8. Motion to send a letter of support to “Reclaim Our Schools LA — Give Kids A Chance”
Resolved, the Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council shall submit the following letter to “Reclaim Our Schools LA — Give Kids A Chance”.
To: Reclaim Our Schools LA – Give Kids A Chance
CC: Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA), and City of Los Angeles
On behalf of the Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council (NC), we stand in support of Reclaim Our Schools LA’s Give Kids A Chance educaKon plaLorm that promotes the need for invesKng in teachers, community schools, parents, and most importantly our students within LAUSD. Reclaim Our Schools LA is a coaliKon of parents, educators, students, and community members working to improve access and advance opportuniKes in public educaKon for all students, so they thrive in the classroom, in their communiKes, and beyond.
The Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council is located in Los Angeles. As a neighborhood council we see an unprecedented wave of teacher acKvism that is sweeping the naKon. Parents, teachers, students and the community are fighKng for a beOer future for our students.
We stand with our teachers’ union, UTLA, in calling for a real investment in our neighborhood public schools, so that all students have an equal opportunity. Furthermore, the Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council support educators raising their voices and people of good conscience forming alliances to make real changes for our public schools.
Below are key community demands that parents, teachers, and public educaKon stakeholders are supporKng as part of Reclaim Our Schools LA – Give Kids A Chance plaLorm:
•Fund Our Schools: California is the richest state in the naKon yet ranks 43 out of 50 among the states in per-pupil funding. LAUSD must fight at the local, state, and naKonal level to increase funding to $20,000 per student by the year 2020.
•Reduce Class Size: Students have a beOer chance to succeed with smaller classes. LAUSD must stop ignoring the rules that protect students from huge classes sizes.
•Invest in Community Schools: LAUSD must invest in the Community Schools model, with increased parent engagement, broadened curriculum, and wrap-around services.
•Fair Wages Now: LAUSD must offer teachers a fair wage increase. LA’s high cost of living is causing a teacher shortage that hurts students and teachers.
•Charter School Oversight LAUSD must regulate charter school growth and charter school co-locaKons on neighborhood school campuses. An unchecked expansion of charter schools drains millions away from our neighborhood schools.
•Support Students and Families SupporKng immigrant rights, ending racial profiling in searches, and increasing green space can create a beOer learning environment for all students.
•Improve School Safety LAUSD should fund staffing and school safety plans so that our students have real access to counselors, school psychologists, and nurses.
•Less TesBng and More Teaching LAUSD must increase educator discreKon in tesKng. Let’s limit unnecessary standardized tesKng that reduces criKcal instrucKonal Kme.
As the Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council, we look forward to seeing posiKve outcomes with the bargaining process as well as the above menKoned implemented in the coming years so that our students succeed, teachers have resources, and parents have the schools LA students deserve.
Thank you.