III. Students' Concerns

Student Members Ann Suministrado of Cleveland High School, Christina Mora of San Fernando High School, and Inyoung Lee of Granada Hills High School

Our Kids, Our Schools - Review of Proposition BB Progress

Office of the Superintendent No. 1

(Initial Proposal to United Teacher Los Angeles - Modification of the 1998-99 Instructional Calendar to Move Staff Development Days Outside the 180-Day Instructional Year)

Office of the Superintendent No. 2

(Initial Proposal to Associated Administrators of Los Angeles (AALA) - Modification of the 1998-99 Instructional Calendar to Move Staff Development Days Outside the 180-Day Instructional Year)

A. Item B in Section (2) of Board of Education Report No. 2 ADOPTED
Business Services Division Revised No. 1

(Personal/Professional Services Agreement)

(Approval of Negative Declaration and Approval of Project - 59th Street Primary Center)

D.Board of Education Report No. 1 ADOPTED

(Report of Warrants Issued, Request to Reimburse Revolving Cash Fund, and Request to Reissue Stale Dated Warrants)

Personnel Division No. 1

(Implementation of Automated Fingerprint Processing/Clearance System for District Employment Applicants)

F.Board of Education Report No. 2 ADOPTED AS AMENDED (See Minutes)

Business Services Division No. 1

(Ratification of Agreements and Amendments, Asbestos Consulting Services Agreements, Personal/Professional Services Agreement, Personal/Professional Services Agreements Aggregating $50,000 and Over, and Amendments to Personal/Professional Services Agreements)

G.Board of Education Report No. 3 WITHDRAWN

Facilities Services Division No. 1

(Award of Advertised and Unadvertised Contracts, and Cancellation of Architectural Agreements)

Budget Services and Financial Planning Division No. 1

(Nonroutine Budget Transfers for Parent Community Services Branch Positions and Medi-Cal LEA Billing Option Program Positions, Jefferson New Middle School Capital Outlay, Elimination of Native American Mascots, Year-Round School Operational Grant, Implementation of SEY YES Project, Earthquake Related Repairs Capital Outlay, and Child Development Division Central Office Positions)

Division of Instructional Services No. 1

(Districtwide Student Learning Standards for the Arts)

J.Board of Education Report No. 4 ADOPTED

(Various Purchasing Transactions)

K.Board of Education Report No. 5 ADOPTED

(Liability Insurance Claims, Employee Reimbursement Program Payments, Self-Insured Liability Program Payments, Self-Insured Workers' Compensation Program Payments, and Property Damage Reimbursement)

L.Board of Education Report No. 6 ADOPTED

(Student Expulsions)

M.Board of Education Report No. 7 ADOPTED

(Student Reinstatements)

N.Board of Education Report No. 8 ADOPTED

(Second Period Interim Financial Reports for the 1997-98 Fiscal Year)

O.Board of Education Report No. 9 ADOPTED

(Unclassified Employee Election to Professional Expert C, and Classified Employees Suspension Dismissals, and Dismissals)

P.Board of Education Report No. 10 ADOPTED

(Routine Personnel Actions)

Q.Board of Education Report No. 11 ADOPTED

X. Motions and Resolutions For Action

R.Mr. Horton, Mrs. Boudreaux, and Ms. Castro - Spending Limits on School Administration (95/5 Ballot Initiative)(Noticed January 26, 1998) DISCUSSED IN BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS/ PERSONNEL COMMITTEE ON FEBRUARY 19, 1998 ADOPTED

Whereas, The spending limits on school administration initiative has qualified for the next statewide ballot;

Whereas, The Initiative proposes that, beginning in the 1999-2000 fiscal year and every year thereafter, no more than five percent of all funds received by school districts (all federal, state and local revenue) shall be expended on administrative costs, as defined by the measure;

Whereas, The Initiative proposes that, beginning in the 1998-99 fiscal year and every year thereafter, each school district shall include in its budget a system indicating the contribution of each expenditure to the achievement of a specific performance objective pursuant to the district's effort to improve pupil performance;

Whereas, The Initiative states that every district failing to comply with any provision of the Initiative shall be fined by the State Board of Education an amount equal to five percent of the basic per-ADA revenue limit times total ADA;

Whereas, The penalty for the Los Angeles Unified School District would total $116.4 million if the District was to be found out of compliance;

Whereas, The Initiative includes in the five percent, and thus subject to reduction, certain school district costs that protect the safety of students, such as school bus maintenance and repair;

Whereas, The Initiative includes in the five percent, and thus subject to reduction, certain school district costs that provide and protect the quality of educational services provided to students, such as curriculum development, staff development, and supervision of instruction;

Whereas, The Initiative reduces fiscal efficiency by reducing district services provided to school sites, such as data processing, payroll, accounting, bulk purchasing, and warehousing.

Whereas, The Initiative will increase administrative costs at school sites as they assume more administrative responsibilities from the district;

Whereas, The Initiative will increase administrative costs in school districts as they carry out the mandates contained in the Initiative; and

Whereas, The Initiative is opposed by several major statewide educational organizations, including the California State PTA, California School Board Association, Association of California School Administrators, California School Employees Association, Service Employees International Union, California County Superintendents Educational Services Association, California Association of School Business Officials, Superintendent of Public Instruction Delaine Eastin, and the League of Women Voters; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles oppose the Spending Limits on School Administration (95/5) Initiative.

It is Mr. Horton's intention to request a waiver of Board Rule 72 in order to act upon the following substitution to his Accountability Task Force motion noticed on January 26, 1998:

Whereas, This school district and its schools are currently organized around compliance with specified procedures rather than around responsibility for student achievement;

Whereas, Every school district employee must take some responsibility for student achievement;

Whereas, The Board of Education has identified specific outcome measures linking base salary with student outcomes for the Superintendent, the Deputy Superintendents, and senior management;

Whereas, The Board of Education has decentralized decision making at the clusters and schools through Shared Decision-Making, School Based Management, and LEARN without defining specific measures to hold all employees accountable for student outcomes;

Whereas, The State Superintendent of Public Instruction's Rewards and Interventions Advisory Committee reviewed numerous performance-based accountability models currently operating in other states and districts;

Whereas, The State Superintendent of Public Instruction's Rewards and Interventions Advisory Committee recommends "A High Stakes Rewards And Interventions Program For California Schools And Students" which includes linking monetary rewards with student performance; and,

Whereas, The Board of Education intends to move as rapidly as possible towards a system structured around accountability for student success; now therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Board of Education of the City of Los Angles directs the Superintendent to appoint a Task Force on Accountability which shall be charged with devising and recommending to the Board of Education and the Superintendent measures of accountability consistent with the following principles:

2. Some level of monetary and non-monetary incentives in addition to consequences must be key components.

3. There are multiple measures of student performance. However, a single performance index for each school and for the District is needed to focus employee and public attention on student success.

4. High performance means each and every student within a school or other designated group is achieving at high levels. To ensure this principle, the overall index will reflect a school's success in eliminating the gaps in performance among designated groups.

5. All professional development, including academies, should guide performance toward the Superintendent's Seven Core Goals.

6. Improvement is a continual process; thus, the index of improvement will reflect multiple levels of progress toward high performance. Parallel standards/indices will be developed for District offices and units.

7. The success of the new system of accountability is intricately related to the District's continued decentralization efforts. While all schools are granted initial decentralized decision-making authority, the ability of each school to continue to manage its own operations will be judged according to its ability to achieve desired student outcomes.

8. Students require incentives and consequences for performance.

9. Incentives and consequences for performance will be phased in over a three-year period.

10. A rubric describing performance levels within each broad job category needs to be developed for all schools and offices.

11. Evaluation and re-evaluation of competency needs to be developed in concert with employee groups, and professional development units.

12. Budgeting for the system needs to be designed on an annual basis.

The Task Force shall take into account existing research, educational studies, and proposals on related issues such as the recently issued report of the California Commission on Rewards and Interventions, the CSBA Focus Group on Accountability, the report of the LEARN Accountability Task Force on Assessment and Accountability, and other relevant documents from professional and private sector organizations.

The Task Force shall be composed of leading educational experts with direct knowledge and understanding of educational outcomes and accountability, including:

• The President of Parent Collaborative;
  
• Business representatives with expertise in designing accountability systems;
  
• Colleges and Universities;
  
• K-12 educational organizations; and,
  
• The Board of Education's Independent Analysis Unit
  
  

In order to move as rapidly as possible, the Superintendent shall appoint the Task Force and report its membership to the Board of Education by the end of March 1998. The Task Force shall complete its work and submit a set of recommendations to the Board and the Superintendent by the end of July 1998.

Please note: The following motion noticed by Mr. Horton will be substituted with the language printed above - Establishment of Accountability Task Force (Noticed 1-26-98)

Whereas, This school district and its schools are currently organized around compliance with specified procedures rather than around responsibility for student achievement;

Whereas, Every school district employee must take some responsibility for student achievement; and

Whereas, The Board of Education intends to move as rapidly as possible towards a system structured around accountability for student success; now therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles direct the Superintendent to appoint a Task Force on Accountability which shall be charged with recommending to the Board and the Superintendent an organizational structure and general principles to create clear accountability at all levels for student achievement.

This Task Force shall recommend principles which will address issues such as:

Resources and procedures for intervention in low performing schools;

The link between employee evaluation, promotion, rewards and sanctions--both individually and collectively--to measurable student achievement;

Meaningful measurements of student achievement;

Resources and organizational changes necessary to institute accountability for student achievement in all aspects of District operations, including schools and classrooms, cluster and central offices;

The effect of decentralization, and the role of central authority; and

Other issues the task force deems appropriate to achieving the goal of reorganizing the schools and the District along proven principles of accountability.

The Task Force shall take into account existing research, educational studies, and proposals on related issues, such as the recently issued report of the California Commission on Rewards and Interventions, the CSBA Focus Group on Accountability, the report of the LEARN Task Force on Assessment and Accountability, and other relevant documents from professional and private sector organizations

The Task Force shall be composed of leading educational experts with direct knowledge and understanding of organizational structures and accountability, with an advisory committee composed of representatives from:

• Organizations of District employees and parents;

• The business community;

• Universities and K-12 educational organizations;

• Other public institutions; and

• Shall also include the Board's Independent Analysis Unit.

In order to move as rapidly as possible, the Superintendent shall appoint the Task Force and report its composition to the Board of Education by the end of February, 1998. The Task Force shall complete its work and submit a set of recommendations to the Board and the Superintendent by the end of May, 1998.

Whereas, Working people have historically joined unions to make their voices heard on government decisions that affect their daily lives;

Whereas, The Anti-Worker Initiative will make it difficult for union members to join together and be heard on government decisions;

Whereas, The Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles respects and affirms the right of its employees to join unions and have a voice in the political process;

Whereas, The Anti-Worker Initiative was placed on the ballot by out of state interests who do not care about California's working families;

Whereas, The Anti-Worker Initiative singles out labor unions, placing costly bureaucratic restrictions on unions but not on corporations and other special interests; and

Whereas, The Los Angeles Unified will be required to implement costly new procedures in order to comply with the Anti-Workers initiative, money that will be diverted from the education of our children; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles opposes the Anti-Worker Initiative on the June 1998 ballot.

U.Mr. Tokofsky - Creation of Task Force to Maximize School Applications for Federal E-Rate Program (Waiver of Board Rule 72) ADOPTED AS AMENDED

Whereas, The students of this District face a future filled with computers, the Internet and other developing technologies;

Whereas, This next century will see even greater use of computers to enhance education, curriculum and the learning experience;

Whereas, The Federal Government has made funds available through the history making E-Rate Program;

Whereas, Those districts that wisely take advantage of this opportunity will receive Federal funds for the onramps to the Internet, and those that don't, won't;

Whereas, This District strives to achieve an equitable distribution of resources;

Whereas, A District-wide standard should be developed making technology available to all students;

Whereas, Needs must be identified on a school by school basis and applied for as such; and

Whereas, The first deadline for applications is April 14; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Superintendent immediately create a task force of District personnel and appoint a Deputy Superintendent as chair continue to make a high priority of the effort to obtain the maximum amount of funds under this act. The task force This effort should provide coordination among all departments and schools in the District as well as with the County's effort and give the necessary assistance, guidance and personnel needed to fund each school's technological needs; and be

Resolved further, That the Superintendent task force should provide a list of qualified vendors and consultants to service the local schools, clusters and central offices and make recommendations to assist the District in completing this effort in a timely manner.

XI. Receipt of Communications For Action At Next Board Meeting

Board of Education

V.Budget Services and Financial Planning Division No. 1 CONSENT

(Adoption of Revised Traditional, LEARN, and Multitrack Year-Round Calendars for School Year 1998-99)

W.Business Services Division No. 1 REGULAR

(Agreement and Amendments, Personal/Professional Services Agreement - Year 2000, Personal/Professional Services Agreements, Personal/Professional Services Agreements Aggregating $50,000 and Over, Reimbursement Agreements, Amendments to Personal/Professional Services Agreements Aggregating $50,000 and Over, and Donation of Money)

X.Facilities Services Division No. 1 WITHDRAWN

(Award of Advertised and Unadvertised Contracts, Rejection of Bid, and Relocation Assistance Benefits Payments)

Y.Facilities Services Division No. 2 REGULAR

(Authorization to File Amended State Applications)

Z.Facilities Services Division No. 3 REGULAR

(Recertification of District Compliance with Multitrack Year-Round Substantial Enrollment Requirement)

AA.Facilities Services Division No. 4 REGULAR

(Resolution of Necessity to Condemn Certain Property, and Authorization for Order for Immediate Possession of Land Parcels Required for Construction of Facilities - South Gate New High School)

CC.Personnel Services Division No. 1 CONSENT

Facilities Committee

DD.Accounting and Disbursements Division No. 1 REGULAR

Board of Education

EE.Accounting and Disbursements Division No. 1 REGULAR

XII. Approval of Minutes APPROVED

FF. 2:00 p.m., Regular Meeting, October 20, 1997
2:00 p.m., Regular January 26, 1998
2:00 p.m., Regular, February 9, 1998
11:30 a.m., Closed Session, February 17, 1998
9:30 a.m., Closed Session, February 23, 1998

XIII. Correspondence and Petitions

GG.Report of Correspondence APPROVED

HH.Mr. Tokofsky - Motion to Establish an Office of Inspector General (Noticed November 3, 1997)

Whereas, the Los Angeles Unified School District projects one billion six hundred million dollars ($1,600,000,000) annually in business, construction, and consulting contracts for the next 10 years, adding an additional approximate four hundred million dollars ($400,000,000) in voter approved Proposition BB funds;

Whereas, such funds should be allocated in the most cost-effective basis that prevents tax dollar waste or abuse; and

Whereas, the District wishes to avoid even the appearance of lax controls over these new expenditures; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles establish the Office of Inspector General and appoint an Inspector General to a term of office of five years, which may be renewed once for a total of 10 years; and be it

Resolved further, That the Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles convene a panel of at least three members of the Association of Inspectors General to screen and recommend candidates for the selection of an Inspector General; and be it

Resolved further, That the selection panel use the following criteria when making their selection: That the inspector general shall have verifiable experience in criminal investigations and prosecutions, the conducting of audits, public administration, conflict of interest and campaign finance laws, and any additional skill or knowledge necessary to carry out the duties and responsibilities of an inspector general; and be it

Resolved further, That the Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles shall select the inspector general from the candidates recommended by the panel of Inspectors General; and be it

Resolved further, That the Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles establish policies and procedures for the removal from his or her position as Inspector General if 1) a two-thirds majority of its members votes for the removal; or 2) if the Inspector General is found to have violated a state or federal law or regulation, local ordinance, or a policy or practice of the Board, relative to ethical practices, including, but not limited to, the acceptance of gifts or contributions; and be it

Resolved further, That the Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles define the duties of the Inspector General as being responsible for auditing and investigating any and all matters regarding the operations, activities, construction, and expenditures of the Los Angeles Unified School District, the Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles, District and Board staff, and District contractors and subcontractors. The authority of the Inspector General shall also include investigation of possible conflicts of interest, improper communications with Board Members on potential contracts before contract awards, or other ethical violations and be it

Resolved further, That the Inspector General shall have subpoena power as authorized by state and local codes or granted powers and the Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles acknowledges that any investigatory file compiled by the inspector general is an investigatory file compiled by a law enforcement agency subject to disclosure pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section 6254 of the Government Code; and be it

Resolved further, That the Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles direct the Inspector General to establish procedures to require that a prequalification questionnaire be completed by each construction company, engineering firm, consultant, legal firm, product vendor, and any other business entity seeking to contract with the board for the furnishing of goods or services. The Board will establish polices and procedures to prohibit the District from entering into a contract or doing business with any firm that knowingly provides false information on the questionnaire. The questionnaire shall solicit information regarding the firm including, but not limited to the following subjects: (1) Experience; (2) Quality and timeliness of past performance; (3) Reliability and responsibility; (4) Compliance with wage, hours, and other fair; (5) Compliance with equal employment requirements; (6) Subcontractors used by the firm; (7) Integrity of the firm and its key personnel; (8) Gifts given, or contributions made, to members, alternate members, or employees of the Board; (9) Lawsuits filed against the firm and their dispositions; and be it

Resolved further, That the Inspector General shall, at a noticed public meeting of the Board of Education, report quarterly on the following: (a) School construction, design, and repair contracts, including expenditures on such projects for consultants, attorneys, developers, and construction firms; b) Expenditures of funds allocated by Proposition BB and any future bond measures approved by the voters for school construction, design, or repair; (c) Travel, meals, and refreshments, private club dues, membership fees and charges, and any other expenditures which are specified by the Board; (d) A report on savings or recommendations for savings; and be it

Resolved further, That the Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles fund the Office of Inspector General using existing District resources, which may include redirecting funds which would otherwise be allocated to the Independent Analysis Unit or the recently established Special Audits Branch.

II.Mr. Kiriyama and Ms. Fields - Restoration of Visual Arts Education (Noticed February 9, 1998)

ASSIGNED TO INSTRUCTION/CURRICULUM AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT COMMITTEE, MARCH 12, 1998

It is the intention of Mr. Kiriyama and Ms. Fields to substitute the following motion for their motion noticed on February 9, 1998:

Whereas, The arts belong as part of the basic curriculum for all students

Whereas, The arts provide an essential window through which we understand the human experience;

Whereas, Arts education helps our students develop the broad range of thinking and communication skills they may not achieve through other means;

Whereas, In light of the vital importance of arts and entertainment related industries in our local economy, we owe our students the essential arts education they will need to compete for these high skill jobs;

Whereas, The expectations set for students in the new learning standards for the arts will only be met if additional policies, funds,and community partnerships are developed to support arts education as part of the core instructional program; and

Whereas, A comprehensive action plan for arts education, including budget implications, is needed and should address all issues needed to fully implement the new arts standards, including, but not limited to, a specific LAUSD graduation requirement in the fine arts, expanded professional development programs for teachers, funding for high quality curriculum materials, arts supplies, and other needed facilities and equipment, the development of effective assessment tools, the allocation of personnel needed to provide and support arts education programs, and the most effective use of community arts resources; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Los Angeles City Board of Education direct the Superintendent to prepare an action plan and budget for arts education as needed to ensure that every student will have a comprehensive education in arts, as defined by the Districtwide Learning Standards for the Visual and Performing Arts; be it

Resolved further, That the action plan and budget for arts education shall include a specific recommendation as to how appropriate staff support shall be provided at the cluster level to ensure the effective implementation and coordination of arts education programs at each school; and be it

Resolved further, That the Superintendent shall present the action plan and budget to the Board of Education by May 1, 1998, for inclusion in the final budget to be presented to the Board on

Please note: The following motion noticed by Mr. Kiriyama and Ms. Fields will be substituted with the language printed above -Restoration of Visual Arts Education

Whereas, The visual arts education program in the District has been seriously eroded in recent budget-cutting times and is at present taught by visual arts teachers in secondary schools only, leaving over 150,000 elementary students without a sequential program of visual arts instruction;

Whereas, The visual arts assist students in their ability to explore new concepts and associations, to understand abstract ideas, to build models, and to recognize patterns;

Whereas, Evidence is growing that the arts are critically important to education and learning; that research shows that arts education strengthens students' academic and cognitive abilities; that according to the College Entrance Examination Board, students of the arts outperform non-arts educated peers on measures of academic ability; and, a UCLA study consistently found higher levels of student involvement and educational achievement among students taking advanced arts courses; and

Whereas, Visual arts programs are effective when they are comprehensive, are sequential in content, are well planned, are implemented districtwide through careful consideration of resources to meet identified needs, and are given a high priority by the District and the community; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles establish as a goal that the District provide a visual art resource teacher for each of the 27 clusters;

Resolved further, That the Board of Education direct the Superintendent to seek resources in the District budget to add the number of visual arts resource teachers necessary to provide visual arts staff development to each Cluster;

Resolved further, That the program be phased in over a period of 5 to 6 years starting in the school year 1998-1999 with the addition of 4 visual arts advisers in the first year of the restoration program to be assigned in four geographic areas of the District (north, south, east and west) with additional teachers or the total number necessary to insure that a comprehensive, sequential program of staff development be available to Cluster schools; and be it

Resolved further, That appropriate central clerical support be provided for resource personnel and materials.

JJ.Mr. Tokofsky, Ms. Fields, Mr. Horton, Mr. Kiriyama, and Ms. Korenstein - Special International Arts Festival (Noticed February 9, 1998) ASSIGNED TO INSTRUCTION/ CURRICULUM AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT COMMITTEE, MARCH 12, 1998

Whereas, The arts are an integral part of our community life, giving us a tapestry of human experience and expressions that both celebrate our differences and exemplify our commonality;

Whereas, The arts offer unique opportunities to enliven and deepen the lifelong educational process for children and for adults;

Whereas, The Los Angeles Unified School District recognizes the importance of both arts education and education through the arts;

Whereas, Very Special Arts is an organization that promotes arts, education and creative expression involving children and adults with disabilities, thereby strengthening the human spirit and improving the quality of life for all; and

Whereas, The Very Special Arts International Arts Festival, Art & Soul, to be held in Los Angeles from May 28 through June 2, 1999, will bring thousands of artists with disabilities form around the globe to our community to share those goals of deepening the educational process for all; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles enthusiastically welcomes Very Special Arts and the Art & Soul Festival to Los Angeles and wholeheartedly supports the educational and artistic opportunities provided by this festival to understand our differences and celebrate our shared humanity.

KK.Ms. Fields and Mr. Kiriyama - Delegation of Authority to General Manager, Facilities Services Division

Whereas, The Facilities Services Division has an established process for selecting architects and engineers for construction and repair projects with professional service agreements;

Whereas, There is already an annual report produced that provides summary information on the number of architectural and engineering firms hired, and the construction dollars they designed; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the approval of architect/engineer to projects with professional services contracts be delegated to the General Manager of Facilities Services Division.

LL.Meeting, Conference and Convention Motions and Announcements

MM.This Week In Education

• African American History Month Activities

• COBA 30 Years of Excellence - 2/28/98

• Parent Collaborative - 3/4/98

• Grand View Elementary School Visitation by Gubernatorial Candidate Al Checchi and his

• Bret Harte and Peary Middle Schools "Kids Place Restaurant" Grand Opening

• DARE Dinner

• Parent Community Services - "Character Education Begins at Home"

• Peary Middle School Founders' Day

• Narbonne/San Pedro Cluster - DATE/DARE Sports Festival

• LEARN Stakeholders Development Training - Avalon Gardens Elementary School

NN.Speakers

Please Note That The Board Of Education May Refer Any Item On This Order Of Business For The Consideration Of A Standing Committee Of The Board Of Education Which Meets On The Thursday Immediately After This Meeting.