Ahead of the November general election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.
MORE: Read all the candidate responses in our Voter Guide
Name: Kahllid Al-Alim
Current job title: Environmental Compliance Inspector
Political party affiliation: Non-Partisan
Incumbent: No
Other political positions held: President, Park Mesa Heights Community Council
City where you reside:
Campaign website or social media: The website for this campaign, kahllidforschoolboard.com, is inactive.
1. As the second-largest school district in the nation, LAUSD serves a diverse community of staff, parents and students. What are your top priorities for the district, and how will you incorporate community voices? (Please limit to 250 words)
Stop wasting time, talent and money. LAUSD can be successful by listening to the voices of the School Site Councils, Leadership Committees, District Learning Advisory Committee, the Parent Advisory Committee and the Community Councils, all of which I have served on. Hire within for the positions of critical importance, like the superintendent. Board members need to use oversight authority to be transparent about the budget process.
2. California is spending billions on its K-12 public school system and yet schools are seeing declining enrollment. How would you handle the financial impacts of declining enrollment? (Please limit to 250 words)
Support, resource, and promote our community schools as incubators of creativity and ingenuity. Support and source head start/early education. Our Community Schools are not mini correctional facilities! Collaborate with community-based organizations and industry partners to adopt our Steam/Stem, and Magnets to create youth workforce development initiatives. We need internships and apprenticeship opportunities, that will finally end the school-to-prison pipeline.
3. LAUSD lags behind other California school districts in reading and California has one of the lowest literacy rates in the U.S. What are your thoughts on the best way to increase literacy rates? (Please limit to 250 words)
Look at other countries and how they approach their multi-diverse student populations, (PISA or Programme for International Student Assessment where the U.S. ranks 34th in Math, 9th in Reading and 16th in Science). Look at how we can continue to implement a culturally relevant curriculum, embedded with civic engagement, financial literacy, and a rigorous Math and Science focus.
4. Charter schools are prominent in Los Angeles, but the district’s relationship with L.A.’s more than 200 charters is tense. How do you think the district should handle the division of resources between charter and district-run schools? (Please limit to 250 words)
Reconstitute the Charter Division leadership, and have open community access to accountability, that focuses on assessment, evaluations and oversight of the budgets. community townhalls that include charter school management officials, local district officials, community council members and parent groups.
5. The trauma and learning loss caused by COVID-19 will be felt for years. How do you propose the district should continue to address these issues? (Please limit to 250 words)
Ensure the Emergency Management Division has the staff and support to resource the schools and community with information and critical supplies. Collaborate with local agencies, like fire and rescue, and police, to ensure that safety and security are priorities. County health officials Must collaborate with LAUSD wellness centers, district officials and community-based organizations so that we can have real-time data on the issues being faced. Have Essential workers like nurses, custodians, counselors, and Psychiatric staff trained and mission-oriented to serve the schools and assist the community. Give educators the ability to prepare to teach in multi-faceted ways.
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