"Eagle Rock: Where land
use planning is a contact sport"
THE EAGLE ROCK ASSOCIATION
April 25, 2003
"
In this issue:
1. CORRECTION! -- TERA E.LETTER ADDRESS -- e.letter@TERA90041.org
2. LAUSD FIFTH DISTRICT BOARD CANDIDATES' RESPONSES TO OUR QUESTIONS
3. SPEAKING OF EDUCATION -- EAGLE ROCK LIBRARY BOOK AND BAKE SALE --
TOMORROW -- APRIL 26
1. CORRECTION! -- TERA E.LETTER ADDRESS --
e.letter@TERA.90041.org
Whoops. There seems to have been a miscommunication, but no problem.
Please send all notices, news, and your wonderful and insightful letters
and comments to e.letter@TERA9041.org.
Thanks so much for your continuing interest in TERA, in Eagle Rock, and in our
wonderful wider communities of Northeast Los Angeles and the 14th Council
district!
2. LAUSD FIFTH DISTRICT BOARD CANDIDATES'
RESPONSES TO OUR QUESTIONS
The TERA Board sent a set of four questions to LAUSD Fifth District Board
candidates Nellie Rios-Parra and incumbent David Tokofsky. The questions
and the candidates' responses are below. Please vote May 20!
Nellie Rios-Parra
Thank you for your interest in the school board
race and the thoughtful questions that reflect a deep understanding of the
issues facing our public schools. Please vote on May 20th! I
hope to count on your vote J Nellie Rios-Parra for School Board.
1. Considering the impending drastic
cuts to the LAUSD educational budgets, how do you intend to address all of our
students' curricular and academic needs? Please include exact steps and
details of how a top-rate program will be delivered in this setting.
The most important factor in maintaining and increasing student
achievement in the face of huge budget cuts is providing leadership and
realistic solutions. There is no panacea for the current budget crisis or
the lack of student achievement. Instead, there is individual success
that is in large part due to the efforts of the people involved in the
day-to-day happenings at specific school sites. We must give parents and
teachers the flexibility to implement those changes and programs that best
address the learning needs of their school. There are key elements to
implement at the local level to ensure we meet students' curricular and
academic needs.
School Site Councils need to evaluate their school's progress and
devise a school plan that incorporates the needs and strengths of the
individuals at the schools while keeping in mind district-wide goals,
objectives and outcomes. Determining realistic goals per academic year by
grade level will help ensure everyone moves forward.
We must focus on the curricular and academic needs of all our
students during this time of impending budget cuts. In order to ensure
successful academic outcomes, we need to make sure all stakeholders are aware
of state standards and grade level expectations. These need to be
continuously monitored and addressed at all levels to achieve progress. Teachersı
lesson plans need to reflect objectives that help students attain grade level
expectations in all curricular areas.
School Site Councils need to evaluate their school's progress and
devise a school plan that incorporates the needs and strengths of the individuals
at the schools while keeping in mind district-wide goals, objectives and
outcomes. Determining realistic goals per academic year by grade level
will help ensure everyone moves forward.
Students in need of additional support should have access to
tutoring, intersession or Saturday academies. As a district, we must
remain committed to class size reduction. In order to achieve this focus
on classroom instruction and student academic progress,
Below are a list of specific details and exact steps to deliver a
top-rate program. Keep in mind that in order for a school to succeed,
members of the community must contribute to the efforts expended daily whether
it is by time, money, input or support.
Students
Show up to school regularly
Complete homework assignments
Participate actively in school/classroom
Ask questions about instruction for complete understanding
Seek support if needed
Inform parents of school/classroom activities
Parents
Keep informed and up to date on their child's academic progress
(weekly, monthly and trimester/semester)
Call the school/teacher when their child is absent
Provide a quiet space and time for their child to complete homework
Visit the local library or other resources for support of academic
efforts
Check homework for completion and accuracy
Model reading and writing behaviors
Take an active interest in their child's progress and school
activities, academic and otherwise
Seek support for their child if needed (tutoring, Special Ed.,
GATE, counseling)
Respond to school requests
Participate in school functions, events and conferences
Teachers
Participate in training and ongoing professional development in
self identified area of need
Send home weekly or monthly updates to parents (electronic,
written, phone)
Provide students ongoing feedback
Reflect on teaching practices daily for improved instruction
Identify and refer students with special needs (GATE, Sp. ED,
Redefinition, etc...)
Provide parents with ongoing communication about their child's
academic progress
Inform administrators (school board members, parent advisory et al)
of materials needed
Provide input on textbook and curriculum adoptions (pilot materials
if need be)
Call the office/parents when students are absent to support
instruction and assignments missed
Collaborate with other teachers to ensure student success (plan
lessons together, team teach, etc.)
Maintain student files, portfolios/documents that show growth over
time
Develop lesson plans that lead students to achieve state standards
Administrators
Serve as instructional leaders
Visit classrooms regularly
Model exemplary teaching
Remove obstacles that can impede student progress
Inform parents of school/district mission, goals and objectives for
the year
Secure additional funding for school needs
Enlist School Site Council to take an active role in daily
activities
Work well with Parent Center leaders
Establish and maintain relationships with local businesses that are
willing to support the local school
In sum, I have put these ideas into practice where I work. The outcomes
are positive. Students are making progress. In the words of the African
proverb, it takes a village to raise a child.
2. In responding to the requirement of
a highly qualified teacher for every classroom, how do you plan to achieve this
in the schools which you represent? Please list and include your ideas on
the current proposals being considered by the district.
First, LAUSD must define the term "highly qualified
teacher" in order to establish a threshold. The NCLB (No Child Left
Behind) legislation has not clearly defined what a highly qualified teacher in
every classroom truly means. I believe it is a teacher who has met the
minimum credentialing requirements and has solid classroom management
techniques in place. In some cases there are individuals with no
credential but have vast experience and can qualify for the HQT status based on
years of experience and proven ability to manage a classroom of children.
Secondly, there are a high number of teachers who are non-credentialed
and need support to secure the proper documentation or coursework to earn their
credential in a timely manner. This may be in the form of student loans,
part-time employment or other creative solutions. Third, we also need to
consider the current use of the evaluation tool, Stuhl, required by the state
and lobby for a more comprehensive assessment of teacher success.
Teachers need to be aware of the California Teaching Standards and
reflect on their ability to achieve these. Conduct regular and objective
evaluations. The current Peer Assistance Review helps address these
evaluation needs.
One way to reduce the number of inexperienced and non-credentialed
teachers is to increase the number of student teachers working in LAUSD.
LAUSD should support local universities and colleges and secure
additional Memos of Understanding from non-participating programs.
Another way to address this concern is by increasing teacher pay to
attract teachers from neighboring school districts but with the budget crisis,
it may not be viable. One drawback to current hiring practices is the
limited number of years that are honored when teachers come from other districts.
We need to be able to grant teachers transferring from other districts
the number of years of teaching they have taught.
My interest in teaching began early on. A class on teaching
in my high school helped cultivate my interest. We need to promote these
types of classes. In addition, we can promote Teaching Academies like the
one in the harbor area. My ideas support the proposals currently proposed
by the school district.
3. If harsh cuts and tough decisions
need to be made, where and how should this occur? Please include in the
discussion a quantification of dollars spent on classroom materials, direct
instruction in the classroom (teachers and aides), administrative cost versus
efficiency, and the amount of dollars spent on the variety of outside
contractors versus a quantifiable return in student performance. Which
would you cut? Which would you keep?
Again, what our district needs most, and is currently most lacking,
is real leadership on creating priorities for the school district. Harsh
cuts and tough decisions are already being made to help balance the budget for
the end of this year and to project for next year. A freeze on additional
professional staff development that takes staff away from the district has
already been implemented. I believe we need to maintain monies spent on
classroom materials and direct instruction and ensure a way to absorb expected
increases for the next year so we can maintain an adequate teacher to student
ratio. I would cut some of the administrative positions that duplicate
services. Currently $128 million is spent on classroom expenditures and
this is projected to increase by 4.1% next year. This is in addition to
the$48 million spent on schools (nonclassroom) expenditures. We need to be
proactive in maintaining these levels. A percentage of the reserve
account will need to be used to help alleviate some of the rising costs.
I would also lobby the local and state elected officials to increase
taxes on high priced items to help increase the revenues available to schools,
these can include restoring the Vehicle License fee to the amount used prior to
the Davis refund.
4. What do you think of the current
focus and concomitant dispersal of educational funds, based on scores from
high-stakes tests? Since you are addressing an Eagle Rock audience, and
there is a perception that funding has been inadequate for our needs, please
discuss and quantify where the problem resides and which solutions you plan to
bring to the table.
I think the current moratorium on the high stakes test of the
California High School Exam in LAUSD places the focus back on quality teaching
and instruction. What are we doing to ensure students are adequately
prepared in school to meet grade level expectations and state standards?
The effort to devise an Opportunity to Learn Index is one method of
determining whether students have equitable access to tools, resources and
materials. There is an inequity in distribution of funds due to
identification of students to GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) and other
programs. At the state and federal level, there are categorical funds
that may not be available to the students in Eagle Rock because of economic,
social or academic status. As such, it is imperative that LAUSD make it a
policy to go after additional funding sources to help augment the existing
school budget. These additional monies can be procured through local
businesses or foundations that reflect the local school needs (technology,
etc.). In addition, community participation in the School Site Council is
essential to determine school budget allocations and expenditures. Right
now, the Superintendent has asked school site administrators to cut $40/student
per school spending which gives each school and School Site Council the
latitude to determine where monies will be allocated. Next year the cut
will increase by $10/per student at each school giving school communities time
to plan for where reductions will take place. Governor Davis has made
cuts in categorical spending thereby giving districts clear indication of where
to begin cuts. I propose we look at redistributing how monies are
allocated at all district levels so we can restore student spending to levels
prior to budget cuts.
David Tokofsky
1. Considering the impending
drastic cuts to the LAUSD educational budgets, how do you intend to address all
of our studentıs curricular and academic needs? Please include exact
steps and details of how a top-rate program will be delivered in this setting.
As the Los Angeles Unified
School District prepares to make some difficult budget decisions, I remain
committed to minimizing the effects of these cuts on the curricular and
academic needs of our students. Reducing the effects can be achieved by
reducing and eliminating duplication in the bureaucracy and terminating archaic
and redundant programs that do not focus on core subject areas. I have
always looked at the budget cutting process as an opportunity to streamline
operations and maximize the resource delivered to the classroom.
2. In responding to the requirement of a highly
qualified teacher for every classroom, how do you plan to achieve this in the
schools which you represent? Please list and include your ideas on the
current proposals being considered by the district.
I understand this issue
because I was a teacher for 12 years at Marshall High School. It goes
without saying that each and every student in the District deserves highly
qualified and effective teachers. It is the Districtıs obligation to support
those teachers already performing at a high level and provide additional
training to those teachers who could benefit from quality and ongoing
professional development. As a former teacher I know it is imperative
that the District continue to increase its outreach to attract quality teachers
and provide a working environment and salary that encourage teachers to stay in
the District. Far too many teachers cut their teeth in LAUSD and move on
to cozier or higher paying jobs elsewhere. As a member of the Human
Resources Committee I am currently working to develop a Teacher Quality
Strategic Plan that address many of the issues that you raise.
3. If harsh cuts and tough decisions need to be
made, where and how should this occur? Please include in the discussion a
quantification of dollars spent on classroom materials, direct instruction in
the classroom (teachers and aides), administrative cost versus efficiency, and
the amount of dollars spent on the performance. Which would you cut?
Which would you keep?
In my tenure on the Board of
Education I have always strived to devote as many dollars to the classroom as
possible. I would like to note that the District already spends roughly
ninety percent of its general fund at school sites. This is not to say
that more cannot be done to increase the amount of money going directly to our
schools. I am constantly strengthening the oversight and checks and
balances within our system to ensure that funds destined for our students do
not wind up elsewhere.
4. What do you think of the current focus and
concomitant dispersal of educational funds, based on scores from high stakes
tests? Since you are addressing an Eagle Rock audience, and there is a
perception that funding has been inadequate for our needs, please discuss and
quantify where the problem resides and which solutions you plan to bring to the
table.
Testing is essential to
determining the progress of our students and establishing accountability at all
levels. While tests are only a snapshot of a studentıs performance,
compiling data on a larger scale does give us an idea of how well particular
schools and geographic areas are performing. And it is true that the
results of these exams influence the direction of some public funds. State
programs such as the High Priorities Schools Grant and others target funds to
the lowest performing schools in order to boost their performance. I
support these efforts to improve the quality of our lowest performing schools.
The needs are great in these schools and they are in dire need of the
additional resources. There is also no question that many of the schools
in Eagle Rock could benefit from programs that additional funds would support
and I am involved in efforts at the state and federal level to increase the
amount of money dedicated to education. The State of California currently
ranks in the lower half of the nation in per pupil spending. Until
California recommits itself to adequately funding education, the allocation of
limited resources will continue to be a contentious issue.
3. SPEAKING OF EDUCATION -- EAGLE ROCK LIBRARY
BOOK AND BAKE SALE -- TOMORROW -- APRIL 26
Tomorrow, Saturday, April 26, Friends of the Eagle Rock Library
will hold the semiannual Book and Bake Sale to raise funds for our library.
Please come and support this wonderful local educational resource!!
Bake sale 9:30 - 11 am
Book sale 10 am - 3 pm
We welcome your comments. Please include your name.
The Eagle Rock Association (TERA)
e.letter@TERA90041.org