001[Music] I like [Music] you. [Music] Hey. Hey. Hey. [Music] Hey, hey, hey. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Hey, [Music] Hey, hey. Heat. Heat. [Music] Hey baby. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Happy [Music] birthday. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] That's good. [Music] That's it. [Music] Hey, [Music] Good morning and welcome. The time is now 911 on September 16th, 2025. Welcome to the special meeting of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education including close session item. I'm going to take role. Miss Newell >> present. >> Dr. Rivas >> present. >> Mr. Melvinne, Miss Grigo, Miss Gomez, Miss Ortiz Franklin, >> present. >> Board President Schmolson >> present. >> Okay. I will read the purpose and authority for this special meeting. Um there is just one item to be heard that is under tab 1 personnel pursuant to government
002code section 54957 and it will be the superintendent evaluation. We will take public comment that is specific to the superintendent's evaluation and then recess directly into close session. As is our practice, I'll call on the folks who are listed as being in person and then we will call on the folks who are listed as remote. Okay. So, let's begin. I'll call a couple of names. So, if you are here, uh, please be prepared to speak after the person in front of you has completed. So, John Coleman, are you here? John Coleman, please come on down. You'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. John Coleman, are you here? Um, Annabelle Moscowitz, are you here? Annabelle, uh, Jasmine Banks, are you here? Come on down. Uh, Miss Banks, you have two minutes to speak once
003you begin. And after Miss Banks is Charlotte Harris and then Elia Rodriguez. You have two minutes to speak to the superintendent's evaluation. And then, um, that will be it. Thank you, >> Superintendent Carvalo, members of the board and board secretariat. I am Dr. Jasmine Banks and I'm the head of school at Vox Collegiate. I am also here to speak to the evaluation of our superintendent and one of those components is uh naming the importance of charter schools and the relevance and excellence within our community in particular South LA. Um the architect Paul River Williams whose work has shaped much of South Los Angeles once said that I am not on this planet to get something done. I am here to accomplish things that express my purpose. And the purpose of Vox Collegiate is to ensure
004that all students are able to excel in college and beyond knowing the power and potential of their voice. Like Williams, we have built something enduring arm-in- arm with our students, families, and community leaders. What we have accomplished goes beyond the classroom. We have cultivated opportunities that segue South delay's uh cultural wealth and have interwoven academic rigor, character, confidence and development. In this construction, the foundation of Vox's heart, the framework is strong instructional practices and the design is the brilliance of our students. Vox is proud to be a 2024 California Distinguished School and a California community school. These honors reflect that we have a passion for excellence and intentional care for our budding leaders. Since returning from distance learning at ELA, Vox has consistently outperformed the state when it comes to comparisons to statistically significant student
005groups. In particular, our black student achievement has surpassed the state by 60 points. In addition, for math, our students have outperformed the same significant student groups across the board. These accompli accomplishments show that growth and achievement are possible when mission, leadership, and community all align. Whether in speech and debate, classroom dialogue, expressing their feelings, or advocating for themselves and others, our students are learning to lead with courage and conviction. Like Mr. Williams, the structures that he has cultivated. >> Thank you so much for your time. Appreciate your time. Charla Harris, come on down and remember to please keep those remarks constrained to the superintendent's evaluation. Mr. is here. I'll note that. So, Charla Harris and then Elia Rodriguez and then Anna Chavez. The two minutes is yours. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. Good
006morning. I am here to speak to the evaluation of our superintendent which does involve the evaluation of schools including charter schools. So, I'd like to take a moment to speak to the success of Learning by Design Charter School, which I am the founder and executive director. Um, part of our mission is to ultimately cultivate diverse students into thoughtful, courageous change makers through experiential hands-on learning. The question is, have we done that over the past seven years? The answer is yes. The more important question is, have we done that successfully? Well, let's see. Number one, our student achievement has grown significantly significantly with the 50% improvement in ELA and math since 2022. But we know test scores only tell part of the story. In our studentrun garden or edible garden, our kids grow, harvest, and cook
007their own food and now host a monthly farmers market providing fresh fruits and vegetables from our garden to the community and our maker space. For one project in particular, students engaged in the design thinking process to prototype and 3D print shoes to put on display at our annual student project exhibition and then collected over 250 real pairs of shoes to donate to the unhoused. Through our study abroad program, students traveled to Costa Rica where they planted trees in the rainforest, cared for injured animals in a local wildlife habitat, and immersed themselves in Costa Rican language and culture for a week. And when the families uh fires impacted families um in Eaton County and the Palisades, our students researched, designed, created blueprints, and built models of escape routes, fireresistant homes, and businesses, which were all put
008on display at our student project exhibition. These are just a few examples of how our mission is being lived out day-to-day, creating real world student-driven learning experiences that require our students to think deeply and critically. And with your continued support, we look forward to continuing expanding and extending our impact in South LA. Thank you very much for your time. >> Thank you for your time. Elia Rodriguez, are you here? Elia R, come on up. Um, Miss Rodriguez, are you going to speak in Spanish? Okay. So, Miss Rodriguez is going to speak in Spanish. If you'd like to hear what she's saying in English as she's speaking in Spanish, please put your hands up and we'll get you these translation headsets so you can experience simultaneous translation. Um, Okay, gracias. >> Okay, and members of the
009board of education. My name is Elia Rodriguez and I am a mother of two students, one in seventh grade and another one in 11th grade. Both of them have been part of Paralos Nño for many years. The work of the superintendent is to support quality schools and for students that is one of them. And today I want to proudly share my experience as a family of this community paralos. It's not just a school for us. It is a place of comprehensive support where our students receive high quality education and care for their um so social emotional health which is so imperative in these times. We have received family therapy in a fast and respectful manner which has been critical for their well-being and for my development as a mother. Additionally, as parents, they always offer
010us this opportunity to participate in programs such as parent ambassadors and community schools which also have offered useful workshops and the opportunity to develop our leadership. The program after school, it is key for many families just like mine because it allows us to work and support our families while our children receive education and care that they need. Also, our older children that are already in high school opt to go back as volunteers to reinforce that strong sense of community. For thousands, hundreds of families, it would be a great loss that this school would close. It is a safe space, a trusting space, and an inclusive space where our children not only learn, but they develop as people. Because of all this, we request your respectfully your support to keep open the school charter middle school
011paralos. This institution is a pillar for our families and our communities. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you for your time. Okay, Anna Chavez, come on down. Please remember to constrain your remarks to the superintendent's evaluation. And then um after Anna Chavez is uh Bren Gallardo. >> Good morning. The superintendent plays a pivotal role in renewing charters. Um here to speak. I'm yielding my spot to our parent. >> Good morning, Superintendent Carvajo and members of the school board. >> Good morning, Superintendent Carvajo and members of the school board. Thank you so much for your time and giving me the opportunity to speak. My My name is Gloria Sra Morales. I'm the proud grandmother of Jeremiah Ethan Leon, a junior at Central City Value High School. Before attending Central City, Jeremiah was a student at
012St. Francis of Aisi Catholic School and Vista Charter Middle School where he earned honoral recognition, leadership awards, and even accommodation from the Councilman Mitch Oero. His parents and I are so proud of his accomplishments. But we know that his growth has truly flourished at Central City Value High School because of the school's dedication to academic excellence and its strong core values. The teachers and administrators at Central City Value are deeply committed to preparing every student for success and college. With the balance of rigorous academics enriching electives ranging from math to art, Jeremiah has been able to thrive across the disciplines. His hard work combined with the school's support has helped to maintain a 3.4 GPA. At Central City, Jeremiah is encouraged not just to meet expectations, but to exceed them. The school challenges to to
013grow as a learner and as a leader and as a young man ready to contribute positively to society. Respect is more than a word here. It's lived every day. Teachers model respect for their students and in return students reflect that same respect towards staff and peers. As a parent and a grandparent, I have welcomed into this community. I now my my second year serving on the schoolside committee where family, staff, and administrations work together to strengthen and improve our school. This partnership does make a difference. Central City instills in students the importance of of service. >> Thank you very much for your time. >> Thank you. Gallardo, are you here? Brenallardo, come on up. Okay, gracia. Uh, so the speaker is going to speak in Spanish. So if you'd like to hear what she's saying
014in English as she's speaking in Spanish, please put your hands up and we'll get you these translation headsets. Okay, gracias. >> Gracias. >> I thank God for this privilege and for each one of you. My name is Bren Gayardo and I am a mother of three students that have been through and are going through uh Dosier Allian Doseier Alliance. I'm here to represent every single one of the 495 students and approximately a thousand parents of Allias Dosier. And one more thing, I speak as a small business order for 30 years in the community of South Central very close to the school. I want to share the story of my daughter uh Ben since kinder. She has had high academic achievement in selecting the high school. We uh chose Alliance Dossia due to the following reasons.
015One due to the academic rigor and then the low number of students in the classroom and three in the participation in sports and four because of leadership programs. Elias doier is why my daughter is was validictorian today. Very says she is in a high school with a a GPA of 4.60. And those results are not just unique to my daughter on the academy 12. The students are even 29 points above in math in comparison to uh other students in other schools in the zone. And in absences we are lower than the schools in the zone, the district schools and even the schools in the state and and on behalf of the thousands of parents of Alliance School, I ask for your uh vote yes to renew our schools. Thank you so much for your time.
016time. Uh, Maria Daisy Ortiz. Maria Daisy Ortiz. I see you signed up to speak remotely, but I don't have you online. Maria Daisy Ortiz. Uh, Karina Lopez, I see you are online. Karina Lopez, please press star six to unmute yourself, and you'll have two minutes to speak once you begin. Lopez. Okay. Good morning every to everyone of you board of education of the Los Angeles Unified School District. My name is Karina Lopez Suna and I am calling about the topic the of the evaluation of the superintendent and well I don't know what is the correct word but it is for you to take the decision if we uh contract the same person that has been with us for so many years the superintendent Galvalo and before you decide for us or for all of the
017students and parents and families and above all for the entire community, the community that voted for every single one of you seated there. Thank you. But the need you need to research if the needs are being addressed or if the superintendent's plant is appropriate has been appropriate and what it is that we need to accomplish if with him you need to because he signs contracts right I don't know about the clause themselves but if you will uh support him but At the end of the day, you will decide for him and so for Mr. Carvalo and you need to document the clauses that really address the needs of the students in the communities. The committees unfortunately are not being successful. The authority, the voice of the parent is not being favorable or successful. We are
018since many a year we have been out of compliance of the education law here in Los Angeles. Mr. Trump the US president is prioritizing this concern. Okay, that concludes comment. We called on everybody on the list and the board will now recess into close session at 9:27 a.m. Thank you. For my friends in the audience, the board is going to go into close confidential close session and they'll come out around 10 a.m. at which point we will start the regularly scheduled 10 a.m. meeting. So, I appreciate your patience.