Countdown to the LCAP: Week II L.A. – PUSHING FOR REAL INVESTMENTS IN SCHOOL CLIMATE CHANGE

The Los Angeles Chapter of Dignity in Schools and the Brothers Sons Selves Coalition are asking LAUSD to deliver on the School Climate Bill of Rights promise with an LCAP that makes a real investment!

In May of 2013, groups from across Los Angeles joined in support of passing this historic policy, which committed LAUSD to ending suspensions for minor behavior known as “willful defiance,” keeping students off the jailhouse track, and transforming the role of school police on campus.  The community is now asking for the promise of reform to be supported by a strong financial investment and clear and accountable goals for improvements in the LCAP.

“At CADRE, we’ve been fighting for SWPBIS and more positive support for students for a long time.  The district has seen some improvements because of our monitoring, but this is a chance to show the community how serious they are about the success of our children.  Putting more money for SWPBIS and the School Climate Bill of Rights, parent training and collaboration, and alternatives to suspensions is going to be very important to us.  The School Climate LCAP will be a vital tool for us to fulfill this goal,” said Leticia Arevalo, a CADRE parent leader from South Los Angeles.

Parents, students, teachers and civil rights leaders are standing together to ask the District to set more ambitious goals for lowering exclusionary discipline rates and addressing the social and emotional needs of students in its schools.

DSC-LA developed a 4-point plan that supports positive interventions and rejects current approaches that punish and exclude children and put them on a fast track to prison.

DSC-LA also created a draft LCAP for school climate.  BSS has joined DSC-LA in pushing for adoption of this model school climate LCAP. For more and tools and to get support with your own LCAP, please visit FixSchoolDiscipline.org.