In hopes of furthering efforts to improve student literacy, the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Board of Education voted unanimously this week to assess the district’s strategies for teaching students how to read and to provide families with tools to help their children develop their literacy skills at home. They also agreed to ensure that students with dyslexia receive proper support.
The resolution, authored by board member Kelly Gonez, aims to speed up efforts to meet the district’s goal for students to move 30 points closer to proficiency on the state-administered Smarter Balanced Assessment for English Language Arts/Literacy, as compared to the 2021-22 school year.
Educators emphasize the importance of making sure students are reading at or above grade level by the third grade.
“Reading is a fundamental skill and a right, and I’m proud of the significant steps our school district has taken to support literacy for all our students,” Gonez said in a statement after the Tuesday, Dec. 10, board vote.
“This resolution highlights our progress thus far and identifies the work still to be done to ensure all students are readers by third grade,” she stated. “It also empowers our families with the information and tools they need to support their students in becoming proficient readers.”
During the 2023-24 academic year, 43.06% of all students in L.A. Unified who took the Smarter Balanced assessment – that is, students in grades 3 through 8 and 11 – met or exceeded standards in English language arts. That figure stood at 41.21% for just third graders, 37.62% among all low-income students tested, 13.47% among students with disabilities and 8.88% among English learners.
Citing the district’s focus on reading and English language arts in its strategic plan, the resolution the school board adopted this week states that the district will provide an annual progress report on how students are faring in English language arts and literacy based on data collected at the beginning, middle and end of the school year.
The report should also provide updates on the implementation of literacy instruction, including curriculum or staffing changes, the percentage of teachers and principals receiving professional development on “evidence-based” literacy instruction, the percentage of teachers receiving ongoing coaching and support, and the percentage of schools that use evidence-based literacy instruction.
Other information the report should provide include updates on tutoring opportunities plus the participation rates and effectiveness of such tutoring programs, and how the district is helping families understand their child’s reading proficiency levels and how they can support their children at home to become better readers.
To that end, the resolution calls for ensuring that families receive timely updates on their child’s reading proficiency levels at the beginning, middle and end of the school year “in an accessible and culturally/linguistically responsive way” and to develop a user-friendly guide with information.
New school board President Scott Schmerelson, one of the co-sponsors of the resolution, said the district has implemented a number of programs and invested “a considerable amount of resources” and should ensure that such investments are working.
“We should never settle for just one way of doing things. If we could find better strategies that fit our students and staff, we must adapt for greater results,” he said in a statement.
Schmerelson, who was reelected last month to his third and final term on the board and represents Board District 3 in the west San Fernando Valley, was tapped by his colleagues on the dais during Tuesday’s meeting to serve as the new board president. He replaces retired board member Jackie Goldberg as president.
The school board also elected Rocío Rivas as the board’s new vice president.
“In a time of uncertainty for many families, I want to reassure everyone that they always have a place in our schools,” Schmerelson said in a statement, referring to concerns among some immigrant families that mass deportation would occur once President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House.
Last month, the LAUSD school board reaffirmed itself as a “sanctuary district” for immigrants.
“My commitment to Los Angeles Unified is unwavering, and my fellow board members and I will continue to work diligently to ensure that our students can learn in a supportive environment, our staff members can work productively, and our entire community takes pride in being part of Los Angeles Unified,” Schmerelson added.