LAUSD put on notice; still concerned about declining enrollment

The red line indicates LAUSD's declining enrollment.

A resident claiming to represent a group of parents and concerned citizens put the Los Alamitos Unified Board on notice Tuesday, as she expressed her disappointment over the board’s vote on ethnic studies.

Maggie Marchese, spoke two weeks ago at the board’s workshop, but not at the board meeting. She, and others, had requested the board not vote on the proposed ethnic course at their last meeting.

Nevertheless, when the board convened in regular session two weeks ago, the board voted 5-0 to approve the course and Marchese was back at the podium on Tuesday, this time at the board meeting.

“I just wanted to share my disappointment with the board’s unanimous vote to approve the ethnic studies course,” Marchese told the board, “without affording us parents in the community, and concerned citizens, more time to review and share specific concerns.”

The board has openly discussed the proposal for several weeks and announced its pending development nearly one year ago.

Nevertheless, Marchese said that, “many of us who attended the last board meeting did not feel that we were heard.” Several parents and community members who spoke at the workshop had asked the board for more time to study the issue before voting.

“I am a Mexican immigrant,” said Marchese, “and I am for ethnic studies. I think it is important but never at the expense of other groups.”

Marchese did not specify the size of the group she represented, nor its name but said there was a consensus within the group. “They felt like the board already had a decision in mind (before they voted),” she said.

“You have awakened the LAUSD community with this very issue,” she added.
In fact, Marchese seemed to issue a threat to board president Marlys Davidson and Board Vice President Diana Hill, both of whom are up for re-election in 2022.

“If we are ignored, we will campaign against you, knock on doors and share the facts with everyone who’s willing to listen,” said Marchese. “We will elect board members to represent the entire community,” she said.

Marchese did not say what the group wanted, and Deputy Superintendent Ondrea Reed said at the previous meeting that the community will have 30 days to peruse the textbook and all of the materials selected for the ethnic studies course once they are selected.
Marchese was the only speaker for the public comment period.

Davidson seemingly responded to the comments during the final portion of the meeting, when board members are free to express themselves.

“I am one of the 2022 candidates and I don’t know what life holds for me,” said Davidson, “but I taught American history for 25 years and I believe candidates and people who hold office are public servants,” she said.

The board president said “I was elected for what I’ve said and done in my life. If my trustee area should decide that I no longer represent them, I shouldn’t be voted for,” said Davidson. “I will never make a decision based on getting re-elected,” she said.

“If I don’t get reelected, it won’t be because I’ve compromised my belief system,” suggested Davidson, saying that it will merely be that her views were no longer “in alignment” with her trustee district.

Meanwhile, District Superintendent Andrew Pulver said if trends continue, the system will soon have lost as many students as it takes to fill “an entire elementary school.”

Declining enrollment projections also mean a reduction in state dollars and district officials are keeping a close eye on the 2022 school year, when the enrollment problem and state deferments could put a real squeeze on district cash.

During this past year, because of COVID, Pulver said the district has lost 391 students. “Overall, if you take a look, we’re talking about 793 students that we’ve lost in the last five years,” he said. “that is larger than an elementary school.”

“I’m hopeful they will start returning,” said Pulver, but if they don’t the district will “really have to adjust staffing.”

For now, according to Elvia Galicia, the Assistant Superintendent for Business Services, the district still has a “positive” classification, meaning the district has the resources to meet all of its financial expectations.

In an interim budget report, Galicia said the district has made progress on deficit spending, but state deferrals of allotted funds are making a complex situation even more difficult.
Galicia told the board that the declining enrollment coupled with higher pension and employee requirements will have an impact in the 22-23 budget year if trends don’t change. “We are going to see a huge decline in 22-23,” she told the board.

Pulver said the state gives local districts a one-year reprieve on enrollment losses, meaning the state has not yet started sending less money, in the event the enrollment returns to normal.

Galicia said the district has received $4.7 million in various relief funds, all of which have been spent. She said the district is expecting an additional infusion of new stimulus dollars and said the district will hold a public workshop to account for all of the COVID relief spending.

She introduced Brian Ruff, of Eide Bailly, the district’s financial auditors, who told the board that the most current audit had no issues.

In other action, the LAUSD board;
• Congratulated Rossmoor Elementary Principal Amy Coltey for the school’s excellence following an extended report.
• Honored Laura Younger as the Rossmoor Elementary “Hero of the Heart.”
• Learned from Dr. Pulver that restrictions are being lifted on youth sports and that “almost exactly one year” after the district’s shutdown, the district is slowing reopening its facilities.