November 18, 2025 - 9am Regular Board Meeting

001Good morning everyone. The time is now 9:08 on November 18th, 2025. Welcome to the regular meeting of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education. I'm going to take role. Uh Miss Newell >> present. Dr. Rivas >> present. >> Mr. Melvin here. >> Miss Grego, Miss Gonomez, Miss Ortiz Franklin. Uh, board presidentson >> present. >> Okay, that's four. >> Mr. Yang. >> Oh, yes. Mr. Yang >> present. >> And there you are listed and yet I missed it. Okay, we're going to go into the pledge of allegiance right now. Brought to us from board district 4. I believe we have a video. >> Yes. >> Smiles and begin. >> Okay, let's let's re Hold on. Let's get I'm I'm going to do the first part. They're about to do a Let's >> This is

002Wonderland >> Wonderland Elementary School. Let's restart it. Maybe turn up that volume a little bit. >> Smile and begin. >> This is room 16 from London Avenue Elementary. We'll be reciting the pledge of allegiance. >> Place your right hand over your heart and do again. I pledge alce to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Again, thank you Wonderland. Okay, now we can cue up the land acknowledgement, please. >> We acknowledge that the Los Angeles Unified School District operates on land originally and still inhabited and cared for by the Gabeno and Fernando Tatavian peoples who have stewarded this land for generations. We recognize these indigenous communities ongoing presence and contributions and honor their connection

003to this region. We recognize Gabrielleno people as the original stewards of the Los Angeles basin and the nearby coastal lands and the Fernando Tavium as protectors of the northern valleys. These lands have and continue to hold deep cultural and spiritual significance to their people and have shaped the community we live in today. We pay our respects to the hanuketam ancestors Aiherum elders and aohhinken our relatives and relations past present and emerging and commit to supporting indigenous communities through education ensuring their voices are heard and their legacies are respected. We commit to deepening our understanding of the histories and cultures of the native peoples of this land. This acknowledgement demonstrates our ongoing efforts to build and sustain relationships with indigenous communities and contribute to healing and reconciliation. Okay. So, today's order of business is going to

004be a little bit different than it normally is. Um, we started the meeting at 9:00 a.m. as opposed as opposed to 10 a.m. And as noted on the order of business, the meeting is going to recess at 12:30 for an event and then reconvene at 2 p.m. So right now, uh, on the order of business, you'll see the roll call, pledge of allegiance, land acknowledgement, and board president's reports. Under board president's reports, out of an abundance of caution to make sure we don't miss anybody, we're going to make sure that we call on the labor partners right now. So, is there are there any labor partners here who wish to speak? Good morning and welcome board president Schmeirlson, Superintendent Carvalo, board members and guests. I am Leticia Fox, chapter president of the California School Employees

005Association, chapter Los Angeles 500, or as we commonly call it, LA 500. On this month's board agenda is our sunshining of our initial proposal for reopener negotiations and for the fiscal years of 2024-25 and 2025-26 only one article can be opened as stated in ourou and that article will be we will be opening will be wages. We will negotiate both years as on your agenda. It only states one year. And as many district employees are aware of the budget excite exercises that are taking place that will cause displacement or layoffs of non-school employees. Those of us who have been around for many iterations of layoffs know that the majority of cuts come from the bottom end of the pay scale. The departmental budget builders would not consider themselves in the budget cuts who would choose

006to cut their own position. Let's take a department that is responsible and that I've been working with for a while with some of my members reasonable accommodations. Now those are members from CSEA unit D. The interactive process is supposed to take a minimum amount of time to have the employees who are need accommodations to work within the district uh a minimal amount of time as to not disrupt district operations. But this process is actually lingering on for months and months without employees being able to come back to work because they are not being accommodated or which is mainly one of the reasons is a workload issue. very few people in the department engaging with them a lot of members or employees within the district and we are looking at budget cuts. Now, how would a

007budget cut look like in that department where we cannot even assist our employees who would already, willing, and able to come back to work, but there isn't time that is made to actually engage in that process. And so, those are some of my members. My members are also that are in this building actually do touch the school sites even though we we don't want to interact with or disrupt what's going on at the school sites. I have members salary credit assistants credentials and credit contract specialists and HR specialists who are responsible with hiring rating in interviewing the teachers that are coming in to our district. also at the school sites which uh they engage with me. I am a district employee. I am not a CSEA employee. I am a senior financial manager at Dorsy

008High School where I must engage with our insurance technicians in this building to make sure that when our students have off-campus activities that those third-party vendors have certificates of insurance and are approved to interact with our students. And here are just a few examples of how CSEA members are integral to student learning. We also engage in the pillars of academic excellence, joy and wellness, engagement and collaboration. And the one that we see that is missing from this stabilization plan is investing in staff. Now many of you are unaware of who CSEA uh represents. We represent office technical and business services. I started my career in LA USD in 1999 as an adult school financial manager. That position has been abolished. But we do have a financial managers series. They are in the middle school financial

009managers, senior financial managers at the high schools, occup occupational center financial managers who are at the occupational centers which is day department of adult and career education and we do have technical supervisors. We have members in CSEA who have bachelor's degrees, who have master's degrees, both of which I have, and thank you LUSD cohort 8 with California uh State University Northridge for acquiring my MPA. But just want to let you know we are important to this district. We should be treated with respect regardless of whether we have a California teaching credential or not. and engage with those how you want those to engage with you. I know we do have many in this district who behave as if they have their own thiefts. Let me put it that way. Everybody has their own thftdoms. And

010when we come and as exclusive representatives speak with labor relations and staff relations who ensure us that the district is doing its best, you have players who are doing their worst and continue to do their worst at every opportunity. I would like to see some of this change. I would like to see us also engage in respect of persons and CSEA will be setting up a date with uh labor relations to begin our negotiations on the only thing that we can negotiate at this time which is wages. So now you have another player in negotiations who is looking towards wages and will not accept the two and two%. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. Are there any other labor partners present? Good morning, board members and superintendent. Um, Georgia Flowers Lee, United Teachers

011Los Angeles. And this morning, I'd like to um I'd like to rock my teacher hat. So, I'm going to do some glows and a grow. Um, I want to express uh our support for the board of ed's resolution on resilient schools. Um, the extreme heat mitigation and disaster preparedness plan. Appreciate board members Gonz Rivas and GGO for sponsoring this crucial resolution. As the past year has reminded us, extreme heat and weather are a very present threat to the well-being of our school communities. Natural disasters like the fires we lived through this past January shows the need for urgent action to make our schools climate resilient. While not as front of mind, extreme heat in our schools is a constant threat. It impacts student health and academic success. This resolution takes a holistic approach and makes

012the right investments. The resolution calls for investing in solutions like modernized cooling infrastructure, greening, hydration, and shade, including tree canopy. the adoption of a district-wide heat mitigation plan, reducing climate impacts with increased efficiency and renewable energy where possible, and lowering sources of heat by studying the phase out of artificial turf, allowing for more natural cooling. We hope to work with the district to fully see this through and make sure we are implementing these needed investments. We are advocating to prioritize the use of bond and general fund money to boldly green our schools and deliver on climate justice for students and educators. Another glow, our support for the board of eds resolution building stronger communities. We support this resolution brought forward by board members Melvinne Schmurson and Hendy New. 2023 housing between UTLA and LAUSD allows

013for housing service providers and nonprofits to use district schools and land to run workshops and provide services free of cost. We hope that this resolution further opens the door to maximize the use of district space and specially make it as easy as possible for these key services and programs to reach students. And now we get to the grow concern for the stability of the black student achievement plan. Almost five years ago, this board at the demand of a coalition of students, community, and educators approved the Black Student Achievement Plan, seeking to repair the decades of neglect suffered by black students in this district. This plan has transformed the way a large number of our black students experience school in LA Unifi. We've continued to fight to maintain and expand this work. And now, as we

014are hearing the austerity drum beat from some board members, there is deep concern that the gains made on behalf of black and other marginalized students is at risk. And I'm here to ensure that this board knows without a shadow of a doubt that UTLA stands in solidarity with students deserve the police free LA USD coalition and other advocates for education justice. So while the district is talking about cuts, UTLA supports students demands to protect and expand BSAP dream centers, LGBTQ plus resources, mental health supports, and other resources that our students deserve. UTLA supports board member Grigo's resolution to continue to expand and improve implementation of community-based safety so we can protect our undocumented students, our black students, and other targeted groups without using police to further criminalize and abuse our students. UTLA supports students demands

015that no educational programs or resources are cut while we're spending tens of millions of education dollars on policing. We want to divest education dollars from punitive policing measures and we want to protect the educational programs that our young people need. And I thank you for your time, board. >> Thank you for your time. Are there any other labor partners here? >> Okay. Uh normally we would go into the committee chair reports and then the superintendent's reports, but we're going to go directly to the consent calendar. The board's going to set the consent calendar um and then take public comment on it. And then we have an 11:30 time certain for tab 23. So the consent calendar is a procedural mechanism used for efficiency so that the board can take a group of items and vote

016on them all at once. And the way this board does it is I read through the items um by roll call or out loud they say consent or discussion. If it's a discussion item it will be discussed later and then if it's on the consent item it will be voted as a batch of items. So tab one is not for action. Tab two strengthening career technical education act. Consent. >> Consent. Tab three, adoption of textbooks for advanced placement history, social science courses. >> Consent. Tab four, adopt resolution certifying Los Angeles Unified School District's compliance with ED code 8973. >> Consent. Uh, under tab five, I have a note that item J, there is a typo. It should be Ernst and not Earnest. And under item L, um the first bullet point uh is actually electric

017and natural gas, not non natural gas as it's listed. So those are typos. There's no such thing as non-natural gas. >> Um >> okay, so questions for tab five. Uh tab six, approval of facilities, contracts, actions. >> Consent. Tab seven, donations of money to the district. >> Consent. Tab eight, capital facilities fund annual report. >> Question. Uh, tab nine, approval of career technical education facilities program grant applications. >> Consent. Tab 10, define and approve 30 projects to provide critical replacements and upgrades. >> Consent. 11. Define and approve early education center outdoor classroom projects. >> Consent. Tab. 12. Define and approve six accessibility enhancement projects. >> Consent. Tab 13. Define and approve 18 board district priority and region priority projects. >> Consent. Tab 14. Resolution of intention to dedicate corner ramp easement at Porter Ranch Community

018School. >> Consent. Approval. Tab 15. Approval of routine personnel actions. >> Questions. >> Can I see who has questions? Just so I All right. Board member Grego new bill. Anyone else? >> Okay. Uh tab 16, provisional internship permit. >> Consent. Tab 17. Report of cash dispersements request to uh reissue expired warrants. >> Consent. Tab 18. Consideration of street lightning maintenance assessment of the liked and espironza schools lighting. Okay. Thank you. Consent. Le sorry >> 19. Selection of charter operator to lease the school facility located at 1215 Miramar Street. >> Consent. 20. Certification of bun house pupils for charter school facilities program application. >> Consent. Tab. 21. Um, integrated pest management policy revision. >> Consent. Tab 22. Integrated pest management vacancy approvals. >> Consent. Uh, tab 23 is a time certain, so we'll not put that

019on the calendar. So, Miss Gonz can tackle that. And then 2:30 is a time certain for um board member Melvinne's resolution. So, we should keep that on discussion. So, tab 23 and 24 will be discussion. Tab 25 is not for action. Um, tab 26, appointment of member to the school construction bond in citizens oversight committee. Uh, tab 27 U appointment of member to the school bond oversight citizens committee. >> Different member. Tab 28, same for a different member. >> Consent. >> And tab 29, appointment of member to the school construction bond oversight committee. >> Consent. Uh, tab 30, the same for a different member. >> Consent. And so for tab 31, uh, report of correspondence. consent. Okay, I have a statement to be read on that. So for tab 31, it is a public hearing

020before action is taken on the report of correspondents including Williams and state preschool health safety uniform complaint quarterly report summary. A public hearing must be held. This will constitute a public hearing on the report and a maximum of 15 individuals who wish to address the board in this item will be heard. Those who wish to speak and have not already should sign up online. Speakers will be called by name. All right, I'm just going to read through the work you've just done to confirm that the consent calendar has been set. And even before I do that, how about I get a move and a second? >> Moved. [laughter] >> Moved. Moved. Moved by Mr. Meloy, seconded by uh [laughter] Dr. Revas. Okay. Okay. So, tabs 2 3 4 6 7 9 10 11 12 13

021>> on two. Okay. We'll pull two for questions for Mr. Y. So, two has been moved to discussion. Uh we're on tab 9 10 11 12 13 14 is consent. 15 is discussion. 16 17 18 19 20 are consent. 21 and 22 are consent. 23 and 24 are discussion and tabs 26 through 31 our consent. >> So we have all except >> 258 15 23 and 24 are not on consent. All right. Now we're going to take public comment for those items that are on the consent calendar. And we have a speaker to number four. Timothy Lee, are you here? Timothy Lee is not here. Okay, we will go to next bit of discussion. Tab 19. Let's see. We have several speakers for tab 19. Uh, Angie Gomez, are you here? And then after Miss

022Gomez is Samuel Solless and then Maria Vill. So this is tab 19. Come on up. You'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. >> Good morning, president, board manager, and superintendent. My name is Angie Tamara Gomez and I'm a sophomore at LAE. This is my first year of LA and it won't be my last. I love triple A and I'm proud to be a student selected to share just how special our school is. Our school has small class sizes and our teachers really get a chance to know us. I'm happy that I found LH and how I want to give other students the opportunity to join us. This means a new campus. Myar is an opportunity for us to have a home of our own. No more bell schedules to accommodate other schools. No

023more random students from one of the three on campus. It'll be just us. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you for your time. Samuel, are you here? Samuel. And after Samuel Solless is Maria Vimil and then Kate Chambers. Good morning, president, board members, and superintendent. My name is Samuel Salah Solis. Thank you for having us. Um, I'm a ninth grader in LA AAA and I'm proud to representing my school. LA AAA is a unique school. is so small and sometimes it can feel like we're a family. Our teachers know our families, our siblings, and our needs. They always show up for us and I'm happy to show up for them. Our school is on campus of Belmont High School. We share our school site with three other schools and hundreds of students. Having our

024own school will represent that we are our own learning community. We'll have space to to uh grow and provide share our missions with new students. Miramar is the only uh way out. Our school will survive and have space to drive. We can show off just how special we are. Our school is >> Thank you for your time, sir. Um Maria Vil and then after Maria is Kate Chambers and then Maria Solles. Good morning board members. My name is Maria Via. I'm here on behalf of Anawa Kalmecha in support of LUSD's selection of Los Angeles Academy of Arts and Enterprise as a charter operator to lease the school facility located at 1215 Midamar Street in Los Angeles. As a child, I grew up in Midamar campus neighborhood where I attended Placencia Elementary School down the street.

025I'm also an Anawaka Kalmecha alumni mother and grandmother. I'm very familiar with the long-standing negative impacts blighted and abandoned buildings have on our communities and children. Buildings like the Miramar campus demand proactive attention and action. I'm a I'm proud to report that last week Anna Wakalmecha was awarded a grant by the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence Secondary School Redesign Pilot Program to support a pilot project called the Learning Lands Collaborative, which includes this school, Lape. As you know, CE was established by the California State Legislature and Governor to advise and assist local educational agencies in achieving the goals and their local control and accountability plans. The secondary school redesign po program is designed to support California middle and high schools and transforming learning environments from factory model institutions to rich student center environments that develop

026strong relationships and drive deep learning ready to apply to complex real world challenges. Through this pilot project with this school and other charter schools will learn from Anawakalmea's best practices in engaging indigenous youth and communities and urban indigenous land stewardship, culture, linguistic, and academic needs of indigenous students. Your support of this motion will allow for Los Angeles Arts Academy to help address the lack of green space in Contra's Midmar complex area by engaging with the landscaping surrounding the complex, fostering a stewardship relationship with nearby Vista Mosa Park and initiating a relationship among local tribal culture bears and the school's own indigenous families. Thank you very much for your support. >> Thank you for your time. Uh Kate Chambers and then Maria Solles. Come on down. You'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. >>

027Hello. Um, hello esteemed board members. My name is Kate Chambers and I'm the head of the English department at L AE. I'm also the ASB teacher because once an overachiever, always an overachiever. Um, I'm here today to advocate for my students as we are eligible to have a new campus to become our school's home. Currently, our school shares the campus with three other schools on the Belmont campus a few streets away. Um, the Myiar complex would be the first time that our school would have a permanent home in its 20 years of serving students in the greater Westlake area. Without our own campus, our students don't feel the vital sense of security necessary to perform to their highest potential. Before we can focus on Bloom's taxonomy in the classroom, we need to address Masaw's hierarchy

028of needs. And that means giving our students a permanent home. At LEA, we are a community school. And that means that for many of our students, we serve as a central hub of stability in their lives. We're also a title one school with our students, fed daily by the free lunch program. We provide more than just meals for our students uh that we serve. With the recent ICE kidnappings that have instilled fear in the community that we serve, our students know that they can depend on us to provide family support. This school year, we've started a buy nothing closet, a free pantry, and have sustained multiple families with groceries funded by various grants. However, our school can only do so much for our families without our own site to call home. We're truly limited in

029what we can do because with every decision, we do have to communicate with the uh Belmont facilities. Our school culture is one of presence, empowerment, and care. With a permanent site, we can continue to serve uh students in council district 1 and beyond with the expansion of our current capacity. So, please give us the space to grow and thrive so that our students can continue to be nurtured to their highest potential. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you for your time. Uh Maria Solles, come on down. And then Alejandro Masias. >> Hi, board members and president. My name is Maria Salas. I'm a mom of uh three kids. Um my daughter is eight. She goes to uh New Academy of Science and Art. You guys had us yesterday. We were the persons with the

030white shirts. And um my other son goes to Vista Middle School and my son right here goes to LA E. Sorry, I'm a little nervous. Um I have my son here with me because I believe in my school. I believe that we're a good community that we all work together. This there's just not the teachers, it's the kids and also the parents. How much involvement we have? I believe that we can have a campus. I believe when you guys that you guys can give us the opportunity to to have our own to open our own doors. It's very hard when people tell me, "Oh, where does your son goes to school?" I never seen him. Can you take me because we can find it. And I feel that I have faith on you guys that

031you guys can give us a chance. We have moved three times. We have been triple AE for 20 years and I have faith on you guys. I have faith that you guys will make a difference for us and for our students. I believe in our staff. I believe that we can have more more opportunities for kids to grow and I believe that it's hand by hand with you guys. And I'm thankful for Belmont, but I'm also hopefully to God and I have faith in God that you guys would give us an opportunity. I very strong always have my rock next to me. I tell my child even though that I have dyslexia and I have a problem with reading and writing, that doesn't stop me. It keeps me going and going that we have faith

032that our kids can be more than us. So I have faith in you guys that you guys can help us. The our school does so much for our parents. We have roll calls that we let them know the people that can't read and write. We help them with their with their papers, with their enrollments, with anything they have, even with their bills. So, our school has done so much for us and I have to tell you guys that you guys will make a chance for us and our kids and our community. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time, Alejandro Masias. And then after Alejandro is Heidi Sanchez and then Mason Dickerson. Good morning, President Schmirson, members of the board and superintendent Carvalo. My name is Alejandro Mas and I'm the principal of the Los

033Angeles Academy of Arts and Enterprise, in short, Lae. For over 20 years, our school has been dedicated to a core concept of integrating rigorous academics with pathways in arts and enterprise. We are proven long-standing partners, having earned the board's trust and affirmation through three successful charter renewals. But today, our model is being held back by our facility. At our current share site, families tell us the hardest part is simply finding us. Our office is our is on the fourth floor, and the confusing Wayfair uh creates real barriers. Barriers for students trying to enroll, barriers for parents trying to attend workshops, barriers for individuals with disabilities, and barriers for community trying to partner with us. The solution is alae occupying the school facility at 1215 Myimar. It provides a visible main entrance, ground flooror services, and

034clear accessible pathways. The most important most importantly, it gives our students and families what they truly need, dedicated learning space where they can learn and thrive and feel like they belong. As long as we are in myar, we would not need Prop 39 facilities from Al USD for our high school. [snorts] Furthermore, we are ready for this responsibility. Both the California School Finance Authority and LUSD's own source selection committee recommended selecting us for the Myiramar site, confirming we meet their requirements for financial soundness. >> [snorts] >> We are looking forward to working with ALUSD and the state to negotiate reasonable fiscally responsible agreements to open this campus for allea students and the Los Angeles community to calculate the costs for maintenance and operations and for Ali USD to provide the Myiar campus to allee and

035ready to occupy conditions. Given the significant vandalism and damage to the site over the last two years while it was under LUSD's watch, we recognize that this will take commitment and creativity and look forward to getting to final agreements in cooperation with Al USD in the state. With appreciation for competitive process and your staff's work, I respectfully ask for your yes vote on the Myiramar item. Let's give our students a campus that finally matches their aspirations. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. Uh, Heidi Sanchez, uh, Mason Dickerson, and then Richard Bin. [clears throat] Hello, President uh, superintendent, members of the board. My name is Mason Dickerson. I am the afterchool site coordinator for Los Angeles Academy of Arts and Enterprise. So, I wanted to speak briefly today on behalf of Woodcraft Rangers and

036the exciting prospect of the Myiar campus. Uh Woodcraft has proudly served LAE for over six years. And in my time serving as both a club leader and site coordinator for the program, I have witnessed firsthand the dedication of our school community to our students and furthermore the aspirations of our student body. As a site coordinator, is my privilege to engineer a program which extends opportunities beyond the school day working with LE and our community partners to inspire students with a safe environment to explore their artistic uh academic, social, and athletic development. However, these opportunities are shortcircuited by the reality of el's campus situation on Belmont. Uh, parents and students are bottlenecked into entering and exiting through one locked gate on a side street. Clubs are split between the fourth floor with no easy elevator access

037and the bottom floor outdoor lunch area. Athletics programs are forced to run on the concrete flattops unless we have special permission to use the field. Because of these barriers, not many kids want to stay for after school enrichment when they otherwise would. Program attendance is directly impacted by the labyrinthian setup and time and energy that could be invested in fostering program often has to be allocated to supervision and safety concerns. These problems would be unthinkable on a designated school campus. This prospect of Myiramar is not only exciting for our students, families, and staff who will finally feel they have a home of their own, but for Woodcraft where we will finally uh be able to fully utilize a campus space to continue to provide the afterchool programming our community deserves. So on behalf of Woodcraft

038and our incredible students, I'm asking you to vote yes on the Myiar item. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you for your time. And the final speaker, Richard Bin. Good morning, President, members of the board, and superintendent. My name is Richard Bin, and I've been a teacher at LAE for eight years. And I want to tell you something. I love Belmont. I worked at Belmont in late 90s, early 2000s as a special as a ESL and Spanish teacher as well as a dean. And Belmont um is very dear to my heart. But I can tell you something about the Belmont campus. It is big and complicated. It has lots of sections and gates. If you need to get to a certain destination in Belmont and your regular route is closed off, trying to get

039to that destination can become a nightmare. So, you can imagine how our parents must feel when they try to enter our campus from a certain location. Google Maps doesn't always point them in the right direction, and giving them step-by-step directions on the phone can be overwhelming. And when parents and students don't feel comfortable arriving to or leaving from a certain location, they tend not to go or stop going altogether. And that's what's happening with our students. And as as a result, we are losing enrollment. That's why I believe a new campus at Myiramar would be beneficial for Lae. And although a part of me identifies with the culture of Belmont High School, it is not the identity of Lae. The community of Lae deserves its own identity so that its own culture can flourish. I

040ask that we be allowed to flourish and develop our own culture at Myiramar. Thank you for your consideration. >> Thanks for your time. That concludes public comment on tab 19. Tab 23 and 24 are on discussion. They have public comment. The tab 31 is on consent and we have public speakers to tab 31. Uh let's see. Rungth, are you here? >> Runip, come on up. Belinda Ma. >> Okay. Plea, please give us your name and you'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. >> My name is R Tip. Good morning, superintendent and members of the board. Um, I'm a parent of a student in the Mandarin immersion program at Broadway Elementary. There's been a disturbing pattern of neglect, lack of accountability, and discrimination against Asians on the Broadway Elementary campus from school administrators and

041region West leadership. These individuals have allowed hate speech to propagate and be tolerated, resulting in a hostile environment for Asian students. Sadly, my daughter has been a victim of racist bullying. She declined to be here to read this letter she wrote on her own accord to Principal Sosa as she fears retaliation. Here's a recording of her reading portions of her letter. >> Calling us chinks. They started ching chong and made slanted eyes towards me and my friend. Incidents like this have happened to me many times. And yet, I have seen no change in these four girls behavior. I have foolishly dismissed various situations like this, but I have had enough and have no more patience for these four girls. I would appreciate it if you and L USD could put an end to this childish

042racist behavior. Thank you. >> I can't believe that in 2025 in Los Angeles, my daughter and her classmates have to endure racial slurs at school, especially one with the Mandarin immersion program. I am horrified by the silence and inaction from region west leadership and school administrators when this was brought to their attention. I am appalled and livid and I am sad. It is clear that Asian students are viewed as lesser than in L USD and our children feel the effects of this secondass citizenship both in and outside the classroom. I ask the board to please engage with us in finding a solution. Protect Asian Asian children. Stop placing them in unsafe spaces where they are subject to hate speech and hate crimes. Racial discrimination has no place in our schools. Thank you for your time.

043Thank you for your time, Belinda Ma. Good morning, superintendent board members. My name is Belinda Ma. Speaking again as a concerned parent on behalf of my daughter, a third grader at Broadway Elementary. Asians are the fastest growing racial group in LA City, the only group in the entire state currently growing. But LA Times reported earlier this year that Asian enrollment at LAD schools has dropped 34% over the past 11 years. CDE data also shows that other um LA County school districts have only experienced a 4% decline. So, we need to ask ourselves, what is the reason for this huge discrepancy? Asians are seeking public school options. They're just not seeking them at LUSD. Asian students who remain in LA USD are m mostly either in Mandarin or Korean language immersion programs. Board members are asking

044their constituents what can be done to help increase enrollment and retain students. Support your Mandarin students with equitable resources and funding as much as you would support any Spanish immersion students programs. give MI Mandarin immersion programs room to grow and meet the demand that is currently in the community and not not fulfilled within LSD. Broadway Mandarin immersion has an approved fourth kinder class, but MMED and Region West have sat on this year after year and has not opened it. Our three MI kinder classes remain fully enrolled, but students are turned away each year using the excuse of there is no space and the MI program is too big for the school. So, please help us. LUSD wants enrollment unless those students are are Asian. That doesn't seem fair. Broadway Mandarin immersion has the highest number

045of interdist permits in. I myself am one of them. We are take we are taking students from other districts. I live in Culver City and I choose to come to LA uni unified because of the e academic excellence. However, um we are not able to continue um with our success. We have the highest number of interd district permits as I said behind us would be Bradock Mandarin immersion and Mark Twain. So I'm asking you to look at these numbers and please help us to grow our programs and really help the students that need the most support. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. Timothy Lee. Superintendent, members of the board, my name is Tim and I am a proud parent of a student in the Mandarin immersion uh program at Broadway Elementary. We're here

046to ask the board to stop the district's discrimination against Mandarin immersion students. For over a decade, the district's Spanish immersion programs have received vastly more resources than its Mandarin immersion programs, which have been systematically neglected. Broadway Elementary has both programs, and the disparities are undeniable. Board me member Melvinne, in June 2022, you championed a $10 million uh grant for a Mandarin curriculum after learning Mandarin students don't have one aligned with state standards. Spanish students have always had one. Three years later, there is still no Mandarin curriculum. Where did that $10 million go? But the missing curriculum is just one example. Panner of discrimination runs much deeper. Testing. Spanish students are tested three times a year. Mandarin students don't even have standardized tests. Spending. The district spends 26% less per Mandarin student than Spanish. A massive

047funding gap uh favoring one program over another. Library books. The district buys and cataloges Spanish books. Chinese books are excluded from district approved libraries because of the district's own failure to catalog them. Substitute teachers. When Mandarin teachers are absent, the district has no has not provided uh provided no certified substitutes. In fact, Mandarin immersion families have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars out of their own pocket for uncertified tutors to serve as long-term subs. When we filed a Williams complaint documenting these disparities, the district investigated itself and found no violations despite overwhelming evidence of these exact harms. This isn't about budget constraints. Instead, the district has chosen to create a two-tiered system that discriminates against Asian students. Our children deserve better. They deserve an equal education. The discrimination of Mander emergent students must end today.

048Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. uh Cynthia Cow. Then after Cynthia is Denna Woo. Good morning board members, superintendent. My name is Cynthia Cow and I'm a parent as well as Broadway Elementary in the Mandarin immersion program. You've already heard some of the discrimination by the district against its Mandarin immersion students. Unfortunately, also goes beyond materials and spending on instruction class size. At Broadway, the MI program averages larger classes across all grades, sometimes up to 40% bigger demand in and out of district demand for MIL out places supply as you guys have heard, but no additional classes are offered. Um, as noted, uh, Broadway has the highest number of interd district transfer requests, but without any additional classes is actually creating a de facto quota against further Asian enrollment. Same thing is happening

049as well at Chapman MI, which is known for its weight lists, density. All Asian language immersion elementaryaries are in the top 25% of LSD's most crowded campuses. Broadway is in the top 10%. The most crowded of all at a whopping 244 students per acre is Castellar MI in Chinatown. Asian students have substantially less playground space, outdoor and indoor learning areas, and room to move. Shared space. As if density wasn't enough of a problem already, 40% of Asian language elementaryaries, including Broadway, must share campus with another immersion program. and my students have to share access to already constrained resources and receive far less administrative attention. Lastly, parent giving at Broadway. To make up for some of these deficiencies, a higher number of percent of MI families try to donate to correct the inequity. However, instead of

050simply resourcing the MI program the same way so as to alleviate the burden, the district mandates that MI family giving has to also subsidize the SI program. This has created a permanent subordination of the MI program, ensuring a forever state of inequity for the MI students. Overcrowded classrooms, denial of access to resources, insufficient curriculum. We've seen this story before. It wasn't acceptable then. It's not acceptable now. Racial educational discrimination must end, please. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. Denna Woo. Denna, are you here? Come on up. You have two minutes to speak once you begin. And after Denna is uh David Tokovski. [clears throat] >> Good morning board members. My name is Dina Woo. 11 years ago I was one of the determined parents who moved from Rodondo and camped outside of Broadway

051overnight to ensure my children a spot. [snorts] That was how much we wanted to be a part of this school and believed in the Mandarin program. However, over the years, I have witnessed the district actively denying our students equal access to education again and again. To make matters worse, the district has constantly pitted two programs on our campus to fight for limited resources, resulting in growing frustration and animosity between parents. These frustrations slowly manifested into hatred amongst the children. I found out recently that my son was one of the many recipients of that hatred for the past two years. Because I am a vocal advocate for the MI program, he has had to suffer for my fighting for his right to education. The school that I once stood in line overnight for because I thought

052it was a safe haven for my Asian children has become the place where my son and his classmates were constantly ridiculed for their ethnicity. Not only was he called things like and ching chong for two years, he had been punched in the stomach, kicked in the shin, and most disturbingly had a live beep hurled at his way by perpetrators who knew of his allergy. Furthermore, I found out that the current administration knew about these attacks and did not only did nothing to stop it, but minimized my child's claims by suggesting that he and his witnesses were liars. A few days ago, I learned that younger children in our program are also starting to hear these offensive words on campus from new younger attackers. The district is creating an environment where threats of survival brings out

053the two most hardwire human instincts, protecting one's offspring and going tribal. This cycle of violence cannot go on. I implore the board members present here today to quickly find a solution for this long-existing problem that keeps getting worse and worse so that future generations of MI children, the majority of whom are Asian, have a safe space to learn and thrive. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. Uh David Tokowski, come on down. You'll have two minutes to speak once you begin and then we will take um remote participants after that. >> Thank you very much, David Zakovski. Today we celebrate Jackie Goldberg and uh Silverlake and the Williams case is her legislation. She wrote the legislation. She solved politically a lawsuit by civil rights organizations about some fundamentals in schools facilities, the credentiing of

054teachers, and the curriculum and learning materials. And so one, when you do your school visits, check if the elementary schools have an up-to-date social studies series in the classroom. Okay? Just ask. See if it's within the last eight years. See if it's independent from the reading program. Every class should have in the room a poster, Mr. Yang, in every one of your classrooms. It should explain the Williams case to everybody so they can see that you should deserve the right curricular materials, the all the books in every subject that your teacher should not be a teacher that doesn't have the credential for that subject matter. So as the parents just spoke, if somebody's in a classroom who is not right for a Spanish immersion or Mandarin immersion or a Arabic immersion, it's the wrong teacher.

055That's a violation. And it's it's possible that the people in instruction can remedy it if they're told about it rather than being to the board members. Similarly, if the HVAC is not working in a hot spell or the heater's not working, it shouldn't be a complaint to the board member. It should be a simple form, the Williams compliance. So today, as you celebrate on the break here Jackie Goldberg's incredible career from the the days uh in Berkeley to the days on this board and then further days on the board, think about the Williams case as one of the many many things she left behind. And every time you certify Williams, make sure you visit the schools and you certify yourself that in fact the teachers have the right materials, the teachers are the right credentials,

056and all the systems are working in the facility. Thank you very much. >> Thank you for your time. All right, remote caller Matt Wley, I see you're on the line. Matt Wley, please press star six to unmute yourself and you'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. Matt Reley, >> good morning. Matt Rakeley, a father of a Broadway student. A few months ago, I spoke before this board as a concerned parent of Broadway Elementary to advocate for support for the Mandarin immersion program when I asked the district to treat the Mandarin immersion program equitably and put us on the same playing field as the Spanish immersion program by providing the same types of resources such as curriculum and testing. I also asked that the district consider a strategy of putting immersion programs in specific

057schools so that each school site could focus on building a strong program to attract families. The truth is at Broadway mannered immersion is not only starved of resources and investment is no space to grow. Central students are being turned away year after year. Unfortunately, for my purported crime of daring to bring concerns about my child's inequitable experience to you, certain parents have twisted my words and sprained them as an attack on their program. Using this as an excuse, they sought to censor me publicly and try to publicly humiliate me as a warning to others. Just as I've when Regent West tried to silence parents at the beginning of the school year, which led to a letter from the ACLU general counsel over to the office of the general counsel of this district. These actions have

058had a chilling effect. Things are not beautiful at Broadway Elementary right now. Parents are being cowered into silence. Asian children are being taunt racially and harassed and taunted while the administration looks the other way. This has to stop. I asked the board to stop this systemic racism against Asian students in action would mean continued discrimination against one of the most under represented and underserved student groups in this district. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. [applause] We have two more remote or three more remote callers. Karina Lopez, you're listed as being remote. Are you in the room? Marcela Garcia, not online. Are you in the room? That's a no. and Maria Dea Ortiz, you said you were going to be remote. Are you in the room? No. Okay, that concludes all comment on consent

059items. It's now appropriate to take a vote on the consent calendar. After having been moved by Mr. Meline and seconded by uh Dr. Rivas, I'll go ahead and take role. Uh Miss Newell, >> yes. >> Dr. Rivas, >> yes. >> Mr. Meline, >> yes. >> Uh Miss Grigo, >> yes. Miss Gomez. >> Um, yes, but please mark me as an abstension on tab 30. >> Okay. Noting uh yes on everything except um Miss Gomez is an abstain on tab 30. Tab 30. Uh Miss Ortiz Franklin, >> same. Yes, but abstain on temp 30. Thanks. >> And note that. And board president, >> yes. and student member Yang. >> Yes. >> Okay. We have dispatched with the consent calendar and thank you for the gentleman who came in for labor partners. I believe uh you're here

060to um give a quick talk. Labor Partners. >> No, >> speaking to the resolution. >> Oh, okay. Speaking to the resolution. My apologies. >> My apolog. >> All right. So, now we'll go to action items. The remaining action items on the agenda uh that were not on consent are 2 58 15 23 and 24. Uh both of 23 and 24 have time certain time is now 10:05. Let's go to tab two strengthening career technical education uh act. Um Mr. Yang, you had questions. >> Yes. Who am I asking them to? >> Yeah. >> Okay. While they come up, I'll get a motion and a second to take the item. >> Moved by Miss Gonza, seconded by Dr. Rivas. >> Yeah, I have um I have two questions. First, I was wondering how success in these

061CTE programs is measured and um where we've seen the most successful CTE. >> Great question. Um so, the way that we uh measure the success of the programs is our students take an exam and that leads to a certificate. And so by as uh by tracking the number of certificates that have been issued, we're able to see um the the effectiveness of the program, we also of course get feedback from the students and we also get feedback from the teachers. Uh we also have you know constant observations and provide feedback so that we can perfect our program. So those are some ways that we measure the the effectiveness. In terms of the where we see some highlights, we do have um some programs that are prominent in some areas like culinary arts for example are

062very prominent in certain areas and we see that other uh CTE programs um have highlights. I'd like to invite my colleague Esther Debban who can kind of share like where we see some some models and some places that we're learning from so that we can scale up the programs across the district. But we do have some areas that have really accelerated. So I'll have her come up and share what those are. >> Good morning. I'm Esther Dbagian, administrator over CTE and link learning. So we annually recognize schools that issue the most number of industry recognized certificates and I'd be happy to give you that list at a later date. But some of the most top earned industry certifications include the food handler certificate, CPR certificates, um certificates in Adobe for example, and these are just

063a few to name over a hundred different kinds of industry certificates. We also recognize the top 10 schools that have the highest CTE pathway completion rates. These are schools that support students through a two-year or sometimes more CTE course sequence, allowing students to gain a really deep understanding of content and technical skills and weave in industry involvement into their curriculum. There are a number of high quality CTE pathway measures which are included in your packet. There are approximately 10 and certificates and pathway completion are two ways we measure pathway effectiveness. In addition to that, we also look for for example dual enrollment embedded within the CTE pathway and whether or not the CTE pathway has an active advisory committee. And then I just had one more question which is like is there any standardization across

064CTS and how do is there any process to transfer best practices between different programs? >> Absolutely. So there are standards that we follow and of course the we want someone who has the experience in the field. So we bring in teachers and professors who've had experience in that field and we also have mentors and coaches that support them so that they follow those practices. So there are there's practices that are followed in the classroom related to what are the core content standards but then also what are the industry specific skills that students need to master uh to demonstrate proficiency and that will help them be successful on that exam. >> Thank you. >> Okay, let's vote on tab two. Uh Miss Newell, >> yes. >> Dr. Rivas, >> Yes. Mr. Melvin, >> yes. Miss Grigo,

065>> yes. >> Miss Gomez, >> yes. >> Mr. Ortiz Franklin, >> yes. >> Board President Schmelson, >> yes. >> Student board member Yang, >> yes. >> Okay, that concludes tab two. There are questions on tab five, approval of procurement actions. May I have a motion and a second to take the item? >> Move it. >> Moved by Miss Gomez, >> seconded by board presidentson. So we're on tab five. Folks had questions. >> I'll start it off. I have on item tab item J the Ernst and Young. >> Hi Mr. Jose Kutteras. >> Morning. Um, so given the limited detail on the public materials that we received, can you clarify the core intent of this project and what types of actions might reasonably follow the mapping uh such as adjustments to funding, program design, and reporting

066practices? >> Thank you. >> Um, board member uh Rivas, I'll go ahead and take that one. Um let me because this we've had a lot of questions about this. It might be helpful for me to talk about as an overview. The what and then the how that this that this um item addresses. The what the purpose of this is to have high quality to ensure that we have high quality programs throughout the district regardless of where the student lives or goes to school. We all believe that we have a moral obligation to that and this is to get us there. Um there'll be a few other consequences of this work beyond that. Number one, we believe that it will help us increase enrollment because if we have these highquality programs, others will come. We believe

067that though the first priority is to serve our students better. And then the second um other consequence is more strategic and focused allocation of resources so that our resources are going towards the greatest need and impact but we need the study first. So the how of this will be three things. Number one, to address the current to to uh analyze the current state. What programs do we have? I'm sorry, I have to turn and look at me, but what programs do we have in what schools? Where do we have deserts? Where do we have waiting lists? Where do we have programs that don't have demand? We have redundancies. We know we have that all over the district. And there's not one place in in central office where we can see it all. We need to

068go out into the field, talk to the schools, talk to the community. So, that's the first piece to assess where we are in the current state. Second piece is to go deep into the community. So bring this data, bring this current state analysis. Ask the community, what do you want to see different? This is what the data is showing in your community. What do you want to see? Because we deeply believe that any changes in a community should be driven by the community and we want to honor that. Um and then the third piece of analysis of the how would be to track a student's progress from registering for, you know, early ed all the way to graduation. where are they getting stuck? Where do we may have clear pathways for kids and where don't

069we? And really the result of that is to make sure that we have access and equity throughout our system. The board members will have a deep role in this. Um I've I think I've mentioned all of you individually and I mean this I've already told the consultants that if this is approved, the very first thing I'd like them to do is meet with the board members because I I also deeply believe that you know your schools better than anyone else. And so to start that I think will catapult this work. So it's exciting work. Um the consultant, I'll take a moment on them. They are have been doing this for you know over 10 years. They've worked in um you know over 30 states with I think it's over 50 school districts doing similar type

070work. So they bring them not only sort of a fresh look um and an objectivity but also a depth of experience to help us with with with this work. So that's kind of an overview >> and with um all of our re the district resources and in place why isn't this um study being done inhouse? Why do we have to outsource it? >> Yeah. And we and we we really tried that at first. Um but we don't have a couple of reasons. Number one and ma main one is we don't have the capacity or the or the skill set. I mean this is a tremendous amount of work. Ernst & Young Parthonon is going to be sending seven to 10 people out into the field for the entire school year to really do a deep

071analysis, do a deep community engagement. Um secondly, so that's the biggest thing, but there are a few other reasons what I mentioned about the objectivity to bring fresh eyes. They're not married to any program. They have they don't know anyone. Well, some of them are from Los Angeles, but none of them, you know, are working in the district now. So they bring fresh eyes and also they bring the depth of knowledge in terms of other school districts and other programs they've worked in. >> And can you uh give us a more detail on that about the community engagement that you mentioned? >> Yes. Um so we're we're imagining that the community engagement according to the project plan now will happen in the early winter. So around January and February after we've done the current state

072so we can bring the data to the community. Um and we would want to ask them you know what this is what the data shows. What do you want to see in your community? what can we other data do you need to make these decisions? We'd also like to speak with community members who don't have students in our schools to hear from them what they want to see and then we'll you know of course use that information. There'll be some recommendations based on that and then we'll go back to the community to share with them what we heard and make sure that what we heard and what we've done as a result of that is what they intended. Um well, I would like to make sure that the community engagement is um extensive and that

073you partner with all uh each board members just like we did with the fiscal stabilization plan as we went into the community so that we can also be part of that engagement. I think it's important. Um and also the final report will it be coming to us the board something that we can present at the committee of the whole? >> Yes, it'll be coming to the board. We're estimating sometime in the summer. We're we're targeting June, but it will be coming to the board. >> Okay. >> The full report. >> And last question is, what grant funds um help pay for this project and how is it eligible for bond funds? >> So, the grant funds are coming from the education foundation um specifically from Broad. They saw this work and thought it would be

074a great um advantage for this district and serving our students. Um and then the um in terms of the bond programs, there are some bond funding that's allocated. So it's not taken away from current projects, but there's bond funding allocated to planning. So this would be an allocation of that. We've worked with uh Christina an allocation of that to because we do believe that some of the facilities might um be affected by the program changes that we're that that will come out of this analysis. >> I have a question too, but I don't know. Do you have Jay? Is Jay one of yours? >> Let me see. Okay. So, if you don't mind, I'll >> go ahead. >> Okay. Uh, well, you asked my questions and you questions, but I just want to make sure

075that um here's here's a a scenario. If the community likes a particular program just the way it is, but the contractor is making recommendations to the contrary, how will we address that issue? Well, I I don't believe that the contra and the contractor in order to make a recommendation would need evidence and would need data to support that. So, if they are making a recommendation that's contrary to the the um the community, I I a big problem with that and I would need to see exactly why that because that would not make sense to me. >> And I thank you for that. And my second part is um we don't want the contractor to be uh one who simply eliminates certain programs at schools. So if the recommendation is to consolidate a program, I'd like

076that to be followed by a recommendation of which program should take its place. >> I agree with that. Okay. >> Or present. >> Thank you, Rosio. You answered my questions. Thank you. >> Go ahead. Go ahead. just on on the same item, I appreciate the explanation and the clarification. I think in general, if we could strive to have more of those details in the in the actual public materials, that would be really helpful. Um, and then one piece that also isn't listed here, but it's important is um was this contract formally competed? Yes, it was a very uh intense pro uh process that I was involved in. We had about I think I don't know how many at first, 15, made the first cut, narrowed it down to four and then two. when I was

077involved every step of the way, every, you know, it was a competitive, clear, clean process. >> Okay. Very helpful. And and again, like for the whoever prepared this report, like let's make sure that those that that's listed in the materials, please. Go ahead. >> Just a comment on on M Miss Gon's point. Um I I do see that this new board book is is changed. It's just three bullet points and it's missing a lot of the information, particularly the equity um information is at the end. So, you know, I know you're you're trying to be very efficient and effective and and and and sort of just sticking to the information, but we also have to um keep in mind that we have, you know, folk our public, right? Our are our, you know, a lot

078of folks that do read the report now that it's been sort of reduced to three bullet points and we don't know the RFP and all the other information. I would like to come back because we have to like I said consider um uh the public and here in our city our parents and labor partners who want to know the information and I also want to know the information. So I I would like it to come back. So um I if you want to find other ways to reduce information I understand but not in in sort of the full explanation on all of these items that we're voting for. So I would like the information to come back. >> We heard you. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Rivas. Go ahead. Yes. >> Just on that point

079of timeline, is this urgent um as it relates to uh the budget for next year or the FSP or anything that the board is also contemplating? Can you talk to us about timeline? >> The timeline is going to be this school year. So, we are pushing that as quickly as we can. So, starting >> the timeline as it relates to board decisions that need to be made. Uh well as as something as if something comes up that needs a board decision then we would take it to the board. Um some of this would need more analysis before we take it but it is directly related to the FSP as well. >> But it I would say it transcends the FSB. I mean this district uh really and I've heard it from every one of the

080board members. I've heard it from community groups. There are oases of opportunity specific to high quality uh programs. are very desirable and they're usually uh extensively used uh by by parents and students. Then we have deserts in our community where students to access those types of programs have to get on the bus and compete for those seats. So it's looking at the availability and access uh to highquality high demand programs. It's also looking at uh a whole host of issues uh that I we believe are driving enrollment and attendance. It's looking at the at the the crossroads of recent u federal actions to enrollment and attendance trends. It's looking also at economic drivers that are pushing families and students to different areas of our county or outside of our county. putting all that information together

081to help the board fashion practable uh uh actions specific to whether it is additional expansion of programs, consolidation of programs um and policies that will bring the allimportant equity to the issue of access to educational opportunity but also taking into account uh not just high-end programs but also access to students with disabilities programs closer to where kids live. All of that to be done in a coherent and compelling way and very transparent way is very very tough to be done. But I don't want the board to think that we're doing this only toward the end goal of uh fixing a budget issue. It's actually not not the driver. >> I appreciate that that it it sounds bigger and you know if if the team needs more time to decide if this is the contract we

082want to go forward with. Um, I just want to make sure that we're not waiting for information for decisions that might need to be made this spring. And so I was trying to line up when you said summer, is that like June budget adoption or not necessarily? And so, you know, I appreciate that it is um vast and uh I'm just trying to figure out how it fits with the current FSP plan. >> Yeah, I think that I understand now. That's a good point. Um, when we do when we did the project plan, we are frontloading the things that we need earlier. So, it's we there will be a final presentation to the board in June, but that does not mean that all decisions will wait until then. There will be things that happen before

083that and we will bring to the board for approval as as they develop. Okay. I appreciate that. >> Okay, Kelly, with you too. >> Okay. Okay. Go ahead, Carla. >> I have a question regarding item F. Yes. So, in my in my board uh book, it only has professional services. And I'm wondering, can we get a list of what these professional services are? It's um the first one listed, let me go back one sec. Item F, it says professional services in September 2025, 4,28691. So what exactly is that? What does it entail? What are those things? >> Good morning, Matt Freriedman, chief procurement officer. Um, so those are low value purchases of professional services under $25,000. >> Are those here at Bodri? Are those at school sites >> across the district? >> About how many

084do you know it it is? So there there's 408 for the month of September and year-to date 769 transactions. >> It would be good because there's a lot of questioning around this category professional services. People want to know like what exactly is that? Are we spending more money in that than in other um other parts of our of our needs in our budget. So could we have something that has professional services are these at you know at the Bodri or the regions professional services are these at the school sites so that not only do we as a board have an understanding of what that entails but also the public has an idea of where our money is going when we say professional services so that it doesn't app you know we don't want it appear

085that it's funding some consultant you you know, for a lot of money for $4 million. >> So, so what we do is we aggregate all that together, but we can diagregate it and and share that information. >> I would love that. Um, thank you. And then there was another part. Um, let me see here. Hold on. There was Okay, I think that is actually No, that was all I had for that piece. Thank you. Jerry, go ahead, please. >> Yeah, I had um I have a question on item K and then also on item M. I guess I can start with item K. >> Okay. Um, so I was wondering, you know, seeing that this program has been in place since July of 2024, what sort of progress we've seen in the students and then

086what other initiatives does the district have that are related to like the theme of restorative justice? >> Good morning, Elsie Rosado, administrator for the student support and attendance services branch. So, currently right now, this program is not in place. We do have programs that support our students that are in our uh juvenile justice involved that are part of our student support programs. So, this is for anou to begin this program. And I'm not sure if I answered all of your question. I apologize if I didn't. >> Um, can you tell me a little bit more about the other initiatives that the district has that are related to restorative justice? So in terms of restorative justice uh we have our PBIS our positive behavior intervention support system and our our which are our student support or

087SOSAS advisors that are supporting schools to implement restorative practices um at school sites. So it could be restorative circles going observing classrooms like look meeting with students well not with students but um observing student behavior identifying what's triggering that behavior and working with school staff to help alleviate or to reduce those behaviors. >> And what was the other one Jerry? >> Uh item M the the school bus. Yes. Um, so I've heard a lot of positive things from the student perspective. Um, but I was also wondering what, if any, challenges the district has encountered when implementing this new electric fleet and then, um, how they are in terms of maintenance and reliability compared to our gas buses. >> So, good morning, Daniel Kang, director of transportation. Uh, great question, Mr. Yang. Uh, very appreciate it.

088Um, I I've shared before ordering electric buses is the the most easiest part of the entire operation. Um although it's 3x the cost uh the biggest challenge is the charging infrastructure. Um and thankfully uh I work uh with ESO uh echosustainability office and facilities uh leadership uh for not just our charging stations at our busy yards which is kind of the traditional model and it works for many school districts when they are a much smaller size. However, LA USD is 710 square miles and often our commutes are much longer due to our traffic patterns etc. and also the amount of demand trips we are doing uh above and beyond normal school districts. Um, our electric buses, I would like to say they're still in the beginning stages of the industry, meaning I would say something

089to our smartphones maybe about 15 years ago when the the battery life didn't last a full day if you remember that time frame. And whereas now we're on iteration 16 or 17 now, and we don't worry about it. So, we are far from a 300 mile electric bus to provide that amount of range. And those circumstances exist. Um I've had questions before when will we get rid of replace our diesel and gas polluting buses and um it it's due to the demand coming from our schools. There are few trips that go all the way up to Big Bear and back roughly 300 mile range or even San Diego etc. So to counter that given the technology state of our electric buses uh we are working with the two respective offices to put charging stations not

090just at our bus yard locations but also at our school sites. So the idea is um continue continuous use charge when we're dropping off group of students whether it's 30 minute and get 30 more miles and then continue on the day. I know the LA Metro has like um next to North Hollywood actually they have the Orange Line which is an electric bus line. Have we considered like talking to them about like what they do or or kind of seeing like what's transferable in terms of their practices? >> Yes. And uh we've visited them and uh partnered with them several years ago under the prior director Miss Mononttoya. The Orange Line with Metro does in our in our valley area is famous. It's all electric round the clock. However, it's a different operation, meaning um

091the term escapes me, but they have uh continuous charging through I believe it was panographic or telegraphic uh charging station, meaning it's continuously charging. Whereas in our model, we charge at the beginning and end of our day. Um kind of like a personal car, you you charge in your garage or at home and then you depart for the day hoping it's under 100 200 miles for the day. Um whereas uh the orange line is continuous. We even had our operations folks visit the orange line to see if we can you know um kind of charge for five minutes at a time and with our modeling it was just too disruptive to their operations as well as ours. Got it. And I just have one more. Um I saw this grant is specifically for electric school

092buses for underserved and pollution burdened communities. um how are those communities being determined or chosen? >> So, uh there is a um kind of a a a conception that uh a a busy yard in downtown only serves the downtown area and that's simply not true. All our busy yards serve all over the district. Meaning the bus yards in downtown just pick up in the downtown area and then go all over. So, our Sun Valley Yard is not just serving the valley. It's actually going to pick up in the valley and then they go all over the district. If if that answered your question. >> Yes. >> Let me just follow up with Jerry. Well, you answered both of my questions, too. Thank you so much about the probation department and Kay and I was asking

093him the same thing. Will we you will we use these new electric buses in areas that uh have higher levels of CO2 particularly to make sure that we kind of balance out that uh these are communities that have been suffering with excessive CO2. >> Yes, it is um it it is not just transportation planning. We're working with uh ecosustainability and facilities offices as well as other partners and it's the ultimate goal is to get electric buses everywhere and remove our polluting buses. Uh right now one of the main factors is our coordination with our local utility partners and where the power is at and it it's a little bit of a um it's a concerted effort for multiple agencies. >> Thank you. Go ahead. But to the point that the question you're just asking, that's

094one of the drivers actually as to why we are converting the Sun Valley Transportation Depot into a fully electrified uh transportation depot for uh the utilization of our own assets, our buses, but also possibly for other entities considering the level of industry and um and lack of green space in that area. therefore influencing CO2 levels in that area. That will continue to be a driving force of the expansive electrification in our district. >> Thank you very much, Mr. Kang. Thank you very much, Jerry. Go ahead, Rosil. >> Thank you. I just noticed that I received um this is not my question, it's just a comment. Um that for bus transportation upcoming from the winter academy. So, I'm glad that we're continuing to use our transportation or our fleets for to make sure our students um

095get to their schools for winter academy safely. So, I just saw that I was like, "Yes." But that's not my question. My question is um can you briefly provide a review how this purchase um brings us closer to 100% electrification goals and how many more do we need? I know I asked you this, but I just for the public simply, >> we currently have 250 electric buses in our fleet and this 50 will take us to 300. Our total fleet size is 1300 and the goal being 2040. So we are on track. Um as you know the the biggest challenge for us the district is it's not part of our general fund. So we have to think outside the box. Look at all the grant opportunities federal and state level and they are still out

096there and um although there are a lot of uh external factors happening on in the federal government level um there are still advocacy at the state especially at the state level and thankfully we're in California where we're trying to I'm sorry for the pun lead the charge in this evolution. Well, thank you for leading the charge and thank you for all your work and and uh getting us uh much closer to that and also looking for funds to help us with that. Thank you so much, Mr. Kang. >> Question. Kelly, go ahead. >> Oh, yes. Um Mr. Mr. King, before you go away, um well, one, I mean, I think it's undeniably a great thing the work that we're doing to invest in um electric school buses and particularly proud as the superintendent mentioned of

097um our efforts to electrify the Sun Valley busy yard, which is directly located next to it is directly adjacent to one of our schools and um enhances and exacerbates the air pollution and other environmental hazards that our students and communities are already burdened with. Um so, I think it's great that the district is investing in electric infrastructure. Um, I did want to ask because it doesn't specify in item M. Um, what company manufactured the buses and is it a unionized company or can you specify? >> Yes, this is Bluebird. Um, and they are out of Mon, Georgia and they have a union uh partnership. >> Yes. And wherever possible, I think if that also could be highlighted in the materials, I think we always want to strive for as we are advancing our clean energy

098goals to also do so through unionized workforce um and ensuring we're providing those highskilled jobs for our communities. So, thank you for clarifying that. No. >> Um and then I did have one on item K as well since Miss Rosado is still here. Um this is an exciting um partnership and I I think it's great um to focus in on our middle school students as we know that that is a time of great need for a lot of our kiddos. I wanted to clarify the contract term says already passed and I know you said it was a new program. So if you could help me understand that. >> Yes, it's the contract is until 2025. So we are working with our partners to create an amendment. So the goal is that we would have an

099amendment so that we can begin. >> Okay. And then I think in the fall materials there were five schools identified. Are those still the schools that we will be that will be provided services through this revenue agreement >> I believe but I would confirm I will confirm once we have the amendment. Okay. >> That was the data that was pulled >> and maybe you could just double check on that for me. It says Sun Valley Middle School. I just confirm that that's Sun Valley Magnet that we're referring to. Um when while you're double checking. >> Okay. We will provide that response. >> Perfect. Thank you so much. Thank you Mr. Any other questions from anyone? >> Go ahead, Carla. >> Hi. This is regarding item H, the SAP um contract. I noticed it went up

100by 5 million. Can somebody explain um why that's the case? Uh SAP item H SAP. >> Morning again. So, this is an SAP contract for um the district's business operations, essentially procurement, HR, all the above. Um the previous five-year contract, we spent roughly $19 million. Um where we stand now, um and it's an ongoing negotiation, so kind of want to make sure that we we leave it a little bit vague. um we're sitting somewhere in the 20 20 million 21 million and there's a little bit extra um capped in there for additional customization throughout u the five-year term. So as we need to customize the software, we have the ability to to ask for that. >> Oh, that's why you're asking for that extra 5 million. Correct. So it could be less than 5 million

101that what you'll spend. >> It could be. Yes. >> Okay. All right. And then I believe that's it for this tab. Thank you. Anyone else? Okay, Mr. McClean. >> All right, this is tab five moved by Miss Gomez, seconded by board presidentson. Uh, Miss Newell, >> yes. >> Dr. Rivas, >> yes. >> Mr. Meline, >> yes. >> Miss Grigo, >> yes. >> Miss Gomez, >> yes. >> Miss Artis Franklin, >> yes. >> Board President Schmurson, >> yes. >> And student [snorts] board member Yang, >> yes. That concludes tab five. May I have a motion in the second for tab eight? >> Move it. >> Moved by Miss Gomez. >> Seconded by Dr. Rivas. Um I have noted Mr. Melvin has questions on tab 8 capital facilities fund. Double check. >> We have one speaker. David

102Tokoski. Come on up. Thank you. >> Thank you very much, Mr. Melbourne. And thank you to the district for finally changing after 30 years the title to impact fees rather than developer fees as if it's a tax on developers. It's the developments that you see around your districts. When you see an apartment building go up, you see on the report you have, every square foot of that apartment is $5.19 to the school district. So when you see the highrises downtown, all of those with parking, that is millions and millions of dollars. It seems a little low here, which means the collection may not be as accurate. And sometimes cities, as we had an audit from the inspector general's office, show that some cities, John Walsh, who used to be with the general counsel's office, had

103to go to the city of Bell before the Bell scandal and say, "You owe us $3.5 million." Huntington Park has not paid its impact fees for all the developments. So, this is happening everywhere, a collection problem. Then um there's also a policy problem as you see in here um that facilities in their projects. For example, they transferred $4 million to Recita High School to finish up that project and 5.7 to North Hollywood High um and 4.4 to San Pedro. That's to finish these projects that are funded, but that's not necessarily where the funds are being collected. The funds could be collected in one area and transferred to another. And so there's some sort of policy that you might want to have some of it stay central and some of it stay for its community. Uh

104these big modernizations Rita North Hollywood San Pedro needed this money. This is essential and we're also refunding a lot here this year 9 million which we put in when we made the policy for uh low-income housing that there was an exception. So hopefully this is all lowincome housing and matches with your housing efforts and policies. So finally, the company does hundreds of school districts. [music] How in the world could they be charging $1 million to do essentially the same work that they do in other districts? That deserves oversight. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. >> Great. Um, thank you. So, yeah, my question and I brought the I guess it was more of like an amendment than a resolution to change it from developer fees to impact fees because it is, as Mr.

105Shakovsky said um to mitigate the impact. My question is really just about how we can better itemize to understand where these are coming from. You know, my understanding is that the purpose of impact fees as authorized by the state law is to mitigate developments that has an impact on LA Unified and our current policy as we were able to see through this the um receipt of this report. um we allocate them across the district um looking at appropriate sources of funding um and we don't have any restriction or guidance on where they should be used including which communities might feel the impact of development and I'm not interested here in changing that policy necessarily maybe in coming months but I'm interested in a geographic breakdown of where fees are collected and I appreciate that as

106a follow-up item that the board got last night um we see it by city obviously the city of LA is the most but West Hollywood had a few million dollars we added the other cities encompassed in LA Unified. But I'm asking because and Mr. Trovsky mentioned you know parking projects and others downtown. So I think that you know Dr. Rivas and others would have a lot of impact that's felt in their district. I also know in my board district we've got Warner Center in Woodland Hills, a huge condo development in Hollywood next to Gardener Elementary, Television City and another giant condo complex in the west um Hollywood Fairfax area right near Hancock Park Elementary. Um, and so nearby communities have asked and some, you know, rather sophisticated, uh, constituents have also reached out to say,

107"Where are these impact fees going? We know you collect them." And my understanding is that we don't know um, basically where we're collecting them within the district. And so my request is that we find out whether that's something we can do internally or through the city and our our other cities like which developments are generating which funds. I think to Mr. point it will help make sure that we are collecting the appropriate ones but also just to then have a geographic breakdown of oh there's a lot of development in downtown or in the west valley and this is where potentially we should direct as a board those funds to actually mitigate the impact of those developments. So you're right that currently we have the information on how much was collected by city uh and you're

108right lion shares from the city of Los Angeles about 81 million of the 89 million total um and that the fees from the city of LA develop impacts fees from within the city of LA are collected by the city of LA and so we can certainly reach work with the city to get as much information by geographical location as as possible. >> Thank you. Because that would be my interest is then in in the future when we get these reports and it could hopefully be a public database, we could see which which projects are generating which fees and then we could collectively decide as a district and as a board whether the allocation of the almost 90 million is equitable given where the fees are being generated or what our policy wants to be uh

109or or should be but guided by the empirical facts. So thank you. Anyone else? >> Clean. >> All right, time for a vote. Tab eight was moved by Miss Gomez, seconded by Dr. Rivas. Taking the vote, Miss Newell. >> Yes. >> Uh, Dr. Rivas, >> yes. >> Mr. Melvin, >> yes. >> Miss Grigo, >> yes. >> Miss Gonomez, >> yes. >> Miss Ortiz Franklin, >> yes. >> Uh, board president Schmelson? >> Yes. >> Student board member Yang? >> Yes. Okay, that concludes tab eight. Moving on to tab 15. May I have a motion and a second? >> Move it. >> Moved by Miss Gomez. >> Second. >> Three for three. Seconded by Dr. Rivas. All right. There is no public comment on this item. And so I have Miss Grigo and Miss Newil as having

110questions or comments. >> Who would like to go first? >> I can go. >> You push the button first. Go ahead. Go ahead. >> Yeah. Um, regarding the um, my understanding is that there are some PSW positions that are currently um, there's an effort to fill those positions. However, they were not in this report. So, can somebody speak to that? >> Hi, Kristen Murphy, associate superintendent. Uh, yes, there are currently four PSW vacancies in the district. Two of them have candidates identified and they are processing. So you will see them reported as officially hired. Uh in the next report there are two additional vacancies. there is an a list of eligible candidates and it's my understanding that those candidates are being uh interviewed by our uh division that oversees our PSWs and that when they

111make their selections they will also be processed. >> Do you know if these PSWs that are on boarding right now and the ones that we're hoping to hire are they in-house or are we going outside of the district to to find these believe I believe there are external candidates. We are um recruiting outside of the district >> in addition to the the folks that we already have. We had four additional vacancies that needed to be filled and so we have been recruiting uh we have two candidates already identified and processing and then we have eligible candidates who are still being interviewed and selected. >> Okay. And do you know if any of these are folks who have already worked for us as interns or anything like that? I understand there are lists of folks who

112have come and done their um internships here as they're getting ready to get their credentials. Do you know or where are we finding these folks? >> Okay, I see uh Joel Cisneros uh who is interviewing and selecting and Dr. Frank Serado who is our chief of HR. they may have specifics on the individual candidates uh who have been identified. >> Yes, good morning. Joel Cisneros, executive director with student mental health and wellness. So, yes, so we've built an eligibility list that is available and we've been using to recruit. We've uh as Dr. Murphy said, she we've already been able to offer some temporary contracts. And to answer your question, board member Gregor, we are building it based on prior interns and we have actually had our person that oversees our intern project stay in contact

113with those individuals and invite them to apply and and kind of stay active. And if there are any schools who want to hire new PSWs, say for the um fall se uh the spring semester, they got extra money, then can they still do that? >> They can go through the process and sub work with their fiscal specialist and submit that request and we will certainly review it and and like I said, we have the eligibility list and we can start recruiting some temporary contracts through. >> Okay. And then what about for schools who purchased x number of days but somehow they were only given um say a school purchased five days but they were only given four days. So what is the process for them to be able to recoup that fifth day when they

114already have their funding at the school site? >> Yeah, it's a good question. So what our staff have been working directly with the school principles to make sure that they have the assignment and in some instances the principles have said we actually would like that those funds reallocated and they're working really closely with those principles so that they can reallocate those funds in those scenarios. >> Okay. But if they don't if they don't want it reallocated, they want that PSWD, they can still get it and they should contact Absolutely. your office. >> Yes. >> Okay. And then for community schools, likewise, if they got extra funding, even if it was not in their community school plan, can they go ahead and um amend their plan and add a PSW to their plan? >> Yes, absolutely.

115And get their >> PS and and we've been working with this fella right here uh in the HR department. We're working side by side in our fiscal department to ensure that as those requests come in. We work with them to create the the PCN's so that we can start recruiting. >> All right. Thank you so much. >> Yeah. >> Anyone else? Go ahead, Miss Hensley. New bill. >> Thank you. Um I had a couple questions. when you on page 202 it talks about our um some new hires and with the exception of 111 assignments and so however the current report shows personal action there's 111 new positions is that correct >> yes so those are just new positions that are filled right so they're not new positions to the district service it's just filling of

116those positions >> got it so not new positions >> correct just filling position current existing positions that had a vacancy. >> Got it. Okay. Cuz I was like, are these new new line items? Okay. And so some of the non-school-based positions, are these the deputy director real estate? Are these some of those positions? >> Correct. So that encapsulates all of them, right? Whether it's classified or certificated, you see that breakout by classified by classification, right? So there's a long listing of classified employees and then the certificated employees. So we break them down by certificated and classified. >> Got it. And then the other 106 positions, those are going straight to school base. >> Correct. If depending on the how they're identified. Yes. >> All right. That's what I need to know. Thank you. >> Anyone

117else? >> Okay, Mr. McClean. >> All right. Voting on tab 15. Moved by Miss Gonz, seconded by Dr. Revas. Taking the vote. Miss Newell. >> Yes. >> Dr. Rivas. >> Yes. >> Mr. Melvin. Yes, >> Miss Grigo. >> Yes. >> Okay. Miss Gomez. >> Yes. >> Miss Ortiz Franklin. >> Yes. >> Uh board president. >> Yes. >> Student board member Yang. >> Yes. >> Okay. So, that looks like we have concluded all of the everything that was not on consent aside from tabs 23 24 which have time certain of 11:30 and 2:30 respectively. Did >> Yeah, I was going to suggest that we took a take my reszo early, but I'm realizing um that we do have the superintendent's report and committee chair reports and I don't want to cut into the time certain for

118Miss Gonz's report 11:30. So maybe we do committee chair reports, soup reports, and then I know we have a >> and and we probably would would be ready to begin a little bit early, a little bit before 11:30, maybe 11:15 or so. Um so if we want to try to get something else done in the interim, I know, but we have more people who are still arriving. So, um I just don't want to miss our people who are coming. >> This sounds incredibly efficient to me. Great. >> Inefficient. >> Efficient. >> Oh, efficient. Okay. >> Yeah. Um perfect. So, I guess should we do committee reports or the soups report and then we can start misses is a bit early. >> Let's do the soups report. >> Please ceue up the soups report. So, it

119please get that [clears throat] ready and then um Mr. Carvalo is going to begin that shortly. >> All right. I'll uh briefly introduce the report. Um so today uh we are ready to present the 2425 English language proficiency assessments for California otherwise known as LPAC. Um recently we uh we celebrated the release of the smarter balance data for Los Angeles Unified and today's presentation follows the level of success that we heralded just uh recently. Uh before I invite Tony Aguiar, Dr. Bill Johnston, and Lydia Aosa Stevens uh to the podium, I'd like to share just some very brief highlights. Number one, we are outpacing the state and other districts. Uh LUSD can boast about a higher percentage of students performing at level four with 20.64% 64% than other large districts or the statewide average uh

120which is only at 15.53%. Considering the number of EELs in our district, that's really a stunning uh improvement in feet. Uh in addition to that, over four times the rate of improvement compared to the statewide average. Um the state posted uh a.9% uh improvement. Los Angeles Unified posted a 4.33% improvement. Uh in addition to that um Los Angeles Unified is experiencing unprecedented achievement in this area, highest ever achievement in the history of LPAC assessment with uh all student groups all student groups performing better than the prior year and prepandemic levels with exception of those who just recently uh entered our school district uh or were designated as English language learners. So uh there were uh these are outstanding uh levels of success and achievement and and I believe that they are powered by a board

121focus uh on these students as reflect in our strategic plan. uh very specific and intentional moves conducted by staff at all levels, central office as well as school site and the building of a coalition uh with high expectations and urgency around this body of work and its beneficiaries. So with that said, let me turn it over to our team for their brief presentation. Thank you, superintendent, and good morning, board president and board members. Um, as the superintendent said today, I think we're going to be able to uh really listen into the commitments that we've made as a district to support our English language learners. But we are pleased to share the remarkable progress of our English learners that are made across LA USD. The presentation today focuses on how we're turning data into action, honoring

122the gains while outlining the strategies that helped us get here. Our results are reflected of the district-wide commitment to equity, language development, and academic achievement for every single student. So much as what the superintendent has shared earlier, there it is in print. It is definitely something to mark that o over year-over-year improvement of 4.33%age points is more than four times the statewide average. That is a huge gain and a huge feat for the this this district. >> [clears throat] >> I think one area that definitely needs to be called out too is our long-term English learners that are now at their lowest point at 9.4%. And really that has come at the work at the school site level where we're really focused and intentional in looking at our students that are leaving us uh at

123the elementary level entering that middle school level to ensure that they're not maintaining that ELTEL if you will um label. I'll now hand off to Dr. Johnson who will take us through the data in detail and then Lydia Kasa Steven will walk us through the strategies that kind of supported all these efforts. Dr. Johnson. >> Good morning. So as as discussed earlier, so we have seen again um at the top row is what we've been looking at and discussing um so far with our all all of our tested um English learners who receive the summitive LPAC assessment at the end of the year. um this past year 20.64% of those students reached level four which is the the highest possible um category in the ELPAC assessment and this is the level that students must um

124must achieve at in order to reclassify um out of English learner status as well. So and then and again the 4.33% um improvement and again since um higher since precoid the highest since we began using the ELPAC assessment. Um, and then, uh, we thought this this information here was important to to look at because it's showing all of our other all of our student groups that are also taking the LPLAC as well. And we're seeing very consistent growth and improvement this year compared to prior year. And again, the only area where we saw um where we haven't met pre-COVID level is for um students who were brand new to the district, brand new to to the United States, less than 12 months. And and that 0.99 is about 10 students that we're talking about for

125that group. It's a very small group we're talking about there. Um, so very consistent improvement across all student groups. And then finally, uh, looking at Los Angeles Unified compared to the state. And on the far right, you see what the the imp the the gap that we're that we've already discussed between us and statewide average. And again, these are our English learners in Los Angeles Unified compared to English learners statewide um, who take the ELPAC assessment. And whereas you see precoid um we were lagging behind the state and then again coming out of the co uh the the pause in testing and then since then it's been diverging trajectories uh for us and the state um where our not only are we performing higher than the state but our rate of improvement year-over-year is is

126much accel much more accelerated than what we're seeing statewide. So a lot to celebrate and to get into uh the what's driving this I will turn it to Lydia Kosa Stevens. Thank you. Good morning everyone. Yes, I'm very happy. So, this is fantastic. Fantastic. Our district is leading the way. So, what is this high stakes LPAC? Because it is high stakes for our emerging bilingual students. They are tested on receptive and expressive skills, listening, reading, speaking, and writing. This is a complete picture of language development at multiple levels that students are yearly assessed every spring which is approximately about 65,000 emerging bilingual students representing about 130 languages. These domains are critical in the work that we do that our teams, our schools, our educators fully understand all of these pieces. As you think about what

127the ELPAC is, the ELPAC isn't just about what we call ELD, that course that someone takes in high school or the 45minute protected block. It is about the integrated ELD all day long, especially in the subjects such as math and history and social sciences. Because although the ELPAC is a language test, it is filled with content that is science and social studies related. So students must create, clarify, fortify, and negotiate listening, reading, speaking, and writing while taking the LPAC. How did we get here? It was our teachers, our families, and our kiddos who take that test. Everyone's bought in and everybody knows how important this is. Kiddos cheer each other on, by the way, quite often. As you look at this work, we make strategic investments for positions at school sites, our multilingual, multicultural accelerated

128learning coaches, and our instructional aids that they supervise. We strategically use those ELOP dollars for EL acceleration and language and culture enrichment to celebrate the whole child and celebrate everything they're doing academically. The ongoing progress monitoring with the model of data digs that the superintendent brought to our district, we have cascaded that down to our coaches participating in data digs. our aids participating in data digs in our region teams and it is an opportunity for them to truly dig in and this cannot be done with collaboration across our district. The coherence that Dr. Estrada has so emphasized. We work with the division of instruction, special ed, office of data accountability, our family units and gifted and talented. How is this growth happening? In MMED, we implement research-based strategies with fidelity and integrity that maximize academic

129discourse in all content areas. Meaning it's not just think pair share turn to your partner as Dr. Estrada has said. It is about the Socratic seminar. It is about engaging in all of these strategies multiple times. So the resources that we have provided in MMED are to support the common planning time for our teachers to use the curriculum they have at hand and design the best lessons they can for the students who are in their class. And of course that protected block needs to happen every day. I ask you as board members when you visit school sites, ask the principal about the protected block. Visit a designated ELD time and see if you see any of these protocols and strategies. I think you will see them based on our results. and in secondary the innovative

130work that we've done to create a comprehensive ELA EL course so that our emerging bilingual students at the secondary can now take a course that opens up and covers ELA and EL too much. Can I get help? Sorry. I assume I did it. >> Wrong fingers. Strong fingers. Yes. Thank you. Keep going. Keep going. Keep going. Yes. Oh, I'm going to back up one. So, as I mentioned, integrated ELD and the uniqueness of our coaches, they support teachers, but they also work directly with students daily. They have schedules where they meet with students. They ensure that they have goals with students and they celebrate with students every little area they can in terms of how they're doing. Our coaches also hold family sessions virtually and in the evenings and open house and back to school

131night. Every opportunity to provide parents also that opportunity to engage with someone who they know is working directly to support their children. This is a timeline of what we've been doing. Teachers helping teachers summer conference. We pull in about 350 teachers who mentor each other in all these areas. Our master plan instructional institute, we now have a family strand. We began that in the last two years where teachers are there for professional development and so are parents and families visiting the professional development and participating. the launch of the EL acceleration programs and of course everything that we do with ELPAT calibration training understanding what is a level one two three and four in all of those four domains and we continue to hold our ambassador meetings our DAC parents have been wonderful partners in this

132work with great ideas as well so where are we going to go blue on the dashboard. That's the goal. So, we're launching a Go Blue campaign in terms of LP and the progress our students are making on Alpac. We're now going to go even deeper in terms of the learning for all educators and the opportunities that we have for them to enrich those classrooms. continue to grow that DL block a little stronger and a little more clearly on English language foundations by literacy awards, virtual field trips, expanding that because our emerging bilingual students come with something and we want to celebrate that and we also want to celebrate those Englishonly students who want to be bilingual. That's how you build communities at schools. expanding our family training and celebration meetings. We have an intensive language

133studio designated EL training that we are now implemented to reinforce language studio, strengthen it where it might be needed and provide teachers any support they need. Our in instructional aids meet with us and go in really deep on what is the LPAC, what is designated LD, what is integrated ELD and all day long they are pushing in and working with students. The leadership conference used to be the new the international newcomer leadership conference. We only did it at high school, but we started to notice that elementary and middle school kids want to be a part of it. So, we're expanding that. Continue the work with our mocks. Um, I'm doing many, many one-to-one observations, providing feedback to coaches myself and learning so much from what they have to say and what teachers are telling me

134about how it's working and why it's successful. And of course, continue to look at those new secondary ELA, EL courses and what we can do to expand A throughG credit. Everything aligns to our master plan and it's really about that whole child an assets based lens and celebrating multilingualism. Equality is giving everyone a shoe. Equity is giving everyone a shoe that fits. And our teachers are doing that and our division leaders are doing that. So yes, I'm very happy. But now we have to go blue and it's not enough. Thank you. >> Comments or questions from board members? Go ahead, Kelly. Yeah, I just want to to thank and rec recognize um our fearless leader, Miss Austa Stevens, but um all of the people who support our emerging bilingual, our our teachers, um our mamals,

135our instructional aids, um EL designes, um EL coordinators at our school sites, um and our families and our students, of course, most importantly, um I think this represents an ongoing effort um to ensure that when we affirm um bilingualism and biiteracy, it's not just warts, but we actually put those supports into practice at our school sites. Um, so I'm really thrilled um and proud of the amazing progress that our students are making and know that there is even more work to do. Um, I wanted to also specifically highlight that I heard that this summer's coaching institute was like the best one ever. Um, so I think I think it just really represents a lot of efforts on on the part of the team. Um, and I wanted to compliment just that we are recognizing the

136heter heterogeneity of the English learner population. Um, all of our family stories are different. We have, um, English learners, multilingual learners who speak indigenous languages as their first language. Um, standard English learners, um, newcomer students, long-term English learners. And in LUSD, we are affirming and tailoring our support to the uniqueness of every single student. Um, so just greatly appreciate all of your efforts and excited to celebrate the progress that we're seeing. >> Thank you. you go ahead Rosile. >> Yes, very proud of all the progress and growth. Me as an English learner, I know how um not you know difficult and um the work that entails not only with working with families but working with the teachers and the coaches. So I um appreciate all of your work and everyone that was a part of

137that. Um just a a few questions. um what meth methodology are you using to ensure that the gains we report are comparable across regions and schools with the vastly different EL profiles including varying numbers of newcomers. >> So as we dig into the the data of our emerging bilingual students and they're not a monolithic group as was mentioned we do have different strategies that we have implemented. So for our long-term English learners, we look at a set of strategies they might need because we're talking about our high school population and middle school population versus our littles in kinder. One of the main ways we come together coherently is through our region teams. We have coordinators at every region who we meet with every other week and we cocreate the training for all our EL designes,

138the institutes, everything is co-created. It's not just done sitting in a cubicle and MMED. It's a district-wide co-creation so that we can catch the nuances that at a central level we might not be fully aware of. And there's certain things that come up like we need to think of schools like Miguel Contras right it might have a higher indigenous population um we need to think of students rebs represent approximately 130 languages so we have to look at those those that have an alphabet those that do not have an alphabet so there's a lot of different strategies and we incorporate those in those pieces then our region teams go back and conduct the training but They don't do it by themselves. My team is not here at Bodri. They go out, they support every region and

139they are there presenting the content, answering those questions that an EL design may have and or a coach in the moment. So, it's a quick turnaround time in response to need. >> Great. Thank you for explaining that it's multi-levelled and um a lot of folks involved at the region and also at the school level. um given the the newcomers enroll less than a year and as was mentioned 10 students um but they those are very important 10 students um given that they're here for let's say a year um wait I'm sorry somebody my questions are moving here um what structural barriers um do they still face um in their in their first year of entry what's in their experience so depend depending on when they enroll, right? An international newcomer in kindergarten is a different

140feel, especially if they have an older sibling or non- sibling versus a 13year-old and a 16year-old. That is why we work so co closely with the coaches and the equity based assignments that we make on where the need is to ensure that we're meeting that particular need. So the aid and the coach also may be working together possibly just with one student sometimes because that's what it requires at the very beginning and then connecting with the family or not family who might be here where the child lives and the home they live in. So it's very individualized and we know that we feel very strongly that children live in alpac level one for only one year and then they need to move out of alpac level one because the most intense levels of alpac become

141that three two and and high three high that intermediate space that it's like that third to fourth or second to third you know that transition. So, we're digging into what that should look like. And that's why we really emphasize the integrated ELD so that the coach and the aid, you might not see them working with students during the protected block. They might actually be in there during the math block or the science block or the social studies block. It just depends where the need is for that teacher, for those students, for that school, for that grade level. So, it varies. >> Two more questions just really quickly. Um, can you explain the indicators that you're using to determine whether this year's gains are sustainable rather than episodic and what thresholds would signal the need for

142a corrective action? Once you see the I know you're doing data digs, but what are sort of >> So, let me just tell you that we had our data dig and Dr. Strata came to visit um last week with our regions and our leaders here and we actually got into those specifics. Where do we see the holes? what are we able to sustain and what do we need to accelerate? Each one of the region coordinators and our coordinators in MMED had a specific strategy in place to ensure through PDSA cycles, through constant monitoring of instruction, but actually going out and teaching lessons. We are big on going out there and teaching those lessons to ensure coherence on that piece. So I feel very strongly that I have aspirational goals. We will be blue next year.

143We just have to be blue. >> And and lastly the um our international newcomermies. >> Oh yes. >> Um >> I know I in my district there's one in Belmont. >> Yes. >> Um and there's about five right now. Four right now. >> Four. Four. So given the um the importance and the work that goes on in our international newcomermies um how are we ex looking in expanding them and what criteria would guide this site selection the staffing the resource allocation to ensure equity um in specific regions. So wanting to know about that. So every year after the initial ALPAC is done, which is the identification of an emerging bilingual student, the first 30 days of school, we look at the data, the census data as we start to plan for, let's say, 26 27.

144The four schools we have have continued to remain those high need schools for international newcomers, but we are looking at middle schools and we're actually looking at potentially two more schools. We just have to of course ensure that the principal feels this is the resource they need in the region. In addition, everything that we're learning with our four international newcomermmies, we have 18 very highlevel schools that we work with monthly with our team and the international newcomer team and they all come together to discuss what's going on, the strategies and and the nuances and the needs. and with the support from our superintendent and with all of you the alignment of resource centers as well. >> Right. I think it would be great to um also consider sort of like a feeder pattern. As I

145mentioned, there's one in Belmont. Another school that would definitely benefit in elementary would be Macarth um MacArthur Park possibly and within the MacArthur Park Westlake area. There's a lot of indigenous uh communities there. So I think as we you know identify this where our middle school stores are coming from and also identifying the um elementary schools I think that would be great to sort of create that path and the trajectory. >> So thank you so much makes me very happy as well. >> Good. >> Go ahead Tanya. >> Thanks so much for the presentation super briefly. Um I feel like we've learned a lot this year about high quality instructional materials and I know what to look for in ELA and math for the most part but I don't always know what to look for

146in EL. So what is our curriculum for EL at the different grade levels that we would say is like the high quality we should be seeing? >> So in elementary it is C CLA language studio and with language studio we have worked and that's why we have all those resource to strengthen the curriculum because of the need and the variety of levels of students during that designated block. So, one of the first things you need to look for, which is pretty similar what we look for for all students, how many oral exchanges are emerging bilingual students having with content in English? It's not talk to your partner, agree, disagree. It's multiple exchanges, lines of communication, socratic circles with emerging bilingual students. That is what elevates it to that alpac level four. And that will impact

147SBA as well. I would just suggest asking your fellow teachers and principles. So tell me what strategy are you implementing? What in language studio are you leveraging? And what of the med resources are you co-planning together and looking at the most strategic lessons? Because the need at one school for that >> of course. Yeah. >> Group might be a little different than over here. So, it's just trying to individualize it a little more. >> And what about the ELD block at middle school or high school? >> So, the ELD block at middle school and high school. We have, sorry, it's hard to keep a middle school and high school. I believe there's three curriculums in middle school and four curriculums in high school for a variety of need reasons. So, some publishers at the time

148only had novice for international newcomers, right, that first year. other publishers only did certain like um grade spans and certain pieces of that. When we saw all of that, that's why we switched over to what we call grade level ELD. So the ELD teacher should be also planning with the ELA teacher because it's it's specifically aligned whatever ELA materials the secondary teacher has for ELA core the EL teacher also has those materials and they should be co-planning in terms of the standards alignment and what might the kiddos need. I can't quote them all but I can get it for you. >> Okay, that would be great. And then um my only other question is about um dual language models. Some of my schools do 50/50, some do 9010. Um, how is it determined and are

149we seeing any growth either in ELA or in the second language? Um, depending on the type of model and that might be a further conversation, but I just feel like this is an opportunity to learn from you since you're here. >> So, I can tell you for DLE, our DLE programs have about one percentage point higher in reclassification. So, that's interesting, right? That by literacy piece. The other thing I can tell you about our DLE programs is when someone petitions, usually it comes from our families or parents because of Proposition 58. The first thing we do is what kind of program do you envision for your community? So the parents, the teachers, the leaders are involved with the region as well. And that's where the determination is made. Quite often, depending on whether people have

150bilingual authorizations, they might choose certain types of models, team teaching. But we the go-to model that I recommend everyone get to if they can is self-contained 5050 because you're valuing all languages, all cultures. You're seeing people be bilingual, children be bilingual in a variety of spaces and times versus this is only the English time and this is only the Arabic time. How do you mix that up? Because it is that one multilingual brain. You're welcome. >> Carla. >> Yeah. Thank you so much for the presentation and congratulations to you all. Congratulations to all our uh educators, our instructional aids who have made this happen. And um there are a few things that I heard you mention that really made me feel really good. One, you said co-creating PD >> and I love that and I

151want to hear more about that. When you say co-creating, who are the co-creators? The other thing I like I heard that I also made me happy was coaches teaching lessons. Did I hear that correctly? That also makes me very happy. So modeling, right? Not only because you are modeling but also because you continue to see what is needed right at our at our with our students. So can you first share about what this co-creation of PD is and who participates in that and then um and then talk a little bit about this going back to the classroom and and teaching like when do you do it etc. So let me talk about the co-creation first. So for the meetings with our with our coordinators and our coaches, we have many lead future leaders as coordinators

152and coaches in other seats. So we bring them in to co-create with the region team and our team or we've co-created with the regions and we say what do you think? Does this work? Would this make sense? Do we need to emphasize something else or something different? We also involve our division of special ed for our dual identified students and our gifted team because there's many gifted students everywhere. So that's one phase of co-creation. Also our teachers not just in DLE but with our EL resources co-create lessons under um our coordinator Carla Guterres. So we have cadres and fellowships who they live and breathe this. They like to dig into it. They tell us where the holes are because we can't see them all. Let's do it this way. No, this is too easy. Let's

153accelerate it. So, it it has a variety of formats depending on who wants to come in and out of it at what space. Um, that was A. was B. The teaching, the co the going into the classrooms and doing lessons. >> Every time I go and visit a coach, I ask if I can teach a little bit just with them and sneak in. But I will be at Madison in January. We'll be teaching a prefix and suffixes class to um our students. Her idea and then we said, "How can we amp this up?" So, I've got two te sessions set up to go teach it. Um once a teacher, always a teacher, right? I mean, it lives with you. So, I'm really excited about learning from that. And my plan is to ask the students

154for feedback. You tell me, did this work? because quite often, you know, we we teach it, but we need to ask the kiddos, did it work? Well, what would you have wanted us to do differently? Um, I need to pick my next school. Now, I have my coordinators who have gone out. I believe Alana in the west goes out with coaches and teaches a class. So, I have different people doing different spaces. I have some of our team here who also go out. you know, some of us has historical relationships with schools that no matter what, you always watch and you want to go out and help. So, that's where they go above and be beyond as well. >> I love that. I love that you're doing that. I love that. I hope that you

155continue to do that. And I think it speaks to having that attitude and that philosophy and that practice um speaks to, you know, how we're doing in in uh with our English language learners. Um, the other thing I want to ask is the I call them mocks, but everybody am I am I doing it wrong? >> People I call them mocks. Some people call them ms, you know. Uh, I like mocks. It's just easier. >> Yeah, I I call them ms. But anyway, I'm I'm excited about these uh positions. My chief of staff was a mock and she's very talented in this. But I'm wondering how long are these positions going to be funded for? because they're very valuable and we see the results of of their wonderful contributions. So what's the plan? >> My

156understanding which I'm very excited about is that they will be continued to be funded. Um they might change schools depending on the need but we do try to provide consistency a minimum of two years at one school so that we're really clear and understand because you want to develop relationships with teachers and with the communities. So that will continue and our international aids will also continue >> and that's another question I had is about the instructional aids. Um so do all who who gets these instructional aids >> that is based on counts of international newcomers in third through fifth grade. The reason we've looked at it that way, again, an international newcomer who comes in at kindergarten has a very different need that K1 the tier one instruction if we're doing everything correctly, which we

157are with all the gains we're having, they're in a good place. But when you come in in a third, fourth, and fifth grader, there might be gaps in your learning andor your experiences or whether you had educational experiences in the past. So those approximate 35 aids are very strategically assigned with certain schools and coaches with those high counts. That's why we have to monitor it every year. And what's really interesting with some of our aids, like I have some amazing Armenian bilingual aids who are actually international newcomer aids working with our Spanish-speaking students. They've just said, "This is the work I want to do and this makes sense." So the need is they go where the need is because we need to remember that at my high demand high schools my 18 I have coaches

158or counselors and other supports there but I saw that the hole was in that third through fifth you know they need a little more love and onetoone with someone. >> So we're not providing that at the secondary level. >> Oh we are but with other positions not aid instructional assistance. not an aid because an instructional aid and an elementary can go into a lot of multiple classrooms with the coach. The coach at the secondary level, the way the blocks work and everything, it facilitates that piece for them. And honestly, the demand that we heard from principles when we surveyed with the master plan and all those pieces was again that third through fifth grade area. They were almost a forgotten group of students because often we think of international newcomers just in high school and

159what are they going through? >> Yeah. And I I mean when I worked at the high school, we did have instructional aids for our newcomer students and it was really several years ago. [laughter] >> Yeah. >> And um but it was it was very positive. It gave us very positive results for our students who were taking chemistry or biology but could not fully access. So I do recall myself I know the schools often fund additional aids based on the need. So I I've known schools that do biology the math and sometimes even in the EL course depending on who the students are. So schools in our budget planning tools can still purchase them. >> All right. And then um regarding our international newcomer students, we know that they have a hard time um as you

160said reclassifying before they graduate. So, what are some of the supports that we have for them to prepare them to be successful after high school? >> One is the change in course sequencing that we did with grade level ELD, the ELA and the ELD course that counts for the ELA credit in A throughG, um, which is really critical and opens up their schedule. We also work very closely with Brenda Pensimento's team, the counseling team to monitor them and drill down what do we need to do? You know, the kiddo enrolls in 11th grade. I they just want to learn English and start working. So, what are we doing to build the opportunities for them for college and vocation because they want to work? Well, having them, okay, we're going to get you to graduation. We're

161going to do credit recovery. We're going to figure all those things, but we're also going to figure out vocational classes, junior college opportunities. So, it's a co-artnership with the division of instruction on certain groups of students, and we monitor them very closely with Brenda and Dr. Pada, >> but it's done at the school site level. What are you talking? >> Yes, with counselors. >> I just wanted to pop in and remind that there is an 11:30 time certain. >> So, >> let me ask questions. Thank you for the reminder. Um, so but then these are Oh, see now I lost my train of thought. Geez. >> It is it is at the school level with the support from the region's division of instruction and med. And whenever any need comes up, just so you're aware,

162I give everybody my cell number. Teachers will text me if they need something. A principal will text me if they need something. A parent will text me if they need something. And we find a way to support. >> Thank you. I appreciate that, Lydia. I know you're very accessible. Thank you. Also, last question. The data digs that you mentioned, are those specific to your department or are you talking about the data digs that where folks come to the district and >> specific to our department? So, our regions hold them, our malt team coordinators hold them at their region for their EL design and coaches. So the monks are experiencing that at the regions but at the level here with me it is my region coordinators and my coordinators here who are accountable for all the

163data pieces the emerging bilingual reclassification ELPAC awards our indigenous students everything under MMED. >> So it's the coordinators uh who are doing data digs with you >> from the region. Yes. >> From the region. Okay. All right. I'm done. Thank you. >> Questions on this side? Go. I'm going to ask one. Every board member has the right to ask a question. Any questions on this side? >> Well, I'll ask mine. Lydia, and this is for Tony, too. You know, uh, such great advancement has come about. What about, uh, federal government cutbacks and funding? Does that affect you in any way that you could think of to to harm us and this great progress? I think for us, we're definitely looking at those implications of what may occur. Nonetheless, there's been commitments made by this board

164and the superintendent on what we're going to do to ensure that we provide our services to our EELs. So, although there might be some threats out there, I think we as a district are ready to power through and go forward. >> Good to hear. Thank you so much. Okay. All right. Thank you. Thank you so much, Mr. McClean. >> Now, over to Miss Gonzas for the time certain. We're running a few minutes behind. Sorry about that. >> That's okay. No worries. Um, well, first I'd like to move uh tab 23, resilient schools, extreme heat mitigation and disaster preparedness. >> Moved by Miss Gomez, seconded by Dr. Reebas. >> Thank you so much. Thank you, colleagues. Mr. McClean, do we have the slides ready? >> Yes, the slides are being put up right this instant. We

165do. Um, I am really excited and proud to be bringing this critical resolution today. Um it is motivated in part by lived experience in being born and raised in the San Frernando Valley and seeing the impacts of uh living close to freeways, the impact of the pollution from that on our air quality um but also numerous days with tripledigit temperatures um and lacking air conditioning like so many of our students do in their homes and lacking shade in our communities. Um but especially um this motivation is enhanced by the extreme weather that we have seen throughout the 2425 school year. Um both the wind storms and wildfires in January which led to widespread smoky and unsafe air conditions throughout our district as well as extended heat waves. Um, last year we saw a a 7-day

166heat wave in the San Frernando Valley where dozens of schools experienced air conditioning outages leading to um a lack of safety within our classrooms and campuses. So, this is an urgent resolution and um I'm happy to talk through a little bit of of of why that is. So, so we know that extreme heat events, wildfires, and other climate related disasters are becoming increasingly common and more severe. and that extreme heat affects our students health, their safety. It also affects their ability to learn and their cognitive abilities. Um, and that these impacts are not spread equally, but it disproportionately impacts low-income communities and communities of color like those I represent in board district 6, but also those served by all of our board districts in LUSD. Um so this resolution takes upon um this urgent need

167to address climate related crises and make sure that our infrastructure investments, our policies and our protocols react to and reflect this reality. Um this resolution directs LUD to take a comprehensive and equitydriven action to protect our students and staff from the growing impacts and threats of extreme heat, wildfires, and other climate related disasters. It also connects directly, as we've been discussing today, as we talked about electric school buses, to our commitments to green infrastructure, renewable energy, and school safety by expanding disaster preparedness, accelerating HVAC modernization, and creating equitable cooling strategies across all of our campuses. Um, the resolution does a couple of specific things. One is to update our district's extreme heat and disaster preparedness plans, um, and gathering stakeholder and community input so that those plans are created collaboratively. It will accelerate nearly doubling

168our HVAC modernization projects across the district, ensuring that we're investing in clean energy projects when we are doing those modernizations. Um, as well as creating interim cooling plants for schools that are awaiting modernization as those projects take time. Um, as I noted, this is also about improving um, renewable energy technologies and making sure the air inside of our classrooms is cleaner. So, we'll be installing climatefriendly all-electric technologies in our HVAC modernization projects. Um, and it will also explicitly prohibit the installation of new artificial turf at our early education, elementary, and middle schools, recognizing the threat that it poses to our environment as well as to the health and safety of our students. Um, finally, it commissions a study on the health, environmental, and fiscal impacts of artificial turf versus natural grass materials in the high

169school athletic space and creates opportunities for community to weigh in on that and requires regular reporting on all of this to the board and to our community in public. Um, with that being said, I want to highlight a couple of our community voices because this was a very collaborative effort um with number of environmental and labor organizations um as well as my colleagues here on the board. So, we'll we'll hear from we'll hear first um from one of our >> Hi, my name is Lauren Kim. I'm the parent of an LD fourth grader and the climate campaign director for the LA Alliance for New Economy. We are working together with community, labor, and school leaders for healthy, green public schools. So, we are strongly in support of this resolution because we can't have healthy green

170public schools if we don't take on extreme weather. We know that when it's too hot or smoky, kids are not healthy or safe, much less able to learn, focus, or play. This resolution takes on extreme weather from every angle. Investing in a better future with solutions that also support good union jobs. It makes sure indoor and outdoor areas are cooler with natural solutions like shade, trees, and grassy areas. And by making sure our HVAC systems are humming along, working how they should, and upgraded to the modern standards, that will also help increase energy efficiency and allow for connections with renewable energy, taking on climate change at the source. It will put in place plans and response systems to make sure our schools are prepared for future extreme weather. So, we really thank board members Gonz,

171Grigo, and Rivas for their leadership on this issue and look forward to working together to put this resolution into action. Thank you. Please vote yes. That was Laura Nikam from the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy. She's here live in person as well. Um, [laughter] and then we'll turn to our next video. This is Sha Ganguli who is the president of the Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters. Um, as well as a member of the board for POA Beautiful. Hello, my name is Sha Kosada Ganguli. For identification purposes, I am a principal at Better World Group, the current president of the Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters, and a board member at Pquima Beautiful. I live in the Shadow Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles and my son goes to school in Lake View Terrace.

172This resolution on extreme heat is vital right now because the impacts of climate change are becoming more and more severe. Our kids should not have to bear the brunt of climate impacts like extreme heat. Children get sick from exposure to extreme temperatures exacerbated by impermeable surfaces at our schools. We need to green our schools with native plants, tree canopy, and resilient infrastructure for cooling and shade. green spaces reduce the impacts of extreme heat and improve air quality. I support this resolution for LAUSD to act on extreme heat mitigation. Thank you. >> Thanks, Shaa. And uh we do have a voice uh live in person that we'd like to bring up as well. I'd like to call up La Cortez from Eastard Communities for Environmental Justice um to speak on the resolution. Welcome. >> Good morning

173board. Thank you for taking my comment. My name is Laa. I'm from the Tongva lands of southeast Los Angeles and I'm with Eastard Communities for Environmental Justice as an organizer and co-executive director. I'm here today to express my support and urgency to move forward with the extreme heat resolution that you all are considering today. Young people in the communities we work in, Bo Heights, East LA, Southeast LA, Long Beach, continue to experience extreme heat in schools. Youth spend much of their time at school. Many of the youth we work with are in school before regular hours to start and then participate in after school activities. This is why it is critical to prioritize extreme heat resolution from HVAC modernization and portable ACS indoors to shade structures, school greening, deongizing and removing harmful artificial turf outdoors.

174This resolution includes a literature review to ensure best practices and protocols, which is why we believe it is a holistic resolution that will address climate crisis and extreme heat for our LUSD students. There is much data that proves that having concrete instead of green space harms both the environment and our youth mental health. It can be this resolution, this board that chooses a better path forward towards safety in all forms for this and following generations of young people to improve our built environment. Thank you very much. >> Thank you so much, Lara. Um, I also want to thank and recognize my colleagues and collaborators on this resolution, board member Grigo and Dr. Rivas, as well as student board member Jerry Yang. um and the many many organizations that have reached out in support of this

175resolution. Um I'll highlight in particular Lane, UTLA, Smart Local 105 representing our sheet metal workers here in LA, the Living Schoolyards Coalition, Alliance for a Better Community, Eastards Communities for Environmental Justice, and Communities for a Better Environment. Um there are many more which are in your inbox. Um but we thank everyone for their support around this urgent resolution, and I urge the board to support it. Now, I'll turn to my co-sponsors to see if you all have any any comments you want to share at this time. Board member GGO, you want to start? >> Sure. Thank you. Yes, I'm very proud to be co-sponsoring this resolution with board member Gones and um Dr. Rivas and and proud to be bringing this to the board. Um, you know, as a teacher in LA USD for many

176years, we experience I experienced what it's like to when the air air conditioner goes out. Um, including in the valley. I the last job I had was in the valley and the classroom got up to almost 87 degrees inside for young pregnant women and parenting moms. It It's insane. So this to me is very personal. My son played soccer at Marshall High School at one point and his cleats were melting. We received some letters from parents who said that that's what they've witnessed. It is very real. So, it makes me very happy that we're bringing this forth because it's about time that we really start to uh focus on and make a commitment to to uh not only greening but to um really replace these HVAC systems. they're um it's the one thing that really

177impacts our students directly and they really cannot learn when these HVAC systems go down and it takes a long time to get them fixed and it even takes a long time to get that mobile unit to come and and cool your room and then it only cools one part of your room whereas the kids are in the other space. I mean that's the reality we're living in. So it makes me happy that we are now doing this. And I really also appreciate the nuanced approach to prioritizing sunny schools and communities which have been disproportionately impacted by extreme extreme heat and pollution. Um I saw you know during the uh fires some of my schools were able to get uh donations of the air purifiers but there were a lot of my schools in South LA

178and Southeast LA who could not get that. So that whereas there were some areas that could have cleaner air in their classrooms, there were tons that didn't. And so I'm really glad that we are looking at this through an equity lens. um my communities in the southeast cities uh they have faced irreparable environmental justices injustices throughout and so this resolution makes sure that the school communities are prioritized um when it comes to the ser the turf replacement policy I think it's very important that we engage our communities our parents and our students they need to have a voice in this process and also community groups um that are on the ground who are on the ground and are leading this environmental justice work in the community. So, it makes me very happy that we're doing

179this finally. It's about time and um looking forward to what this uh study comes back with. Thank you. >> Dr. Ras, you want to speak next? >> Of course. Um, so I am honored as well to be part of bringing forward a resolution that meets the climate moment with the urgency our students and communities deserve. I'm grateful that Miss Gonz allowed myself and my team to work on this resolution, particularly on the issues of equity and connecting uh with labor on the issues raised by the resolution. The topic of art artificial turf was covered in the greening schools and climate resilience committee. The presentations from members of the neighbor council sustainability committee were critical in elevating their environmental safety and health concerns from the use of artificial turf in our schools. Um, but extreme heat

180is, as you all know, no longer a seasonal inconvenience. It is a growing public health threat that is disrupting instruction, straining our aging infrastructure, and deepening inequities that have existed for generations. And as the second largest school district in the nation, we cannot wait for others to act. We must lead. And now I see some of our presenters from our committee here. Nice to see you. Sorry, I didn't see you before. Uh for too long, the neighborhoods hit hardest by redlinining, disinvestment, and environmental racism have also been the neighborhoods where our students learn on campuses with the least shade, the hottest black tops, and the classrooms that struggle to keep below safe temperatures. These conditions are not acceptable and they are not inevitable. They are the result of decisions and today we choose a different

181path, a corrective and healthy path. This resolution strengthens our disaster preparedness and directs urgent interim protections for frontline schools that cannot wait for long-term projects. It ensures every school has cooler protocols during heat emergencies and it pushes us to adopt a cleaner climate ready technologies that safeguard our students while reducing long-term costs. It ensures we accelerate critical HVAC upgrades prioritizing schools where injured temperatures exceed Cal OSHA standards and where climate burdens are the greatest. It requires us to expand shade, invest in native plants, permeable surfaces, hydration stations, and cooling solutions. We have so many um options to create to address these issues, especially in schools long deny these basic protections. It demands a rigorous study of artificial turf. it its climate impact, health risks, heat exposure, microplastic pollution, and true life cycle costs. And it

182commits us to eliminating artificial turf for our youngest learners. Because no four-year-old, no elementary student should be playing on surfaces hot enough to burn their skin or expose our our children to chemicals. This resolution is not symbolic. It's structural. It's actionable and it is urgent. It acknowledges the growing body of research on artificial turf and takes a responsible equitydriven approach that protects our youngest learners, prioritizing replacements in historically undeserved communities and demands transparent study and public review before future installations. At its core, it is about protecting children. It is about creating campuses where students can learn, play, and breathe safely regardless of their zip code. And it is about building a climate resilient school district that is prepared for the realities ahead, not the conditions of the past. Colleagues, this resolution is bold because it

183demand the moment demands boldness. It is comprehensive because the challenges are interconnected and it is urgent because our students cannot wait. Let us act with clarity, courage, and responsibility with this cris that this crisis requires. Let us lead with equity. Let us choose the health and safety of our children every single time. And once again, I am proud to stand with my co-sponsors, board member Gomez and board member Grego, in bringing forward a comprehensive, equity centered plan that will move our district toward a safer and more resilient future. Thank you. >> Thanks, Dr. Rivas. Board member Yang. >> Yes. Thank you so much, board member Gonz, for bringing up such an important resolution, especially to the students. Um, extreme heat is a topic that has become increasingly important to me and obvious to the students

184that I talk to. Um, heat is something students feel directly on the ground. You know, they might not know what the urban heat island effect is or the albido of the surfaces around them, but they can feel it on their skin. and students know it from the increase in inclement weather days due to heat waves, the emphasis on hydration, and the persistent extreme heat warnings in the summer. And in particular, I want to highlight the ban on artificial turf uh in this resolution. I remember in my first board meeting a couple months ago, artificial turf was a topic that students had written to me about as a concern and one that I talked to them about as well. And I'm glad to see the district being so responsive to student needs and feedback. Uh, you

185know, a decade ago, artificial turf was touted as a cure all to the drought we were experiencing. And since then, dozens of studies across the nation have identified artificial turf and the damage it does to human health. Today, we do more than just recognize these effects. We actually address artificial turf and its myriad of harmful effects to children and students, including microplastics, heavy metals, damaging chemicals, and increasing the urban heat island effect. In the end, I mean, we need to realize that nature is there for a reason. And in a dense urban city like Los Angeles, where the amount of green space is often a reflection of a community's income level, it is all the more important that we switch away from artificial turf. Alongside the artificial turf ban, this resolution creates important initiatives towards

186increasing natural shade canopy and coverage for school campuses, prioritizing red line prioritizing redlinined communities and those who need it the most, and continuing to equalize the playing field by providing students with the reasonable environment to learn and play within. As a whole, this resolution is an important first step in the right direction, adapting to the everchanging circumstances of our world. And I'm proud to be a co-sponsor representing student voices and priorities. And I urge all of my fellow board members to vote in favor of this resolution. Thank you. >> Just want to I forgot to mention the names of presenters since they're here. I want to make sure I I give them some justice here. I have Miss Lisa Hart from the Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Sustainability Alliance, not committee. uh Sharon Unresman from the

187San Frernando Valley Climate Reality and also Miss Diane Wilkkey from the MSN Safe Healthy Playing Fields, Inc. Thank you. >> Thank you so much and thank you board member Yang. Super eloquent as always. Um Mr. McClean, is it possible to call speakers before we enter into board discussion? >> Yeah, let's do it. >> Let's do it. Okay, I'll call on the folks who are listed as being in person first and I'll try and group folks who uh signed in together. It looks like Luis Lopez, are you here? Come on up. You'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. And after Mr. Lopez is Kathy Schaefer. Good morning board members and superintendent Carvalo. My name is Luis Lopez and I'm speaking on behalf of Alliance for a Better Community in strong support of the Extreme

188Heat and Disaster Preparedness Resolution. Extreme heat is not an occasional challenge. It's an everyday barrier to learning, health, and safety for many LA USD students. And we know that that burden is not shared equally. Many lowincome communities and communities of color experience the most intense heat and equip the oldest school facilities. This equity focused resolution takes the urgent action that students deserve. It ensures that the schools with the highest needs and the least ability to cope with rising temperatures are first in line for upgrades. In addition, this forward-thinking resolution includes updated disaster response protocols for heat waves and wildfires, mandates annual reporting to ensure long-term climate resilience, and wisely prohibits new artificial turf installations at various schools. This work is especially important to Alliance for a Better Community as a Latino advocacy organization committed to

189protecting the health, well-being, and educational opportunities of our communities. And this is what that resolution does. We respectfully urge the board to adopt this resolution. And I want to thank you, board member Gomez, for your leadership in ensuring that every student has a safe, resilient, and climate ready school. Thank you. Thank you for your time, Kathy Schaefer. And then after Miss Schaefer is Lauren Aim. >> Good morning. Um, I would like to thank the board members for introducing this incredibly important resolution. We must acknowledge an increase in intensity and frequency of extreme heat events. The greening of our schools must be accomplished with expediency. We must also recognize the disproportionate effects of extreme heat on EJ's EJ communities. I'd like to focus my comments on artificial turf and the risks it poses, especially to children

190in all grades. Artificial turf is a prochemical product. Its manufacturer, use, and disposal creates significant greenhouse gas emissions, thereby exacerbating climate change. Toxins in artificial turf can be ingested, inhaled, or dermally transferred. Children are particularly at risk because the toxins are bioaccumulated causing greater risks to children over time. Artificial turf is much hotter than asphalt and causes a localized heat island effect. This increases the risk of heat related illnesses and death in children and this should be of concern with respect to the well-being of students as well as liability for LUSD. The cost for installation, maintenance, and endof life disposal of artificial turf playing fields is well over $1 million, which is much more expensive than the alternative of natural grass. I'm somewhat concerned about the recent amendments to conduct more studies and literature reviews,

191which could be redundant and timeconuming and expensive. If you choose to um complete these studies, I highly recommend that you do not use information provided by the artificial turf vendors. It has been done in other school districts. These vendors clearly have a financial stake in their opinion. I would refer you to the many many scientific papers that have been published in this area in addition to the 2021 report by the LA USD office of the inspector general titled performance audit audit of synthetic turf fields. That was perfect timing. Thank you. [laughter] I do have a reference on that um report OA-1292. >> Thank you for your time. uh Miss Aim and then after Miss Aim is Donnie Sappington. >> Good morning. Um I'm Lauren Kim as you saw in the video. Um so I will

192since I spoke a little bit already, I'll limit my comments and start off by thanking board member Yang also as a co-sponsor which I admitted um earlier and to also say a little bit more primarily from my my other job as a parent and my role as a parent. The for one, this is um I was one of those parents who took their kid to school during the wildfire emergencies and then was called back because I did and when I went to pick up my kid, I thought, well, it's Alleian Heights. It's not that close to a fire. I it was like there was a a fire in the classroom. the smoke was so intense and it there was um so I really appreciate the focus on emergency preparedness and also on indoor air quality

193because I know it's obviously impossible for anyone to teach or to learn or to just be having going about a day in a healthy way in that kind of condition and so and I also thus al deeply appreciate the way of combating climate change at its root by increasing efficiency which will hopefully help mitigate the likelihood of future fires. My kid also has played soccer at King, which is where he'll likely go to middle school. And that um uh there's an astrourf field there and it's too hot to sit on. It's too hot to it's covered in like black stuff that gets stuck on everybody's clothes. It he everybody falls and scrapes their knees. So, I really appreciate the consideration as a parent as well as an environmental justice advocate for that aspect. We've also

194been working with parents in schools in the valley and we've gotten to go visit their schools and seen on hot days at the end of last semester them practicing their folklor folklorico dances to present at the end of year and how sweaty the poor little ones were in the beating sun on the black top. So really appreciate the efforts to increase access to water, shade, tree canopy um for kids in high heat areas like the valley and the collaborative nature of the approach to work on this because we know kids also a lot of our kids won't get the chance to cool down at home and so school is a really important place for their bodies to reset and be safe. So thank you. >> Thank you for your time. Uh, Donnie Sappington and then

195Nico Gardner Sernna. Okay. Maria Valencia instead of Nico. Thank you. Please come on up. Mr. Mr. Sappington. Good morning board members. I'm excited to be here today for all the hard work that you guys have all done so far. Uh, my name is Donnie Sappington. Like I just said, um, I'm I'm here on behalf of Smart Local 105, the sheet metal workers union. We are the ones that install, maintain, and repair the HVAC systems that keep our schools, educators, and children comfortable and safe. The truth is, too many of our classrooms across the state of California lack the proper HVAC. Personally, our family uh witnessed this when our children went into kindergarten. Um, my boys enter kindergarten and they're in a building that is lined with windows, uninsulated walls, and not proper roof and no

196HVAC. Um, the parents got together, purchased a portable uh, air conditioning unit and installed it only to find out that if the classroom next door is using the same thing, it'll break the it'll jump the breakers. Um, so here we are today, right? Uh according to the district's own numbers, LUSD uh needs to replace over 50,000 HVAC units. This extreme heat resolution will go a long way to address this and ensure uh ensure uh systems are um postured for extreme heat days. At the same time, we all we also need to look beyond the classrooms uh greening campuses and design designing schoolyards that protect students from extreme heat. This resolution is about equity, safety, and making sure every child, no matter their zip code, has a healthy environment to learn in labor. Local 105 stands

197ready to partner with LUSD with part with parents and with the community groups to make this happen. Uh appreciate your time and vote yes for the children. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. Maria for Nico. You'll have two minutes to speak once you begin and then it will be Isabelle Freriedman. No, then it will be Quinton Gerard and then Terry Sashier. >> Good afternoon board members. My name is Mida Valencia and I am here on behalf of LA Neighborhood Land Trust and the LA Living Schoolyards Coalition. We build parks and gardens across the county and are currently thirdparty greening partners renovating six LA USD campuses. As you consider this resolution on extreme heat, we urge you to prioritize the healthiest, most effective, and longest standing resol solution we have. Trees and real green

198space. Our students spend their playtime on playgrounds that often feel like ovens surrounded by black asphalt that traps and radiates heat. We can't meaningfully address extreme temperatures while our campuses remain covered in the materials that make the problem worse. Removing asphalt and replacing it with trees, soil, and plants is one of the most powerful ways to cool our schools, improve air quality, and create spaces where kids can learn and play safely. We are excited to see that this resolution prohibits the installation of artificial turf on certain campuses. Artificial turf gets dangerously hot, contributes to microplastic pollution, and still requires frequent replacement, costing the district without delivering the cooling benefits children need. Real shade, real trees, and real nature should be at the center of this work. We commend the resolution's equitydriven approach and urge you

199to commit to transforming our schoolyards into cooler, greener, and more resilient spaces for every student in LUSD. Thank you, board member Gonas, Revas, Grego, and Yang for your leadership on greening and equity. And thank you for the opportunity to speak. >> Thank you for your time. Quinton Gerard, Quinton G. And then after Quinton is Terry Sashier, then Diana Vulki and Angelica Garcia. >> Hello everyone. Um my name is Quinton Gerard. I'm a community organizer with LA for a New Economy. Um I echo the sentiments of my colleagues before me and encourage the board to vote yes. Um I have the great honor to be working with parents, teachers, and admin at Sharp Elementary located in BD6. Um, and yeah, I get to work directly with the folks I experienced firsthand the need for the resolution

200put forth. Um, yeah, the we can't stand still hoping that climate change will eventually chill out. Um, it's great to see the narrative around artificial turf change. Um, our cur our kids deserve the real thing. Um, you can even see it on the in the major league soccer league in the National Women's Soccer League that the athletes are pushing to move away from like the massive increase of injuries recently. um and we should follow forth um in pivoting away from artificial turf. Um and yeah, I encourage the board to pass the heat mitigation disaster preparedness resolution and keep its commitment to keeping the students safe. Thank you. I yield the rest of my time. >> Thank you for your time. Uh Terry S, come on up. And then after Terry is Diane and then Anelica.

201Good afternoon. Thank you for this important resolution that recognizes the need to transition away from artificial turf and account for the full impacts and cost of artificial turf on human health in the environment. Some important concerns this study should address. Artificial turf contains toxic chemicals including microplastics and PAS that bioaccumulate and are especially harmful to children. These same toxic chemicals and microplastics pollute our air, water, soil, contaminating natural resources. Artificial turf doesn't save water. The amount of water required to produce and to cool and clean it is greater than that needed to maintain drought tolerant native grasses. Artificial turf also impedes storm water capture, increasing risk of flooding by contaminated storm water runoff. It also gets too hot and can cause serious heat illnesses and injuries. Dangerous surface temperatures will lead to less playing time.

202We must prioritize natural green cooler spaces for all students. Study also show higher rates of injuries, concussions, abrasions, plant on artificial turf, the natural grass, which can also lead to increased liabilities. Artificial turf is a fossil fuel-based prochemical plastic that contributes to climate change from cradle to grave. And because it's made of mixed plastics, it will never be economically viable for recycling. It'll pollute our planet for thousands of years to come. The studies must be conducted with full transparency. And when comparing the impacts and costs of plastic versus natural grass, do so according to best management practices. And bond money should not be used for the purchase, maintenance, and removal of artificial turf. It's irresponsible to use taxpayer dollars to pay for a product that will fail in less than 8 to 10 years and

203poison our children and planet in the process. LD must discontinue the policy of like for like, which has result in replacing plastic grass fields with plastic and replacing natural grass fields with plastic. And although the studies are currently focused on lower grades, the same negative impacts will affect high school students. Therefore, we urge LUSD to seize all installations of synthetic turf, both new and replacements at all schools. And fortunately, research shows drought tolerant hybrid grass fields manage with regenerative organic practices, use less water, thrive in our climate, recharge our groundwater, and are far superior, safer, and cost effective. Thank you for this resolution. >> Thank you for your time. All right, Diane, please come on up. >> Good morning, everyone. Diane Walkey. I'm a board member of Safe, Healthy Playing Fields, a national nonprofit. I'm

204going to be a little bit of a of a rub here. I'm going to ask for a couple of friendly amendments, if I may. This resolution lacks a post study completion plan. Who's going to be held accountable if we don't have a plan moving forward beyond this study? what can be brought to bear under future committees and the board of ed. It's understood that the studio study has been truncated given the tight turnaround time. I also want to emphasize that adolescent lives matter. Black and brown lives matter. These are the children that are dying more often on on synthetic turf. They're exposed to synthetic turf more hours per day, more days per week than younger children. They too have developmental windows into their early 20s in fact and generally where whereby high exposure to chemicals

205and heat from synthetic turf is highly detrimental. LUSD is the high likely the highest contributor to climate change and plastic micro and nanoplastic pollution in the state given the number of schools with synthetic turf. LA has had 4.88 inches of rain since the 1st of November. Every one inch of rain creates two 27,000 gallons of truck of toxic runoff per one acre of plastic. For comparison's sake, a regulation size soccer field is about 2.5 acres. How many acres of plastic does LUSD have? How much toxic runoff was added to our waterways and ocean just in the last 24 hours? How much microplastic was lost? And how much are our student athletes exposed to each time they are on these fields? We ask for an immediate moratorum on any future installations, including for high schools. Stop

206feeding the petrol, petroleum, plastics, and synthetic turf industries, and just say no. Pivot away from plastic turf at all levels. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. All right, Angelica Garcia, are you here? Angelica Garcia, no. Okay. So, I'll now call on the folks who are listed as speaking remotely. Uh, Bertha Terrones. Bertha Terrones, 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. Bertha T. I see you're with us. Please press star six to unmute yourself. >> Hello. >> Hi. >> Yes. Hello. >> Hi. Please go ahead. >> Okay. >> Can I start? >> Yes, please begin. >> Good afternoon. >> Speaker is going to speak in Spanish. So, if you'd like to hear what she's saying in English, please

207put your hands up and we'll get you these headsets. Okay, >> thanks to you. >> Yes. Good afternoon, Mr. Carvalo and members of the board of LUSD. My name is Berta Terrones. I am a mother of a fourth grader and I am here to support this resolution by thanks to member Gonz because of the extreme heat in the schools. I want to apologize due to the person who wrote very true words and exact to me. But I want to speak as a mother today. I had an opportunity to take a thermometer multiple times at the playyard in the school last summer when news were stating that it was 98° and I took the temperature. It was 110 and sometimes even 120. Wow. how impotent I felt not being able to do anything. And I thought

208to myself, should I ask help for ask? Should I ask for help? No one said anything. I want to invite Mr. Carvalo and members of LUSD to go to the playyard next summer 2026 of my school. But I notify you, please go in light clothing. I don't think it would be good to go dressed any other way. to invite you to be there the entire time that the kids are playing in that space. Please accept the invitation because I am confident that you would do something immediately about it. Thank you very much and thank you to Miss Kelly Gonis for your time. Uh Rosa Flores, I see you're on the line. Rosa, please press star six to unmute yourself and you'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. Rosa Flores. Rosa Flores. Okay. >>

209Hello members of the board. My name is Rosa Flores and I want to express my complete support for this resolution brought to you by Miss Goness about this extreme heat. Students and educators are having to face more and more heat and rising temperatures every year and this affects education. No member should be in a class that feels unsafe and no teacher should have to choose between teaching and their own safety, health or physical comfort. This resolution is a very important step to ensure that all schools in LUSD count with the necessary resources and the infrastructure to deal with these extreme heat emergencies. I ask you that you prioritize this implementation in a quick and swift way, especially in the communities that are most affected. I ask that you please consider that this extreme heat is

210just too strong and that many times the kids are thought of the least as well as the teachers. I would like that one of you or the entire team please go one day and go to one of these classes to see what the children and the students have to face during these extreme uh heat times. We need to take care of our kids today, tomorrow as well as the teachers. I really appreciate your attention and the fact that you're taking in consideration this option and taking action. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. Uh Mariel Sandival Contas, 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. Maribel Contras. >> Hello. Um hi. Uh, thank you board members for your continued

211support in engaging parents and stakeholders in green schools and climate resiliency projects. My name is Mariel Contas and I am speaking on behalf of the Dr. Michael Mendes Lab at the University of California Irvine. So our lab has worked closely with the alliance for a better communities padres oros salute ambiental program. In particular, we collaborated with many parents with limited English proficiency proficiency to train them about green school building projects and ways to work with schools to improve the health and well-being of students in environmental justice neighborhoods. I am here to communicate our strong support and endorsement for board member Kelly Gome's resolution resilient schools extreme heat mitigation and disaster preparedness at LA USD. If approved, this resolution will take a comprehensive equitydriven action to protect school age children and staff from the growing impacts

212of extreme heat, wildfires, and climate related disasters. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you for your time. Okay, Isabelle Freriedman, 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. Isabelle Freiedman. Isabelle Freriedman, please press star six to unmute yourself and you'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. >> Hi, good for letting me give virtual public comment. My name is Isabelle Freriedman and I'm here representing the natural resource council in strong support of the resolution for resilient schools. I don't need to tell you all the reality and that it continues to pervade our everyday existence. We are all experiencing that. I will share that extreme heat is the deadliest climate disaster, killing and hospitalizing more people than other disasters

213combined. Lowincome communities of color like those served by the districts bear the brunt of these impacts. I commend LA USD's commitment spending millions of dollars to improve student well-being and foster where students can thrive. However, extreme heat is a critical barrier to and black students who make up the majority of the district. LA USD must continue to invest in its students, teachers, and staff by creating climate ready learning events. Solution is one pivotal step forward. The resolution would expand investment in active and passive cooling mechanisms, investigate the phase out of toxic as well as reduce the district's future climate impact through a focus on energy efficiency and renewables. NRDC strongly urges the board and district and continue to invest in our future. Thank you so much. >> Thank you for your time. I'm going to

214call one more time on Helga Garcia. >> Drink it. >> Are you in the room? I do not have you I do not have you online. That concludes public comment for uh your item. >> We can open up for board member discussion. I want to appreciate the co-sponsors for bringing this resolution. Um we all know that this is a grave need in our district and so I think there will be a lot of support as you've already heard from the community. I'm excited to support and I wanted to offer an amendment that might require a little bit of discussion. Um there is a focus on uh reducing if not potentially eliminating as at the end of a study artificial turf in our schools. Um and there are five projects that will be coming to the

215board. Two of which are in my district, two are in board district 5 and one in board district 2. Um these are, you know, high school fields that have not been able to be used currently. Um and if the projects come before us, then in the spring is what they're looking for. I think we would be approving upwards of $20 million for these five schools to have their fields either replaced or repaired within the next one to three years. If we wait for the results of this study and then the board decides that we want to ban artificial turf, that might extend the timeline another nine months to a year, I understand. And so I wanted to propose a friendly resolution, but potentially friendly, we'll see. um to pause those five projects until we get

216the results from this study so that we don't waste, you know, dollars if we decide a year from now or even sooner that the board won't go forward with artificial turf projects. I realize that's difficult for communities who've already been waiting for their fields to be replaced. Two of them are in South Los Angeles in my schools. Um, and so it will be hard to have that conversation with the community, but I wanted to suggest it to this board just given all that we're hearing about artificial turf if we would want to pause those five projects until we get the results from the study and then have the new policy going forward next year. So, I don't know if you see that as friendly or if you want to discuss, but it's a proposition. >>

217Um, yeah, I mean, I think from my vantage point and I I don't have none of those projects are within my district. Um, I think the study and gathering input from stakeholders was intended to be an opportunity for those school communities to have a chance to weigh in because I think um while uh some of us have have very clear a clear view of the impacts of artificial turf, it is a I guess it's a topic that's in more discussion at some of our school communities. Um, I guess also a wondering from the facility standpoint is how would that impact student access to playfields in the event of a delay also in the interim? I I don't know what the status of those fields are like. Can students currently use them at all? Um so

218so and are there potential mitigation efforts we could make to ensure that students do have access if there is a delay if we want to shift to a different type of project that students will continue to have access to playfields >> and I'll just say I understand from my schools they're playing on a neighboring school's field right now and I imagine that would continue but I see our chief executive officer is here as well or chief facilities officer. >> Good morning members of the board. Christina Toes, chief facilities executive. Um the five projects um that are being discussed, two of them, Roy Ball Learning Center and Fremont High School, are currently closed because they were deemed unsafe for student use. Um at Fremont, they are using an adjacent school. At Roy Ball, there is a

219um practice soccer field that they are using that is for soccer only. And then the other ones have not yet been closed for school use. We'll continue to try to repair those or backfill the fill materials so that we can have students using them as long as possible. But there may be an opportunity or chance given how um degraded these fields are that they too become closed in which case our athletics department will work with adjacent schools to find sites for them to use. Wait. Oh, >> can I go real quick? Uh, Miss Tes, really quick. So, if we were to temporarily pause these projects, would that affect the project's cost? What would be sort of the consequences of that? And if there's a cost, how much would that be? Or the uh pausing the

220development of the projects. It really depends for how long. If it's just a couple of months, that might just be an incremental cost due to cost escalation. Um but it would be maybe in the 1 to 2% of the overall project cost. Obviously if it takes you know a year or past that then it's just the cost of escalation from when we would bring this project in spring to whenever you know a year from now. So depends on how long >> or they could switch from artificial turf to grass in which case there would be a maintenance cost that's not the same for artificial turf but that would come out from the study. I understand that the the board would then weigh the sort of cost of artificial turf alongside the cost of grass fields.

221>> Correct. And also if the board does um determine that it wants to prohibit the use of synthetic turf, we would be projects to then replace these turf synthetic turf with natural grass um and the whole system for that. And that is a cheaper project than synthetic turf fields. >> Question. So, so who decides whether it's synthetic or it's natural grass? Who decides that? >> So, the current policy that's in place is at high schools if it is a high use athletic field, which these five projects are, and they have a synthetic turf field that we replace it with a synthetic turf field. Um, so that's how that's the current practice. So if there are four board members who feel that the way to go in the future like tomorrow is uh natural grass would

222that mean that natural grass would be placed in those uh projects coming up? >> Correct. If the board decides that it no longer wants to um allow for the use of synthetic turf field um then and provides that direction to staff then we would change the scope of these projects to no longer put in synthetic turfield but to put in natural grass >> and when would you need to know that? So I think the intent of the amendment is now that we're going to do a robust set of studies that look at both the life cycle costs, maintenance costs, replacement costs that we come back to the board in the spring with that comprehensive information by which the st uh board would have full information to inform whatever decision they think is best. >> So

223when do you need to begin these projects? Um we these fields were identified as needing replacement. We had looked to develop projects to bring them in February. >> So that's soon. >> That's soon. But also the um comprehensive study would also be coming in spring. >> So that comprehensive study would include the uh healthy aspects of having a natural turf. Correct. versus the unhealthy uh rather than the other side. Okay. So, we need to get moving on this. Okay. Yes. All right. >> Yeah. And and just because it also came up from a speaker, I just want to highlight so the the study will look at you know microlastics and the impacts on on runoff injury and health outcomes, environmental and climate impact, heat exposure um and uh the impacts on students due to heat

224exposure on artificial turf. And it also um the second to last resolve highlights that when the study is completed, the findings will be presented to the board and it will result in an updated policy bulletin. So to be clear, there's not a it's not a study that will linger out. There there is to be an updated policy based on the impacts of the study which will come back to the board in the in spring of 2026. Um so just to to clarify that timeline, there Melvin had a question. Well, I guess are Thank you, Mr. Smelson, because I do um I also have a a friendly amendment, but did we have clarity on Miss Ortiz Franklin? Do we want to close that loop before I say my piece? >> Right. Because we also have to

225to get going somewhere. So, did the authors see it as friendly and want to accept it or do we need to move it and vote on it? >> Yeah. The only thing I wanted to suggest is maybe to add a clause at the end that says and develop contingency plans to ensure impacted students have access to necessary play and athletic spaces during this period. If that sounds great to my co-sponsors, is that are we good? Okay. So with so with adding that additional Do you want me to say it out loud? >> So there I just want to clarify that's to um Miss Ortiz Franklin. >> Yes. To so um so it would include the language of Miss Ortiz Franklin's and just at the end add and develop contingency plans to ensure impacted students have

226access to necessary play and athletic spaces during this period. So the period of pause. >> All the board members understand what what she's added. Hm. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> And then yes, I'll I think we're accepting that version of the friendly amendment as friendly. >> Thank you. >> Okay. So, for just clarity, I'm going to say that um that was Miss Ortiz Franklin's amendment has been slightly amended by uh Miss Gone and now accepted as friendly as what is going to be voted on now. So, now we have more comments. >> And I think Miss Grigo wanted to mention something. >> Yeah. I just wanted to make sure that as we're doing the community engagement for the study um that we prioritize those communities like I don't I don't know what the plan is

227for how you're going to do the community engagement but that we prioritize those communities where these potential projects are are coming up right so in in in BD7 BD2 and BD5 >> great >> go ahead Mr. Perfect. Thank you. And I'll I'll be brief because I know we have somewhere to get to and uh I think I'll want to vote and hopefully unanimously support this resolution. So, I'll start by saying thank you to the sponsors. I'd love to be added as a co-sponsor if that's possible. Um I of course have seen uh you know in the time of our tenure, but most recently the last year the um the effects of extreme heat both representing uh the Palisades and also the West Valley. I'll say too, I also have the one high school which is

228Palih High that still doesn't have HVAC. Um, didn't need it for years and with the climate crisis that's changed and even that project has taken so long. Um, so you know the only thing I'll editorialize on because I do it every time I have an opportunity is the need to mitigate the cost or reduce the cost of some of these shade projects. You know, I think we talked about at the facilities workshop, but the district allocated 49 million or excuse me, yeah, I think $49 million for about 50 shade structures, which is about a million dollars a shade structure, just shy of it. And that's we got we have to do better and I look forward to working with the superintendent and Miss Hopes and the team to do that. Um the last thing I'll

229say is I had a friendly amendment that I've submitted and hope the authors or the original sponsors will um accept as such that is looking until most of these until many of these mitigation efforts are done. We are seeing an increase in heat stroke and um uh unfortunately in many cases um fatal events for students and staff uh because of the extreme heat. And so, uh, there was actually a state law, Senate Bill 1248, named, uh, after a student who died tragically in one of these heat related incidents that requires school districts to come up with, uh, protocols. The district has already been working on it. Um, and so I'll just quickly res um read the the added uh resolve clause that I've submitted um on this topic, which is that the district shall establish

230a clear district-wide heat stroke emergency prevention and response protocol for all school sites to ensure prompt and consistent action when a student or staff member shows signs of heat stroke. The protocol shall apply to all school environments, both indoors and outdoors, and include immediate activation of emergency medical services, clear expectations for monitoring as outlined by LUSD guidelines for preventing heat stress bulletin 963.3 dated July 14th, 2025. Guidance on beginning rapid on-site cooling using available equipment, including portable solutions that can be deployed immediately without relying on electricity, ice, or refrigerated storage. written procedures accessible to all staff and annual training for staff who supervise outdoor activities so they can recognize symptoms and respond quickly. In talking to Mr. Chait and others, I know this is aligned with the district's current protocols, but just wanted to make

231sure that we're clear um as these are unfortunately increasing uh tragic incidents. So, I hope that we that will be accepted as friendly and again would love to be a co-sponsor and appreciate the resolution. >> We accept the amendment as friendly and we eagerly accept your co-sponsorship. >> Great. >> All right. Can I say Oh, Christina, can I just >> Oh, sorry, Scott. I just Sorry. Okay. Quickly. I just want to make sure that when as we're doing the the um community engagement for if we pass this amendment that our schools that are up for this turf are prioritized as the community engagement. >> Absolutely. >> Thank you. That's all. >> Okay, Charlotte. Um just real quick, I know um we talked about costs and obviously wanting to reduce as much cost and I know

232we've done some studies already when it came to HVAC with our COVID um COVID response with some of the units that we have. So wanting to know if there's some overlay of studies that we've already done that will be taken into account to this particular resolution. >> Uh yes. So we um we have a lot of great data within M that tracks um the condition of our HVAC, the number of repairs, what the temperatures are in our classrooms. Um so we use that to prioritize how we determine which projects um take priority. Um and then we've also done a lot of interim measures um because we know we can't fix every HVAC which includes putting in the mobile units two per classroom moving classrooms. Um so yes there is a lot of good data and

233interim measures that we've done that are both uh less as budget impactful all the way to the most impactful which is replacing whole systems that really should not be repaired anymore and need to be replaced. >> Great. And then since January, what work have done since January the fires? What work has already been done that would help offset what's asked here? >> Um well, we've already put in every school. Um we have the um uh air scrubbers so that if there is another um smoke event that schools are already equipped with air filtration units that they can immediately deploy. that is not something that we had before the fires. Um and then we also have spearheaded um air sensors um that are being used to track air quality so that we can be more precise

234in our evaluations of which schools may have the greatest impacts in a smoke event or any other event that impacts air quality. >> Thank you. And I too appreciate this because obviously um I know the conversation will come up and I know I think Grigo nailed in on the fact of the community being involved with these projects that are already existing because we know some of our communities have been waiting um for this and and many communities don't understand and as we continue this in this study making sure that they're educated on what the outcomes are because oftent time communities see the synthetic feel to be nicer than the natural field. And so just wanting them to understand that when we bring back this information so that they know um the the the detriment to

235some of it because some of the studies as mentioned some of the owners that put out these studies that say this is great often benefit from it, right? And so helping our communities to understand exactly what the benefits are versus what the cons are in having a synthetic field because as an athletic director it's always been we want that because it's shiny and nice but not understanding the health implications that come with it, the injuries that may come alongside too. So just as we come back to educate our communities to know exactly what this decision and choice is that we're putting before the board. So just wanted to add that. Thanks. >> Thank you, Charleta. And as an athletic person, coach, you certainly know. So, I will be the last speaker. Okay. Right. Everyone else

236has spoken. Okay. So, I do represent a large portion of the San Frernando Valley and it's one of the hottest areas of Los Angeles, more than 10 degrees hotter than most parts. Um, I was also the principal of Lawrence Middle School in Chadzsworth. If you know Chadzsworth, there was no air conditioning at the school. Zero. And thanks to Proposition BB, I always remember those two letters. Thanks to Proposition BB, air conditioning was installed in the school. So, thank you taxpayers. And we did have a conversation on HVAC last year during a facilities and procurement committee meeting representing Cal OSHA uh rule regarding indoor temperature standards at work sites. So, of course, I support this resolution. I want to be included as a co-sponsor if you would, Miss Gomez. It advances all of our work and

237it ensures that students and staff have a comfortable and suitable workplace. So, students cannot learn in overheated classrooms. Teachers cannot teach in overheated classrooms. Every little bit helps. And in the long run, this definitely aids students in learning better. When you are in a comfortable environment, you may not notice it, but when a room is too hot or too cold, you certainly it becomes a distraction. So, we need to establish clear protocols and direction on what to do when climate related emergencies take place and I was involved in a climate emergency during the fires. It affects our classroom environment. And who takes charge when deciding school should be evacuated or closed? And just because there's a fire in the vicinity of the school but not at the school, the smoke in the classroom is absolutely

238unhealthy. Unhealthy. And you know, we uh we had a previous superintendent who I had to try to convince about smoke in the classroom and actually send videos of kids sitting in the classroom full of smoke. The school was not on fire, thank God, but it was full of smoke. Uh I appreciate the work being done through this resolution on artificial turf rules and we have a better understanding of the issue. And over the past few months, we've heard from some members of our communities, including our partners, about their worries about artificial turf, and I share those uh fears. So, some have reported that makes playing sports on the field unbearably hot. We talked about melting cleats. And please again add me as a co-sponsor. You did, right? Thank you very much. Okay. >> Thank you,

239Mr. Smurlson. We're excited to add you. Okay, that's it. Ready to vote. Uh, move. It was initially moved by Miss Gonz, seconded by Dr. Rivas, Miss Newil. >> Yes. >> Dr. Rivas, >> yes. >> Mr. Melvinne, >> he is coming back. Miss Grigo here, but I'll go get here. Miss Gomez, >> yes. >> Miss Ortiz Franklin, >> yes. >> Miss Ortiz Franklin is a yes. Board President Schmeurlson, >> yes. >> All right. So, that's one, two, and board student board member Yang. >> Yes. >> That's one, two, three, four, five. Board member yeses. Two. We will come back to it. Passes no matter what. >> Okay, everyone. The time is now 12:39. The board is going to recess for about um 1 hour to come back. >> Oh, we have a quick vote. >> How

240would you like to vote on tab 23? Yes. That's Yes. For Miss Grigo. Okay. The meeting co-sponsors and supporters to join us for a photo in the front. >> Okay, great. Meeting is recessed until about 2 p.m. Thank you. Hi, welcome back. The time is now 2:41 on November 18th, 2025. The board of education is going to reconvene. I will do a quick roll call. Uh, Miss Newell >> present. >> Dr. Rivas >> present. >> Mr. Melvin >> here. >> Miss Grigo >> here. >> Miss Gomez >> here. >> Miss Ortiz Franklin. Also, that was a hear from Miss Gomez. Didn't sound like her mic was on. And uh, board president >> present. >> And student board member Yang >> present. >> Okay, we missed our time certain by 11 minutes, but uh, it is

241now time for uh, board member Melvinne's resolution. Great. Thank you, Mr. McClean. And I'd like to move the amended version that folks have of resolution 21 um with the highlights in green, which you should all have received. So, if I have a second >> second. >> Thank you, Mr. Smelson. And if it's okay, I will um one, thank my co-sponsors, Mr. Smelson and Miss Andy Newell uh for their partnership on this important resolution. I'll say a few framing words and then maybe we'll hear from our speakers who uh have signed up and then have the board discussion. Um but uh I you know I've been working to improve the district processes and digitization um on a few levels and have had feedback from constituents and families and community members about the challenges they faced when

242interacting with the district's facility systems online. Whether it's renting a gym for a pickup basketball game, hosting a parent group meeting, sponsoring a booster club event, uh a nonprofit, utilizing space for an important community cause, playing in a soccer league. Uh the district has pain points that impact all users and for many folks who aren't parents or are direct constituents of L Unified um but they're just looking to rent fields, gyms, community spaces, the only touch point they have with L Unified uh is this outdated and clunkies facility system. Um the current system has multiple challenges including outdated payment methods where folks and this is only a recent innovation but can call in and provide a credit card number uh or have to write a check in many cases a cashier's check. Uh and the

243inability to filter for site availability and type so you can't book a specific gym or put in a zip code and say I'd like to look at a field in this area on these days. Um has made it difficult for users to access what are community public spaces. Um, and the processes lack transparency for the public who are entitled to utilize district facilities for recreation and sports, public meetings and forums, the arts, music, culture events, child care, and more via the Civic Center Act. We've tried some small tweaks over the years, but a system overhaul is what I felt was really needed to ensure transparency and equity when it comes to access and affordability. So, the goal with this resolution is to create a better and more user-friendly system for the community that incorporates initiative

244searching and booking functions. Uh, the ability to pay online and upload insurance documents. Uh, the ability to have real-time feedback so you're not waiting and then at the 11th hour you notice that you're missing something and it could almost put your event in jeopardy. It just will tell you what you're missing and kind of help be a portal as you upload documents. It will also streamline the district's internal processes and approve applications in a more timely manner. It will also help generate revenue uh for the district in a time of declining enrollment and budget restrictions. This is one of our only revenue generating opportunities and right now we generate around 15 million a year uh in renting out our facilities but I think there's a lot more on the table while also having an equitable

245tiered system so that community groups, nonprofit partners, athletic leagues can use it uh at almost at at cost or even in some cases below. Um so with that I will say I look forward to the support of the board to make it easier for our community to use spaces uh public spaces that belong to the public. I'm eager to hear from our partners and those who have signed up. I also just want to thank the superintendent and his team. We've been working collaboratively on these processes for some time and I think this is to try to give the the superintendent the board support that is needed to really do this work. Um and uh so thank you superintendent for your partnership on this as well. So Mr. McClean if we could call the speakers. >>

246Uh yes sir. There's four speakers in person today for this item. James Lopez are you here? And then after Mr. Lopez is Euro Washington, then Mark May, then Anthony Salazar. So, please come on up. You'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. >> Uh, thank you. I'm James Lopez. I am the director of advocacy for the Play Equity Fund. It's good to be here again. Uh, thank you for the opportunity to share. We organized the LA Play Equity Coalition to advocate for a more equitable uh, play landscape for kids across the region. Uh we believe that every kid has a right to quality uh sport, play, and physical activity. And in our coalition of about 50 nonprofits, one of the biggest par bar barriers to play for the community based organizations in our coalition

247is access to play space. Um, and many of the youth development organizations we work with, they navigate the LA USD systems uh to obtain the civic center permit, but uh we often hear that the process is confusing, inconsistent um and um does not prioritize facility use that will directly benefit students and their families in a lot of cases. And so we are here to support the resolution. We think we want to thank the authors um the board members for taking uh this first step to improve community use of the facilities and create equity and access. We're ready to be partners in this work and we're looking forward to a policy that is more equitable and fair and transparent and prioritizes student well-being. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. Uh, Euro Washington. Hello everyone.

248Uh, thanks for having us here. I want to thank the board. Uh, my name is Ya Washington. That's how you pronounce it. I'm the executive director of Beat the Streets Los Angeles. We're a sports-based youth development organization. Um, I'm also a member of the Play Equity Coalition. Um, I'm also a high school coach right here at Belmont High School. I've been coaching wrestling there for about seven or eight years. Um, quickly my life experience, I grew up in Oakland, California. Tough family situation. Dropped out of high school and and wrestling saved my life. It set me on a path to go to college, travel the world. I was a college coach at Columbia University, Iowa State University. Um, but now uh here in LA trying to help youth uh just like it helped me. Um,

249I've since I moved here in 2012, I used to walk up to this building to get my permits, uh, to bring cashiers checks. And so I've navigated the system for a very long time. We all know there's challenges and I'm hopeful that we can streamline things. Um, we are a free program, meaning we pay our coaches free gear, free shoes, scholarships, national chips for kids. Our our participants don't pay a dime. Um, I know the costs are are reasonable, but we pay probably about $25,000 a year for three programs. One at Belmont High School, Kenoga Park, and San Pedro. Um, so I'd love to see those costs come down. Um, we talked about the application process, streamlining that, making it better. Uh, [clears throat] I'm on the clock, so I'm speaking a little fast, but

250um, but I I do want to um uh I I am in support of the resolution. I think this is a great step. I want to thank the authors uh Mr. Melvin, Mr. Schmeirlesen, and Miss Newil. Uh thank you for your leadership and starting this process and the conversation. So, thank you very much. >> Thank you for your time. Mark May, come on down. You have two minutes to speak once you begin. And then after Mr. May, it's Anthony Salazar. >> Good afternoon. Whoa. My name is Mark May. I am the CEO of Project Blue, which is an umbrella organization um that serves inner city programs with youth development through sports, where we teach life skills by using the game of sports. I'm also a member of the play equity coalition. And I'm thankful for

251this resolution because it prevents some key challenges that we face um during the process of obtaining permits to use LUSD sites. Um some of those things is just the overall process in general. Um the renewal process when we know that we're going to use these sites as we've been using them for years. And then just really just communication and hearing back from people, you know, in a timely fashion where it really just prevents our kids from being active on the field, which are some of the outcomes of the challenges that we face where we lose program days, our kids aren't active anymore and it just creates this space for just people to be idle um when the field is just not being in use at all. A quote from one of my favorite good books

252is train up a child in the way you want it to go and it will not depart from thee. And I think that's with our youth program and that's what we're trying to do when we're on these spaces that we're trying to train these kids up the right way. We're trying to give them the opportunity, the access, and just all the resources that they need to live a fruitful life um and be trained by individuals that want to see them grow, that want to see impact. And when we lose these valuable days, when we lose this time um to not be on the field, then the streets get to our kids. And then that's what happens is the streets end up training the child up. and we want to prevent that by just being able

253to use these spaces um and continue to be advocates for our young people. Um when when when we well I'm thankful for this opportunity to share today because I'm in full support of this resolution and I thank Mr. Melvoyne uh Mr. Smirson and then Miss Newil for just allowing us to be an advocate for this, for your leadership, and for creating a process that's going to change the system, but also allow our kids um to benefit from the use of these fields, from the use of these facilities, and our community wins overall. So, thank you for your time. God bless. >> Thank you for your time. All right, the final speaker is Anthony Salazar. Anthony Salazar, not here. I'm going to check online to see if he hasn't signed in for Zoom. No, no, Mr.

254Salazar, that completes public comment. Great. Well, thank you to our speakers and I'd love to turn it over first maybe to Mr. Smearelson and then Miss Hendy Newell as the co-sponsors and then open it up to the board, of course. So, thank you. >> Thank you. Well, I'm [clears throat] a big supporter of LA USD schools. I still believe that the school is the center of the community and I want people to use our schools for events and I'm very proud of our schools and how they look, but I just want to make it easier for everyone to be able to use the schools. So, Los Angeles Unified Facility should always be open and welcoming spaces for the broader community. When we increase accountability and accessibility to our spaces for public use, we not only

255demonstrate our district at work, but we also establish trust. If we cannot meet the most basic services to provide a safe, adequate space for their events, how can they trust us in other areas? I strive to maintain strong relationships with community partners including PTA, parent teacher organizations, booster clubs, and other organizations. When those organizations bring up issues regarding leasing through LUSD, the friendly conversation becomes awkward because they discuss how difficult it is to use our facilities. The organizations end up having to submit paperwork even though the events are recurring annual events. They do the same event every year, but they go through a whole bunch of paperwork like they're strangers. They're not strangers. And the organization has a history of leasing with the other districts or other places. Many complain that they receive alerts too

256late, including us. Including us. when we do events, when board district 3 does events, we get notification too late what's approved and what's not approved. And uh it ultimately leads to a cancellation of the entire event. So we want organizations to have access to our schools because we believe our schools should be the center of the community. We need to simplify the process for this to happen. and I am pleased to be included as a co-sponsor of this resolution because it will enhance our ability to serve the public. I look forward to seeing a revised policy as it's stated in the resolution and how the process is being streamlined to increase a number of events hosted at an LUSD facility for our communities. And once again, I'm speaking from experience as a board member in

257board district 3 who has difficulties in facilities leasing. Thank you. >> Well, first I want to say um thank you to those that came out and spoke on behalf and just your commitment to sticking with us and still holding the course. Um because as Scott mentioned, our schools are often the center of our communities and we see schools as a natural gathering place in our neighborhoods. Um, in an order for our neighbors and our community partners and other youth service organizations to gather at our schools for various sports events, afterchool programs, and other celebrations, a permit is required. And I'm sure that you all know that sometimes, as much as we want to be helpful as an organization, we are not the easiest entity to engage or interact with. And so I've been here for

258about 11 months now, and I've received quite a bit of calls and inquiries from constituents who call my office wanting help with the leasing process and how to get civic permits done and applications. And I know quite a bit in a month's time. And so I'm very interested in this work because I know and I believe that LUSD wants to be the best in customer service and wants to be customer friendly and we want to do our best with our staff as we engage with our community members and we want them to use our facilities. And so this is the reason why this needs to be addressed. um especially when it comes to customer experience especially for our civic permits and just ways in which how to go about it. I know it's area for

259us to grow in. So I'm hopeful that this resolution would give our staff direction to streamline standardize the leasing process create a single point of entry for our website for accessing the application making the process for customer answers and questions a whole lot easier. and hopefully making the first response to be how can we help you versus your permit is not approved and you might not have your event. It's possibly going to be cancelled. And so, and this has happened because these are real life experiences that I've had. And so we want to make sure that we can work across the board with our legislative, our city council, um our PTAs and other stakeholders to make this much easier process. And as an educational entity, we must do our best in educating the public about

260how it is to work with us. Uh the burden has been on us to make LUSD processes and the civic permits and leasing more userfriendly. and I hope that this resolution is a first step in that. Thank you. >> Perfect. With that, I will I guess turn it back to Mr. Schmelson, the chair, and he can call on board member. >> Miss Gonz. >> Yes. Um, well, I am excited about this resolution. Thank you all for bringing it. I I think it's a a common complaint that we hear unfortunately as a system that uh these processes are really difficult and they inhibit you know community events from occurring on our campuses um or especially from smaller organizations that maybe don't have as much organizational capacity from navigating a large a large system like LUSD. Um

261it just doesn't provide the best customer service experience which means that we can't hold as many events and special programs in our communities for the students that we serve. Um, so I think these include a lot of muchneeded improvements. I had just a couple of questions and one suggestion. Um, one, um, I really appreciate the, uh, third to last resolve, which speaks about streamlining risk management processes. Um, outside of thinking about this outside organizations, we know that the riskmanagement processes also place a lot of burdens on schools when they want to host events at their site. So just curious if the vision here is that these improvements will also help support our school's experience in putting on events as well. >> Yeah, that's definitely the intent. I think this res this uh amendment was also

262from Mr.son and so I appreciate that because I know we get a lot of in all of our districts um concerns from that. So yes, and I'll say out loud now and I know our folks are here who are going to work on this planet implementing it. The idea here is to also, you know, we we heard a lot from PTO's, PTAs, booster clubs, but also the schools themselves if they're trying to do something, whether that's a field trip or just do their fall festival or an open house or a back to school night that we can streamline for school sponsored events. Okay. As well, >> great. That's that's helpful clarification. Uh, another common concern I hear is related to our neighborhood councils utilizing our uh district sites for their meeting locations. I'm just curious

263if I'm and Mr. I guess also representing the valley he hears those same concerns. Um is that envisioned to be included as as part of uh these improvements etc. >> Again yes that was our vision and I think the resolved right before the one you're talking about which has kind of the tiers cross the tiered cost structure and the tiered prioritization. Um when we talk about uh whether it's organizations that are you know serving youth or nonprofit for-profit that's kind of where we had in uh envision neighborhood councils too because I I hear too and I have neighborhood councils who are meeting at you know libraries or sometimes private spaces and then the few times they want to do a school it's like it's a little what Mr. Smearelson was saying earlier even if they

264do it every year they have to go through a process just to get a gym on a a Wednesday night. So the answer is yes to that as well. Great. And and we know that that has benefits not just for the community being able to participate civically, but also I think in building those partnerships and that support from neighborhood councils for our LUSD schools. Um and then the last piece of suggestion I wanted to raise is just I really appreciate the tiered cost structure bullet. Um one type of programming that's not specifically mentioned that I would love to see added is early childhood um education programs and child care programs. We know that they don't always serve LUSD students, but my hope is they are future LUSD students from birth to age 5 who might

265be um serviced in those programs. So, I would just suggest adding um early education and child care programs for children birth to age five um in that list of type of programming or services provided if that >> perfect. I would it's okay with my co-sponsors accept that as a friendly amendment and Mike maybe you can just include that. I'll say too, Miss Gonz that this is, you know, the board I think has been focusing on underutilized assets more broadly. And so, in addition to looking at uh childcare providers and early ed organizations, looking at space, I know in your committee that I sit on, we've talked a lot about reopening our um early uh education centers. And I know that in my district, we've reopened Kentwood and we're about to reopen West Valley Occupational Center.

266But from a leasing standpoint, and I see our facilities folks in the audience, I know we've, you know, we have at least two in board district four that are still shuttered. And so that would be another opportunity if we don't yet have the funding to run those programs. Could we le could we, you know, be a tenant to some child care or early education preschool space because we already have the, you know, little toilets and the bathrooms and the we have these centers. So in addition to just using a school, like why not use an entire early ed center? I think when we looked in your committee, there are well over a dozen that are still closed within the district. So, thank you for flagging that and yes, we'll add that language. >> Thank you.

267>> So, we have Rosilio followed by Carla. >> Uh well, thank you um board member Melvin for bringing this resolution forward. I would love to be added as a co-sponsor and just wanted to um highlight um the importance of this resolution and then also some some things to um just to flag as well. So um today this we're considering this resolution that is that asks us asks us to look at our schools not only as learning environments but as community anchors as was discussion right here right now spaces that can be leveraged to strengthen neighborhoods expand opportunity and support the financial stewardship of our district. This resolution um as we all heard is rooted in a simple but powerful idea. Our public schools belong to the public and we have an obligation to make full

268equitable and responsible use of the immense infrastructure entrusted to us with approximately over,200 schools and 21,000 building buildings across Los Angeles. At its core, this resolution aims to modernize, streamline, and expand the way EDAUSD manages public use of school facilities in order to increase community access revenue for the district, create modernized centralized system to facil uh for facility requests and management. And I too have had those emails and calls and and trying to navigate that system. um and also reduce administrative inefficiency [snorts] uh because the current system is outdated, slow, difficult to navigate and understaffed and the resolution calls for reorganization um or you know um making sure that we're looking into the real estate leasing operations to function more effectively. With that said, but to support this resolution responsibly, I want to just highlight

269and make sure um that our um the department or all the folks that are going to be involved in this. Um also are looking at to the risks and the challenges that this may call ahead. I know that we have an impact statement that was um distributed to us and I just wanted to just you know it it it says that um the combined estimated implementation cost for for these for both systems is approximately 2.3 2.8 million with additional ongoing annual costs. Um so want to make sure that um this where the funds come from will not you know impact other areas that we're looking into um reducing. So just wanted to put that out there and also sorry one second going back to my slide. Um so the you know so implementing this resolution

270um is is costly and comp complex. The centralized platform staffing reorganization will require a significant investment which I mentioned the ongoing maintenance cost staff training um and possible union considerations labor as well. Without proper budgeting the roof the reform could stall out which is I hope is not going to happen. And so I just that's why I want to raise these issues. The risk of equity versus revenue tension. It's a key challenge. The resolution prioritizes underserved communities but also aims to maximize maximize revenue. So these goals could sometimes be conflict one another but making sure that uh the district is has a careful balance um in order to a avoid inadvertently pricing out the very groups we aimed to help. which is why equity is so important and emphasized in this resolution. Uh the potential

271burden on school sites which was um brought up that you know this is actually going to help but uh just making sure that there are any unintended consequences that will provide a burden uh like supervisors on site for some events, custodial overtime, security and calendar management. So these are all things that we need to take into consideration. um you know hopefully the costs don't become a burden on the schools but we can find some um some solutions so that it won't come upon our schools uh risk management complexity more facility use means more reliability insurance considerations safety considerations but um you know I'm sure that the study will um address these as well and lastly hopefully you know we continue communic communicate with our communities, those that will be impacted by some of the use

272of the schools. So, all of these things have to be considered in this study. A clear communication plan is essential. Um, so with that said, just wanted to make sure we flag that and that's taken into consideration. But overall, the resolution is logically sound, equitydriven, forwardinking, and addresses a real operational gap. Uh, its success depends on strong implementation, adequate funding, and clear communication with schools and communities. I support this resolution because it has a potential to strengthen our neighborhoods, expand opportunities for our youth, and make our public spaces truly accessible. Uh, so let's modernize responsibly and ensure our schools remain vibrant centers of our community. So, thank you for bringing this forward. >> Thank you, Dr. Rivas, and I appreciate the things you raised. I mean one the yes we were thinking both there are

273a few ways to think through the revenue equity tension. One is around partners um and I think we contemplate different things. I have a school uh that that's relatively close to the beach and on weekends the school charges a for-profit entity for beach parking. The school makes a lot of money. There's a 6040 split with most of these for schools in the central office. And so in that instance like we should do what the market bears and uh you know and I think there are more opportunities if we have a an opportunity to modernize the system um to to do things like that parking uh paid facilities and then the groups that we heard from today and that we were contemplating will also have lower cost structure also making sure that not every school is

274near the beach and so you know beach parking works for the schools in Venice that I have maybe down in San Pedro and Tanya's district but but not others. And so how do we make sure that some schools aren't um seeing uh the benefit of a modernized system while others that aren't getting the same system uh or the same usage are not? So that's one thing we hope they contemplate. And then I appreciate you mentioning the impact statement and I also want to thank the district staff because we we're very transparent and we said please tell us upfront what this might cost. We don't I think the board sometimes gets conflicting information and then we're we're told oh it's going to be costneutral. So I do think you know the the startup costs for the

275we'll see through the procurement process and there are systems that other districts and other public entities use and we should we'll have the competitive bid process and I think given our size should get a favorable rate. there's some startup costs that does not contemplate the revenue that we'll generate. And so I think at best this will be, you know, at worst cost neutral, at best we'll generate more revenue, but um I do appreciate them being upfront because I've been told by facilities and and the superintendent's team that part of this is over the years we've cut staff and yet there's a lot of applications to process. Automation will help, but this does contemplate making sure that we have the right people. And just like with our joint powers agreement with the city on community school

276parks, we should invest strategically in the things to make us a better partner. And if that means that we bring in a few more staff to help process these applications so an immigrants rights group or a youth sports group can use these facilities at cost and more frequently, then I think that's something the board supports. So, thank you for flagging both of those concerns and thanks for your support. >> Thank you, Carla, please. Yeah, thank you so much for bringing up all of those things that you just did right now at the end about the use of it and how it could be at cost for some of our organizations. We saw that drain the when we organizations were trying to do know your rights trainings that it was just such a hassle to get

277these permits going and there was a lot of urgency for that. Um I too when I was a community school coordinator getting permits uh I found out that it was hard through risk management or or for folks who do the full trips you you know when you're CAP champion and you have to organize field trips getting those uh approvals can take a long time. So um but anyway but that's internal stuff but I'm so glad that you are getting this. I just want to uplift, you know, we were talking about um you know, neighborhood councils and uh community orgs in my district. I also represent um independent cities, the southeast cities of of Los Angeles, and that's one of their common complaints is how long it takes to be able to get a permit to

278use the grounds and how the system is does not feel fair to them and um either because of the cost or because of just all the the the red tape that they have to go through. So, I just want to um uh I would like I don't know if you could add just you know in our governmental P partners um to the language where you were talking about uh nonprofits and PTAs or perhaps in the in the um in the resolve that talks about uh the one that Kelly was Oh, I'm looking at the wrong one. Which one was it? Yes, maybe in the tier. Uh is that where you're But if you could I don't know if folks feel okay adding also um >> partners in government or government partners. >> Yeah. Or like

279in the uh eg nonprofit versus for-profit um we could also say or andor municipalities. Yeah. Something like or or other public entities. Yeah. >> Something like that to acknowledge that. >> Yeah. >> All right. That's it. Thank you so much. I'm glad you guys brought it up. I know it's been a work in progress for a bit. >> Thank you. Thanks for the support. >> Okay, Jerry. >> Yes. First of all, I'd like to thank board member Melvoy Schmurson and Yubil for bringing this resolution up. I think it very accurately displays our values and commitment towards additional collaboration within our community as a whole. I mean there's many many organizations including local nonprofits, youth organizations and community groups that provide so many resources and support structures for our students and school communities. And this resolution

280directly acknowledges their commitment and like reciprocates it. Schools are already seen as a community hubs and third spaces for students and it's important we take advantage of that pre-existing notion to engage community members and open up schools to more programs and more memories to create familiarity and comfort in the space. So students are actually motivated to come to school. But on top of that, this resolution continues to expand the scope of what is possible and what schools are. I think emphasizing the service of underserved students and the creation of free recreational programs uh directly distributes facilities used fairly across neighborhoods um and uses schools as tools for so for social mobility. I also want to highlight the efforts um being taken to increase transparency within the overall process. I think that's an issue that students

281and parents alike are always talking to me about um in terms of the create and this resolution really addresses it with the creation of a public-f facing online platform that meets the people where they are adapting towards trends uh that show an overwhelming increase in technology usage. I'm glad to see further advancements towards collaboration and transparency within the diversity that we have and I would love to be added as a co-sponsor. >> We would love to have you. Thanks Mr. >> Just a couple more comments. I enjoyed listening to what people were saying. There has to be somebody at the school who's in charge of the calendar. So that people are not double booked. You have to know when the fields are available, when they're not available. You have to know when the auditorium is

282available and not available. So someone at school has to be in charge of making sure that there's a clear calendar to know when people may use facilities at your school. That's my first comment. One more second comment is you can't run this or this office on a skeleton crew. It's a you can't do that. Now once we modernize things and once things are so self-explanatory that it should be simple. You wouldn't need that many people. But right now you do need more people because there is not enough people working in that office to make this happen. It's really important. Thank you. >> Thank you. I was just going to I'll cosign both of those and I'll and I'll say in talking to the the the folks in the office one on the on the need

283for maybe more support but also I will appreciate you mentioning the school site because not only do we need the um partnership of schools with the calendar but also just that seems to be when I've asked and inquired on you know why is it taking a while to get back to applicants whether that's a community group or community member sometimes it's because our facilities division will have reached out to a school to say is the gym available next Saturday and they don't hear and I've heard stories where folks have physically had to drive to equals to like ask somebody is this available. So I hope as part of this yes we'll train our school site staff who I know have so much on their plates but to be responsive uh as members of the community

284as well. So thank you for elevating that. >> Thank you Kelly. >> Oh I was just going to ask to be added as a co-sponsor. I forgot to do that. >> Please thank you. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else have a comment? Okay. Thank you Mr. McClean. >> Okay. After having been moved by Mr. Melvinne seconded [clears throat] by Dr. Revas. Is that right? >> Nelson, I think. >> Close. >> I repeat it. Uh, Miss Newell, >> yes. >> Dr. Rivas, >> yes. >> Mr. Melvin, yes. >> Miss Grigo, >> yes. >> Miss Gomez, >> yes. >> Miss Ortiz Franklin, board president, >> yes. >> And student board member Yang? >> Yes. >> Mr. Melvin, can I record your vote on tab 23? >> Uh, the heat mitigation reszo. >> That's correct. >> Yes. and

285I was noted as a co-sponsor, I think. Right. Thank you. >> All right, that concludes uh items for action. And now there are um under board president's reports, committee chair reports. >> Okay, here we go. Let me see. Okay, thank you. Okay, special ed committee. >> So, I believe we're going to take the committees in the order in which they are listed on the agenda. So, if you want to prepare yourselves, have a look at the agenda. >> Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. [laughter] >> All right. Let me see here. Okay. So, special educ should I go now? Okay. So, on October 22nd, I chair the last special education committee of the semester. And again, my goal for the committee is to ensure that we are providing feedback to the Division of Special Education as they

286take steps and implementing the action items and deliverables outlined in the listen and learn campaign. At our last meeting, the principles um at our career and transition centers and special education centers elevated the special offerings offered at their centers, including work-based learning opportunities in community- based instruction and the vocational stands that strands that students have access to. We also heard directly from current students and parents about how the programs have supported their child's growth and development and also heard from the pair professionals and educators who could speak to the impact these centers have had on their students. It was great to hear directly from our community directly benefiting from these programs. Thank you to Dr. Sto, Alicia Hos, and the entire special education division team for their support with this semester's topics and presentation materials.

287I hope to see more of our parents and community members next semester. Our next committee meeting is scheduled for next year on January 21st at 3:30 p.m. Thanks. >> Thank you, Carla. Next, we have the facilities and procurement committee. >> Thank you, Mr. Schmemell. Um, on October 28th, we held our first facilities and procurement committee of the year. We started with a guest speaker, Miss Ida Claire, who is the state architect for California. She leads DSA, the division of state architect, which is the entity that is responsible for approving hall district facilities projects. Um, and we thank Miss Clara for her team's work to expedite their processes in response to emergencies like the Palisades and Eaton fires. And uh, she shared some of the work she is doing to increase efficiency in her division. I'm

288sure I'm not alone in in on this board in hearing from our facilities division when we hear about delays that many times division of state architect is where that um, lays. And so we wanted to have her here to build a better relationship to see how we can work collaboratively to um ensure safety but streamline projects. And so we hope that improving the relationship with DSA will help move projects along more quickly. And we'll continue to engage with her directly um to see what we can't do to to expedite those important facilities uh uh initiatives. Um, in response to the recently finalized study that the district conducted uh via MGT to compare district construction costs with other entities, we heard some commitments from the facilities team, including work to expand the scope of biders to

289keep cost down and quality of our projects high and to make adjustments so the district ends up with fewer change orders. Uh, the report was included in our materials and if our if the board members have not taken a look, I encourage you to do so. We did receive the um report itself with little time to review. So the committee is going to take up the discussion in our next meeting as well. And then finally, we heard from the procurement team about improvements to their processes to ensure that the district is a better business partner. They shared expanded outreach to partners in the public, including to increase the number of biders on procurements, improvements to ensure that purchase orders are dealt with promptly, tightening up the amount on contracts to be closer to actual spend,

290and enhance professional development to ensure that staff are up to date on best practices. We also started and will continue to discuss the role of the warehouse and district cataloges and ensuring that schools have what they need. Um but also we I know we've all heard some concerns from labor partners about that. So we're continuing to engage collaboratively on that front. Um and uh the public can take a look on the um procurement uh the updated website to see some of the improvements that procurement has made. And our next committee is coming up soon on December 2nd. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next we have the Greening Schools and Climate Resilience Committee. >> Yes, thank you board president. Um the Greening Schools and Climate Resilience Committee convened on October 29th for a focused discussion on

291two key topics including leveraging federal clean energy funding opportunities and reviewing major updates from the Eco Sustainability Office. on leveraging federal clean energy credits. Uh we had uh Katie Thomas Carroll presented the district's opportunity to secure millions and federal clean energy tax credits before key deadlines and emphasized the need for early compliance steps, including verifying material sourcing and foreign entity restrictions. Committee discussion centered on financial safeguards, risk of delayed reimbursements, and ensuring that savings are reinvested equitably in schools facing the highest environmental burdens. Uh on ecoability office updates, Mr. Christos Crusilio, our chief eco sustainability officer, shared updates on accelerating solar installations, safe harbor procurement, and ongoing work with LWP and so-called Edison to meet regional clean energy timelines. The committee discussed long-term maintenance transparency through public dashboards, workforce readiness, and the integration of third-party

292green party, greening partnerships, and state grants into district's broader sustainability plan. The next greening uh schools and climate committee will be meeting on December 3rd at 3 p.m. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next, we have the children and families and early education committee. >> Thank you, board presidentson. On October 30th, we held our second meeting of the year for the children and families in early education committee meeting. We learned about our district's work with our two-year-old students because we are now serving two-year-olds in our early education centers. How we are recruiting families to our two-year-old program, our enrollment numbers, and how they have grown for our 2-year-olds, staff training to ensure we're meeting the developmental needs of two-year-olds as compared to threes and fours. um and how to how to ensure that we are s

293ensuring that we meet their unique needs as um as toddlers. It was great to learn that we are exceeding prepandemic growth in enrollment for this age group. Um the numbers have more than doubled since last year. So we're making a lot of progress when it comes to serving our 2-year-olds. Um, we also spent some time talking about toileting practices and how we're supporting, not a topic we often hear about in this boardroom, but um, an important topic for our two-year-olds on how we're supporting our staff with training um, and how we're supporting families with the potty learning process. Um, we also had a second presentation on our early education steamwork, highlighting our partnership with Count Play Explore, um, which is a district grant-f funed initiative engaging students, educators, and families to promote early math and

294science. As always, it was wonderful to have our EEC principles, our teachers, our uh our assistants, and the early education team present and discuss in our committee, and we look forward to meeting in the new year. >> Thank you very much. Committee of the whole. >> Thank you again. Uh the committee of of the whole convened on November 4th. The meeting focused on strengthening governance structures, improving budget transparency, and elevating community voice through board rule 132. Board member Tanya Ortiz Franklin led a discussion on improving committee and task force structures to help balance efficiency with inclusive participation. The board emphasized protecting diverse stakeholder voices, avoiding overconolidation and ensuring that democratic processes remain accessible and meaningful. This ongoing work with a report back due in spring of 2026. Chief Financial Officer Saman Bravo Karimi presented updates

295on LU USD's fiscal outlook, community feed uh feedback from fall town halls, and the status of the board's resolution budgeting based on equity and need implementation. Board members raised concerns regarding late materials, transparency, and the need for clear public facing explanations of budgets, budget impacts, and community input integration. Finally, a community member, Miss Maria Luisa Palma, presented an item under board rule 132 regarding local school site control and campus safety. Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, December 2nd. >> Thank you very much. Last one is the curriculum and instruction committee. >> Yes. On November 5th, we focused on the big question. How can LUSD support educators and schools to meaningfully implement the fair act and to engage the whole school in a LGBTQIA affirming curriculum, instruction, and culture? Um, the Fair Act is a

296law that was put into effect in 2012 that requires that the contributions of various groups be recognized in the teaching of the history of California and the US, including quote the role and contributions of both men and women, Native Americans, African-Americans, Mexican-Americans, Asian-Americans, Pacific Islanders, European-Americans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans, persons with disabilities, and members of other ethnic and cultural groups. to the economic, political, and social development of California and the United States of America with particular emphasis on portraying the role of these groups in contemporary society. This is straight from the law. So, we learned a lot. We heard from many speakers and educators who are doing this work already and a call for more support for educators to access this type of curriculum so that this could be um taught everywhere at

297all of our schools. Now just a teaser of recommendations that will be count coming out of our committee. We will have a first of two sets of recommendations by the beginning of the year. But some things that have already been discussed include expanded training for our educators, steering committee for LGBTQ plus monies. People spoke to more funding, expansion of liaison, trainings, transparency for $2 million to help support um LGBTQIA oversight committee to maximize funds for LGBTQ and more liaison, clearer timelines and oversight. Thank you, Mr. McClean. >> If that is the end of the committee reports, now we move to general public comment. Time is now 3:27. We have a full vote of members signed up uh for public comment. I'll call on the folks who are here in person first and then we will

298call on those who have listed themselves as being remote. But first, we will take a vote from uh Miss Tanya Ortiz Franklin on tab 24. >> Thank you so much. Yes. And can I be added as a co-sponsor? >> Yes, please. Thank you. >> Thank you for joining from your field office. All right. And here we go. Lel White. Lel White. Okay. Uh I'll just keep going and I'll I'll recall names. Uh Kate Brody, are you here? Kate, come on up. You'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. >> Hi. Um, thanks for having me. I'm a parent of two little boys and um, wanted to talk a little bit about what I see as the excessive use of technology in the classrooms. Increasingly excessive um, because we're really paying for it this year.

299My older son just started first grade. right away um started displaying like some regressive behaviors. Actually wetting himself in class and I started to find out from his teacher that all these accidents were occurring during iPad time which was an hour of the day that they were sitting doing I Ready with their headphones on and he literally couldn't tell that he had to go to the bathroom cuz he was so disregulated by these games. Um, and this was going on week after week after week. And I met with [snorts] the teacher who told me she doesn't like these games either. She's getting a lot of pressure from her boss. I met with the principal who told me the exact same thing. He doesn't like this. He's getting a lot of pressure. So now I'm here

300hopefully talking to the final boss of iPad games. But it's a really um I come at this as an educator, too. My I think baseline generous position was that these games just represented a kind of opportunity cost. I thought they were sort of a waste of time. Um, and now I'm starting to see them as as potentially really harmful. Picking my son up week after week and he's crying and saying, "What's wrong with me?" And the solutions I was getting from everyone at his school was um that we could talk to him together. I could basically like yell at him with them. I could give him more iPad time at home so that maybe he would become desensitized to it. just um when I start to feel like there's me, there's the school and then

301there's a third party which is some private tech company in the room because it felt like the only option we were not considering was that we would just not do the I Ready or the iPads um and we would just revert to normal classroom learning and it um this has been ongoing. So I just would wanted to at least explain my case here. Thank you. Thank you for your time. Bridey Lee, come on up. You'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. Last year, the former US Surgeon General VC Murphy called for a warning label on social media platforms. He wrote, "There is no seat belt for parents to click, no helmet to snap in place, no assurance that trusted experts have investigated and ensured that these platforms are safe for our kids. There

302are just parents and their children trying to figure it out on their own, pitted against some of the best product engineers and most well-resourced companies in the world. The same could easily apply to edtech. If parents were given full transparency of the spectrum of risks associated with schoolisssued devices and apps, what would the warning label read? The use of edtech may be hazardous to your child's mental and physical health. Side effects include lower test scores, lower grades, distraction, addiction, cheating, shortened attention spans, impaired vision, inability to read full-length books, exposure to pornography, video games, YouTube, Netflix, social media, content that promotes racism, sexism, violence, political radicalization, anti-immigrant beliefs, advertisements, disclosure and sale of your child's personal data to third parties, data breaches, harm to long-term brain development, loneliness, anxiety, depression, psychosis, eating disorders, bullying, sexual

303sexual abuse and suicide. Would you give this to your child? There is an ever growing mountain of research documenting edte harms that is only refuted by a vague unsupported notion of preparing children for the future. This dis this debate is often framed as a difference in ideology. But it's actually fact versus fiction, science versus science fiction. Last week, the Google product manager who oversees Chromebooks in schools described the new era of education as one in which teachers are sidelined as mere facilitators for students learning on computers. And the CEO of Microsoft AI just said that classrooms won't be about acquiring information anymore and kids will quote teach themselves. Parents of older kids often say to me with a deep sigh of defeat, wait until middle school. But I'm not waiting and neither should you. The

304time to act is now. Thank you. Thank you for your time. [applause] Uh, Mao, maybe that's Mao Tjo. I don't I don't >> Okay. Uh, Lel White, come on down. You'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. >> Uh, I'm going to yield my time to two students. All right, Miss White has yielded her time to two students. You'll both have two minutes total. So, however you split it, the the total will be two minutes. So, thank you. Come on up. Adjust the mic and we'll start the timer when you begin. Thank you. >> Wait, is this good? Yeah. Yeah. This Okay, we're ready. Ready. Hello, my name is Mika Walker Dean >> and my name is Neimon Adessa and we are leaders of students deserve from Dorsy High School. Today we have come

305to call on LUSD to protect undocumented students without police. I'm sure you are aware that due to recent events in our country, people of color, most notably immigrants, have been facing serious issues regarding ICE and other law enforcement. ICE has been on a violent rampage throughout Los Angeles and the US as a whole. Families are being ripped apart and children are being taken away from their homes just because of who they are. Many of these people being detained by ICE have not committed crimes. They just want to live a comfortable life. ICE is not only detaining immigrants, but they now have been allowed to detain people based on appearance alone. This is causing obvious fear among the city, especially on students. There have been recent incidents of ICE patrolling around multiple LUSD schools, including elementary

306schools, where ICE has been intimidating students and their families. I am friends with many who are being targeted by ICE and let me say this, they are terrified. Many of my friends are on edge. They are scared to even step outside, let alone come to school. Some of them have even considered or went to online school so they wouldn't have to take a risk just by walking. Students at my previous school, Venice High School, have even organized protests. Yet, these problems still persist. School should be a safe learning zone, not fear. When ice surrounds school, it creates an environment where students and parents are afraid to show up. This has been disrupting the learning process where students cannot focus on their study but rather afraid of being separated from their loved ones. Every child deserves

307to learn without fear or discrimination. This is why schools should remain safe zones free from ICE to ensure students can learn and feel secure. >> So we call LUSD and ask you to protect undocumented students without police. We ask that you create a response to ICE and other enforcement agencies that excludes school police as well as pushing city or council officials to limit LAPD and sharif sheriff collaboration with ICE. We also demand that LUSD uses its resources to defend students and families impacted by deportations. We also ask that you give updates about ICE activity to students. We also ask that you ensure that there's mental health support on all school campuses. We simply ask that you make sure school can be safe place for students where they can continue to learn and grow in peace

308without the fear of being attacked just because of how they look and where they came from. >> Thank you for your time. >> Oh, thank you for your time. Uh Mount Tjo, >> there's a long line to get in. >> Okay. >> Some of folks that are not here. >> Yeah, we'll come back to them for sure. >> So, you can come back to me so I can yield my time. >> Oh, you plan to yield your time? Okay. Ian Kirxy. I know, but I have to call the names. Uh, Lauren Lauren G. Hello. My name is Laura Gersinhorn and I am the parent of an LUSD first grader. I am a product of public school, kindergarten through college. My parents taught me that public school is the ultimate public service and public duty. That

309by putting in our time and resources and children, we make them better and they exist to serve us. So, when it came time to send my child to kindergarten, I enthusiastically enrolled him in a public non-charter LUSD school and assumed this would be the best place for him and for our family. And so much has been positive, the teachers and staff, the enrichment programs, and the community. But the way LUSD has implemented technology has made me question my high regard for this institution. At best, LUSD is carelessly leaving haphazard COVID tech practices in place without considering the implications. At worst, I believe LOD might be influenced by corporate tech interests. Why does the district not provide limits as to how much time a kid can spend on a device at school? Why is it assumed

310that my child can complete iPad work at home? Every time I request accommodations from these policies, whether asking for a place to leave the device at school or finding alternative work for my child to do at home, I create extra work for teachers who are already working so hard. Moreover, there is no district transparency about technology. When I look on my child's schoolisssued device to check his screen time use, the meter is blocked by the district, making it seem like the people in power are willfully obscuring parental knowledge of what happens in the classroom. is placing an iPad into his hand as a kindergartener and asking him to be responsible for it the best way to prepare him for a technological world. A public school cannot impose religious or political beliefs onto children. And yet

311allowing a young child to use an iPad in school and for homework seems like a very personal choice a family must make for itself. How can LA shift to become a more inclusive environment for intentionally low tech families? How can LA USD ensure that school tech usage is actually in the best interest of all students? Thank you. [applause] >> Amir Casemir. Amir. >> Uh Naomi Smith. >> Naomi Smith. >> Okay. Just so everyone knows, if I call a name and I they're not here in the first time, I I cycle back through. I don't want to miss anybody. Uh let's see. Marcela Garcia. Oh, that's a remote caller. Maya Garz, Maya G, please come on up. You'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. >> We've always been very disciplined around screen time for

312our kid. With his ADHD, screens have always been bad for focus and emotional regulation. Our kid never had a smartphone. But when he began at John Burrough's middle school, all classwork was run through Schooly on an iPad, as if whatever systems had been put in place for remote learning were now permanent. He was in a physical classroom, but on a screen all day, which was terrible for mood, mental health, focus, learning. I did not see technology lead to better mastery of material or more functional organized classrooms. The opposite. By 8th grade, constant unmonitored exposure to screens at school ballooned into full-blown addiction. My kid's grades collapsed. He lost interest in sports and activities he loved. His entire personality changed. We came to discover he was being sexually groomed and encouraged to run away from home

313by strangers. One person on Tumblr offered to come hurt me and my husband. When we tried to cut off access, my child ran away with his school iPad, switching the settings for all of his accounts to two-factor authentication run through his school iPad. When we secured that device, broke that last link, our child had a major breakdown, and lost the second half of 8th grade to intensive residential treatment. We're an extreme case, but we're not an outlier. Every teen treatment facility I researched has online addiction on its homepage. A popular Silicon Valley design book is called Hooked: How to create habit forming products. This technology is not making our kids' education better. It's making them unwell. It's designed to. San Diego is suing big tech for its harms to student mental health. LUSD should be

314doing the same, not opening the floodgates to these predatory companies. >> Thank you for your time. [applause] Joseph Williams. >> Joseph Williams. Uh Marsha Doss. >> Mar. I'm March and I yield my time to Ezekiel. >> Thank you. >> Good afternoon, Superintendent Carvalo and members of the board. Uh my name is Ezekiel Gatacho. I'm a junior at Kings High School and a leader through students deserve. I've come here today because I care deeply about the future of my community and the students who look just like me. With the upcoming budget projections and potential cuts to funding, I want to make sure that the concerns of me and my peers are heard. I propose that programs such as BSAP, Dream Centers, community schools, and other minority support systems shall not be reduced or defunded. These programs

315are not extracurriculars or optional for schools to implement. They are essential and detrimental to the development and success of future generations. BAP in particular is one of the only programs in our district designed directly to support black students who have historically been misrepresented and disproportionately affected by barriers in education and a crippling lack of resources. BAP creates a safe space for students providing cultural affirmation in helping students to build academic confidence. This is the kind of support that can change a bring a great change to a student not just for a school year but for an entire lifetime. At the same time, I want to raise a serious concern. LUSD continues to spend tens of millions of educational dollars on the LA school police department. If cuts must be made, they should come from policing,

316not from support systems. It makes no sense to put school police before student necessities like mental health staff. Investing in school police does not create safer schools. Investing in students does. If LUSD is truly committed to black student success and community, then these name programs must not be must be protected, never to be reduced or eliminated. These programs are the foundation of safe, supportive, and thriving school environments. I'm asking you today to prioritize students and communities when making your budget decisions. You must protect the programs that help us learn, help us grow, and help us feel safe in our schools. Thank you for your time. Thank you for your time. [applause] Todd Grabarski, Todd G, come on up. And after Mr. Grabbarski is Llaya Bak. And then Miley Furlow. Hi, my name is Todd Grabbarski

317and I'm a parent of a first grader. I'd like to talk about LUSD's responsible use policy, which is a legal document the district requires all students to sign, including children as young as four years old, beginning in TK and kindergarten. It's four pages long, single spaced, and contains more than 30 terms children must agree to. Some of the terms are laughable, like the requirement that children follow all copyright laws and guidelines. Does LUSD really think a four or 5-year-old can understand intellectual property law, which consistently baff baffles the most seasoned lawyers and judges? Some terms are disturbing. For example, quote, I will not meet anyone in person who I've met only on the internet. This leads me to think, is it possible for students to meet people online using schoolisssued devices? Why doesn't the district

318block this capability? And what happens if a student does? Has the has the district waved all liability because the student signed this waiver? And some of the terms seem simply inequitable, such as the requirement that parents shell out hundreds of dollars to replace these fragile devices that are accidentally broken by their children, or the requirement that parents continually continually monitor their children's use of devices at home, overworked parents who are balancing making dinner, working various jobs, or caretaking other children or elderly family members. But more than any one term of this document, I'd like to ask, why does it exist? Young children cannot give meaningful consent to a legal document like this. Why is the district putting the burden of setting rules, limits, or oversight entirely onto students and their overworked parents and legal guardians?

319And where is the responsible use policy for the district? Where is the commitment from the district that our children w will be safe from potential harm and learning distraction by these extremely powerful devices? Where are the meaningful limits, rules, and guidelines LUSD imposes on the way these devices are used in the classroom? Without that, parents cannot give me cannot meaningfully exercise their right to parental choice or give informed consent for their children to be on these devices during the school day. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. [applause] Uh, Laya Bak. Laya. Hi. Uh, I'm Leela Bay, founder of Schools Beyond Screens, and I've appeared before this board several times to voice alarm about the over reliance on classroom tech. But I'm here today in a spirit of gratitude. Since my last visit to

320this chamber, the district has taken a series of significant steps toward adopting our proposals. We suggested the formation of a new tech advisory committee and we've been told this is now happening. We suggested a survey and town hall meetings on edtech. This is also happening and ostensibly this feedback will be used to craft new guidelines for how tech is used throughout the district which is something we've been asking for since the spring. However, we remain deeply concerned about the potential for corporate interference. The recent edte survey is almost comically biased and deceptively designed to the point we can only assume it was drafted by industry consultants. How will we ensure these consultants don't exert similar influence over the new tech guidelines? School board members can play a crucial role in ensuring this process remains impartial

321and centers the needs of students, parents, and teachers. As a next step, we request that you convene a series of special meetings on edtech and to solicit testimony from truly independent experts. We've spoken with preeminent scientists, psychologists, technologists, and education researchers who would be thrilled to share their work with the board. We also urge you to watch last Thursday's edtech listening session at which some 70 parents took time from their busy evenings to share how digital learning tools have disrupted their famil family's lives. The stories were at times painful to hear, but you should hear them. Not one person is comfortable with the status quo. The movement to evict big tech from schools is growing quickly. Just in the past week, the New York Times has published two pieces on the problems with schoolisssued devices.

322Jonathan Height, whose blockbuster, The Anxious Generation, put a spotlight on the smartphone crisis, has said he's now turning his focus to edtech. Eventually, we'll look back on the era of internet connected devices on children's desks the way we think about smoking on planes. Our trend setting district could become the national leader in edtech policy, just as we were with the cell phone ban. Let's work together to put kids before shareholders and take our public schools back from private equity. [applause] Thank you for your time, Miley Furlow. Come on down. You have two minutes to speak once you begin. >> Thank you. Good afternoon, Superintendent Carvalo and board members. My name is Miley and I go to Hamilton High School as well as being a leader at Students to Serve. I stand here today as an

323advocate for the implementation of community based safety as an alternative to L USD's response to ICE and school police on our campuses. Firstly, I'd like to take the time to name my support for board member Carla Grigo and her resolution towards community based safety. We have been fighting tirelessly for the implementation of community based safety and we demand that the district act now. We are demanding that LUSD protects its undocumented students without LASPD involvement. The site on and near our campuses doesn't make students feel protected. It feel it makes students feel more afraid. And for many students, especially immigrant students, the presence of any uniform adds to that fear. The purpose of safe passage was to guarantee that students can get to and from school without danger. But if ICE can appear near our campuses,

324then the district's current safety protocols are simply not enough. We need real safe zones supported by community- based safety supports and not school police enforcement. We need resources that will support and defend our students and their families by defunding LASPD and investing in the people who actually care for us, show up for us, and support us. Police and school police cannot be a part of any safe zone or immigration response because if students are afraid of the people who are supposed to protect us, then that system has failed us. ICE has already made it aware that school zones are not off limits. From targeting parents at school dropoffs to the recent incident just at a Santi High School where someone was shot by immigration officers, the need to tighten these policies become urgent. Safety doesn't

325come from police enforcement. It comes from within our communities. And the only way that happens is if you listen to us and when we say we need care and not cops. Once again, we are demanding continued protection for black, undocumented, and LGBTQ students. And we are demanding continued investment in community-based safety. We are demanding that LUSD's response to ICE raids, not rely on school police. We need LUSD to stand with us and not against us, as we deserve to feel safe coming to school, being at school, and returning home. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. [applause] Jaylen Sims. Jaylen. Jaylen Sims. >> Traine Thomas. >> And then after Miss Thomas is Jamaiah Fields. Hello. Um, hello school board members. I am Chenise Thomas, a senior at King Drew. And today I am here

326to share my demands and my very strong opinions towards LUSD. But first, I would like to thank board member Carla Gregio for her resolution on community based safety, which is something we have been working towards for a while. It's an important step toward what we have been demanding for years. Real real safety rooted in care, not policing. We need schoolboard members in in the district to act on this immediately. It shouldn't be year five of asking for the same things. Our schools must be safe zones, not infiltrated by the police. Now, I demand you to protect our programs. With the upcoming budget protection and cuts, we want to make sure that no funding is cut from BSAP, dream centers, community schools, mental health, and mental health supports. These programs are very important for the fact

327that they help students thrive and provide us with very useful resources with very useful resources which may I remind you is your job. Therefore, LUSD will defund and cut LA school police instead of programs that support students. LA police have been proven to not keep us safe. They have been proven to do more harm than good. So, the fact that you constantly push police on to us really shows how we are not being listened to. I've been up here talking for four years about community based safety and and the fact that it has not been fully imple implemented baffles me. Dear LD, please hear our voices because at the end of the day, we are the ones living it in the classrooms, not you. Thank you for your time and have an amazing day. [applause]

328Thank you for your time. >> Uh Jamaiah Fields. >> My name is Jamaia. I'm a senior at Washington Prep now and I'm a youth leader at Community Coalition. And today I'm here to say protect our funding at high and highest need schools and protect students and families without police. I would like to start by sharing an incident that recently happened at my younger sister's school and middle school. On September 26th, a student tried to choke my best friend's cousin over a small disagreement. Of course, the school police didn't see that happen. Um, at the same time, another LUSD student was faced with antilack violence at school. And instead of receiving support from the school and district, this same student is now facing charges. Even my own sister got jumped by two girls as an example.

329And overall got harassed by them for over a year. But yet, she got suspended for defending herself. Not only that, the day she had got and jumped, I was sitting right here in this building when it happened. So, I couldn't do a thing about it, obviously. Oh, um. Oh my gosh. Oh my god. >> [applause] [applause] >> Thank you for your time. All right, the next speaker, Maria Daisy Ortiz. Miss Ortiz is going to speak in Spanish. So, if you'd like to hear what she's saying in English, please put your hands up and we'll get you translation headsets. [clears throat] >> The translations unit should be coming out with headsets any second now. Thank you so much. Then after Maria Daisy Ortiz is Monica Rodriguez. And then I will cycle through the names that I

330called earlier and who weren't here. Listoff. >> Uh, no. [clears throat] >> [clears throat] >> Okay, >> buen. >> Good evening to all. My name is Maria Dei Ortiz and I am here upon you or in front of you, excuse me, because I want answers to what I presented in regards to the guides, the policies, and the bulletins that you have. and they're not aligned to the state laws which are the compensation of DAC. I am here because each and one of you received an email but none of you answered except the office of Miss Rosio Riva's office who answered. I don't want to leave here without having an answer as what you've all done knowing that we've verified that these guides are against the state guidelines. Therefore, what's worse is that Franklin High School,

331they demanded the region, they demanded for them to select another representative because otherwise they would hold the budget. What is this about? [clears throat] You correct one error committing another one and with lies when in all truth this is not possible. Also, you have made changes and the the program for recent newcomers is for it used to be for several years, now it's for one year. Who made the decision to change this? Just as the dual programs, the dual programs do not receive ELD. This is why these children don't have the bilateral seal nor reclassified. And parents don't know about this because you enjoy lying to parents. This is why you don't want parents who have knowledge about this. And Mr. McClean, I want to know what when I can create or do a presentation

332so I can show this and show you how to revise and read an ELP. So stop so you can stop lying and letting them know that they're progressing. let me know what I need to do because I want parents to open their eyes so that they can advocate for the their children's education and not continue lying just the way you've been doing it for years. I also want you to correct the person who committed this atrocious with the guides. This person cannot continue to work here just like from the region east and I will not leave from here and give you the answer. Uh, Monica Rodriguez. Monica Rodriguez. Monica. Okay. Uh, Lel White. Oh, you spoke. Ma Tjo. I'm sorry. I'm going to just call through the names of people that I called missed the

333first time and then if someone is giving time, please let us know you're giving time. So, uh, Mao Tjo, I missed your name and then you said you were going to seed time. If you could just tell me what's happening, we can move forward. >> Monica, can we have Monica go first? >> That's great. Who's Monica speaking for? >> Okay. Oh, Monica Rodriguez. I'm sorry. Now you're here. My bad. Please go ahead. The two minutes is yours. >> Hello, friends and LD board members. I am a student at Woodwell Wilson High School and a member of Inner City Struggle. As somebody directly affected by the decisions made by this district, I am here today to express my strong opposition to any cuts in funding for our core programs from BSAP, Dream Centers, community schools, mental

334health support, and other focus positions like SENI. The proposed physical plan to cut funds designed for essential programs, school staff salaries, and vital after school activities is not a good solution. It is a quick fix that puts band-aid a band-aid on a growing problem that will only get worse if not taken more seriously by the people with power. And in not doing so, you are damaging the foundation of our educational system instead of helping it. The roles of our school staff and after school activities are absolutely crucial to the health and success of our community. Yet, they are the first to be targeted and threatened by your cuts. Our families knows the struggle of a tight budget, but we are angry and disheartened when we see a lack of discipline that prioritizes administrative overhead over

335the classroom. We continue to see you spend unwisely and make cuts in schools from this year's budget of 1.8 billion, sorry, 18.8 billion. We are not satisfied with the portion of funds that you gave our schools. We demand more funds and for these funds to be put towards students so that they can get the education they need. Not just our students but our community school coordinators, TAs, librarians, nurses and other school staff. They inspire, support and guide us every day. By cutting these dedicated educators, you are not only harming their careers but also impacting the learning environment for these students. Additionally, programs in arts, sports, and extracurricular acrylic extra after school activities are vital for developing creativity, teamwork, resilience, and qualities that help students thrive later in life. Once again, we recognize that the budgets

336are challenging, but investing in education is investing in our community's future to protect and invest back in our black, brown, immigrant, queer, and trans students. Divest from systems that >> Thank you so much for your time. >> Thank you for your time. >> Thank you. But I'm going to keep going like school police. Please do not let short >> [applause] >> Thank you for your time. Uh, Ma Tjo, >> I'm yielding my time to Allison. >> Thank you. Come on up. You'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. [clears throat] Oh. Okay, >> it's okay. Time hasn't started. >> You're good. >> Thank you. Okay. Okay. Hello. My name is Alan Delgado and I'm a leader with Students Deserve and a student on our Royal Learning Center. Across LUSD, we are watching hate and

337discrimination become more open. Racism, xenophobia, and homophobia showing up in classrooms and hallways. This isn't just a national issue. It's happening here and students feel it every single day. I'm asking the board to clearly condemn all forms of bias and to actually enforce protections for black students, undocumented students, and LGBTQ plus students. Dream centers matter, but we need more transparency about where resources are going and what more we can do. I want to lift up the story of a former LUZ student, Nori Ramos. She was separated from her mother at an immigration appointment, deported, and later left without either parent. Her life changed instantly, and students like her still exist today. That's why I'm asking the district to create a way for deported students to stay enrolled online and finish their high school education. No

338student should lose their future because of ICE. Fear of immigration enforcement doesn't just hurt families, it hurts our schools as well. Superintendent Superintendent Carvalo, you state schools are not places of fear, but right now that promise does not match our reality. You have called for safe zones around campuses, but undocumented families fear eyes near their schools. Teachers fear losing their positions because enrollment is dropping within immigrant communities. Students facing fear of discrimination of ICE and losing their teachers. If we're going to say schools are not a place of fear, then we need your actions to start reflecting your promises. So, just to be clear, we will keep fighting for real resources, which that means more funding for BAP programs, more dream centers, more LGBTQ plus support, and less money towards school police because police on

339campus do not keep us safe. community resources do. So, don't think for a minute our demands are going away. Not when this district keeps doing the opposite of what students, educators, and families are asking for. We're here now, and we will continue to show up until these demands um are being shown. And do your job right of serving the district you work for. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time, [applause] Ken. Kirksy. I'm going to yield my time to Dommy here. >> Thank you. Please go ahead. You'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. >> My name is Aua Dami Lo and I'm a senior at King Medical Magnet High School and a leader in student reserve. LUSD should enact a clear firm response towards ICE and all immigration enforcement agencies that completely

340takes school police out of the equation and preserves trust between students, their families, and the district. As a daughter of an immigrant single mother, I know the fear of deportation. I know the fear that deportation shapes daily life. This is not an abstract issue for me. My mother faced burdens of raising four children alone, navigating systems not built to support immigration families. In in those moments, often our school was the only place where we found guidance and stability. Families like mine rely on schools as safe, stable places where that fear does not follow them. When there is confusion or collaboration between local law enforcement and ICE, that safety disappears. That is why LD needs to push city and county leaders to limit all cooperation between LAPD, the sheriff's department, and ICE in order to ensure

341our campuses remain true sanctuaries for immigrant and mixed status families. Because of that, I believe LUSD has a responsibility to use its resources to defend students and families impacted by deportations, whether offering legal information, emotional support, or simply a safe environment where families can can seek help without fear. There's a threat to budget cuts looming over our district, and we cannot afford to take one single dollar away from BAP, the dream centers, the community schools, or mental health supports. These are not extras to student safety and success. As a black student in a school full of black and Latino students, BAP has personally impacted my life. BAP supports provides culturally responsive instruction, academic support, and mentorship that directly reflects systematic disparities facing black students. BAP is one of those rare programs where I actually feel

342seen. The dream centers are just as crucial, especially to students coming from immigrant families. They provide resources on legal matters, college guidance, and safe spaces to ask questions regarding documentation or deportation consequences without im intimidation. For many of us, dream centers are only are the only places where we could get the information we needed to navigate our futures. Community schools provide wraparound ser. Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you. [applause] Thank you for your time. You're always welcome to finish your thought. I don't want you to think you get that one last thought out. Um, okay. Amir Kazmir, come on up. You'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. >> Hello, I'm Air and I'll leave yield my time to Laya King. >> All right, you'll have two minutes to speak uh once you

343begin. Hello, my name is Laya King and I would like to say that I would like to urge you to act now. I would like to you to return eight early childhood special education PSWs, three educationally related intensive counseling services PSWs, and eight school-based PSWs from non-priority schools who has less than 600 students after norm day back to their normal positions and programs immediately. I urge you to hire new PSWs for all school purchase and BSAP funded positions that should have been open since the beginning of the school year until now. Unfortunately, despite funding available at the beginning of school year and LD board's approval of the final revised suicide awareness and prevention resolution from the LOD board meeting from September 23rd, presented by Scott Minosen and Carla Grigo. LD did not immediately open positions

344and hire new PSWs. That's a problem. Instead, LD authorized unnecessary force administrative transfers of PSWs to fill school-based and PSW positions and LSD actions have had significant negative impacts on students, parents, and programs that were taken away from them and leading to abrupt terminations, major gaps in services, lack of continuity and care of risk and non-compliance issues with federally mandated special education services. My name is Honor Marie and I'm speaking on behalf of PSWs. If my PSW was abruptly taken away from me, I would feel so lost and kind of desperate. A PSW can be someone's superhero through hardships and challenges one can face. Not having a PSW can lead to depressional backlash or it could bring you back into old trauma you faced before. My PSW is important to me because she provides guidance

345and inspiration to me and my peers and makes us feel like we have a safe place at the school. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you for your time. [applause] Call on Naomi Smith again. Naomi Smith, [applause] >> come on up. You'll have two minutes to speak. Why don't you begin? >> Hello, my name is Naomi Smith. I'm a 10th grader at Manuel Arts High School and a youth leader with Community Coalition. Today, I'm here to say protect our funding at high and highest need schools and protect students and families without police. Equity must be prioritized especially during challenging budget times. Reducing setting means cutting funding for counselors, tutors, mental health staff, and academic support. It limits students success both side both inside and outside of the classroom. It also takes away from teacher

346training, community engagement, and other programs our schools rely on. We understand the district is facing a deficit and we understand the decision the decisions that have to be made by fiscal year 2027. But cutting senny is not an option. Defunding Senny directly harms students in highest need schools. It means fewer counselors, fewer tutors, fewer mental health support, and fewer opportunities for us to succeed. This matters to me personally because school is more than just a place where I go to class. It's a place that has helped me grow. The counselors and staff I go to every day are the people who check in on me, who make sure I'm okay when I'm stressed, and push me to stay on top of my goals. I know what it feels like to walk on campus and feel

347seen. I also know what it feels like when support isn't there. And that's not something any student deserve to fail. If those staff members were taken away because of budget cuts, my school wouldn't feel the same. It wouldn't feel as safe, as supportive, or as motivating. And I know I'm not the only student who feels this way. student deserve. Students deserve adults on campus who care about us, who guide us, and who help us navigate everything we deal with both in and out of school. Second, I want to talk about the funding of school police. We do not need school police on our campuses. I have seen firsthand how disruptive and disrespectful school police can be. I have been followed while simply trying to walk home. I watched my classmates be detained and manheld in

348front of my school by police for no reason at all. We already feel we already deal with so much pressure as students. Feeling criminalized at our schools should not be added on top of that. Our schools deserve support, not surveillance. We deserve investment, not criminalization. And we deserve to be listened to when we say what we need. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you for your time. [cheering] [applause] >> Joseph Williams. Joseph Williams. Uh Jaylen Sims. One moment. I need to check on a replacement. Ezekiel get you. I think you already spoke. Ezekiel G. Yeah, you already spoke, correct? Okay. Thank you, sir. I appreciate it. We have one remote caller named Marcela Garcia. Marcela Garcia, I see you're on the line. Please press star six to unmute yourself. And you'll have two minutes

349to speak once you begin. Marcela Garcia. Marcela Garcia, are you there? Good afternoon. Can you hear me? >> Talk about when there's elections for ELAC. When there's elections for ELC, there's there are people that are not parents of English learners, but they are members of the community and they're elected by parents to assist in representing in the elections for DACA. And one of those parents from Franklin was not accepted. Why? If they went, it was the parents voted for them, for the lady, for Daisy Ortiz to be the representative and they did not accept her, but she is a member of the community. So, we want to know why. And within the 49% that person fits, why is it then within the district they're not accepting her? So, who is who decides? Who decides there

350for Elac? Why or is it why is she excluded? Why is a person excluded for that somebody who's elected by the parents and is part of the community? Why do they push us aside for these parents? They have the time, they have the dedication and they have everything to be able to represent. Why don't they accept it? Why are they rejected? And why are they always ignored when they also pay taxes? They pay taxes. Why is are we also ignored? We need to have in every school interpretation in every school. They need to assure that if the [snorts] coordinators if they're give providing the translation for the parents because there are times that not all of us understand what's being explained in English. We need translation and it needs to be that needs to be

351addressed because sometimes the parents that's some they don't want to participate because there isn't translation because they feel excluded because of the language. >> So there is a lot there is low participation from parents and you want to know why >> and the last person here in person Michelle Rivas come on in. You'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. some documents really quick. >> Yeah, just set them up there and then you could >> Okay. >> Yeah. To your right. I'll come get them and then uh you can begin and um I will I will distribute that stuff. It's two sets of copies. Okay. My name is Michelle Rivas and I'm here as a mother whose life changed on November 7th, the day my six-year-old son, Cyro, suffered a traumatic and entirely preventable

352injury at Alexander Science Center school, where he and his classmate should feel safe. That day, a heavy metal classroom door crushed my son's finger with enough force to nearly amputate it. His bone was exposed. He screamed for hours in pain and terror as they stood beside him [snorts] while doctors had to sedate him and piece his finger back together. No parents should ever witness this. Photos have been provided because what happened is so severe. Words alone cannot do it justice. Despite the severity of this injury, I emailed the school and the California Science Center multiple times. I received no response to my concerns. Not one. There was no school nurse, no medical support, just a call for me to pick up my bleeding child and rush him to the ER. This is [snorts] a complete

353failure of safety oversight. A district that says it puts students well-being first cannot ignore a child's medical emergency or a parents plea. This was not an accident. This was preventable harm caused by a unsafe infrastructure. LUSD has a legal legal and ethical obligation to maintain safe conditions, lease building or not. Parents should not have to become investigators to determine who's accountable for basic safety needs. Today, my son's physical injuries are slowly healing, but his emotional trauma is getting worse. He's been out of school for two weeks under doctor's orders. Yet, we're still in navigating a system where attendance affects funding, penalizing families for absences caused by the district's own failures. I will not accept being labeled as a parent who's neglecting education. Today, I'm demanding a full investigation into the safety failure that caused this

354injury. Immediate safety improvements to all hazardous doors and infrastructures across the campus and all LUSD site similar risk. Clear medical response protocols when no nurse is present. Communication and transparency when families regarding incidents that impact student health and safety. I'm a mother of three boys. I did not choose to become a legal advocate or a medical researcher. But when LUSD failed to protect my child, I was left with no choice. My son cannot stand here and speak for himself. I'm his voice and I will not stop until the district takes responsibility and ensures this never happens again to another child. Preventable injuries are unacceptable. Silence is unacceptable and action is unacceptable. I want answers and accountability and I'm demanding urgent enforcable safety measures. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. [applause] That concludes general

355public comment >> and there's no other business to conduct. So, >> thank you very much everyone. Thank you. >> All right, the meeting is adjourned. The time is now 4:19.