL NOTIFICATIONS OR FINAL OFFERS TO THE CHARTER SCHOOLS.
UM, STAFF WILL WORK WITH THE REGION OFFICES TO SUPPORT COMMUNICATION TO DISTRICT PRINCIPALS REGARDING THE NEXT STEPS IN THE PROCESS.
AND THEN, UM, ON OR BEFORE MAY 1ST.
AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, THE CHARTER SCHOOLS WILL, UH, RESPOND AS TO WHETHER THEY INTEND TO OCCUPY THE OFFERED SPACE.
AND, UM, IF THEY DON'T RESPOND, THEN THE OFFER EXPIRES ALSO IN THE MONTH OF MAY.
UM, THERE WILL BE A, AN OPERATIONS
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MEETING THAT, UH, THE CSD HOSTS, UH, FOR CO-LOCATED DISTRICT AND CHARTER PRINCIPLES, UH, TO GET KEY INFORMATION ABOUT CO-LOCATION.THIS WILL INCLUDE DETAILS ABOUT DISTRICT POLICIES APPLICABLE TO CHARTER SCHOOLS, BEST PRACTICES FOR SUCCESSFUL CO-LOCATION, MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SHARED USE AGREEMENTS, AND BEGINNING THOSE DISCUSSIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS ARE IN PLACE FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR.
UM, OPERATIONAL PLANNING FOR THAT NEW SCHOOL YEAR.
AND THEN ALSO DETAILS ABOUT INTEGRATING THE CHARTER SCHOOL INTO THE SAFE SCHOOL PLAN, UM, WHICH IS, UH, AN ESSENTIAL PIECE OF MAKING SURE WE'RE READY TO START THE SCHOOL YEAR.
UM, ALSO IN MAY AND CONTINUING THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, CSD WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH REGION OFFICES AND COMMUNICATING WITH PRINCIPALS REGARDING THE NEXT STEPS IN THE CO-LOCATION PROCESS, INCLUDING, UH, RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AS, UH, AS APPROPRIATE.
UH, DISTRICT STAFF WILL ALSO UNDERTAKE THE PREPARATIONS TO MAKE CAMPUSES READY FOR CHARTER SCHOOL OCCUPANCY FOLLOWING, UM, APPROVAL BY THE BOARD, UH, FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE MAKE READY, UH, RENOVATION EFFORT.
UM, THAT'S WHEN WE COME TO THE BOARD WITH THE FACILITY SERVICES DIVISION IN MAY, UH, TO, UM, AUTHORIZE THE BUDGET FOR MAKING SITES READY.
AND THEN FINALLY, UH, THE 10 DAYS PRIOR, THAT'S WHEN CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE ABLE TO TAKE OCCUPANCY AND HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR SCHOOL, TO THE SCHOOL SITE WOULD BE 10 DAYS PRIOR TO THEIR FIRST DAY OF INSTRUCTION.
ONE ADDITIONAL UPDATE, UM, REGARDING OVER ALLOCATION, UM, OVER ALLOCATION IS, UH, ANOTHER REGULATORY MECHANISM.
SO IT'S PART OF WHAT IS SET FORTH BY THE CDE, UH, TO ADDRESS POTENTIAL INACCURACIES IN CHARTER SCHOOL.
A DA PROJECTIONS SINCE THE A DA PROJECTIONS ARE THE BASIS FOR THE FACILITIES ALLOCATION AND THE AMOUNT OF SPACE THE CHARTER SCHOOLS GET, UH, OVER ALLOCATION IS AGAIN, THAT MECHANISM THAT HELPS TO PROVIDE A, A CHECK ON THAT.
UM, SO IF A CHARTER SCHOOL IS ALLOCATED SPACE AND THEY DO NOT MEET THE PROJECTIONS THAT, UM, THAT THEY MADE IN THEIR FACILITIES REQUEST WITHIN A CERTAIN THRESHOLD, AGAIN, SET FORTH BY THE REGULATIONS, UM, THEN THEY'RE DEEMED TO BE OVER ALLOCATED.
AND THE REGULATIONS OUTLINE A TIMELINE AND PROCESS FOR DETERMINING THAT, AND ALSO THE AMOUNT OF THE REIMBURSEMENT THAT A CHARTER SCHOOL WOULD OWE TO THE DISTRICT IF THEY ARE DETERMINED TO BE OVER ALLOCATED.
UM, AND SO WITHIN THAT PROCESS, UH, AS A STATUS UPDATE, UM, ALL ACTIVE CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY DETERMINED TO BE OVER ALLOCATED IN PRIOR YEARS, UM, HAVE EITHER FULLY PAID OR ARE CURRENT ON THEIR PAYMENT PLANS IF THEY HAD A PAYMENT PLAN WITH THE DISTRICT.
UM, FOR THE 24 25 SCHOOL YEAR, THE MOST RECENTLY COMPLETED SCHOOL YEAR, THERE WERE 12 CHARTER SCHOOLS OVER ALLOCATED SPACE.
AND THE REIMBURSEMENT, THE TOTAL REIMBURSEMENTS, UM, FOR THOSE 12 CHARTER SCHOOLS WAS 1 MILLION, UH, 60,400.
AND ALL OF THAT MONEY HAS BEEN COLLECTED BY THE DISTRICT.
UM, PURSUANT TO DISTRICT POLICY THAT'S IN PLACE OVER ALLOCATED SPACE REIMBURSEMENTS ARE DIRECTED BACK TO THE DISTRICT HOST SCHOOL SITES.
UM, THAT TAKES PLACE IN APPROXIMATELY JULY AND JANUARY EACH YEAR.
AND, UM, AND THEN FOR THE 25 26 SCHOOL YEAR THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY IN, THE DETERMINATION OF ANY OVERALLOCATION WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
AND, UM, IF, IF ANY CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE DETERMINED TO BE OVER ALLOCATED, THEY WILL RECEIVE AN INVOICE FROM THE DISTRICT NO LATER THAN AUGUST 15TH, 2026.
AND THEN THROUGH THE PROCESS, THE, THE MONEY THAT'S REDIRECTED BACK TO THOSE HOST SITES WOULD BE EXPECTED IN JANUARY, 2027.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT CLOSES OUT MY PREPARED REMARKS.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TODAY, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF MS. TAIZ FRANKLIN HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
I WAS JUST LOOKING AT THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS AND BD SEVEN ONLY HAS TWO.
I THINK I HAVE TWO L-A-U-S-D AUTHORIZED, BUT I ALSO HAVE A LACO AUTHORIZED THAT'S CO-LOCATED ON ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS.
SO IT MADE ME WONDER HOW MANY NON L-A-U-S-C AUTHORIZED CHARTERS ALSO PARTICIPATE IN SOME SORT OF CO-LOCATION.
IS THAT OUTSIDE OF THIS PROCESS OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S SIMILAR OR DIFFERENT ABOUT THOSE? SURE.
SO SCHOOLS THAT ARE AUTHORIZED BY LACO, BUT SERVICE STUDENTS THAT ARE IN DISTRICT LA UNIFIED STUDENTS, MEANING THEY WOULD OTHERWISE ATTEND A A AN L-A-U-S-D SCHOOL, UM, THOSE LACO AUTHORIZED CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE ELIGIBLE UNDER PROPOSITION 39.
AND SO THEY'RE ABLE TO SUBMIT FACILITIES REQUESTS TO THE DISTRICT.
AND WE PROCESS THOSE IN THE SAME MANNER THAT WE, UM, PROCESS OTHER FACILITIES REQUESTS FOR L-A-U-S-D AUTHORIZED CHARTER SCHOOLS.
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WE DO HAVE A HANDFUL OF THOSE.UM, WE CAN GET YOU THE EXACT NUMBER, UM, OF, OF LACO AUTHORIZED CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT ARE CO-LOCATED.
BUT THOSE WOULDN'T COUNT IN THE 33 YOU GAVE US? NO, THEY WOULD, YEAH, THAT'S THE FULL PORTFOLIO FOR PROP 39.
SO THEN, BUT THEN THERE ARE, MAYBE IT'S AN ALTERNATE AGREEMENT 'CAUSE I HAVE THREE CO-LOCATED SCHOOLS, BUT MAYBE THE THIRD ONE IS, UH, NOT PROP 39.
WHAT WOULD IT BE? UM, THERE COULD BE OTHER SCHOOLS THAT HAVE DIFFERENT AGREEMENT TYPES WITH THE DISTRICT.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, THERE COULD BE LEASES, THERE COULD BE, UM, SCHOOLS THAT MIGHT HAVE OTHER AGREEMENT TYPES.
UM, I, I THINK THAT IT MIGHT MAKE SENSE FOR US TO GIVE YOU A LIST, UH, A BREAKDOWN FOR EACH OF THE SCHOOLS IN BD SEVEN.
UM, WE COULD PREPARE THAT FOR YOU.
IT'S NOT VERY MANY, UM, BUT IT DID MAKE ME WONDER HOW MANY OUTSIDE OF, YOU KNOW, BD SEVEN, 'CAUSE I, I HAVE A, A FEWER NUMBER AND I WONDERED IF THERE WERE MANY OTHER, YOU KNOW, IN PRACTICALITY THAT FEEL LIKE A CO-LOCATED, EVEN THOUGH IT'S LIKE A DIFFERENT KIND OF MECHANISM.
SO YEAH, IF YOU CAN SHARE WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST FOUR DISTRICT SEVEN, I'D BE CURIOUS FOR THE WHOLE DISTRICT JUST TO UNDERSTAND LIKE THE, UM, THE SCOPE OF, YOU KNOW, HOW WE HAVE THESE VARIOUS RELATIONSHIPS.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S IT FOR NOW 'CAUSE I, UH, APPRECIATE THE, UH, NEW WEBSITE IS, IS GREAT.
UM, I REALLY LIKE THE MAP
YES, THE, UH, WEBSITE IS THE, YOU KNOW, ALL THE INFORMATION IS GREAT.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT WENT INTO THAT.
SO IT APPEARS THAT, UH, WE'RE SEEING A RELATIVELY HIGH NUMBER OF ALTERNATIVE AGREEMENTS MM-HMM
FROM THE DISTRICT'S PERSPECTIVE.
WHAT ARE THE KEY POLICY CONSIDERATIONS WHEN DECIDING WHETHER AN ALTERNATIVE AGREEMENT IS PREFERABLE, UH, TO A, UM, TRADITIONAL PROP 39 OFFER? AND HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT THESE, THOSE AGREEMENTS REMAIN CONSISTENT AND TRANSPARENT ACROSS, UM, CHARTER OPERATORS? GREAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT QUESTION.
UM, SO THE KEY FEATURE OF, OF ALTERNATIVE AGREEMENTS IS THERE HAS TO BE A MUTUAL BENEFIT.
SO IN THE ASSESSMENT OF ANY OF THE CONCEPTS THAT HAVE TURNED INTO A FULLY EXECUTED ALTERNATIVE AGREEMENT, THE REGION LEADERSHIP AND THEN ULTIMATELY, UM, AUTHORIZED DISTRICT LEADERSHIP HAS DETERMINED THERE IS A BENEFIT FOR THE DISTRICT.
AND THOSE BENEFITS CAN BE VARIOUS.
UM, ONE OF THE KEY BENEFITS THAT WE SEE WITH EARLY ALTERNATIVE AGREEMENTS IS THE ELIMINATION OF A POTENTIAL MULTI-SITE WHERE A CHARTER SCHOOL CANNOT BE LOCATED ON A SINGLE SITE, AND THEY WOULD BE GOING TO TWO SITES.
THE CHARTER SCHOOL MIGHT SAY, WE, WE DON'T WANT THAT TYPE OF ARRANGEMENT.
WE WOULD RATHER STAY IN OUR, YOU KNOW, IN A SPECIFIC FOOTPRINT AT JUST THE ONE SITE WE'RE CURRENTLY AT.
AND SO THEN WE'RE ABLE TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT THAT ELIMINATES THAT SECOND SITE.
UM, WE CAN'T DO THAT WITHOUT AN ALTERNATIVE AGREEMENT BECAUSE THEY HAVE A LEGAL ENTITLEMENT BASED ON PROP 39 REGULATIONS.
UM, AND SO THE ONLY WAY OUT OF IT IS TO, TO DO THAT ALTERNATIVE AGREEMENT.
UM, THERE ARE OTHER SITES WHERE, UM, MAYBE IT'S A REDUCTION IN SPACE OR SHARED USE SPACE ARRANGEMENTS THAT MAYBE THERE'S ALREADY A CAMPUS WHERE THINGS ARE WORKING OKAY, AND THERE'S A DESIRE TO CONTINUE, UM, THINGS JUST THE WAY THEY ARE.
SOMETIMES WE ENTER INTO AN EARLY ALTERNATIVE AGREEMENT TO KIND OF MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S IN PLACE AND, AND THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO RENEGOTIATE EVERYTHING AGAIN THROUGH THAT REGULATORY PROCESS.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE KEY REASONS THAT WE WOULD ENTER INTO AN ALTERNATIVE AGREEMENT.
UM, AND WE DO, UM, SO AS I MENTIONED, THE REGION LEADERSHIP IS THE ONE ULTIMATELY THAT MAKES THAT RECOMMENDATION.
AND THEN AUTHORIZED DISTRICT LEADERSHIP IS ABLE TO, UH, THEN DETERMINE WHETHER TO MOVE THAT FORWARD.
THEY WILL CONSULT WITH EACH BOARD OFFICE TO KIND OF DESCRIBE WHAT THAT IS AND WHAT THAT DETERMINATION OF THE BENEFIT TO THE DISTRICT IS, UM, OF ENTERING INTO SUCH AGREEMENTS.
AND THEN PURSUANT TO BOARD POLICY, THE BOARD OFFICE HAS THAT OPPORTUNITY TO ADVISE, AND IF THEY DO NOT OBJECT, THEN WE PROCEED FORWARD.
IF THEY DO OBJECT, THEN STAFF CAN REASSESS AND, AND WE CAN KIND OF, YOU KNOW, CIRCLE BACK THROUGH OR JUST STICK WITH THE REGULATORY PROCESS.
AND A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE MULTI, UM, SITE PLACEMENT.
UM, WHAT CRITERIA DOES THE DISTRICT USE TO DETERMINE WHEN A MULTI-SITE PLACEMENT IS APPROPRIATE, AND HOW DO WE EVALUATE OPERATIONAL IMPACT ON HOST CAMPUSES WHEN A CHARTER PROGRAM IS SPLIT SPLIT ACROSS, ACROSS SCHOOLS? SURE.
SO, UM, A KEY PART OF PROP 39 IS THAT IT IS AN ANNUAL PROCESS.
UM, AND SO WHAT WE DO BEFORE NOVEMBER 1ST IS THE DISTRICT ENGAGES IN THAT COMPREHENSIVE SPACE ANALYSIS THAT WE KNOW AS ECAR, THE ELECTRONIC CAPACITY ASSESSMENT REVIEW, THAT OUR MASTER PLANNING AND DEMOGRAPHICS TEAM ENGAGES EACH DISTRICT PRINCIPAL TO TAKE A SNAPSHOT IN TIME OF, OF HOW SPACE IS UTILIZED ON THAT CAMPUS.
THEY ALSO ARE LAYERING IN WHAT THE PROJECTED NEEDS MIGHT BE.
[00:25:01]
UM, ALONG WITH THAT SNAPSHOT, WE'RE ALSO SAYING WHAT DOES THE DISTRICT KNOW IS GOING TO BE HAPPENING AT THE SCHOOL SITE IN THE SUBSEQUENT YEAR OR YEARS? FOR EXAMPLE, FACILITIES, PROJECTS MIGHT BE HAPPENING THAT COULD IMPACT SPACE, THERE COULD BE PROGRAMMATIC CHANGES, UM, YOU KNOW, EXPANSION OF PROGRAMS. UM, AND SO THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO THEN KIND OF BAKE THAT IN TO A DATA SET THAT WE CAN LOOK AT.AND THEN WHEN WE RECEIVE THOSE FACILITIES REQUESTS, WE'RE LOOKING, WE'RE COMPARING IT WITH WHAT THE SPACE AVAILABILITY IS, UM, OR THE SPACE UTILIZATION SO THAT, UH, REGIONS IN THEIR KIND OF OVERVIEW OF THEIR, OF THE REGION AND THE THE DISTRICT SCHOOL NEEDS, THEY'RE ABLE TO ASSESS THEN, CAN THIS ENTIRE CHARTER SCHOOL STILL FIT AT THIS SITE? OR IF THERE'S A NEW ONE WHERE, IS THERE A SINGLE SITE WHERE WE COULD ACCOMMODATE ON A SINGLE SITE? AND IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO FIND THAT, THAT'S WHEN WE LOOK TO ANOTHER SITE.
UM, FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT ARE ALREADY CO-LOCATED ON A SINGLE SITE, THERE IS ALSO A PART OF THE LAW THAT WE, WE CANNOT MOVE THEM UNNECESSARILY.
AND SO SOMETIMES THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT A, A SECOND SITE.
UM, AND SO OPERATIONALLY THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING WITH BOTH SCHOOLS, UH, TO, TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, HOW TO OPERATIONALIZE THAT, UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, ADEQUATE MEASURES IN PLACE FOR, TO PREPARE FOR THE THE NEW COLOCATION.
UM, AND LAST QUESTION, AS WE MOVE TOWARD FINAL OFFERS FOR ON APRIL 1ST, WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES, UM, THAT YOU CONTINUE TO SEE AS CO-LOCATED CAMPUSES AT CO-LOCATED CAMPUSES? AND WHAT ADDITIONAL STEPS COULD THE DISTRICT TAKE TO IMPROVE SUPPORT, BOTH FOR WHOLE SCHOOLS AND THE CHARTER SCHOOLS, AND MAKING THOSE ARRANGEMENTS WORK FOR STUDENTS AND THE THEIR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
IN A WORD, COMMUNICATION, UM, THAT'S ALWAYS KIND OF, I THINK THE, THE, THE, IT'S THE, THE MOST IMPORTANT BEST PRACTICE.
AND IT'S ONE THAT SOMETIMES DOESN'T HAPPEN, UM, IN THE MOST, UH, EFFICIENT WAY AT, AT SCHOOL SITES.
AND SO THE MORE WE CAN ENCOURAGE THE CO-LOCATED ADMINISTRATORS TO BE CLOSELY IN CONTACT TO BE COORDINATING THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT THEIR CO-LOCATION MEETINGS THAT TAKE PLACE ON A CERTAIN CADENCE, BUT THEN THAT REGULAR COMMUNICATION AMONG THE PROGRAMS TO RAISE CONCERNS SO THAT IF, IF SOMEONE ON EITHER SIDE IS SEEING SOMETHING HAPPENING ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS THAT'S NOT WORKING, ADDRESSING IT RIGHT AWAY AND FIGURING OUT HOW TO COLLABORATE ON THAT, UM, SO THAT PROBLEMS DON'T FESTER, AND THEN, UM, PERHAPS GET OUT OF HAND.
AND SO, UH, I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE THAT, UH, AT ALL LEVELS OF LEADERSHIP THAT WE, WE, YOU KNOW, PRESUME THE BEST INTENTIONS OF THE OTHER PARTIES AND THEN ALSO JUST REGULARLY COMMUNICATE.
AND WHO IS INVOLVED IN THOSE COMMUNICATIONS? IS IT THE, YOU MENTIONED THE REGIONS AND YOUR OFFICE OR, UM, SOMEONE ELSE IN THE CHURCH? YEAH, THE, THE SUPPORT DEFINITELY IS COMING FROM THE REGION AND FROM CSD, BUT IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP IS THE ADMINISTRATORS ON THE CAMPUS.
'CAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THERE DAY TO DAY, THEY'RE THE ONES TROUBLESHOOTING, UM, ADDRESSING, YOU KNOW, THEIR STAFF CONCERNS THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE.
THAT PRINCIPAL IS THE LEADER OF THE SITE.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE MORE THAT COMMUNICATION IS TAKING PLACE, THE BETTER.
AND THEN WHENEVER THEY HAVE PROBLEMS THAT THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO ADDRESS, UH, DIRECTLY AT THE SITE, THEN ENGAGING THE REGION, REGION OPERATIONS, CSD OPERATIONS, THAT'S WHERE WE CAN COME IN AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PROACTIVELY OUT AT THE SITES CHECKING IN TO SAY, HEY, HOW ARE THINGS GOING? DO YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS THAT NEED SOME SUPPORT? UM, BUT THEN THEY ALSO DO REACH OUT TO US AND TO THE REGIONS FOR SUPPORT AT DIFFERENT TIMES AND, AND WE, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE THAT SUPPORT TO THEM.
I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS.
UM, SO I WANTED TO SEE, I DON'T THINK MS. MAL, MARTHA ALVAREZ IS HERE YET.
SHE MAY BE RUNNING A LITTLE LATE.
[III.3. Charter School Spotlight: ISANA Academies]
SO I WANNA BRING UP OUR, UM, CHARTER SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT IF YOU WANNA COME UP FORWARD.AND I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE SOONER THAN WHAT YOU EXPECTED, BUT IF YOU'RE READY, WE'D LOVE TO HEAR.
AND, UM, IS, UH, FROM SAANA ACADEMIES.
SO THE CHARTER SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMITTEE AND THE PUBLIC TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT THE WORK HAPPENING, UH, WITHIN CHARTER SCHOOLS ACROSS THE DISTRICT, INCLUDING, UM, INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS, STUDENT SUPPORTS, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.
TODAY WE'LL HEAR FROM THE LEADERSHIP OF, AM I SAYING THAT
ISANA ACADEMIES WHO WILL SHARE AN OVERVIEW OF THEIR SCHOOL MODEL, STUDENT PROGRAMS, THE WAYS AND THE WAYS THAT THEY'RE WORKING TO SUPPORT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND WELLBEING.
TODAY WE HAVE MISS NADIA SHAIK.
CEO, RAUL ALARCON, CAO, JOHN VARGAS, COO, HECO, BROWN, PRINCIPAL IAN EDDIE, PRINCIPAL PAT PATRICK STICKLEY, PRINCIPAL,
[00:30:01]
AND ROB J THRASH, UM, THE FOURTH DIRECTOR OF PUPIL SERVICES.SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND LOOKING FORWARD TO LEARNING MORE ABOUT ISANA ACADEMIES.
DO I CLICK THESE BUTTONS TO DO THE SLIDES? OKAY.
I JUST WHAT THE BUTTON? YEAH, THEY'RE GONNA LOAD YOUR, THEY'RE GONNA LOAD YOUR POWERPOINT.
LOAD IT, AND THEN I PUSH THE RIGHT AND LEFT.
I'M JUST LETTING FOLKS KNOW RIGHT NOW.
WE SKIPPED TAB TWO, SO ONE SEC.
AND YES, YOU DO PUSH THOSE LITTLE BUTTONS.
UM, BOARD MEMBER ORTIZ FRANKLIN.
I DUNNO IF MS. NEWBELL IS HERE, BUT GOOD AFTERNOON.
UH, MR. COLE GUTIERREZ, UH, MR. MCLEAN, MY NAME IS NADIA SHEIK.
I AM HONORED TO BE THE CEO OF ISANA, UH, HERE TODAY WITH MY TEAM TO SHARE WITH YOU ABOUT ISANA NASCENT ACADEMY.
UH, FIRST I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION TO SPEAK, UH, ABOUT THE WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE PAST 21 YEARS.
UM, MY CONNECTION TO THIS SCHOOL IS PERSONAL.
I STARTED AS A FIRST GRADE TEACHER THERE 20 YEARS AGO.
UH, AND I NOW LIVE HALF A BLOCK, HALF A MILE FROM THE SCHOOL.
SO IT'S A SCHOOL THAT'S AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS THE MOTHERSHIP AT ASANA, BECAUSE IT WAS THE FIRST OF OUR SIX SCHOOLS.
UM, OUR OTHER SCHOOLS ARE ISANA AL ACADEMY IN SOUTH LA ISANA, OCTAVIA ACADEMY IN G GLASSELL PARK, ISANA PALM ACADEMY IN NORTH HOLLYWOOD, ISANA CARDINAL ACADEMY IN SUN VALLEY, AND ISANA AKRON ACADEMY IN, UH, COMPTON.
UH, SO ISANA NASCENT ACADEMY, UM, IS A TK THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE SCHOOL OF 484 STUDENTS, UH, LOCATED IN BD ONE.
WE ARE SPLIT ACROSS TWO CAMPUSES, SO WE HAVE A PRIVATE SITE AT JEFFERSON PARK, UM, AND A, A CO-LOCATED SITE, UM, AT 42ND ELEMENTARY IN LAER PARK.
WE'VE BEEN PROUDLY SERVING THE JEFFERSON PARK AND LAER PARK NEIGHBORHOOD SINCE 2005.
OUR MASCOT IS A NIGHTHAWKS, AND AS YOU WALK OUR CAMPUSES, YOU'LL SEE REMINDERS TO SOAR, TO BE SAFE, OPTIMISTIC, ACCOUNTABLE, AND RESPECTFUL.
ALL RIGHT, IN TERMS OF OUR POPULATION, UH, IT MIRRORS THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY.
92% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE SOCIOECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED.
75% ARE ARE LATINO, 22% ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN, 32% ARE, UH, ENGLISH LEARNERS, AND 20% ARE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF FOSTER AND HOMELESS YOUTH.
UM, AND AS I PRESENT TODAY, I AM GOING TO BE JOINED BY OUR TWO CO-PRINCIPALS, ISANA NA ACADEMY.
UM, AND WITH US IN THE AUDIENCE, WE HAVE OUR CAO OLA AND COO, JOHN VARGAS, OUR DIRECTOR OF THE ARTS, APRIL THOMAS AND COMMUNICATIONS TEAM IEL, MAGNA, AND LIZ, UH, AKI LIN.
UH, WE TRAVEL IN PACKS,
UM, BECAUSE EVERY INTERACTION WE HAVE WITH A CHILD IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROGRESS THEM FORWARD.
SO TODAY, AS WE PRESENT TO YOU ABOUT OUR SCHOOL, ONE THING I HOPE YOU'LL GLEAN, UM, IS THAT OUR SUCCESS COMES FROM ALL OF THE EDUCATORS, ALL OF THE STUDENTS, ALL OF THE FAMILIES, NO MATTER OUR ROLE WORKING TOGETHER, RATHER THAN THE SILOS TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT BY OUR STUDENTS.
SO FOR THAT REASON, ALL ASANA SCHOOLS, UH, WORK CLOSELY TO ALIGN BEST PRACTICES.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NASCENT TODAY, BUT IT'S SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU'LL, UM, HEAR ABOUT IN OTHER ASANA SCHOOLS.
SO OUR RUNNING THREAD, YOU'LL SEE THROUGHOUT OUR PRESENTATION TODAY IS OUR EQUITY AND JUSTICE FOCUS AT ISANA.
AND THEN YOU'LL SEE THESE BLUE BOXES WHENEVER WE'RE CONNECTING WHAT WE'RE DOING TO EQUITY AND JUSTICE OBJECTIVES.
OKAY, WE WILL BREAK OUR PRESENTATION TODAY INTO THE THREE AREAS THAT WE CONSIDER THE BIG THREE AT ISANA.
UH, SCHOOL, CLIMATE OF BELONGING, ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, AND CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE AND SUSTAINING PEDAGOGY.
THESE ARE THE SAME BIG THREE ACROSS ANA SCHOOLS.
SO LET'S START WITH SCHOOL CLIMATE.
SO WE DEFINE SCHOOL CLIMATE USING THE CD'S DEFINITION, THE CATEGORIES BEING BELONGING AND RELATIONSHIPS, UH, SAFETY AND WELLNESS, AND THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
UH, SCHOOL CLIMATE TIES INTO OUR TWO LCAP GOALS, ENSURING ALL OF OUR STUDENTS ARE EDUCATED IN CULTURALLY RELEVANT AND SAFE ENVIRONMENTS, AND ENSURING THAT WE WILL INVOLVE, UM, UH, AND ENGAGE OUR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES AS VISIBLE AND VALUABLE PARTNERS IN THE EDUCATION OF OUR STUDENTS.
IT ALSO CONNECTS TO OUR TWO EQUITY AND JUSTICE FOCUSES, UH, WHICH IS WELLBEING AND INCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIPS FOR STUDENT SUPPORT.
SO IN SCHOOL CLIMATE, STARTING WITH THE NEED, UH, AFTER THE PANDEMIC, WE FACED
[00:35:01]
A LARGE CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM, UH, PERCENTAGE, WHICH IMPACTED HOW MUCH OUR STUDENTS WERE LEARNING.WE MADE THE DECISION TO APPROACH CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM AS A SYSTEMS CHALLENGE, UM, RATHER THAN AN INDIVIDUAL STUDENT DEFICIT.
SO WE LEANED IN, UM, AND, AND CONSIDERED HOW COULD WE STRENGTHEN OUR PRACTICES AND LEVERAGE NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO ENSURE STUDENTS WOULD WANT TO BE AT SCHOOL EACH DAY.
AND THAT FAMILIES WERE ABLE TO NAVIGATE THE BARRIERS THAT PREVENTED THEM FROM BRINGING THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL EACH DAY.
SO I'M GONNA BRING, UH, FORWARD OUR CO-PRINCIPAL, IAN EDDIE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING.
THAT PART, WHICH, WHICH ONE? THAT ONE.
SO, UM, SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING IS A PART OF HOW WE SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS EACH DAY AT OUR SCHOOL.
WE BELIEVE STUDENTS LEARN BEST WHEN THEY FEEL SAFE, CONNECTED, AND CONFIDENT IN THEMSELVES.
OUR THEME AT ASANA IS, TOGETHER WE SHINE.
AND THAT IDEA GUIDES HOW WE BUILD COMMUNITY ACROSS OUR CAMPUSES.
WE WORK INTENTIONALLY TO CREATE A RICH AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT WHERE STUDENTS SEE THEMSELVES REFLECTED IN THE IMAGERY AND MESSAGES THROUGHOUT OUR SCHOOL THAT CELEBRATE WHO THEY ARE AND WHO THEY CAN BECOME.
IN OUR CLASSROOMS, TEACHERS CREATE SPACE FOR STUDENTS TO DEVELOP IMPORTANT SKILLS, SUCH AS SELF-AWARENESS, EMPATHY, AND RESPONSIBLE DECISION MAKING.
WE BUILD STRONG CLASSROOM COMMUNITIES THROUGH MORNING MEETINGS, COLLABORATIVE LEARNING AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS IN A RESPECTFUL AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT.
EACH CHILD IS GREETED AT THE DOOR WHEN THEY ENTER THE CLASSROOM, WHICH IS KNOWN AS THRESHOLD GREETINGS.
YOU SEE A PICTURE HERE OF A CLASS DOING TAI CHI IN THEIR MORNING MEETING, AND ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A CLASS GATHERING IN A CIRCLE FOR THEIR SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING LESSON.
YOU ALSO SEE AN EXAMPLE OF STUDENTS' MORNING CHECK-INS OF HOW THEY ARE FEELING THEIR POST-IT HAS THEIR NUMBER ON THE BACK SO THE TEACHER CAN CHECK IN WITH THOSE WHO NEED IT.
WE SPEND TIME MODELING KINDNESS, PRACTICING PROBLEM SOLVING CONVERSATIONS, AND HELPING EACH OTHER UNDERSTAND HOW OUR ACTIONS IMPACT OTHERS.
OUR SOAR MANTRA, UH, THAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, HELPS GUIDE STUDENT BEHAVIOR AND EXPECTATIONS.
AND EACH WEEK WE REINFORCE POSITIVE MINDSETS THROUGH WEEKLY AFFIRMATIONS THAT ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES AND SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER.
WE ALSO RECOGNIZE STUDENTS DISPLAYING POSITIVE BEHAVIOR IN OUR WEEKLY ASSEMBLIES.
EACH CLASSROOM HAS A CALM CORNER OR ZEN IN WITH THEIR ROOM, WITHIN THEIR ROOM, AND STUDENTS ARE TAUGHT HOW TO ACCESS THAT SPACE AND USE THE TOOLS WITHIN THEM TO SELF-REGULATE IF THEY NEED A BREAK.
PART OF OUR EFFORTS ARE CENTERED AROUND WELCOMING FAMILIES INTO THE SCHOOL AND PROVIDING SUPPORT.
WE HOST A DIFFERENT SERIES OF PARENT WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS THAT ENGAGE THE CHILDREN, AND WE OFFER TAP CARS FOR TRANSPORTATION.
WE HAVE NEW LAUNDRY MACHINES TO WASH CLOTHES FOR, FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT.
WE DO FOOD GIVEAWAYS, BOOK GIVEAWAYS, AND WE HAVE A BOOKSHELF WITH RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES AS YOU ENTER OUR CAMPUS.
WE ALSO HAVE FORMED DEEP PARTNERSHIPS, HOLD ON.
WE ALSO HAVE FORMED DEEP PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE COMMUNITY.
WE HOST MONTHLY MEETINGS WITH OUR JEFFERSON PARK CRIME COALITION, AND WE HAVE WORKED WITH ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS HEART OF AMERICA AND THE LA CLIPPERS TO REDESIGN OUR PLAY SPACES.
SO OUR STUDENTS ARE ENGAGED AND EXCITED.
AND WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO OUR NEW MURAL UNVEILING ON APRIL 10TH AT OUR JEFFERSON CAMPUS, IF YOU HAVE TIME.
WHEN, WHEN STUDENTS FEEL SEEN, HEARD, AND SUPPORTED, THEY ARE MORE ENGAGED IN THEIR LEARNING AND THEY'RE BETTER PREPARED FOR SUCCESS BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM.
WHEN WE CREATE A STRONG COMMUNITY OF CARE, OUR STUDENTS TRULY BEGIN TO SHINE TOGETHER.
WE HAVE SEEN AMAZING RESULTS OF OUR SCHOOL CLIMATE WORK AT NAS C IN THE PAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS, OUR CHRONIC ABSENTEE RATES HAVE FALLEN ALMOST 15%.
93% OF OUR FAMILIES CHOSE AGREE OR STRONGLY AGREE ON A SURVEY ABOUT NASCENT SCHOOL CLIMATE AND ABOUT THE COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND THE SUPPORT THAT THE SCHOOL HAS PROVIDED TO THOSE FAMILIES.
OUR SUSPENSION RATE IS 0% AND IS OUTPERFORMING THE STATE ON THE CALIFORNIA DASHBOARD.
[00:40:01]
EDDIE.UH, MOVING ON TO OUR NEXT, UH, CATEGORY IN OUR BIG THREE, WHICH IS ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE.
UM, SO WITH OUR LCAP GOAL, WE WANTED TO ENSURE ALL STUDENTS HAD ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY AND CULTURALLY AFFIRMING LEARNING EXPERIENCES IN ORDER TO SHOW CONTINUOUS GROWTH AND PERFORM AT HIGH LEVELS.
WE WEAVED THAT INTO OUR EQUITY AND JUSTICE OBJECTIVES AROUND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION, BOTH THE WHAT AND THE HOW THAT WE WERE TEACHING.
TWO YEARS AGO WE SAW A DECREASE IN PROFICIENCY RATES IN CAST FOR OUR STUDENTS IN ELA AND MATH, PUTTING US UNDER THE STATE.
WE ALSO WERE SEEING OPPORTUNITY GAPS, UH, BETWEEN OUR SCHOOLWIDE POPULATION AND OUR SOME STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT STUDENT GROUPS.
SO WE TACKLED THIS NEED WITH URGENCY AND WITH COLLABORATION TO SHARE WITH YOU HOW WE DID THAT.
I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO OUR CO-PRINCIPAL, DR.
HIKO BROWN, TO TALK ABOUT OUR ACADEMIC PLAN.
WE ARE FOCUSING ON STRONG TIER ONE INSTRUCTION WITH SUPPORTIVE TIER TWO AND TIER THREE INSTRUCTION WITHIN ELA.
THIS MEANS IMPLEMENTING KNOWLEDGE BUILDING CURRICULUM THAT INTEGRATES CONTENT AREAS, ENJOYING AUTHENTIC HIGH INTEREST NOVELS, PROVIDING EQUITABLE CONFERENCING TO INCREASE SUPPORTS FOR THE MOST AT NEED STUDENTS, AND MONITORING CONSISTENTLY STUDENTS' READING LEVELS.
IT ALSO MEANS ENSURING WE ARE DOING SYSTEMATIC AND EXPLICIT FOUNDATIONAL SKILL INSTRUCTION, BOTH WITHIN OUR CLASSROOMS AND THROUGH OUR USE OF INTERVENTIONIST.
WE HAVE HAD A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON WRITING THIS YEAR THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP THAT HAS RESULTED IN STUDENTS WRITING MORE, BEING MORE ENGAGED IN WRITING AND ENJOYING WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
FINALLY, IN MATH, WE HAVE FOCUSED ON HIGH LEVEL MATH DISCOURSE THROUGH A FIVE-YEAR INITIATIVE THAT HAS HAD BOTH TEACHERS AND STUDENTS EXPLORE AND CELEBRATE THEIR MATH IDENTITY AND CONNECT MATH TO CULTURE AND FAMILY.
ONE OF THE PIECES THAT HAS LED TO OUR GROWTH IS OUR SYSTEMATIC AND ONGOING DATA ANALYSIS.
EACH SCHOOL SITE HAS AN INSTRUCTIONAL COACH WHO MEETS WITH EDUCATORS REGULARLY TO REVIEW STUDENT DATA AND CONDUCT CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS.
EDUCATORS RECEIVE FEEDBACK AND PARTICIPATE IN A DEBRIEF TO REFLECT ON INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES.
WE HAVE DATA CHATS AT ALL LEVELS OF OUR ORGANIZATION.
BETWEEN THE NETWORK LEADER AND SCHOOL LEADER, THE SCHOOL LEADER AND TEACHER, AND THE TEACHER AND STUDENT.
ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED IS AN ORGANIZATION-WIDE INITIATIVE CO-TEACHING, WHICH IS NOW IN ITS FIFTH YEAR.
WE HAVE CO-TEACHING PAIRINGS OF GE AND RST TEACHERS, AS WELL AS ONE OF THE FIRST IN THE NATION PAIRINGS OF GE AND VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS VAPA TEACHERS.
CO-TEACHING IS AN INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL BASED ON THE PREMISE THAT IF EDUCATORS WITH VARYING AREAS OF EXPERTISE AND FRAMES OF REFERENCE ARE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AND COLLABORATE ON A DAILY BASIS IN THE SAME CLASSROOM, ALL STUDENTS WILL BENEFIT MORE SOCIALLY, BEHAVIORALLY, AND ACADEMICALLY.
THROUGH THE PARTNERSHIP OF TWO TEACHERS, INSTRUCTION IS DIFFERENTIATED AND DELIVERED TO SMALLER GROUPS OF STUDENTS WITH SHARED RESPONSIBILITY FOR PLANNING, INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT.
THIS COLLABORATIVE MODEL INTEGRATES SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES SUCH AS UDL TO SUPPORT STUDENTS IN MEETING THEIR GOALS.
AS A RESULT OF OUR WORK IN THE AREA OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, NASCENT HAS SEEN TREMENDOUS ACCELERATED GROWTH ON OUR CALIFORNIA DASHBOARD.
WE ARE SEEING JUST ABOUT ALL OF OUR STUDENT GROUPS INCREASE OR INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY IN THEIR DFS FROM LAST YEAR.
IN THE NEW GROWTH METRIC ON, SORRY.
IN THE NEW GROWTH METRIC ON THE DASHBOARD, AN ELA NATION NASCENT SHOWED EXCEPTIONAL GROWTH OVERALL, THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF GROWTH POSSIBLE OF SEVEN STUDENT GROUPS.
THREE, SHOWED EXCEPTIONAL GROWTH, INCLUDING HOMELESS STUDENTS, SOCIOECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS, AND STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
AND FOUR, SHOWED ACCELERATED GROWTH.
AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS, ENGLISH LEARNERS, LATINO STUDENTS, AND LONG-TERM ENGLISH LEARNERS.
WE ARE STILL WORKING TO SUR TO SURPASS THE STATE AND PLAN TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH URGENCY.
IN ORDER TO DO THAT IN OUR CO-TAUGHT CLASSROOMS,
[00:45:01]
THE GROWTH IS EVEN MORE ACCELERATED.OUR SCHOOL-WIDE POPULATION SHOWED 15% MORE GROWTH IN CO-TAUGHT CLASSES THAN IN NON CO-TAUGHT CLASSES.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND SOCIOECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS SHOWED 10% MORE GROWTH.
ENGLISH LEARNERS SHOWED 12% MORE GROWTH, AND AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS SHOWED A WHOPPING 191% MORE GROWTH.
SECOND INVITATION FOR EVERYONE.
ON MARCH 18TH, WE'RE HOSTING A CO-TEACHING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, UH, WHERE WE INVITE OTHER CHARTER SCHOOLS IN OUR L-A-U-S-D SELPA TO JOIN US.
AND I'D LIKE TO EXTEND THAT INVITE TO, TO YOU AND ANY OTHER SCHOOL LEADER YOU FEEL IS INTERESTED IN CO-TEACHING.
I'LL BE SENDING AN EMAIL ABOUT THAT.
SO THE LAST STRAND OF OUR BIG THREE, UH, OF ANA IS CULTURALLY RELEVANT, RESPONSIVE, AND SUSTAINING PEDAGOGY.
UM, I HOPE WE'VE NOTICED THAT THIS HAS BEEN A STRAND THROUGHOUT ALL THE AREAS, SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, ACADEMIC, UM, AND CRE.
UH, BUT THERE ARE TWO PROGRAMS IN PARTICULAR I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THIS YEAR.
UH, ASANA NASCENT, UH, AND ANOTHER ONE OF OUR ASANA SCHOOLS IS PARTICIPATING IN THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION'S GENIUS INITIATIVE USING IMPROVEMENT SCIENCE TO EXAMINE AND REDESIGN SYSTEMS THAT AFFECT AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENT EXPERIENCE AND ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT.
IN DOING THE WORK FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS, WE REALIZE THAT THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT WE'RE WORKING UNDER ALSO APPLY TO ALL OUR STUDENT GROUPS.
UH, AND I'D LIKE TO END WITH ONE OF OUR SIGNATURE PROGRAMS. THIS IS OUR VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAM, WHICH ADVANCES STUDENT VOICE, CREATIVITY, AND ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT THROUGH THE ARTS.
EVERY SINGLE ASANA STUDENT TAKES PART IN DANCE ACTING AND VOCAL LESSONS TAUGHT BY PROFESSIONALS IN THE FIELD.
STUDENTS PUT ON TWO MAJOR PRODUCTIONS AS A SCHOOL EACH YEAR, ONE OF WHICH IS AN ORIGINAL WORK CREATED BY OUR AMAZING VAPA EDUCATORS FOR A THIRD INVITE
OUR NEXT PERFORMANCES ARE COMING UP ON APRIL 28TH AND MAY 1ST AT OUR TWO SITES.
UM, THE PERFORMANCE IS CALLED HIDDEN STORIES, AND IT CELEBRATES THE POWER OF READING AND STORYTELLING AND BAND BOOKS.
SO I INVITE YOU TO, TO ATTEND.
SO THERE'S A MYRIAD OF BENEFITS OF THE ARTS IN EDUCATION.
UM, SOME OF THEM ARE LISTED ON THIS SLIDE, BUT I'D LIKE TO MENTION ONE WE DISCOVERED IN PARTICULAR WHEN WE WERE ANALYZING ELA AND HOW STUDENTS WERE DOING IN DIFFERENT STANDARDS.
THE ONE STANDARD IN READING COMPREHENSION STUDENTS CONTINUALLY STRUGGLED WITH WAS POINT OF VIEW.
AND THIS, UH, STANDARD SIX IS SOMETHING THAT GOES FROM KINDERGARTEN TO EIGHTH GRADE.
IT HITS EVERY, EVERY GRADE, AND THEN I THINK BEYOND.
BUT WE'RE TKA, UH, TO UNDERSTAND WHY OUR STUDENTS WERE STRUGGLING WITH THIS, WE TURN TO NEUROSCIENCE.
SO RESEARCH SHOWS THAT CHILDREN OR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN THROUGH TRAUMA HAVE A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING THE POINT OF VIEW OF OTHERS.
BECAUSE LITERALLY IN TIMES OF TRAUMA, YOUR BRAIN IS HARDWIRED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SELF-PRESERVATION AND YOU'RE PROTECTED.
IT ISN'T SAFE TO STEP OUTSIDE YOURSELF AND THINK OF SOMEBODY ELSE'S POINT OF VIEW AS A RESULT TO ADDRESS THIS.
UH, AND AND JUST TO SAY TOO, I THINK, UM, ALL OF US ARE LIVING IN TRAUMATIC TIMES RIGHT NOW.
SO THIS AFFECTS, AFFECTS EVERYBODY.
UH, AS A RESULT, UM, STUDENTS NEED MULTIPLE EXPOSURES AND SAFE ENVIRONMENTS OF POINT OF VIEW TO REWIRE ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY REWIRE, UH, THEIR BRAINS.
AND THIS IS WHAT ARTS EDUCATION DOES.
WITHIN VAPA CLASSES, STUDENTS CAN SAFELY TAKE ON POINT OF VIEWS OF CHARACTERS, UH, WITHIN A STORY OR A PLAY.
SO WE DECIDED AS AN ORGANIZATION TO REALLY DIG INTO THE POINT OF VIEW STANDARD WITHIN VAPA.
AFTER A YEAR OF THESE LESSONS, THE RESULTS WERE STAGGERING.
WHEREAS PRE-LESSON STUDENTS WERE SHOWING ABOUT A 40% PASS RATE ON POINT OF VIEW LESSONS BY THE END OF THE YEAR THAT HAD RISEN UP TO 72%.
AND WITH MORE TIME IN VAPA, THAT IS CONTINUING TO RISE.
UH, AND BEYOND THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, OUR VAPA CLASSES HELP STUDENTS NAVIGATE CURRENT DAY REALITIES.
THIS PAST WINTER, OUR STUDENTS PERFORMED NEWSIES JUNIOR, UH, WHICH IS A STORY OF TURN OF THE CENTURY CHILDREN WHO SOLD NEWSPAPERS IN NEW YORK.
UH, IN THE STORY, WHEN THE RICH AND POWERFUL PUBLISHERS RAISED PRICES AT THE NEWSIES EXPENSES, THEY UNITED TO STAND UP, SPEAK OUT, AND FIGHT FOR JUSTICE, REMINDING US THAT WHEN VOICES RISE TOGETHER, MEANINGFUL CHANGE IS POSSIBLE.
SO STUDENTS WERE EXPLORING THESE THEMES, PERFORMING THIS PLAY AT A TIME WHEN THE THREAT OF ICE WAS BECOMING GREATER AND GREATER IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
OUR STUDENTS STRUGGLED WITH FEAR AND ANXIETY ON A DAILY BASIS.
[00:50:01]
OUTLET.UM, I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU A CLIP, UH, FROM, UH, NASCENT PERFORMING NEWSIES, UH, WHEN THE NEWSIES, THE KIDS WHO ARE THE NEWSIES DECIDE TO BAND TOGETHER FOR JUSTICE.
AND WHAT I'D LIKE YOU TO PAY ATTENTION TO, UH, IS THE EMOTION THE STUDENTS HAVE.
YOU CAN TELL IT'S TOUCHING SOMETHING IN THEM.
UM, FROM THIS ACTIVITY, OUR STUDENTS ACTUALLY DID PODCASTS WHERE THEY TALKED ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES.
UM, THEY, THEY WROTE ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES, THEY DREW ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE.
AND IT WAS SUCH AN AMAZING WAY, UM, TO TALK ABOUT IT IN A WAY THAT WAS SAFE BECAUSE IT WAS FICTIONAL.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, LET'S TURN TO A TWO MINUTE CLIP.
SOMETIMES THESE CLIPS, FOR SOME REASON, WHEN THEY'RE EMBEDDED IN A POWERPOINT, THEY GET A LITTLE FUNKY.
I SENT THE DIRECT YOUTUBE TOO, IN CASE THAT HELPS.
I HOPE YOU'RE NOT GONNA MAKE ME PERFORM IT.
I WAS JUST GOING TO MENTION THAT IN DEFAULT WE MADE OH, OKAY.
YEAH, I MEAN, IT'S A GROUP PRESENTATION SO IT WON'T PLAY.
IT WON'T PLAY JUST THE SOUND CAMERA.
THAT'S PART OF THE ARTS, RIGHT? MS. THOMAS, THE SHOW MUST GO ON
UM, BUT AS THEY'RE DOING THE LINK, I COULD, I COULD JUST SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS INVITATION TO SHARE, UM, HOW WE'RE STRATEGICALLY PLANNING AROUND SCHOOL CLIMATE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, CULTURALLY RELEVANT, RESPONSIVE, AND SUSTAINING PEGA PEDAGOGY TO URGENTLY IMPROVE STUDENT OUTCOMES FOR IS AND NASCENT.
UM, WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY.
WE EXTENDED INVITE TO VISIT ANY OF OUR SCHOOLS, UM, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO FUTURE OP UH, OPPORTUNITIES ALSO TO COLLABORATE AND PARTNER WITH OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE DISTRICT.
THEN WHAT? HECK, MY FATHER'S GONNA KILL ME ANYWAYS.
YEAH, NOW'S SEE, TO SEE TODAY.
THE SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE.
AND THAT PARTICULAR DANCE WAS CHOREO.
THAT PARTICULAR DANCE WAS CHOREOGRAPHED BY TAHIR ROBBINS.
SO OUR, OUR GREAT JOB TEACHERS DANCE, ONE OF OUR TEACHERS OH, YEAH.
UM, WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
DEFINITELY DID LEARN A LOT ABOUT, UM, ASANA NASCENT AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CORE AREAS, UM, OF FOCUS, PARTICULARLY CULTURALLY RELEVANT EDUCATION.
AND, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS A BIG SUPPORT OF THE ARTS.
SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO USE THAT, PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU MENTIONED THE, UM, THE PERSPECTIVE, RIGHT? YEAH.
[00:55:01]
THAT IS SO TRUE.AND IT'S, UM, GLAD THAT YOU USE THE ARTS TO BE ABLE TO SORT OF GET ACROSS.
SO I WANNA OPEN IT TO TANYA OR TO FRANKEN IF SHE HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
JUST APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING.
UM, KUDOS ON YOUR REDUCTION IN CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM.
THAT CONTINUES TO BE A CHALLENGE ACROSS THE DISTRICT, SO THAT'S REALLY EXCITING.
AND THEN YEAH, JUST OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, SO GREAT TO SEE STUDENTS, UM, AND HEARING ABOUT ALL THE WORK THAT YOUR TEAM IS DOING.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PRESENTING TODAY.
UM, YOUR SCHOOL SERVES AS YOU SHOWED HERE AT 20% STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
SO CAN YOU SHARE MORE ON HOW YOU APPROACH SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES? ABSOLUTELY.
AND WHAT STRATEGIES HAVE BEEN MOST EFFECTIVE IN SUPPORTING THOSE STUDENTS, STUDENTS IN MEASURING THEIR PROGRESS? I'M SO GLAD YOU ASKED BECAUSE I HAD THIS IN MY PRESENTATION IN 20 MINUTES.
SO, YES, WITH AT ASANA, WE TAKE, UH, YOU KNOW, AS ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ALL STUDENTS, UM, AND AS THEY COME IN, UM, WE ARE, UH, WE, WE FULLY INCLUDE THEM IN THE GE CLASSROOM.
UM, AS WE GO THROUGH THEIR IEP AND PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES, UM, THEIR, THOSE SERVICES CAN LOOK LIKE, UH, MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.
IT MIGHT BE, UH, PUSH IN TIME FROM AN RST TEACHER, FROM A DIFFERENT SERVICE PROVIDER.
UM, UH, BUT A LOT OF WHAT WE DO IS BECAUSE FOR OUR STUDENTS, THE MA THE VAST, VAST MAJORITY OF THE TIME IS WHEN THEY'RE IN THE GE CLASS.
WE REALLY WORK WITH OUR GE TEACHERS.
WE SAY THERE, UM, THERE'S NOT ONE PERSON WHO'S A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER.
WE ARE ALL SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS.
AND SO REALLY LET'S GO INTO UNDERSTANDING OUR STUDENTS, THEIR NEEDS, THEIR, UM, THEIR, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY DO WELL, UH, WHAT THEIR ACCOMMODATIONS ARE, SO THAT IN EVERY SPACE, UH, THOSE ACCOMMODATIONS ARE BEING PROVIDED.
SO ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE BEEN HAVING, SO AS AN ORGANIZATION, WE TOOK OUR DIFFERENT STUDENT GROUPS AND WE REALLY DIVED INTO EACH ONE WITH STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
ONE OF THE PIECES WE SAID WAS, IF, FOR EXAMPLE, A CHILD NEEDS CHUNKING AS AN ACCOMMODATION IN AN ACADEMIC CLASSROOM, THEY NEED SOMETHING CHUNKED, UH, YOU KNOW, A LARGE CHECK.
LET'S ALSO THINK ABOUT WHEN THEY'RE IN THE PLAYGROUND AND THEY'RE, YOU'RE INTERACTING, THEY'RE PROBLEM SOLVING.
CHUNKING IS PROBABLY A STRATEGY THAT'S GONNA BE IMPORTANT FOR THEM SOCIALLY, EMOTIONALLY AS WELL.
SO LET'S START TAKING, UM, THOSE ACCOMMODATIONS AND NOT JUST THINK ABOUT IN THIS, YOU KNOW, HALF HOUR PULLOUT, 45 MINUTE PULLOUT.
BUT HOW ARE WE EQUIPPING OUR STUDENTS TO USE THESE ACCOMMODATIONS THROUGHOUT THEIR DAY, AND HOW ARE WE EMPOWERING THEM TO KNOW THEIR IEP AND ADVOCATE FOR THEIR IEP? SO, SO IMPORTANT, UM, AS A MOTHER OF A CHILD WITH A FEW CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES, THAT TO ME IS THE MOST, UM, CRUCIAL PART THAT WE'RE ABLE TO INCLUDE STUDENTS.
UH, WE'RE ALL ABLE TO SEE EACH OTHER, UM, AS, AS WE ALL HAVE STRENGTHS, WE ALL HAVE NEEDS.
UM, AND WE'RE ABLE TO CREATE A ENVIRONMENT IN A SCHOOL THAT IS MORE INCLUSIVE THAN IT WAS BEFORE.
UM, AND YOUR PRESENTATION SHOWS STRONG GROWTH FOR ENGLISH LEARNERS, AND YOU ALSO HIGHLIGHTED YOUR CO-TEACHING MODEL.
WHICH I THINK IS TOTALLY ON BOARD WITH CO-TEACHING, VERY, UM, SUPPORT, UM, ADVOCATE FOR CO-TEACHING.
HOW DOES THAT MODEL SUPPORT ENGLISH LEARNERS? YES.
IN PARTICULAR, IN PARTICULARLY, AND WHAT OTHER PRACTICES HAVE BEEN MOST EFFECTIVE IN HELPING, UM, OUR ENGLISH, YOUR ENGLISH LEARNERS SUCCEED.
THAT'S THE OTHER PART I TOOK OUT
UM, SO YES, WE HAVE A LARGE POPULATION OF ENGLISH LEARNERS AT ALL, AT ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS.
UH, AND SO WITH OUR MULTILINGUAL COORDINATOR, UH, AT ANA, WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS, UM, REALLY TALKED THROUGH BOTH INTEGRATED AND DESIGNATED ELD.
AND JUST LIKE I WAS TALKING WITH STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY, INTEGRATED ELD SHOULD BE HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE DAY YES.
BUT HOW ARE WE ALSO THINKING ABOUT WHEN THEY'RE IN THE VAPA ROOM, WHEN THEY'RE IN AFTER SCHOOL, HOW ARE ALL THOSE SUPPORTS BEING GIVEN? UM, AND SO ONE OF THE PIECES AT ISANA WHEN I TALKED ABOUT, NOT SILOING, BUT REALLY WORKING TOGETHER, UM, THE, UH, OUR, OUR MULTILINGUAL LEARNER DEPARTMENT WORKS CLOSELY WITH OUR TEACHING AND LEARNING DEPARTMENT.
THEY WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR AFTERSCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
THEY, THEY WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR, UH, SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, UH, WITH OUR VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS DEPARTMENT.
UM, ALL OF OUR TEACHERS RECEIVE THOSE TRAININGS, UH, AND, UH, AND SO STUDENTS CAN EXPECT TO GET THOSE SAME LEVELS OF SUPPORTS EVERYWHERE THEY ARE.
UM, IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE'VE HAD, UH, UH, EVEN HIGHER NUMBERS OF NEWCOMERS COMING IN.
UM, AND THOSE FOR THOSE STUDENTS, UH, ARE, WE HAVE A, A NEWCOMER PLAN.
PART OF THAT, UM, IS FIRST, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY FIRST ENTER THE SCHOOL, HAVING A SIT DOWN CONVERSATION WITH THE FAMILY AND PROVIDING, UH, AND, AND JUST LISTENING TO THEM.
AND WE ACTUALLY DO THIS WITH ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, BUT JUST LISTENING, HAVING WHAT'S CALLED AN INTAKE CONFERENCE
[01:00:01]
AND HAVING THEM SHARE WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE STRENGTH OF YOUR CHILD? WHAT DO YOU WANNA SEE? UM, BUT IN PARTICULAR FOR A NEWCOMER, IF THERE HAVE BEEN, UM, UH, IN, IN THEIR JOURNEY, UM, TO THE COUNTRY, KIND OF TALKING THROUGH WHAT HAVE BEEN THE CHALLENGES HERE, HOW CAN WE HELP PROVIDE SUPPORT, HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT THOSE SUPPORTS ARE HAPPENING DAY ONE AND NOT DAY 60 OR DAY DAY 90.UM, WE ALSO, UH, PURCHASED ROSETTA SCO, UH, ROSETTA STONE AS AN ON-RAMP FOR, UM, EXPEDITED AND ACCELERATED LANGUAGE ACQUISITION FOR OUR NEWCOMERS.
UM, SO WITHIN CO-TEACHING, AS WE DO THOSE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTS, WE EMBED IN THOSE, UM, ENGLISH LEARNER STRATEGIES, WE EMBED IN THOSE UDL STRATEGIES, WE EMBED IN THOSE AS ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS KIND OF WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
UM, YOU SHARE THAT THE SCHOOL IS SEEING STRONG ACADEMIC GROWTH, WHICH IS AMAZING ACROSS SEVERAL STUDENT GROUPS WHILE, UM, OVERALL PROFICIENCY IN ELA AND MATH REMAINS AN AREA OF FOCUS.
HOW ARE YOU BALANCING THE EFFORTS TO ACCELERATE GROWTH YES.
WHILE ALSO MOVING TOWARDS STUDENTS TOWARDS PROFICIENCY? PROFICIENCY? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
UM, AND IT HAS TO DO WITH, UH, ENSURING THAT WHAT IS BEING TAUGHT IS WE HAVE EFFECTIVE AND STRONG TIER ONE INSTRUCTION THAT'S ON GRADE LEVEL AND RIGOROUS.
AND WE'RE PROVIDING THE SUPPORTS IN TIER TWO AND TIER THREE.
UM, AND SO, UH, THIS YEAR A PARTICULAR FOCUS THAT DR. BROWN SHARED, UH, WAS THAT STRONG TIER ONE INSTRUCTION BECAUSE WHAT WE WERE SEEING, UH, WE, IN I-READY, THERE'S A TAB WHERE YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH GROWTH DID STUDENTS HAVE IF THEY STARTED THE YEAR, UH, ON GRADE LEVEL ABOVE GRADE LEVEL ONE, GRADE LEVEL BELOW TWO GRADE LEVELS BELOW.
WE WERE SEEING HUGE 200, 300% GROWTH IN A YEAR, TWO OR THREE GRADE LEVELS OF GROWTH IN A YEAR FOR THOSE WHO WERE, UM, PERFORMING TWO OR THREE GRADE LEVELS BELOW.
UM, BUT WHAT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE SEEING IS WE WERE SEEING THAT SAME LEVEL OF GROWTH WHEN THEY'RE PERFORMING AT OR ABOVE GRADE LEVEL.
SO THE WAY WE WE FOCUS ON THAT IS TALKING THROUGH, UH, HOW DO YOU PROVIDE THAT STRONG TIER ONE INSTRUCTION, AND THEN HOW DO YOU PROVIDE JUST IN TIME SUPPORTS, UH, TO, TO ACCELERATE, UH, AND NOT SPEND ALL YOUR TIME REMEDIATING.
IT'S SOMETHING WE LEARNED FROM PANDEMIC.
IT'S SOMETHING WE LEARNED FROM HURRICANE KATRINA THAT SCHOOLS, IF YOU JUST FOCUS ON REMEDIATION, STUDENTS WILL NEVER CATCH UP.
BUT IF YOU'RE FOCUSED ON ACCELERATION WITH GIVING THOSE JUST IN TIME SUPPORTS, AND A LOT OF THE, WE PURPOSELY CHOOSE CURRICULUM THAT IS STRONG IN THAT AREA, UM, AND THAT GIVE OUR TEACHERS THE DATA THEY NEED TO MAKE THOSE INFORMED DECISIONS, UM, THAT'S HOW WE KIND OF BALANCE THE TWO.
UM, AND GREAT, THANK YOU FOR VERY THOROUGH ANSWERS.
LOOKING AHEAD, WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PRIORITIES, UH, FOR YOUR SCHOOL OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, AND WHAT LESSONS FROM YOUR WORK MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR OTHER SCHOOLS SERVING SIMILAR STUDENT POPULATIONS TO LEARN FROM? YEAH.
I THINK, UM, THE, THESE THREE PRIORITIES WE SET ARE CONTINUING ON.
UM, THEY'VE BEEN OUR BIG THREE FOR THE LAST COUPLE YEAR, UH, AND, AND THEY DO CONTINUE ON.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WITHIN SCHOOL CLIMATE, WHAT ONE OF THE PIECES, SO WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT HOW WE STRUCTURE OUR, UH, OUR SCHOOLS, OUR SPACES, UM, OUR DAY, UH, TO, TO WORK ON SCHOOL CLIMATE.
AND NOW WE'RE RESPONDING IN PARTICULAR TO, TO THE REALITIES OF THE DAY WITH THINGS LIKE, UM, HOW DOES, UM, THREATS OF ICE, HOW DOES, UH, THE FLU SEASON, HOW DOES COVID, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, HOW DOES THAT IMPACT ATTENDANCE? AND THEN HOW DO YOU START TO FORM, UH, SUPPORTS IN THAT? HOW DO YOU PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UM, FOR, UH, SAFE PASSAGE TO SCHOOL? HOW DO YOU PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES IF THERE'S A DAY, UM, THEY NEED TO DO LEARNING FROM HOME? HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU WORK WITH THE FAMILY TO MAKE SURE THAT LEARNING DOESN'T STOP AND THAT, UM, AND THAT, UM, THEIR WELLBEING IS, IS, UH, PRIORITIZED? SO THAT LOOKING FORWARD TO, IS LOOKING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE, IS ONE OF OUR BIG, UH, PRIORITIES.
UM, ALSO IN WORKING WITH FAMILIES, UH, WE WORK IN AREAS, LIKE I SAID, OUR, OUR POPULATION, 92% SOCIOECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED IN A CITY THAT IS BECOMING QUICKLY GENTRIFIED AND BECOMING FAMILIES ARE GETTING QUICKLY PRICED OUT.
SO IN THOSE WRAPAROUND SUPPORTS, IT'S ALSO HOW DO WE, UH, HELP SUPPORT OUR FAMILIES TO BE ABLE TO STAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS THEY'VE BEEN IN FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS.
UM, UH, AND THAT MIGHT BE JOB FORCE TRAINING, THAT MIGHT BE RESUME WORK, THAT MIGHT BE, UH, OTHER, OTHER THINGS AND CONNECTIONS THAT THEY MAY NEED, UM, UH, UH, TO DO THAT.
UH, SO SIMILAR FOR THE OTHER TWO AREAS, JUST CONTINUING, UM, TO WORK, BUT THEN CONTINUING TO PIVOT AS THE WORLD CHANGES AND ADDRESS AND ADJUST TO THAT.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
IT'S BEEN, UM, A PLEASURE LEARNING ALL ABOUT ISANA NISSAN AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
AND, AND THANK YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, GIVING US A, A SMALL GLIMPSE OF THE PROTECTION AND ALL THAT YOU DID.
THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATIONS.
WE'LL DEFINITELY LOOK TO SEE IF WE CAN, IF I CAN BE ABLE TO ATTEND.
[01:05:01]
SHARE IT WITH, I KNOW, UH, MS. SHE AND HAND CAN BE HERE.SHE HAD ANOTHER, UM, UM, EVENT THAT SHE NEEDED TO ATTEND, BUT WE'LL DEFINITELY SHARE THE, UH, YOUR INVITATIONS STILL WONDERFUL TO THEM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
AND THANK YOU ALSO TO YOUR CO-PRESENTERS, TO YOUR PRINCIPALS.
[III.2. Legislative Update]
WELL NOW WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO OUR LAST PRESENTATION.I SEE MS. MARTHA ALVAREZ IS HERE FROM OUR, OUR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS CHIEF, UH, GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, UM, SO STATE AS SHE'S COMING UP TO THE PODIUM.
UM, MS. MARTHA ALVAREZ IS THE CHIEF LEGISLATIVE AND AFFAIR AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS.
UH, STATE LEGISLATION CONTINUES TO SHAPE THE LANDSCAPE FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION IN CALIFORNIA, INCLUDING POLICIES RELATED TO CHARTER SCHOOLS, FACILITIES, OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
STAYING INFORMED ABOUT THESE DEVELOPMENTS IS ESSENTIAL TO ENSURING THAT THE DISTRICT IS PREPARED TO RESPOND EFFECTIVELY AND ADVOCATE FOR POLICIES THAT SUPPORT, UM, ALL STUDENTS.
AND IN THE COMMUNITIES JOINING US, MS. MARTHA ALVAREZ WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF KEY LEGISLATIVE DEVELOPMENTS AND PRIORITIES FOR THE DISTRICT.
THANK YOU, MS. ALVARS, FOR BEING HERE.
GOOD, GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD, UM, BOARD MEMBER DR. RIVAS AND, UH, BOARD EMES FRANKLIN AND STAFF.
UH, THANK YOU FOR ACCOMMODATING ME TO BE THE LAST SPEAKER.
UM, UH, APPRECIATE BEING HERE WITH YOU TODAY.
UH, I ONLY HAVE ONE UPDATE, UM, REGARDING LEGISLATION IN SACRAMENTO OVER ON CHARTER SCHOOLS.
UM, AT, AT THIS JUNCTURE, THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAD UNTIL THE END OF FE FEBRUARY 21ST TO INTRODUCE LEGISLATION FOR THIS 2026 LEGISLATIVE CYCLE.
UM, AND AS OF NOW, THERE'S NO LEGISLATION THAT HAS BEEN INTRODUCED SPECIFICALLY TO CHARTER SCHOOLS, ALTHOUGH THE LEGISLATURE COULD, UM, HAVE SPOT BILLS, UH, THEIR PLACEHOLDER BILLS.
UM, WE'RE NOT AWARE OF ANY AT THIS JUNCTURE, BUT THEY COULD, UM, AMEND ANY BILLS IN THE COMING WEEKS IF THEY WANTED TO CONVERT SOME BILL TO BE ABOUT CHARTER SCHOOL'S POLICY SPECIFICALLY.
UM, HOWEVER, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S NO STANDALONE BILL THROUGH THE REGULAR LEGISLATIVE PROCESS, THERE IS A PROPOSAL FROM GOVERNOR NEWSOM THAT WAS INTRODUCED IN JANUARY AS PART OF THE JANUARY BUDGET PROPOSAL.
THE LANGUAGE BECAME AVAILABLE ON FEBRUARY 2ND AS PART, UM, IS KNOWN AS THE TRAILER BUDGET BILL.
UM, IT'S A COMPANION BILL TO THE STATE BUDGET, UM, THAT HAS A DIFFERENT PROCESS, AND I'LL SPEAK ABOUT SOME, SOME OF THE KEY PROVISIONS OF THE BILL THAN THE REGULAR BILL.
UM, THE GOVERNOR'S, UH, TRAILER BUDGET LANGUAGE INTRODUCED IN FEBRUARY.
UM, SO IT WILL NOT BE HEARD BY COMMITTEES, UM, THROUGH THE POLICY COMMITTEES FROM THE LEGISLATURE.
IT WOULD BE DISCUSSED, UM, OR CONSIDERED AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN POLICY.
AND I'M HAPPY TO COME BACK AND IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
WITH THAT SAID, UM, THE GOVERNOR'S, UH, PROPOSAL, UM, UH, AND MAYBE TO BACKTRACK ONE, ONE STEP FURTHER, UH, LAST, UH, YEAR IN 2025, UM, AS, UH, UH, OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND, AND OUR PUBLIC AND STAKEHOLDERS HERE WITH US WATCHING IN PER IN PERSON OR ONLINE, UM, THEY MAY BE AWARE THAT LAST YEAR THERE WAS, UM, AT LEAST TWO BIG, MAJOR BILLS, UM, COMPETING BILLS, UH, THAT WERE INTRODUCED LAST YEAR, A B 84 BY SENATOR BERNARD SOCHI AND SENATE BILL 4 1 4 BY SENATOR ASHBY.
UM, SENATOR, UH, ASHBY'S BILL MOVED OVER TO THE GOVERNOR.
UM, A 84 DID NOT MOVE FORWARD, UM, BUT SB FOUR 14 GOT BE TOURED BY THE GOVERNOR IN OCTOBER.
UM, THAT BILL HAD, UM, MAJOR CHANGES, UH, REFORMS TO, UM, TO FISCAL AUDITING AND OVERSIGHT OF CHARTER SCHOOLS, UM, AND HAD OTHER, UH, KEY PROVISIONS AND SOME OF THEM, I'LL WALK YOU THROUGH THEM TODAY.
UM, UH, THOSE BILLS WERE, UM, UH, AFTER, UH, AFTER, UM, A PRODUCT OF, UH, THE STATE CONTROLLER HAD AN INDEPENDENT TASK FORCE THAT WAS COMMISSIONED, UH, THE YEAR BEFORE THAT, UM, LOOKING ABOUT, UM, UH, JUST HOW TO STRENGTHEN FISCAL OVERSIGHT OF OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS, GIVEN THAT THERE WERE SOME CHARTER SCHOOLS, NON-CLASSROOM BASED CHARTER SCHOOLS, SPECIFICALLY IN CALIFORNIA, UM, THAT HAD BEEN, UH, UM, UH, THEY, THEY WERE, UH, SEEN AS DOING, UM, SOME FISCAL INAPPROPRIATE ACTIONS.
UM, SO THERE WAS THIS TASK FORCE AND THEN THERE WAS LEGISLATION.
AND HERE THAT'S WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
UM, AND AGAIN, THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY AROUND NON, NON-CLASSROOM BASED CHARTER SCHOOLS.
UM, WITH THAT SAID, UM, THE GOVERNOR'S, UH, UH, BETO IN OCTOBER FOR SB FOUR 14 INDICATED THAT IT NEEDED TO BE MUCH MORE SUBSTANTIVE OF WORK, UM, ON, ON FINDING A COMMON GROUND, A BALANCED APPROACH, UM, AND BETO, THE LEGISLATION.
AND THEN THIS, UM, PROPOSAL FROM HIM CAME OUT, UM, JUST LAST MONTH.
UM, THE BILL ITSELF, UM, I I WILL LET YOU KNOW WHAT IT HAS.
UM, SO, UH, IT REQUIRES AUTHORIZERS TO INVESTIGATE CAUSES, UM, IN DELAYS FOR CHARTER CHARTERS THAT FAILED TO PRODUCE AUDITS OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
UM, THERE WAS NO PRIOR PRECURSOR FOR THAT.
IF, IF, UM, THERE WAS ANY DELAYS FROM CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT WERE NOT PROVIDING, UH, THE, THE AUDITS OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IN A TIMELY MANNER, THIS WOULD NOW AUTHORIZE, UM, UH, AUTHORIZERS TO, TO INVESTIGATE WHY THAT THAT DELAY WAS HAPPENING.
IT WOULD FURTHER REQUIRE, UNDER THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL, UH, REQUIRES LOCAL EDUCATIONAL
[01:10:01]
AGENCIES AUTHORIZERS TO REVIEW AUDIT REPORTS AT A PUBLIC MEETING WITHIN 45 DAYS OF THE REPORT.UM, IT REQUIRES THE AUTHORIZERS TO PROVIDE NOTIFICATION WITHIN 60 DAYS OF ANY CONCERNS ARISING OUT OF THE OVERSIGHT ACTIVITIES.
UM, IT WOULD ALSO, IN ADDITION TO THE FISCAL OVERSIGHT, UM, ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS, IT WOULD ALSO EXTEND THE USE OF VERIFIED DATA FOR RENEWALS UNTIL JUNE 30TH, 2028.
UM, VERIFIED DATA, UH, FOR LOW PERFORMING AND MIDDLE PERFORMING CHARTER SCHOOLS WAS SUNSETED LAST YEAR.
UM, THERE HAD NOT BEEN ANY EXTENSION DESPITE SOME EFFORTS IN SACRAMENTO TO DO THAT LAST YEAR.
AND SO UNDER THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL, IT WOULD EXTEND VERIFIED DATA, UH, FOR RENEWALS FOR TWO MORE YEARS TO 2028.
UM, AND THEN IT WOULD FURTHER, UM, EXTEND THE START DATE OF PRO PROHIBITING ON NEW RENEWALS FOR TWO YEARS.
FOR THOSE, UM, THE CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT ARE LOW PERFORMANCE SCHOOLS, UH, TO JULY 1ST, 2028, UM, THOSE WERE MAJOR ITEMS THAT WERE, UM, IN THE TRADE BILL THAT WERE CARRIED, CARRIED OVER, UH, EITHER FROM A B 84 OR SB FOUR 14.
UM, THERE ARE SOME ITEMS, UM, THAT WERE, THAT ARE MISSING IN THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL THAT WERE EITHER PART OF FOR, UM, UH, AB 84 OR SB 414.
UM, THE AND THE BILLS IS, IS A SIGNIFICANT BILL.
SO WE'RE JUST HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE KEY AREAS, THOSE MISSING PARTS THAT ARE NOT IN THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL THAT WERE BEING CONSIDERED LA IN LAST YEAR'S LEGISLATION.
UM, THERE'S NO FUNDING MECHANISM TO COMPENSATE FOR AUTHORIZERS LIKE L-A-U-S-D AND OTHERS ACROSS THE STATE FOR INCREASED OVERSIGHT DUTIES.
UM, SO THERE WOULD BE THIS ADDITIONAL WORKLOAD, UH, IMPOSED ON AUTHORIZERS ACROSS THE STATE.
UM, BUT THERE'S NO, UM, A B 84 AT ONE POINT, UH, HAD LANGUAGE TO A AUTHORIZED INCREASED, UM, UH, OVERSIGHT FEES, UH, AND THEN THE BILL GOT AMENDED THROUGH THE PROCESS.
UM, BUT AT THIS POINT, THE GOVERNOR PROPOSAL DOES NOT HAVE ANY FUNDING MECHANISM FOR, FOR OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES OR FOR INCREASED OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES.
UM, A B 84 ALSO HAD A, WE, WE, IT WOULD'VE CREATED AN OFFICE OF STATEWIDE, UM, SPECTER GENERAL, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
UM, THAT WAS ONLY AN A B 84, NOT IN SB FOUR 14.
UM, THE GOVERNOR PROPOSAL DOES NOT HAVE THIS, UM, STATEWIDE INSPECTOR GENERAL, UM, THAT INSPECTOR GENERAL WAS GOING TO HAVE BROAD RESPONSIBILITIES, NOT JUST AROUND CHARTER SCHOOLS, BUT, UM, BEING ABLE TO, UH, EXAMINE OTHER, UM, UH, FROM ANY OTHER WHISTLEBLOWERS OR OTHER INFORMATION THAT'S PROVIDED TO THE STATE, UM, FOR REGULAR SCHOOLS TOO, NOT JUST CHARTER SCHOOLS.
UM, BUT THAT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN, IN THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL.
UM, AB 84 HAD AN EXTENSION ON, OR EXCUSE ME, A B 84 WOULD, UM, UH, PROHIBITED, UM, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW NON-CLASSROOM BASED CHARTER SCHOOLS.
UM, THEY, THAT SUNSET, UM, HAPPENED JANUARY 1ST, 2026.
UM, THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL DOES NOT, UH, INCLUDE AN EXTENSION OF, UH, A MORATORIUM ON ESTABLISHING NEW NON-CLASSROOM BASED CHARTER SCHOOLS.
UM, SO AS OF NOW, THEY COULD, UH, BE CONSIDERED AGAIN FOR, FOR ESTABLISHING NEW ONES SINCE THERE'S NO MORATORIUM CURRENTLY.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO, UM, UH, SOME LANGUAGE THAT HAD BEEN NEGOTIATED UNDER A AB 84 AND SB 40 84, SB FOUR 14, UM, THAT WOULD'VE CLARIFIED SOME DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OVER THE CHARTER'S OVERSIGHT AS PART OF AN AUDIT.
UM, SOME OF THAT LANGUAGE THAT WAS NEGOTIATED IN THOSE BILLS WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL.
THERE ARE SOME NEW ITEMS IN THE TRADE BILL THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE BILL DISCUSSED LAST YEAR THAT WERE ADDED BY THE GOVERNOR.
UM, UH, THREE AREAS THAT WE THOUGHT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO NOTE.
UH, TODAY, IT ADDS VIRTUAL BOARD MEETINGS TO THE REQUIREMENTS THAT AUTHORIZED, UM, NEED TO HAVE TO VISIT CHARTER SCHOOLS AND BOARD MEETINGS AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR.
IT REQUIRES CHARTER SCHOOLS TO GET APPROVAL OF A GOVERNING BOARD TO COMPENSATE CONTRACTORS FOR MORE THAN A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN A YEAR.
AND THEN IT ALSO REQUIRES AUTHORIZERS TO REVIEW CHARTER SCHOOL, UM, AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE WITH EXTRA REPORTING REQUIREMENTS IF THE A DA INCREASES MORE THAN 10%.
UM, UH, AND THEN THE, THE OTHER PIECE TOO, UM, I'LL SAY THAT THAT IS ALSO NOT IN, IN THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL.
UM, IN THE PRIOR, UH, VERSION AB 84 LAST YEAR, THERE WERE SOME PROVISIONS THAT WOULD'VE REQUIRED FOR NON-CLASSROOM BASED CHARTER SCHOOLS, WHICH IS HOW THE ORIGIN OF THIS FISCAL OVERSIGHT ISSUE, UM, CAME ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE ABOUT GREATER OVERSIGHT OVER NON-CLASSROOM BASED CHARTER SPECIFICALLY, UM, THAT IT WOULD'VE CHANGED, UM, FROM, UH, SMALL AUTHORIZERS.
UH, THERE'S SOME IN, IN THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, SOME IN LA COUNTY, THERE ARE VERY SMALL AUTHORIZERS THAT WERE AUTHORIZING NON-CLASSROOM BASED CHARTER SCHOOLS IN THEIR JURISDICTION.
EVEN THOUGH THE NON-CLASSROOM AID CHARTER SCHOOL, IT WAS BIGGER IN A DA THAN THE SMALL AUTHORIZER, AND THERE WOULD'VE BEEN A TRANSFER OF THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES OF OVERSIGHT TO A LARGER AUTHORIZER THAT IS NOT IN THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL.
UH, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WAS OF INTEREST TO US OF A PARTICULAR CONCERN, UM, IN LAST YEAR'S PROPOSAL BECAUSE, UM, THEY WOULD'VE, THERE WAS NO DEF DEFINITION ABOUT, UM, THAT TRANSFER RESPONSIBILITY
[01:15:01]
FROM A SMALL AUTHOR TO A LARGER AUTHORIZER.IF THERE'S A SAFE FOR THE AUTH, FOR THE AUTHORIZER, RECEIVING THAT CLASS NON-CLASS CHARTER SCHOOL TO BE ABLE TO SAY, UH, WHY THEY CANNOT HAVE THE, THE, THE BANDWIDTH OR THE CAPACITY TO TAKE THAT ON THAT, THAT WORK.
SO WE DON'T KNOW IF THOSE ITEMS WILL BE BROUGHT FORWARD, UM, IN ANY DISCUSSIONS OR NEGOTIATIONS IN SACRAMENTO, BUT, UM, THEY ARE AREAS THAT, UM, THAT WE WERE OF INTEREST TO US LAST YEAR.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S A FEW, UM, AREAS THAT, UM, THAT WE ARE STILL WEIGHING WHETHER, WHETHER L-A-U-S-D WOULD TAKE A POSITION ON THE BILLS, UM, THE, ON THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL THIS YEAR, OR ANY OTHER BILLS THAT WOULD BE INTRODUCED.
UM, THERE'S, UH, SINCE WE HAVE OUR OWN INSPECTOR GENERAL, THERE'S A QUESTION WHETHER THE STATE INSPECTOR GENERAL WOULD HAVE ANY, WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE TO OUR OWN INSPECTOR GENERAL AND THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES.
UM, THERE'S A QUESTION ABOUT VERIFIED DATA THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, SOME OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS BROUGHT UP AT THE, ONE OF THE LAST BOARD MEETINGS.
UM, THE, THE BENEFIT OF, OF LEVERAGING VERIFIED DATA, UM, SHOULD VERIFY DATA BE USED ONLY FOR A TWO YEAR EXTENSION AS PROPOSED BY THE GOVERNOR.
UM, SHOULD THE YOUTH BE IN A PERMANENT MANNER? UM, SHOULD IT BE USED ONLY FOR HIGH SCHOOLS, FOR EXAMPLE, SINCE THERE'S ONLY ONE, UM, ASSESSMENT THAT WE CURRENTLY PROVIDE IN AT THE 11TH GRADE LEVEL, THE SMARTER BALANCE ASSESSMENT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER ACADEMIC INDICATORS FOR HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, SO THERE'S QUESTIONS ABOUT THE USE OF VERIFIED DATA AND THE SCOPE OF IT, AND SHOULD IT BE SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE SHOULD WEIGH IN AND, AND TO WHAT EXTENT.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I, I WILL PAUSE AND TURN IT FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS.
THAT WAS, I KNOW YOU SAID ONE ITEM, BUT THAT WAS A LOT.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE VERY, A LOT OF THE DETAILS.
I WANNA OPEN IT TO MS, UH, ORTIZ FRANKLIN IF SHE HAS ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I WEIGH IN.
UM, I GUESS I'LL JUST START WITH THE LAST THING YOU MENTIONED ABOUT VERIFIED DATA.
UM, WHAT WOULD OUR PROCESS BE TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT ELLIE UNIFIED WEIGHS IN ON THIS? THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
UM, IN, IN DECEMBER, WHEN THE BOARD APPROVED OUR GUARDIAN PRINCIPLE AND PRIORITIES, WE HAVE A FIVE PAGE DOCUMENT THAT'S PUBLICLY AVAILABLE.
UM, WE HAVE A SECTION THERE THAT TALKS ABOUT, UM, CHARTER SCHOOLS AND SORT OF OUR, OUR OVERARCHING POSITION PHILOSOPHY AROUND, UH, OUR ENGAGEMENT ON THE TOPIC.
UM, I DON'T HAVE THE LANGUAGE IN FRONT OF ME.
UM, I CAN PULL IT UP IN A MINUTE IF, IF IT'S HELPFUL, BUT MY RECOLLECTION IS THAT IT PROVIDES SOME OVERARCHING, UM, GUIDELINES FOR MY OFFICE OF GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS THAT I OVERSEE FOR MY TEAM AND I TO BE ABLE TO WEIGH IN, UM, ON POLICIES THAT, UH, STRENGTHENS, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKES A STRONG, UM, UH, PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM, INCLUDING FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO OVERSEE IF WE AUTHORIZE THEM.
UM, SO AS OF NOW, UH, WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT THAT GUIDING PRINCIPLE AND PRIORITY SPECIFICALLY TO CHARTER.
THE CHARTER SCHOOL LANGUAGE, UM, IS NOT, GOES INTO THE, WE DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT VERIFIED DATA PER SE, UM, BUT IN THE PAST, UM, IN ORDER TO ALLOW US TO BE NIMBLE AND, AND, UH, BE ABLE TO TAKE A POSITION AND BE ABLE TO RECOMMEND AMENDMENTS IN SACRAMENTO, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO LEVERAGE THE GUIDING, GUIDING PRINCIP PRINCIPLE PRIORITIES, UM, THAT, UH, OUR, OUR GUIDING PHILOSOPHY FOR HOW WE APPROACH LEGISLATION.
WE ALSO WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR, UM, OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL AND WITH OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION, UM, AND OTHER DIVISIONS THAT, IN THIS CASE, BECAUSE THERE'S FISCAL OVERSIGHT LANGUAGE, UM, THAT WOULD, UH, WE WOULD BE ASKING FOR THEIR FEEDBACK PROFESSIONAL, UM, INPUT, UH, TO HELP US UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR US AS AN AUTHORIZER FOR US, UM, AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM, AND ULTIMATELY HOW THE LANGUAGE WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED.
UM, SO AT THIS POINT, THERE'S NO FORMAL REQUEST THAT WE WOULD BE IN OUR CURRENT PROCESS, THAT WE WOULD BE COMING BACK TO THE BOARD TO ASK FOR YOUR, UM, VOTE PER SE IN AUTHORIZING WHETHER WE SUPPORT OR OPPOSE OR WE ASK FOR AMENDMENTS FOR A PARTICULAR LANGUAGE.
UM, THAT WOULD BE SETTING A, A NEW PRECEDENT THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD FOR, FOR THAT PARTICULAR SPECIFIC ACTION.
AND ALSO, AS I MENTIONED BEFOREHAND, THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET LANGUAGE IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE REGULAR POLICY PROCESS.
UNDER THE REGULAR POLICY PROCESS, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, PUBLICLY DEBATE THIS IN SACRAMENTO, UM, THROUGH THE POLICY COMMITTEE, THERE'S A COMMITTEE ANALYSIS THAT IS DONE ON EVERY SINGLE BILL, THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET LANGUAGE.
UM, THERE WILL BE A BUDGET CONVERSATION ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET PROPOSALS AND LIKELY AROUND THIS TOPIC AS WELL.
UM, BUT THERE'S NO, UM, THE PUBLIC CAN PROVIDE A PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT THERE'S NO WRITTEN RECORD OF, UM, LIKE ELLIE UNIFIED SUPPORTS THE BILL ELLIE UNIFIED OPPOSES THE BILL.
UM, SO IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT PROCESS FOR, FOR, UM, ENGAGING.
UM, YEAH, THAT'S HELPFUL BECAUSE I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE WERE STILL USING IT AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, AND THIS IS A QUESTION THAT CAME UP JUST THIS WEEK WITH MY SCHOOL.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT PROHIBITED FROM USING IT, BUT WE DID, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, BUT WE DID STOP AT, AT JANUARY ONE, SO I, I THINK IT'S A RIPE DISCUSSION.
UM, AND I, UH, WOULD JUST MAYBE WANNA INVITE, UM, YOU KNOW,
[01:20:01]
OGR TO JUST RECONFIRM WITH THE BOARD.UM, I KNOW SOMETIMES, LIKE THERE'S SO MANY BILLS, YOU TAKE A POSITION, DON'T TAKE A POSITION, IT, IT OFTEN ALIGNS WITH WHAT WE ALREADY APPROVED IN DECEMBER.
UM, BUT JUST BECAUSE THIS IS, UH, MAYBE EVEN THINGS HAVE CHANGED SINCE DECEMBER AS IT RELATES TO THIS, UM, IF I, I WOULD ASK JUST FOR ME TO, TO RECONNECT BEFORE, YOU KNOW, WE TAKE A POSITION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, UM, AND I IMAGINE SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES MIGHT AS WELL WANNA WEIGH INTO THAT.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS COMMITTEE IS THE SPACE FOR THAT OR IF IT WOULD NEED TO BE THE FULL BOARD, BUT, UM, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING TOP OF MIND FOR ME AND BOARD MEMBER, IF I MAY ASK FOR CLARIFICATION.
ARE YOU REFERRING SPECIFICALLY TO THE VERIFIED DATA OR OVERARCHING ABOUT THE ENTIRE SECTIONS OF THE OVERSIGHT, FISCAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND WHATNOT? UH, PARTICULARLY ABOUT VERIFIED DATA, BUT THERE, THERE MIGHT BE MORE THAT I HAVEN'T DUG ENOUGH INTO, BUT DEF SPECIFICALLY ON THE VERIFIED DATA RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN, UM, YOU SAID SOMETHING EARLIER, I JUST WANTED TO ASK FOR CLARIFICATION, UH, ABOUT RENEWALS FOR, UH, LOW PERFORMING SCHOOLS FOR TWO YEARS.
COULD YOU JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE WHAT THAT WAS ABOUT? YES.
SO I, I, MYSELF, I MENTIONED THAT, THAT THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL IS, IS, UH, QUITE, UH, LENGTHY AS WELL AS WHAT THE BILLS FROM LAST YEAR.
UM, IT APPEARS, UH, AND I, I CAN GO VERIFY, BUT MY, MY COLLEAGUES FROM MY TEAM WHO HAVE REVIEWED THE BILL, UH, IN, IN ITS ENTIRETY, UM, THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE GOVERNANCE PROPOSAL HAS A PROVISION THAT WOULD EXTEND, UM, THE PROHIBITION ON RENEWALS FOR TWO YEARS OF LOW PERFORMANCE SCHOOLS TO JULY 1ST, 2028.
UM, I CAN GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE EXACT LANGUAGE IN THE TRAILER BUDGET LANGUAGE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT THE EXCERPT AND SEE IN WHAT CONTEXT THAT THAT IS.
UM, BUT UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE BEYOND THAT, UH, TO SHARE WITH YOU RIGHT NOW.
UM, DOES THAT, 'CAUSE RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, A LOW PERFORMING IS PRESUMPTIVE DENIAL, UM, BUT YOU CAN APPROVE FOR TWO YEARS, I GUESS.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE EXTENT, LIKE THE PROHIBITION WOULD MEAN.
SO, SO LET ME TAKE IT BACK AND JUST AS I DON'T WANT TO MISLEAD YOU, I, I WILL GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AND SEE HOW, WHAT IT MEANS COMPARED TO CURRENT LAW AND THEN WHAT'S PROPOSED, HOW, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE.
SO I, I WILL RETURN BACK, UM, WITH AN ANSWER.
AND THEN JUST, YOU KNOW, AS WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH RENEWALS, UM, SINCE, UH, 1505, I THINK WE HAVE DISCUSSED AT THE DEUS LIKE LESSONS THAT WE'RE LEARNING AND BEST PRACTICES AND POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE IF IT WOULD RISE TO THE LEVEL OF PITCHING A BILL OR, UM, OFFERING SUPPORT OF SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY, YOU KNOW, IN EXISTENCE OR AN AMENDMENT TO SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY IN EXISTENCE.
SOUNDS LIKE NOT SO MUCH FOR THIS CYCLE, UM, BUT I, I THINK I HEARD FROM SOMEBODY THAT THE CHARTER POLICY TENDS TO BE RE-LOOKED AT MAYBE OVER THE SUMMER WHEN IT'S A LITTLE QUIETER.
SO MAYBE AS I WOULD JUST PUT THIS REQUEST OUT THERE TO THE TEAM, BOTH TO, TO YOU AND TO, UM, UH, I GUESS MR. COLE GUTIERREZ'S TEAM, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE REFLECTING ON THIS YEAR AND DISCUSSIONS WE'VE HAD AT THIS BOARD, LIKE WHAT LESSONS ARE WE LEARNING TO REVISE LA UNIFIED'S POLICY AND WHAT LESSONS ARE WE LEARNING, UM, TO LIFT UP TO, TO STATEWIDE LEGISLATION? UM, BECAUSE I THINK THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT, THAT WE COULD FIX AND, AND TWEAK FOR NEXT YEAR.
UM, BUT ALSO, UH, TO THE EXTENT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SEEN MORE CHARTER RENEWALS THAN PROBABLY ANY OTHER DISTRICT IN THE STATE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE CAN WE HELP OTHERS, UH, IF WE'VE LEARNED LESSONS? SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S LIKE, UM, A FORMAL PROCESS.
AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THIS COMMITTEE.
I DON'T KNOW IF, UM, THAT STARTS WITH CSD TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT THESE LESSONS LEARNED.
UM, BUT JUST IN THE SPIRIT OF, OF GROWTH, UH, I WOULD, UM, WELCOME A SPACE LIKE THAT TO WEIGH IN, YOU KNOW, FOR THE BOARD, BUT POTENTIALLY ALSO FOR THE PUBLIC TO SAY, WE'VE OBSERVED THIS BOARD LOOKING AT RENEWALS.
YOU KNOW, HERE ARE SOME THINGS WE WOULD LIKE TO LIFT UP, EITHER AS POLICY CHANGES FOR THE DISTRICT OR STATEWIDE CHANGES, YOU KNOW, FOR THE LEGISLATURE.
UM, SO I PUT THAT TO THE TEAM AND I, I WELCOME YOU ALL TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT, UM, SORT OF FORUM MIGHT BE FOR US BOARD MEMBER ORTIZ FRANKLIN.
LET ME, NOTWITHSTANDING MS. ALVAREZ'S QUESTIONS ON THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.
I WON'T SPEAK TO THAT AT THIS POINT, BUT IN RESPONSE TO A PART OF YOUR, YOUR, UM, POINT THERE, UH, FIRST, UH, THE CSD TEAM AND RELATED PARTIES THAT IN THE DISTRICT OFFICES THAT, UH, WORK ON IN THE RENEWAL PROCESS, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, ARE TAKING ONGOING, UM, NOTES, REFLECTIONS IN TERMS OF AREAS THAT WE MAY NEED TO, UH, ADJUST AS WE'RE, UH, LEARNING LESSONS, FOR EXAMPLE, FROM LAST YEAR'S TO, TO THIS YEAR'S.
UH, THE TEAM DID, SO ALSO WORKED WITH LEADERSHIP AND GENERAL COUNSEL AND ALSO ASSESSED, ARE ANY OF THOSE ADJUSTMENTS, DO THEY REQUIRE ANY BOARD LEVEL POLICY CHANGES? UM, THOSE THAT WERE DECIDED UPON AT THAT TIME DID NOT REQUIRE THAT AFTER THAT PROCESS.
UH, THE TEAM IS ALSO UNDERGOING THAT ONGOING REFLECTION AND WILL BE ASSESSING ANY AREAS, UH, INTO FOR NEXT YEAR AS APPROPRIATE.
AND WE'LL COMMUNICATE AS APPROPRIATE, UH, WHETHER THOSE
[01:25:01]
WOULD REQUIRE BOARD, UH, ACTION, AGAIN, WILL BE DETERMINED BASED ON THE SUBSTANCE OF, OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT SO PLEASE KNOW THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO, UH, LEARN FROM EACH OF THE DISCUSSIONS AND OUR OWN PRACTICES, ET CETERA.UM, I THINK MY QUESTIONS ARE PROBABLY AROUND THE SAME, UM, UM, AREA OR FOCUS THAT, UM, MR. ORTIZ FRANKLIN, BUT I'LL JUST, YOU KNOW, I'LL, I'LL POSE THEM IN CASE.
SO THIS ONE FOR MARTHA OR PROBABLY FOR OUR CSD UM, STAFF HERE, IF THIS POLICY CHANGE CHANGE IS ADOPTED, UM, WOULD IT APPLY IMMEDIATELY OR DO WE HAVE TO FOR RENEWAL CYCLES, OR WOULD THERE BE A TRANSITION PERIOD FOR AUTHORIZERS OR CHARTER SCHOOLS TO ADJUST THE EVALUATION FORM WORKS? OR JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT IS STIPULATED IN THE, UH, TRAILER BILL? YEAH, THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT CHANGES THAT EACH CHANGE WOULD HAVE ITS OWN SORT OF TIMELINE.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, IN SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL, UM, OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES, IT ALSO IMPACTS THE AUDITORS.
UM, AND IN THE, IN LAST YEAR'S DISCUSSION, AND ALSO PART OF THIS DISCUSSION, I ANTICIPATE A BIG, UM, TOPIC WILL BE GIVEN ENOUGH TIME FOR AUDITORS TO ALSO RETOOL RESKILL THEMSELVES AND TRAIN THEMSELVES FOR THE NEW PROVISIONS.
AND SOME OF THE, THE PROVISIONS WOULD BE DELAYED IMPLEMENTATION, LIKE THEY WOULD GIVE MAYBE A ONE YEAR DELAY FOR THE, THE AUDITORS TO GET TRAINED OR, UM, THEY CAN BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE LAW.
THERE'S ALSO, FOR THE, UH, ACCOUNTING PIECES THAT MAY ALSO BE MODIFIED, THERE WILL NEED BE TIME FOR THE STATE TO ALSO CHANGE ITS CODES, UH, LOCAL CHARTER SCHOOLS FOR US TO, SO THERE, THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PIECES THAT IT WOULD NOT BE AT JULY 1ST ENACTED.
IT MAY TAKE SOME TIME OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT YEAR.
UH, AND I THINK IF ANYTHING, THE DISCUSSION IN SACRAMENTO LAST YEAR, THERE WAS A LOT OF INTEREST, AS I UNDERSTAND FROM OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, TO GIVE ENOUGH TIME, AT LEAST ONE OR TWO YEARS FOR DELAYED IMPLEMENTATION JUST TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S, UM, THAT IT'S DONE RIGHT, IT'S NOT DONE, RUSHED, UM, AND THAT PEOPLE ARE PREPARED FOR INDIGENOUS TO THE STATE LAW.
WANNA ADD SOMETHING? YES, GO AHEAD, MS. MARLA.
I, MARLA WILMONT, DIRECTOR OF CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION.
I WANTED TO ADD TOO SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING, SO THERE WON'T BE A CHANGE IN PRACTICE.
I'LL JUST GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE.
ATTENDING GOVERNING BOARD MEETINGS, WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLAY IN PLACE ATTENDING AT LEAST ONE GOVERNING BOARD MEETING.
WE OFTEN ATTEND MORE, AND WE TRACK THAT.
WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR AT LEAST THREE YEARS.
SO SOME OF THE PIECES ARE ALREADY IN PLACE, AND SO THERE WON'T BE A CHANGE OR AN UPDATE NEEDED.
YEAH, THAT ACTUALLY LEADS TO MY NEXT QUESTION.
UH, WHAT PRACTICAL CHANGES WOULD THE VERIFIED DATA OR THE VERIFIED DATA ACTUALLY, UM, EXTENSION CREATE AND HOW THE DISTRICT EVALUATES CHARTER, UH, RENEWAL PETITIONS? AND HOW, UH, DOES THIS DISTRICT USE OTHER SETS TO EVALUATE RENEWAL PETITIONS? SO BASED ON THE, ALL OF THE ANALYSES, UM, THAT YOU CONDUCT, UM, HOW, HOW WOULD THIS CHANGE, UM, HOW WOULD THIS CREATE A CHANGE IN WHAT YOU'RE DOING RIGHT NOW? UM, WELL, I WILL SAY IF IT IS, AND I UNDERSTAND IT TO BE, WHEN IT IS ENACTED, ALMOST IDENTICAL TO WHAT IT WAS, IT WILL BE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE, IT WOULD BE PRETTY MUCH SIMILAR OR THE SAME AS WE DID LAST YEAR WHEN IT WAS IN PLAY FOR LOW PERFORMING SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE PERFORMING SCHOOLS, AND UP UNTIL JANUARY ONE OF THIS YEAR FOR MIDDLE PERFORMING SCHOOLS.
SO IT WOULD BE, UH, THE KIND OF, WE CALL IT THE SECOND LOOK.
UM, WE DO THE STATE COMPARED TO THE CHARTER, AND THEN WE DID THE VERIFIED DATA ASSESSMENT AND WE LOOKED AT GROWTH AS DEFINED BY THE PUBLISHERS.
UM, SO IT'D BE VERY SIMILAR OR ALMOST THE SAME AS WE HAD IN PLACE, BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S JUST GOING TO BE ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME LANGUAGE PUT BACK IN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO MS. ALVAREZ.
I APPRECIATE, UM, ALL THE UPDATES AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT LIES AHEAD IN TERMS OF, UM, ANY CHANGES TO THE TRAILER BILL.
SO THAT IS THE, OUR LAST PRESENTATION.
SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR PRESENTERS, MS. UH, JEANETTE BORDEN, MS. ALVAREZ, AND ALSO WONDERFUL, UM, UM, FOLKS FROM ASANA.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND SHARING, LETTING US SEE A LITTLE, A GLIMPSE, A SMALL GLIMPSE OF ALL THAT YOU DO, UM, AND THE ASANA ACADEMIES AND ALL YOU DO FOR YOUR STUDENTS.
[IV. Public Comment]
WE ARE GOING TO MOVE TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT.SO WE, UM, GOING TO HAND OVER, UH, THE FLOOR TO MR. MCLEAN.
WE HAVE A FULL BOAT OF PUBLIC COMMENT, SO I'LL CALL ON THE FOLKS WHO ARE LISTED AS BEING, UH, IN PERSON FIRST, AND THEN WE WILL TRANSITION TO THOSE WHO ARE CALLING IN REMOTELY.
SO THE, AND I'LL CALL ON THREE OR FOUR FOLKS AT A TIME.
SO THE, THE FIRST PERSON CAN COME TO THE, UH, PODIUM AND THEN THE OTHER THREE CAN
[01:30:01]
BE READY TO COME DOWN.UH, KEITH DE LAQUILA, I SEE YOU'RE HERE.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
THEN DAVID RICHARDSON, THEN CARMEN LORA, AND THEN CASEY.
I'M KEITH DELA WITH THE CALIFORNIA CHARTER SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION.
DR. RIVAS, THANK YOU FOR INVITING, UH, AND UPLIFTING THE ASANA TEAM.
THEY DO INCREDIBLE WORK, UM, AND WE APPRECIATE THE SPACE FOR THEM TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THEY DO.
UM, NADIA WAS UP HERE JUST COOKING AND JUST, SHE'S AN, AN INCREDIBLE EDUCATOR AND WE'RE REALLY, REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE CHANCE TO, TO HIGHLIGHT THAT.
UM, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLY HARD WEEK, UM, TO KNOW THAT, THAT THERE'S LIGHT HERE TODAY.
THERE'LL BE MORE LIGHT BEHIND ME WITH, UM, ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS THAT WE HAVE.
THERE'S LIGHT WITH, UH, MORE THAN 30 CHARTER SCHOOLS BEING NAMED CALIFORNIA DISTINGUISHED SCHOOLS.
THIS, UH, THAT, UH, THIS WEEK.
UM, BUT TUESDAY WAS HEAVY AND IT WAS HEAVY 'CAUSE WE SAW LOCKE HIGH SCHOOL CLOSED OR VOTED TO, TO, TO BE DENIED BY, BY THIS BOARD.
AND THERE ARE LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM THE TWO YEARS OF RENEWALS THAT, THAT WE'VE SEEN.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE LEARN THEM AND WE LEARN THEM QUICKLY BECAUSE NEXT YEAR WE'LL BE 45,000 STUDENTS WILL HAVE THEIR SCHOOLS UP FOR RENEWAL IN LA UNIFIED.
THAT WILL BE THE LARGEST COHORT OF SCHOOLS WE'VE EVER SEEN.
AND THERE ARE PATTERNS THAT HAVE DEVELOPED AND THEY'RE DEEPLY CONCERNING ON AN EQUITY BASIS.
IT'S PART OF MY JOB IS TO HELP LOOK AT OUR, OUR, OUR SCHOOLS AND LOOK INTO THE FUTURE AND SEE WHERE ARE THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE MOST AT RISK.
SOME OF THOSE SCHOOLS HAVE AREAS OF NEEDED TO IMPROVE IT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU HERE THAT A CHARTER SCHOOL THAT IS SERVING A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF BLACK STUDENTS, A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF HOMELESS STUDENTS, A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF ENGLISH LEARNERS IS MORE LIKELY TO BE CLOSED BY THIS BOARD.
THERE ARE GOOD PEOPLE MAKING DECISIONS.
WE HAVE LAWS THAT PEN US IN, IN WHAT WE LOOK AT, BUT RIGHT NOW, THIS BOARD CONTINUES TO IGNORE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, AND THAT IS OUR STUDENTS LEARNING WHILE THEY'RE AT THE SCHOOL.
WE'RE BOXED IN RIGHT NOW BY, UM, A, A LACK OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE MOST CRITICAL ISSUE AROUND STUDENT GROWTH AND STUDENT PERFORMANCE.
WE KNOW THAT INEQUITIES SHOW UP IN PUBLIC SYSTEMS WHEN WE'RE, WHEN WE'RE BLIND TO THEM.
WHEN WE MAKE DECISION STATION TO STATION, WHEN WE FAIL TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE AND TO COURSE CORRECT SOME OF THE MISTAKES THAT I THINK THIS BOARD HAS MADE IN CLOSING DOWN SCHOOLS, SERVING THE NEEDIEST STUDENTS AMONG US.
LET'S TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY.
DAVID RICHARDSON AND THEN CARMEN LOA, COME ON UP.
BOARD MEMBERS, DISTRICT STAFF AND COMMUNITY.
I'M WITH THE CALIFORNIA CHARTER SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION.
UM, I COME TO THIS WORK AS A LA NATIVE, A FORMER EDUCATOR, ETHNIC STUDY SCHOLAR ADVOCATE, AND I SPEND MY DAYS WORKING ALONGSIDE SCHOOL LEADERS, FAMILIES AND STUDENTS ACROSS THE CITY, AND MANY OF THE FOLKS SITTING IN THIS ROOM BEHIND ME, LIKE MY COLLEAGUE KEITH, JUST NOTED.
UH, THIS RENEWAL CYCLE HAS BEEN HEAVY FOR A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
SEVERAL SCHOOL CLOSURES THIS YEAR SENT REAL SHOCKWAVES THROUGH FAMILIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS THAT RELY ON THEIR SCHOOLS AS PLACES OF STABILITY AND OPPORTUNITY FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
FOR MANY FAMILIES, THESE CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE TRUSTED SPACES WHERE STUDENTS FEEL SUPPORTED AND SEEN.
CHARTER SCHOOLS AND DISTRICT SCHOOLS OPERATE IN THE SAME ECOSYSTEM, AND THE GOAL SHOULD ALWAYS BE THE SAME STUDENTS GROWING, STUDENTS IMPROVING, AND STUDENTS REACHING HIGHER LEVELS OF OPPORTUNITY.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S EXTRAORDINARY WORK HAPPENING ACROSS L-A-U-S-D.
THE CDE RECOGNIZED 408 SCHOOLS STATEWIDE AS CALIFORNIA DISTINGUISHED SCHOOLS, AND 73 OF THOSE ARE RIGHT HERE IN LA UNIFIED, INCLUDING 31 IS L-A-U-S-D, AUTHORIZED CHARTER SCHOOLS.
AND THAT'S FOR DEMONSTRATING STRONG ACADEMIC PROGRAMS, REAL PROGRESS FOR STUDENTS.
THAT'S SOMETHING THE ENTIRE CITY SHOULD BE PROUD OF TODAY.
YOU HEARD FROM ISANA, A GROUP OF LEADERS I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING CLOSELY WITH THEIR WORK IS GROUNDED IN THE EQUITY AND JUSTICE CENTERED MODEL, FOCUSED ON BELONGING AND STUDENT VOICE.
AND LATER YOU'LL HEAR FROM SCHOOL LEADERS, PARENTS, ALUMNI, AND WHO WILL SHARE THE IMPACT AND INNOVATION OF THEIR SCHOOLS ACROSS LA EDUCATORS ARE LOCKED IN FOCUSED ON THE INTENTIONALITY AND THE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
SO THIS IS THE MOMENT TO FOCUS ON WHAT'S WORKING.
LET'S STRENGTHEN COLLABORATION BETWEEN CHARTER SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT, INVITE MORE CHARTER LEADERS IN THIS ROOM, VISIT MORE CAMPUSES, AND CREATE REAL SPACE FOR EDUCATORS TO SHARE THE PRACTICES THAT ARE HELPING STUDENTS SUCCEED.
BECAUSE WHEN LA SCHOOLS LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER, OPPORTUNITY EXPANDS FOR EVERY STUDENT IN THE CITY.
CARMEN LORA, RIGHT HERE, CARMEN.
I'M GONNA SEE IF MS. LOA IS ONLINE.
CASEY K, ARE YOU HERE? UH, CHECK ONLINE ALSO NOT HERE.
UH, BEESE MARQUEZ, COME ON UP.
YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN AFTER MS. MARQUEZ, IT'S JENNA ROSENBERG AND THEN TRISTAN BRAVO.
[01:35:01]
EVERYONE.I'M CURRENTLY, UM, I'M BERNICE MARQUEZ.
I AM BOTH AN ALUMNI AND A CURRENT TEACHER AT BURGER MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY, MY UPBRINGING IN THE LATINO COMMUNITY.
UM, HEARING ALL THE STATISTIC HIT HOME FOR SURE.
UM, SO THIS HITS HOME, UM, RAISING, GROWING UP IN A LATINO COMMUNITY.
NOW THAT I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO SERVE.
MY MOM IS A TYPICAL LATINA MOM WHO ALWAYS REMINDED ME
IN OTHER WORDS, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE WHEN YOU PUT YOUR HEART INTO IT.
THE BELIEF HAS STAYED WITH ME THROUGHOUT MY JOURNEY AS A STUDENT AND CONTINUES TO GUIDE ME TODAY.
AND AS AN EDUCATOR, WHEN I WAS A STUDENT AT BERK CORONA CHARTER, I HAD TEACHERS WHO BELIEVED IN ME AND ENCOURAGED ME TO KEEP PUSHING FORWARD.
THEY HELPED ME REALIZE THAT MY VOICE MATTERED AND THAT I WAS CAPABLE OF ACHIEVING MANY, MANY THINGS, ESPECIALLY MY PERSONAL GOALS.
AFTER GRADUATING POLYTECHNIC HIGH SCHOOL, UM, WHICH IS A KNOWN SCHOOL IN THE UM, PACOIMA COMMUNITY, I RETURNED TO BERK CORONA AND BEGIN MY JOURNEY AS AN EDUCATION AND EDUCATION AS A SPECIAL EDUCATION TUTOR.
FOR SEVEN YEARS, I SUPPORTED STUDENTS WHO NEEDED ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT.
DURING THAT TIME, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK CLOSELY WITH STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, AND THOSE EXPERIENCES STRENGTHENED MY PASSION FOR HELPING EVERY STUDENT SUCCEED.
WHILE WORKING IN THIS ROLE ROLE AT BUR CORONA, UM, THEY SUPPORTED MY DREAMS IN THE EDUCATIONAL WORLD.
THERE WERE MANY LONG DAYS BALANCING WORK AND RUSHING TO ATTEND MY COLLEGE CLASSES WHILE BECOMING A YOUNG MOM.
BUT THE ENCOURAGEMENT AND THE SUPPORT I RECEIVED HELPED ME CONTINUE PURSUING MY DREAMS OF BECOMING A TEACHER.
UM, RETURNING TO BROOK CORONA MADE ME REALIZE THAT IT'S BEEN A FULL CIRCLE.
I CHOOSE TO REMAIN IN THE SAME COMMUNITY THAT INVESTED SO MUCH IN ME THAT I CAN NOW INVEST IN THE NEXT GENERATION OF STUDENTS.
I'M ALSO GRATEFUL TO WORK UNDER STRONG LEADERSHIP.
OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM CREATES A CULTURE OF HIGH EXPECTATIONS AND SUPPORT THAT EMPOWERS TEACHERS TO HELP STUDENTS REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.
THIS YEAR ALONE, I WAS ABLE TO SUPPORT MY STUDENTS IN REACHING OUR IREADY DATA GOALS.
BY JANUARY, OUR CLASS HAD REACHED 138% OF TYPICAL GROWTH.
I WAS ABLE TO GET AT LEAST NINE STUDENTS ON GRADE LEVEL, UM, WHICH REFLECTS WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN STUDENTS ARE SUPPORTED CHALLENGE AND SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES IN THEM.
AND THAT IS WHAT THE CHARTER SCHOOLS HAVE DONE FOR ME.
JENNA ROSENBERG, ARE YOU HERE? JENNA R COME ON DOWN.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
HI, MY NAME IS JENNA ROSENBERG.
I'M THE PRINCIPAL AT NEW LOS ANGELES CHARTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN BOARD DISTRICT ONE, NEW LA ELEMENTARY, UH, WILL BE UP FOR RENEWAL, UH, THIS COMING SCHOOL YEAR.
AND I'D LOVE TO HIGHLIGHT JUST ONE PIECE OF THE GREAT WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING BY TALKING ABOUT, UM, OUR IMPLEMENTATION OF UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING AND THE IMPACT IT'S HAD ON ACADEMIC RIGOR AND ACCESS FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.
IN 2024, WE BEGAN A PARTNERSHIP WITH OPEN ACCESS, AN ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AROUND UDL IN CALIFORNIA.
THEY HAVE PROVIDED OUR TEACHERS WITH ONGOING LEARNING AND TOOLS TO BUILD OUR UDL PRACTICES.
AND AS WE'VE PROGRESSED THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR, THEY'VE ASKED US TO BECOME A SHOWCASE SITE FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
MEANING OTHER SCHOOLS, UH, CAN COME, UH, VISIT US WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING TO IMPLEMENT UDL PRACTICES AND SEE US AND LEARN ALONGSIDE US.
UM, EVEN JUST A YEAR AND A HALF INTO THE WORK, WE'VE SEEN THIS TRANSFORMATION IN THE LEVELS OF LEARNER AGENCY AND ENGAGEMENT WITH ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.
AND AT THE END OF LAST SCHOOL YEAR, WE HAD SOME OF THE BEST ACADEMIC OUTCOMES WE'VE EVER HAD, INCLUDING A 14.7, UH, INCREASE IN DFS IN ELA CASP FOR ALL STUDENTS WITH A 31.3 POINT INCREASE FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND A 62.3 POINT INCREASE FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS IN MATH, WE SAW A 5.2 IN, UH, POINT INCREASE FOR ALL STUDENTS WITH A 21.7 POINT INCREASE FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY AND A 31.3 POINT INCREASE FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS.
WE'RE VERY PROUD OF HOW THIS WORK HAS HELPED US MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR EQUITY GOALS AND WITH CLOSING THE GAP, UH, THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP FOR STUDENT GROUPS AT OUR SCHOOL.
AND WE'D LOVE TO INVITE BOARD MEMBERS OR ANY STAKEHOLDERS HERE TODAY TO COME VISIT US THIS SPRING AND SEE THAT GREAT WORK IN ACTION.
YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
AND THEN AFTER TRISTAN IS JOHANNA PARKER.
AND AFTER JOHANNA PARKER IS CYNTHIA IBARRA.
HELLO EVERYONE AND GOOD AFTERNOON.
UM, I'M ALSO A FORMER ALUMNI AND CURRENT TEACHER, JUST LIKE MY COLLEAGUE BE DENISE MARQUEZ.
UM, I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY DEEP GRATITUDE TOWARDS BURKE CORONA CHARTER MIDDLE.
COMING FROM A SINGLE PARENT SPANISH SPEAKING HOUSEHOLD, MY SCHOOLING HAS REALLY PROVIDED ME WITH THE OPPORTUNITIES.
I WAS UNAWARE WHERE POSSIBLE AS A CHILD FROM RECEIVING MY FIRST COMPUTER TO TRAVELING TO NEW ORLEANS TO PRESENT TO A ROOM FULL OF SCARY ADULTS.
UM, BURKE CORONA HAS NOT ONLY GIVEN ME THE TOOLS TO SUCCEED IN LIFE, BUT ALSO OPENED MY EYES TO ALL THE WORLD HAS TO OFFER.
THE TEACHERS AND STAFF AT BURKE CORONA WERE SO CARING AND CONSIDERATE ABOUT ME AS A HUMAN THAT I ALWAYS FELT A SENSE OF BELONGING EVEN WHEN I BEGAN MY JOURNEY INTO ADULTHOOD.
AFTER GRADUATING GRANADA HILLS CHARTER, I BEGAN COLLEGE, A GOAL THAT BEGAN DURING MY MIDDLE SCHOOL JOURNEY, AND I RETURNED TO BUR CORONA TO SEE IF THEY NEED HAD ANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR
[01:40:01]
EMPLOYMENT.LUCKILY ENOUGH, I BECAME AN AFTER SCHOOL COACH AND EVENTUALLY A COMPUTER TECHNICIAN WORKING THERE FOR FIVE YEARS.
AFTERWARDS, I DECIDED TO MAKE THE VENTURE INTO SALES TO TRY TO MAKE SOME MONEY.
UM, THEY WHOLEHEARTEDLY ALLOWED ME TO TAKE THE PLUNGE INTO THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY LIKED WHAT I DID FOR THEIR SCHOOL, THEY WANTED ME TO GO EXPLORE AND SEE WHAT WAS OUT THERE WITH MY LIFE.
UM, I WORKED IN SALES FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS.
I MADE SOME DECENT MONEY, BUT I WAS JUST FEELING UNFULFILLED WITH MY LIFE AND I FELT LIKE THERE WAS A HOLE MISSING.
IT WASN'T UNTIL AFTERWARDS I DECIDED TO GO BACK TO RK CORONA ONCE AGAIN TO SPEAK TO MY FORMER ENGLISH TEACHER, CURRENT PRINCIPAL, DR. MYERS, WHO I HAD A LONG CONVERSATION WITH HIM ABOUT PERHAPS BEING A TEACHER AFTER SCHOOL COACHING WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE JOBS TO DATE.
SO I WAS JUST OPEN TO THE POSSIBILITY AND AFTER A VERY LONG CONVERSATION, HE TOLD ME ABOUT ALL THE JOYS AND DEFINITELY ALL THE TRIBULATIONS A TEACHER BEING A TEACHER COMES WITH.
AND I DECIDED MAYBE THIS WAS IT.
AND I REMEMBER TALKING TO MY MOTHER AND AT ONE POINT I REALIZED THAT I NEED COMMUNITY.
AND RK CORONA REALLY GAVE ME THAT COMMUNITY TO HELP ME SHINE.
AND I AM VERY PROUD TO SAY I WENT BACK TO SCHOOL NOW AND I CREATE THAT SPACE FOR ALL MY STUDENTS TO HAVE A HOLISTIC AND APPRECIATIVE VIEW ON LIFE AND WHATEVER WE CAN GIVE THEM.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
AND THEN AFTER MS. PARKER IS CYNTHIA IBARRA.
I AM THE, UH, CURRENT RACE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION LEAD FOR STEM PREP SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS OUR NINTH GRADE ETHNIC STUDIES TEACHER AND A PROUD STEM PREP MOM.
MY SON HAS BEEN, UM, A MEMBER OF STEM PREP SCHOOLS SINCE 2016.
HE IS NOW CURRENTLY A 10TH GRADER AT OUR HIGH SCHOOL AND THRIVING WITH A 4.2 GRADE POINT AVERAGE.
UM, I WANNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT HOW SPECIAL OUR SCHOOL ORGANIZATION IS AND SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING ON BEHALF OF OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, IT'S VERY RARE FOR SCHOOLS, UM, IN SCHOOLS FOR TEACHERS, LET ALONE, UM, PEOPLE IN POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP MEMBERS LIKE MYSELF WHO ARE, UH, MEMBERS OF ALSO OUR INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP TEAM AND OUR ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP TEAM TO BRING OUR OWN CHILDREN INTO THE SCHOOLS THAT WE WORK IN EVERY DAY.
IT SAYS A LOT AS FOR MYSELF AS A 23 YEAR, 23 YEAR EDUCATOR, OH, CORRECTION, 28 YEAR EDUCATOR, TO HAVE SO MUCH CONFIDENCE IN THE WORK THAT WE DO, THAT I TRUST MY OWN CHILD TO THESE PEOPLE, NOT ONLY MYSELF, BUT MANY OTHER OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS DO AS WELL.
AND SO WITH THAT WORK, THE RIGOR, THE LOVE, THE CARE, THE UPLIFTING THAT OUR STUDENTS RECEIVE DAY TO DAY HELPS TO SHAPE THESE YOUNG PEOPLE INTO WHO THEY COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE BECOME.
AND I'M JUST EVER SO GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ONLY GIVE THAT TO MY OWN CHILD, BUT TO HAVE MY MY COLLEAGUES GIVE THAT AND POUR THAT INTO MY CHILDREN AS WELL AS INTO EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY, CHILDREN, FAMILIES, STAFF, AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
CYNTHIA IBARRA, COME ON UP AND THEN AFTER MISS IBARRA ARE OUR REMOTE CALLERS, SO COME ON UP.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD VICE PRESIDENT REVIS COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND EVERYONE JOINING US TODAY.
MY NAME IS CYNTHIA YRA AND I'M A PRODUCT OF L-A-U-S-D-A PROUD GARFIELD HIGH SCHOOL ALUM.
BEGAN MY CAREER AT L-A-U-S-D AND WAS AN ADMINISTRATOR FOR 16 YEARS BEFORE TAKING ON MY CURRENT ROLE AS DIRECTOR OF ADVOCACY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR GREEN DOT PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
SO ALTHOUGH TUESDAY WAS DIFFICULT, UM, FOR OUR LOCK COMMUNITY, FOLLOWING THE DENIAL OF OUR PETITION, WE WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SHARE A FEW CELEBRATIONS FROM GREEN DOT PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND STATE OUR COMMITMENT TO WORKING TOGETHER ON BEHALF OF STUDENTS ACROSS LOS ANGELES.
THIS WEEK, THE 2026 CALIFORNIA DISTINGUISHED SCHOOLS WERE ANNOUNCED AND WE ARE INCREDIBLY PROUD THAT SIX GREEN DOT SCHOOLS WERE RECOGNIZED.
NOTABLY ANIMO JAQUI ROBINSON CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL IN BD FIVE ANIMO EL OCHOA CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOL IN BD TWO EARNED THIS DISTINCTION FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE CYCLE.
I WOULD ESPECIALLY LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ONE OF OUR NEWLY RECOGNIZED SCHOOLS, ANIMO, SOUTH LOS ANGELES CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL, LOCATED IN BD ONE LAST YEAR.
[01:45:01]
THE SCHOOL ACHIEVED REMARKABLE RESULTS.AN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS STUDENTS PERFORMED 22.1 POINTS ABOVE THE STATE STANDARD, EARNING A GREEN ON THE CALIFORNIA DASHBOARD.
THE COLLEGE AND CAREER INDICATOR REACHED 56.3, OUTPERFORMING THE STATE BY 4.6 PERCENTAGE POINTS, ALSO EARNING A GREEN.
52.4% OF ENGLISH LEARNERS MADE PROGRESS ON THE ENGLISH LEARNER PROGRESS INDICATOR.
AGAIN, RECEIVING A GREEN IN MATH, THE SCHOOL IMPROVES SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASING 37 POINTS ON THE DASHBOARD, EARNING A YELLOW RATING.
AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE SCHOOL ACHIEVED A 95% GRADUATION RATE WHILE ABOVE THE STATE AVERAGE OF 88% ANNUAL.
SOUTH LA SERVES A STUDENT POPULATION THAT IS 18% AFRICAN-AMERICAN, MORE THAN DOUBLE LDS D'S RATE, AND SERVES A HIGHER PROPORTION OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND STUDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS THAN THE DISTRICT.
THESE RESULTS DEMONSTRATE THAT GREEN DOT MODEL SUPPORTS ALL STUDENTS IN STRIVING FOR AND ACHIEVING SUCCESS.
ALRIGHT, NOW FOR FOLKS CALLING IN REMOTELY, UH, JUSTINE GONZALEZ, I SEE YOU'RE SIGNED UP, BUT YOU'RE NOT ONLINE.
ARE YOU IN THE ROOM, JUSTINE? NO.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN THE CHORUS THING.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD VICE PRESIDENT, DR.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU YESTERDAY.
BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN AND BOARD MEMBER NEW BILL.
MY PEERS AND I SPOKE YESTERDAY AND PROVIDED CONTACT ABOUT THE GROWING CALLS FOR AN INDEPENDENT GRADUATION FOR THE LEADERSHIP VIRTUAL ACADEMY.
I JUST SENT AN EMAIL ABOUT AN HOUR OR TWO AGO WITH DETAILED INFORMATION TO ALL OF YOU.
RIGHT NOW, I WILL GO OVER SOME OF THE REASONS THAT VA ADMINISTRATION MIGHT PROVIDE TO YOU TO JUSTIFY WHY THIS IS QUOTE IMPOSSIBLE AND I'LL PROVIDE OUR RESPONSE.
FIRST, YOU MIGHT BE TOLD THAT IT'S IMPOSSIBLE AND THE TIME SPAN, BUT THIS IS UNTRUE.
WE ALREADY HAVE A SCHOOL THAT IS WILLING TO HOST OUR GRADUATION CEREMONY.
WE ALREADY HAVE A FUNDRAISING MECHANISM AND FUNDRAISING RESOURCES LINED UP.
WE ALREADY HAVE STUDENT AND PARENT SUPPORT.
TEACHERS HAVE ALSO SIGNED THEIR NAME TO VOLUNTEER FOR A COMMITTEE.
THESE TEACHERS HAVE ALL SAID THAT IT IS POSSIBLE AND HAS BEEN DONE PREVIOUSLY WITH LESS TIME AT SOME OF THEIR FORMER IN IN-PERSON SCHOOL SITES.
AND ALSO, WHY IS IT POSSIBLE TO PLAN AN AWARDS NIGHT, WHICH HAS YET TO EVEN START IN JUST TWO MONTHS, BUT NOT GRADUATION WITH MORE TIME? THIS IS INCONSISTENT.
FURTHERMORE, LAST YEAR WE ORGANIZED A PROMPT FOR ALL SIX VIRTUAL ACADEMIES IN JUST TWO MONTHS.
THIS WAS WITHOUT, WITHOUT HAVING A LOCATION AVAILABLE FROM THE START.
THIS GOES TO SHOW THAT IF WE PUT OUR MINDS TOGETHER, IT CAN BE DONE AND IT CAN BE DONE QUICKLY, ESPECIALLY WITH A LOCATION ALREADY FOUND.
YOU MIGHT ALSO BE TOLD THAT THE SENIOR DINNER IS A COMPROMISE.
AS I MENTIONED YESTERDAY MORNING, VA ADMINISTRATION WAS ALREADY PLANNING THIS A LONG TIME AGO.
HOW THEN BY DEFINITION IS IT A COMPROMISE? FURTHERMORE, STUDENTS AND PARENTS RECOGNIZE THAT AN AWARD SITE IS NOT A GRADUATION.
AS PER A SURVEY WE CONDUCTED 80% OF STUDENTS FEEL THIS WAY.
IF 80% OF THE COUNTRY AGREED ON ANYTHING, WE COULD GET SO MUCH DONE.
WHY THEN IS IT DIFFERENT FOR OUR SCHOOL AND DISTRICT WHERE STUDENT VOICES ARE IGNORED DESPITE THE SUPER MAJORITY? NOW I SEE MY TIME IS RUNNING OUT.
I DO INCLUDE MUCH MORE INFORMATION AND SOME OTHER REASONS THAT MIGHT BE PROVIDED IN OUR, IN OUR REBUTTAL.
IN THAT EMAIL, I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE, YOU KNOW, DESPITE YOUR BUSY SCHEDULES TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND AGAIN, WE ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO PROVIDE ANSWERS TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
OKAY, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRISTOPHER, I, YOU'RE ON THE LINE.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF, CHRISTOPHER, AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
CHRISTOPHER, HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE SURE CAN.
I HOPE THAT YOU'RE ALL HAVING A BLESSED DAY.
MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER STELLA TORRES AND I AM A STUDENT AT THE LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC SERVICE VIRTUAL ACADEMY.
I AM BACK TO SPEAK ABOUT HOW STUDENTS AND PARENTS ARE INCREASINGLY SUPPORTING AND INDEPENDENT GRADUATIONS IN TERMS OF OUR CONCERNS FOR STUDENTS LIKE SALUTORIAN HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK IN THE PAST.
NOW, I AM SURE THAT THEY, THAT YOU WOULD AGREE THEY'VE EARNED THEIR SPOT TO SPEAK AFTER THEIR HARD WORK, BUT VIRTUAL ACADEMY LEADERSHIP DISAGREES.
WE COULD EASILY GIVE OUR SALUTORIAN AND EVEN OTHER STUDENTS A CHANCE TO SPEAK IF WE HAD OUR OWN CEREMONY.
A DISTRICT THAT VALUES INCLUSION ISN'T THIS COMMON SENSE.
THE CEREMONY ALSO LASTS HOURS LONGER THAN WHAT WOULD BE THE CASE IF IT WERE JUST FOR OUR SCHOOL.
IT ALSO FEELS INCREDIBLY UNINVITING TO BE SURROUNDED BY OTHER SCHOOLS THAN YOUR OWN, DESPITE THE OR NOT.
DESPITE THIS, WE'VE TAKEN THE INITIATIVE ON ADVOCATING FOR THIS DESPITE THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY AND CLEAR COMMUNICATION FROM THE VIRTUAL ACADEMY LEADERSHIP.
NOW WE'RE BEING TOLD THAT THE ONLY BARRIER PREVENTING US FROM HAVING OUR OWN CEREMONY IS THAT IT IS TOO LATE.
CLEARLY, IT'S NOT TOO LATE FOR THE VIRTUAL ACADEMY LEADERSHIP
[01:50:01]
TO CHANGE THE DATES OF THE GRADUATION FOR HUNDREDS OF PARENTS AND STUDENTS WHEN IT IS CONVENIENT FOR THEM.PLUS, THIS IS SOMETHING WE RAISED TO LEADERSHIP MONTHS PREVIOUSLY, BUT NEVER HEARD BACK ABOUT HOW IS IT RIGHT FOR US TO LOSE THE RIGHT TO AN INDEPENDENT GRADUATION JUST BECAUSE WE NEVER RECEIVED FOLLOW UP INFORMATION.
ALSO, IMPORTANTLY, HOW IS IT RIGHT THAT STUDENTS AND PARENTS WERE NEVER INCLUDED IN THESE DISCUSSIONS IN THE FIRST PLACE HAD THEY BEEN, THIS ENTIRE SITUATION WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED WHEN WE WOULD'VE MADE IT CLEAR THAT WE WANT OUR OWN CEREMONY.
NOW THE BALL IS IN LUS D'S COURT.
WE ASK THAT YOU THE SCHOOL BOARD, PLEASE SUPPORT THE REQUESTS OF US AS STUDENTS AND OUR PARENTS FOR AN INDEPENDENT GRADUATION.
YOU'LL HAVE MADE, MADE A A MAJOR DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF SO MANY STUDENTS WHO WOULD KNOW THAT IT IS THANKS TO THIS BOARD OF ED THAT WE COULD HAVE OUR OWN GRADUATION, A FIRST IN L-A-U-S-C HISTORY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND GOODBYE.
BRIANNA, I SEE YOU'RE ON THE LINE.
BRIANNA, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
BRIANNA, HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN.
GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD VICE PRESIDENT, DR.
REVIS, BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN AND BOARD MEMBER NBO.
I'M BRIANNA HERNANDEZ, A STUDENT OF THE LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC SERVICE VIRTUAL ACADEMY.
I HAVE RETURNED TO SPEAK ON A PETITION FOR AN INDEPENDENT GRADUATION CEREMONY.
PLEASE IMAGINE TIME WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD SOMETHING WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO DO EVEN WHEN IT WASN'T.
MAYBE IF SOMEONE TOLD YOU THAT IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO RUN FOR YOUR VERY CURRENT SEAT.
DESPITE THIS, YOU KEPT PUSHING AND PROVED THAT IT WASN'T IMPOSSIBLE.
BY WINNING, WE'RE IN THE SAME SPOT.
TODAY WE KNOW THAT THIS CAN BE DONE.
VIRTUAL ACADEMY ADMINISTRATORS HAVE CLAIMED THAT IT'S TOO LATE, BUT EVEN BEFORE THEN, THEY KEPT TRYING TO SHOOT US DOWN DESPITE THE FACT THAT THIS IS WHAT STUDENTS CLEARLY WANT.
WE ALSO KEPT RECEIVING CONFLICTING MESSAGES THAT KEPT US RUNNING IN CIRCLES.
WHY IS THAT OUR FAULT THAT WE KEPT RECEIVING UN TRANSPARENT AND UNCLEAR COMMUNICATION? WHY ARE STUDENTS BEING PENALIZED BY NOT HAVING THEIR OWN GRADUATION? FOR THE SENIORS THIS YEAR, WE'RE TOLD THAT VA LEADERSHIP WILL CONSIDER THIS NEXT YEAR.
THAT'S FREE FOR JUNIORS, BUT WHAT ABOUT SENIORS? IT ISN'T RIGHT.
AS BOARD MEMBERS, YOU ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH LUD SUPPORT FOR STUDENT VOICE, PARENT VOICE INCLU, INCLUSIVITY, AND US CHASING OUR DREAMS. WHY THEN CAN STUDENTS NOT HAVE THEIR DREAM OF A PERSONAL INTIMATE GRADUATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS DURABLE? WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE SHOW THAT IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE AND THAT YOU STAND WITH US AND OUR PARENTS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR NEED MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE REACH OUT TO US.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS SEBASTIAN.
SEBASTIAN, I SEE YOU'RE ON THE LINE.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
SEBASTIAN, I SEE YOU'RE WITH US.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN.
HELLO, MY NAME IS SEBASTIAN EZ.
I'M A STUDENT OF THE LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC SERVICES VIRTUAL ACADEMY.
IMAGINE YOU JUST FINISHED 12 YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL AND YOU AND YOUR FAMILY EXPECT A GRADUATION THAT FEELS MEANINGFUL, INTIMATE, AND PERSONAL, AND INSTEAD YOU'RE SEATED APART FROM YOUR FRIENDS.
HAVE JUST FIVE MINUTES WITH YOUR TEACHER AND HAVE TO WAIT HOURS JUST TO HEAR YOUR NAME CALLED ON TOP OF THAT, YOUR SECOND THE CLASS.
YOU CAN'T SPEAK BECAUSE YOUR SCHOOL ISN'T ALLOWED TO HAVE ITS OWN GRADUATION.
THIS IS WHAT SO MANY STUDENTS HAVE ALREADY EXPERIENCED IN THE PAST, AND THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN THIS YEAR.
UNLESS LUSD GIVES THE GREEN LIGHT FOR THE LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC SERVICES VIRTUAL ACADEMY TO HAVE ITS OWN GRADUATION.
VIRTUAL ACADEMY ADMINISTRATION HAS TRIED TO TELL US THAT THEY'VE PLANNED THE SENIOR AWARDS SENIORS AWARD NIGHT AS A QUOTE COMPROMISE, BUT STUDENTS DON'T FEEL THAT IT IS A COMPROMISE.
VIRTUAL ACADEMY LEADERSHIP HAS ALSO TOLD US THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLAN, BUT WE HAVE, BUT WE ALREADY HAVE THE DETAILS FIGURED OUT.
THEY ALSO TELL US THAT THE COST OF OUR ACADEMY LEAVING THE JOINT CEREMONY WOULD MEAN GREATER COST FOR THE OTHER FIVE ACADEMIES, BUT WE RAN THE MATH AND IT'S ONLY 200 TO 400 MORE PER EACH SCHOOL.
THIS IS FAR FROM A VALID REASON TO NOT ALLOW US TO HAVE OUR OWN GRADUATION.
WE ASKED THE SCHOOL BOARD TO INSTRUCT VIRTUAL ACADEMY LEADERSHIP TO GRAD OUR OWN GRADUATION.
THIS IS WHAT STUDENTS AND PARENTS HAVE CLEARLY INDICATED THAT THEY WANT.
YOU WOULD ALSO BE MAKING A HISTORIC STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR THE PROGRAMS THAT IS ONLY GROWING.
IMAGINE HOW MANY VIRTUAL PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY OFFER INDEPENDENT IN PERSON GRAD GRADUATION.
NOT MANY LUSD WILL BE SO MUCH MORE APPEALING FOR POTENTIAL STUDENTS.
ISABELLA TEEZ, ISABELLA T PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
[01:55:04]
I SEE YOU'RE WITH US.ISABELLA, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
HELLO, I'M ISABELLA TE AND I'M A SENIOR AT THE LEADERSHIP VIRTUAL ACADEMY.
I RECENTLY SENT AN EMAIL TO YOU ALL SHARING MY REQUEST FOR AN INDEPENDENT GRADUATION CEREMONY.
NOW I'M SPEAKING PUBLICLY ABOUT IT.
FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS, VIRTUAL ACADEMY STUDENTS HAVE NEVER HAD A GRADUATION THAT IS PERSONAL, INVITING AND SPECIAL.
LAST YEAR, IT LASTED SIX HOURS, INCLUDING THE TIME IT TOOK FOR STUDENTS TO PREPARE AND THEN WAIT ON THE FIELD FOR HOURS.
THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE CONCERNS WE HAVE.
STUDENTS HAVE STRONGLY INDICATED THAT WE WOULD LIKE AN INDEPENDENT GRADUATION.
WHY ARE OUR VOICES BEING IGNORED WHEN 80% OF US WANT THIS? VIRTUAL ACADEMY? LEADERSHIP SAYS IT'S IMPOSSIBLE AND IT'S TOO LATE, BUT IT'S NOT.
LAST YEAR, PROM FOR ALL SIX VIRTUAL ACADEMIES WAS PLANNED IN WAY LESS TIME.
THE SENIOR AWARDS AND I WILL ALSO BE PLANNED IN LESS TIME.
WE ALREADY HAVE THE FOUNDATION READY BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOCATION SUPPORT, STUDENT SUPPORT AND TEACHER SUPPORT.
IT IS POSSIBLE PLUS STUDENTS, PARENTS AND TEACHERS HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN DISCUSSING THIS SINCE THE 2024 TO 2025 SCHOOL YEAR.
WE KNEW THAT THE GRADUATING CLASSES IN THE PAST WERE STRONGLY AGAINST THE CURRENT STRUCTURE WITH SIX SEPARATE SCHOOLS COMBINED, BUT WE KEPT GETTING UNCLEAR MESSAGING.
VIRTUAL ACADEMY ADMINISTRATION MIGHT APOLOGIZE FOR THIS, BUT WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE? IT'S NOT OUR FAULT.
THEY DIDN'T CONSIDER OUR VOICES PREVIOUSLY YET, WE'RE THE ONES BEING PUNISHED BY BEING TOLD IT'S TOO LATE.
BESIDES, IT WASN'T TOO LATE FOR THEM TO SUDDENLY CHANGE THE ENTIRE DATE OF THE GRADUATION FOR HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS AND PARENTS WITHOUT THEIR CONSIDERATION.
WE'RE ASKING THE SCHOOL BOARD TO PLEASE GIVE US A CHANCE.
THIS IS A MAJOR PART OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL VISION.
WE JUST ASK THAT YOU GIVE US A CHANCE TO DO THIS, PLEASE FOR US AND OUR FAMILIES.
THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO, UM, PROVIDED, UM, YOUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UM, ALSO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN TODAY'S MEETING, INCLUDING OUR PRESENTERS, STAFF, AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
THE WORK OF THIS COMMITTEE IS STRENGTHENED BY THE ENGAGEMENT OF EDUCATORS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF THEIR SCHOOL, STUDENTS AND THEIR SCHOOLS.
THE NEXT CHARTER SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE ON MAY 14TH, AND WITH THAT, I JOIN THIS MEETING AND I WISH YOU ALL A BEAUTIFUL DAY.