President Genethia Hudley Hayes called the meeting to order at 4:13 p.m.

The following Members were present: Ms. Valerie Fields, Ms. Julie Korenstein, Mr. Mike Lansing,
Ms. Caprice Young and President Genethia Hudley Hayes. Ms. Victoria M. Castro arrived at 4:50 p.m. and Mr. David Tokofsky arrived at 4:18 p.m.

Student Members Erin Lacey from El Camino Real High School, Hallie Silverston from Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies, and Stephanie Friedman from Taft High School were present.

Deputy Superintendent Maria Ott occupied the Superintendent's chair until his arrival at 4:23 p.m.

Ms. Young led the Pledge of Allegiance.

President Hayes introduced Ms. Patricia Ballard and Ms. Louise Fate, teachers at Riverside Drive School,
who welcomed the Board members to their school.

Student Member Hallie Silverston reported that Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies is a campus which serves approximately 1,800 students. Students are proud of their Academic Performance Index (API) scores; work diligently throughout the year on standard based instruction; and the current daily attendance is 96%. Character education is emphasized; students participate in the Chico Project; and the Academic Decathlon team showed improvements. The students are asking for the Board's help on several issues. They are requesting campus police and other methods to improve school safety; they have concerns about the tarring of the roof which emitted noxious fumes during school hours.

Student Member Stephanie Friedman stated that textbooks were purchased and are now available for every student. Students planted over 100 roses for campus beautification with grant money and support from the community. The"Passport of Reading" involves visiting authors and book sales run by the student government with help from the community. She mentioned that the student leadership class helps to eliminate school rivalry and communicate with each other, and that the school's Stanford 9 scores have been raised. Concerns to students are the elimination of LEARN funds, which are used to keep the library open extra hours, and the lack of technology grant funds to wire computers. She acknowledged the work of the custodial staff to maintain the bathrooms, but the tiles on the floor need replacement.

The following speakers addressed the Board on the motion:

Ms. Gail Ruderman Feuer representing the Natural Resources Defense Council

Mr. Aaron Feuer

Ms. Danielle Feuer

Mr. Bob Hattoy representing the Coalition for Books and Buses

Mr. Thomas Tran shared his time with Ms. Robina Suwol

Mr. Rick Zebur representing the Coalition for Books and Buses

Mr. Todd Campbell representing the Coalition for Cleaner Air

Ms. Helen Sherry

Dr. Barry Wallerstein

Mr. Bahram Fazeli

Dr. Joseph Lew, Director of Programs of the California League of Conservation
Voters Education Fund

Mr. Jesus Santos

Mr. Howard Watts

Ms. Korenstein moved:

Whereas, Diesel exhaust has been identified by the State of California as a known human carcinogen, and diesel particulate and over 40 chemical components of diesel exhaust have been identified by the California Air Resources Board as toxic air contaminants;

Whereas, The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) concluded in its Multiple Air Toxics Exposure Study, released in March 2000, that diesel exhaust is responsible for over 70 percent of the cancer risk from breathing the air in the South Coast Air Basin;

Whereas, Diesel exhaust is also known to be a major source of fine particles, which aggravate heart and respiratory problems, increase the risk for asthma attacks and cause premature death, and of oxides of nitrogen (NOx), which combine with hydrocarbons to form smog and have been connected to decreased lung function growth in children;

Whereas, Children are known to be among those most susceptible to the negative health effects of diesel exhaust exposure for many reasons, including that a child's developing body is less capable of defending itself against pollutants such as diesel particles, that children typically breathe at twice the rate of an adult, thereby receiving and retaining greater doses of pollution, and that children tend to breath through their mouths, thereby bypassing the natural filtering protection of the nose;

Whereas, Cleaner alternatives to new diesel school buses exist, including natural gas school buses, that are widely available, that have been proven to be durable, and that emit less NOx, particulate matter and air toxics than a new diesel school bus;

Whereas, The SCAQMD has proposed Rule 1195 which will require school districts to purchase, lease, or contract only buses that run on cleaner, alternative fuels, such as natural gas, instead of on

Whereas, The proposed rule also provides an exemption to the requirement to purchase an alternative fuel bus where there is no commercially available bus for a specific engine, chassis and body configuration necessary for a specific school bus route; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles does hereby support adoption of Rule 1195, as proposed with expanded exemptions, by the South Coast Air Quality Management District, provided that cleaner buses are commercially available in the configurations that would meet the needs of the District, and that adequate external funding is available to cover the incremental costs of the cleaner buses, as well as $8,000 per bus to cover necessary infrastructure costs; and be it

Resolved further, That the Superintendent direct appropriate staff to communicate the Board's position to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

Ms. Fields moved the following amendments to the sixth "Whereas" and the first "Resolved":

Whereas, The SCAQMD has proposed Rule 1195 which will require school districts to purchase, lease, or contract only buses that run on cleaner, alternative fuels, such as natural gas, instead of on diesel fuel, provided that adequate funding is available, from sources other than the General Fund or categorical funds that have supported District Operations, to cover the incremental cost of the cleaner bus; and

Resolved, That the Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles does hereby support adoption of Rule 1195, as proposed with expanded exemptions, by the South Coast Air Quality Management District, provided that cleaner buses are commercially available in the configurations that would meet the needs of the District, and that adequate external funding is available to cover the incremental costs of the cleaner buses, as well as $8,000 per bus to cover necessary infrastructure costs, so as to preclude encroachment on the General Fund or other current District categorical funds; and be it

After discussion the motion as amended was adopted 6 ayes, 1 abstention, Mr. Lansing.

The final motion reads:

Whereas, Diesel exhaust has been identified by the State of California as a known human carcinogen, and diesel particulate and over 40 chemical components of diesel exhaust have been identified by the California Air Resources Board as toxic air contaminants;

Whereas, The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) concluded in its Multiple Air Toxics Exposure Study, released in March 2000, that diesel exhaust is responsible for over 70 percent of the cancer risk from breathing the air in the South Coast Air Basin;

Whereas, Diesel exhaust is also known to be a major source of fine particles, which aggravate heart and respiratory problems, increase the risk for asthma attacks and cause premature death, and of oxides of nitrogen (NOx), which combine with hydrocarbons to form smog and have been connected to decreased lung function growth in children;

Whereas, Children are known to be among those most susceptible to the negative health effects of diesel exhaust exposure for many reasons, including that a child's developing body is less capable of defending itself against pollutants such as diesel particles, that children typically breathe at twice the rate of an adult, thereby receiving and retaining greater doses of pollution, and that children tend to breath through their mouths, thereby bypassing the natural filtering protection of the nose;

Whereas, Cleaner alternatives to new diesel school buses exist, including natural gas school buses, that are widely available, that have been proven to be durable, and that emit less NOx, particulate matter and air toxics than a new diesel school bus;

Whereas, The SCAQMD has proposed Rule 1195 which will require school districts to purchase, lease, or contract only buses that run on cleaner, alternative fuels, such as natural gas, instead of on diesel fuel, provided that adequate funding is available, from sources other than the General Fund or categorical funds that have supported District Operations, to cover the incremental cost of the cleaner bus; and

Whereas, The proposed rule also provides an exemption to the requirement to purchase an alternative fuel bus where there is no commercially available bus for a specific engine, chassis and body configuration necessary for a specific school bus route; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles does hereby support adoption of Rule 1195, as proposed with expanded exemptions, by the South Coast Air Quality Management District, provided that cleaner buses are commercially available in the configurations that would meet the needs of the District, and that adequate external funding is available to cover the incremental costs of the cleaner buses, as well as $8,000 per bus to cover necessary infrastructure costs, so as to preclude encroachment on the General Fund or other current District categorical funds; and be it

Resolved further, That the Superintendent direct appropriate staff to communicate the Board's position to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

Mr. Howard O. Watts addressed the Board on the following motion regarding Carson as a Separate School District.

Resolved, That the Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles direct the Superintendent and staff to provide to the State Board of Education local communities affected all of the relevant financial and educational implications of the Carson proposal for a separate school district. º

After discussion and on roll call, the motion failed 4 noes, 3 ayes, Mr. Lansing, Mr. Tokofsky and
Ms. Young.

Mr. Walter Waddles representing Parental Involvement
the Parent Collaborative

Mr. Gene Krischer representing Facilities
Friends of the Children

Ms. Nefertti Madden Special Education Issues

Mr. Victorio R. Gutierrez South Gate High School Concerns

Mr. Daniel Adler South Gate High School l Concerns

Mr. Jesus Angulo South Gate High School Concerns

Mr. Michael Saulenas Toxics

Ms. Linda Caffery in place of Classified Supervisorial Employee Issues
Margaret Villegas

Ms. Catherine Cleveland

Mr. Andrew Foote

Mr. Frank Tudgay

Mr. Douglas Curtin

Ms. Emma Gutierrez

Ms. Young moved the adoption of the following Consent Calendar items in accordance with Board
Rule 61:

BOARD OF EDUCATION REPORT NO. 1

FACILITIES COMMITTEE REPORT NO. 1

Ms. Fields seconded the motion, which on roll call was adopted by a vote of 6 ayes, 1 no, Mr. Tokofsky.

President Hayes announced:

The Board is in receipt of the Kenter Canyon Charter School Renewal Petition. This constitutes a public hearing and those individuals who wish to address the Board on this item will be heard.

The following speakers addressed the Board on the petition:

Mr. Tom Kaminsky

Mr. Walter Waddles

President Hayes announced:

The Board will take final action to either approve or deny the charter renewal request at the Board meeting on April 17, 2001. Should the charter renewal request be denied, the petitioner may submit the petition directly to the Los Angeles County Office of Education or directly to the State for action.

President Hayes announced:

The Board is in receipt of the Multicultural Learning Center Charter Petitions. This constitutes a public hearing and those individuals who wish to address the Board on this item will be heard. Anyone who wishes to speak to this report should go to the speakers's table and fill out a speaker's card. Those individuals will be heard after any speakers already on the list.

Ms. Toby Borenstein, representing the proposed Multicultural Learning Center Charter School

Mr. David Crippens

Ms. Melissa Resnick

Ms. Gayle Nadler

Ms. Meyling Eliash-Deneshfar

Pastor Wayne Christensen

President Hayes announced:

The Board will take final action to either approve or deny the charter renewal request at the Board meeting on April 17, 2001. Should the charter renewal request be denied, the petitioner may submit the petition directly to the Los Angeles County Office of Education or directly to the State for action.

Board of Education Report No. 9, adopted January 23, 2001, be changed from January 1, 2002, to

Ms. Castro seconded the motion, which by general consent was adopted.

Ms. Fields voted no on Agreement Nos. 0100945 and 0014162 due to lack of response to her inquiries.

Ms. Castro abstained from voting on Agreement No. 0100961 in Section (3) of Board of Education Report No. 3 for reasons previously stated in the Minutes of February 20, 1996, and voted aye on the balance of the report.

Mr. Tokofsky abstained from voting on Agreement No. 01000958 in Section (1) of Board of Education Report No. 3 for reasons previously recorded in the Minutes, Regular Meeting,

Mr. Tokofsky moved the following amendment:

Postponing action on the report to the regular Board meeting scheduled on April 17, 2001.

The motion failed for lack of a second.

After discussion and on roll call, the report was adopted 6 ayes, 1 no Mr. Tokofsky.

Adopting the report with the withdrawal of Case No. 253-00/01 in Section 1 as recommended by staff.

Ms. Young seconded the motion, which by general consent was adopted as amended. Mr. Lansing was absent.

Ms. Korenstein abstained from voting on Item VI of Board of Education Report No. 8 for reasons previously recorded in the Minutes, Regular Meeting, June 27, 2000, and voted aye on the balance of the report.

Mr. Tokofsky's motion which was noticed on February 13, 2001 and assigned to the Facilities Committee was postponed to the Regular Board meeting of April 17, 2001.

Whereas, The Los Angeles Unified School District is undertaking a vigorous effort to improve its facilities and meet the needs of students in the 21st century, through new construction and significant building modernizations and alterations utilizing Proposition BB funding;

Whereas, The majority of the District's school campuses are now over a half-century old, and special attention is necessary in order to ensure that long-overdue rehabilitation and expansion projects do not adversely affect these schools' most treasured features;

Whereas, A community outcry arose in 1999 at Lincoln High School when much-needed air conditioning units were installed insensitively, marring the school's most historic elements;

Whereas, The District currently lacks any comprehensive inventory of which schools have historic value and lacks design standards to guide modernization work at historic schools;

Whereas, The District, with the assistance of the Los Angeles Conservancy, obtained a $50,000 grant from the Getty Grant Program's "Preserve LA" project to conduct an inventory of the District's most historic schools;

Whereas, District staff lacks any specialized historic preservation expertise necessary to guide and implement this grant, and to assist in making daily multimillion dollar decisions on historic schools;

Whereas, District staff can build on the Getty Grant activities by developing its own set of design guidelines for historic schools, saving considerable time and money on each individual project by solving from the outset the District's programmatic and facilities needs at historic campuses;

Whereas, Schools represent the heart of every community and the public face of education to every neighborhood ­ fixing in the community's mind either positive or negative images of what takes place behind the school walls; and

Whereas, Denver, Colorado's school district has created an award-winning curriculum involving students in linking the rich history of their schools to the history of their city and neighborhoods ‹ an opportunity currently missed here in Los Angeles; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles approve creation of a Historic Preservation Coordinator for the District, a position with significant professional experience in historic preservation and architecture; and be it

Resolved further, That the Historic Preservation Coordinator: 1) help complete the District's historic school inventory; 2) develop comprehensive design guidelines for rehabilitation of historic schools; 3) review rehabilitation and modernization projects affecting the District's historic schools; and 4) coordinate, with assistance from the District's curriculum staff and an outside curriculum consultant, a model program involving District students in understanding local history by learning about the history of their own school; and be it finally

Resolved, That the District approve $100,000 in salary and benefits for this position, with $40,000 for salary and benefits for administrative support and $35,000 for a curriculum consultant for the model local history program, for a total of $175,000. º

Mr. Tokofsky moved:

Whereas, The Los Angeles Unified School District finds that violence is a complex public health and safety problem and that youth are highly concerned about violence both as a national issue and in their personal lives;

Whereas, The national data compiled by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Center for Education Statistics, and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention show that in 1998 students ages twelve through eighteen were victims of more than 2,700,000 total crimes at school, and that 253,000 of these crimes were violent crimes such as sexual assault including rape, aggravated assault, and robbery;

Whereas, According to the National Center for Victims of Crime, 1,872 women are forcibly raped every day; sixty-two percent (62%) of rape survivors are less than eighteen years old; and twenty-two percent (22%) of rape survivors are between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four;

Whereas, In December 2000, concerned students from the Los Angeles Unified School District held a rally and requested that the District acknowledge and address the issues of rape and sexual assault;

Whereas, April has been designated Sexual Assault Awareness Month by the Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Against Women; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles designate April 2001 as Sexual

Ms. Korenstein seconded the motion, which by general consent was adopted.

Facilities Services Division No. 1 - Award of Advertised, Unadvertised and Informal Contracts: Assigned to the Consent Calendar

Facilities Services Division No. 2 - Resolution of Intention to Dedicate an Easement and Right of Way to Pacific Bell‹ Belmont/Hollywood Primary Center No. 3: Assigned to the Consent Calendar

Human Resources No. 1 - Special Education Waiver Authorizations: Assigned to the Consent Calendar

To change in the Special Closed Session Minutes of March 20, 2001, in the case of Los Angeles Unified School District v. Lafayette Tower East Partners the settlement for an amount not to exceed $180,000.

To change in the Regular Minutes of February 27, 2001, on page 3, in Board of Education Report
No. 5, by adding the phrase "due to the lack of response to questions and aye on the balance of the report" to Ms. Fields no vote.

Ms. Korenstein moved the approval of the following presented Minutes of the Governing Board of the Los Angeles Unified School District as corrected:

2:00 p.m., Regular Meeting, February 27, 2001
9:30 a.m., Closed Session, March 20, 2001

Mr. Tokofsky seconded the motion, which by general consent was adopted as corrected.

Before action is taken on the Report of Correspondence regarding correspondence from

This constitutes a public hearing and those individuals who wish to address the Board on this item will be heard. Speakers should go to the speakers' table at the front of the auditorium and fill out a card. Those individuals will be heard after any speakers already on the list.

Mr. Tokofsky moved that the recommended disposition of the items of correspondence as indicated in the report be approved. Mr. Lansing seconded the motion, which by general consent was adopted.

Whereas, A recent study by the United States Department of Agriculture has shown that junk food that students consume at school is contributing to obesity and other health problems;

Whereas, Studies have shown that consumption of a well balanced meal contributes to higher student achievement;

Whereas, The Los Angeles Unified School District has an obligation to instruct its students about the value of healthy eating;

Whereas, Many of the foods served in District schools are high in fat, salt and sugar content; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles direct the Superintendent to assign appropriate staff to undertake an analysis of foods served in our schools, with respect to their fat, salt and sugar content; and be it further

Resolved, that staff recommend a policy that will lead to better health through nutrition for District students.

Whereas, The Los Angeles Unified School District has undertaken a massive program of building new schools;

Whereas, Schools have been traditionally named after heroes, distinguished citizens and upstanding members of the community;

Whereas, Congressman Corman faithfully served on the Los Angeles City Council from 1957-1960;

Whereas, James Corman honorably served in Congress, representing California's 21st District for 20 years;

Whereas, Congressman Dixon served in the California State Assembly for 6 years;

Whereas, Both Congressman Corman and Congressman Dixon were champions of civil rights; and

Whereas, Both men worked tirelessly for the benefit of District children and employees; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles direct the Superintendent to name a new school after each of these men, in the geographically appropriate Local District.

There will be Special Committee of the Whole meetings on Tuesday, April 24, at 9:30 a.m., regarding the California School Boards Association Board Development with the Superintendent, in Room

Mr. Crain announced:

The April 19 School Safety and Campus Environment Committee has been rescheduled to meet on April 26, 2001, at 10 a.m., in Room H-163.

Mr. Lansing reported on the opening of the Los Angeles Oiled Bird Care and Education Center in San Pedro. It is a joint effort of the Los Angeles Unified School District and the State Fish and Game Department and International Wildlife Network.

Mr. Tokofsky acknowledged the hard work of the principal and staff of Wilson High School and
Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet for their work of putting together at Cal State Los Angeles, Esplendor Mexicano. He also acknowledged the work of the community of San Fernando, particularly the Project Grad community at Morningside Elementary School for hosting a fantastic reception for Mexico's President Vicente Fox, First Lady Laura Bush, and Governor Gray Davis. Ms. Maria Reza, Assistant Superintendent, was present to receive the Mexican President at Morningside School.

Ms. Young commented that the Korean American Educators Association Conference will take place on March 30, 2001, at the Wilshire Grand, where the topic of discussion will be "School Community and Parent Partnership."

Ms. Castro expressed appreciation to schools and staff for honoring the first State holiday in memory of Cesar Chavez.

APPROVED BY BOARD: _________________

_____________________________________ ____________________________________
GENETHIA HUDLEY HAYES JEFFERSON CRAIN
PRESIDENT EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE BOARD