By Jarret Liotta
Before Pedro Salcido was deputy superintendent for business services and operations with Los Angeles Unified School District, he was a kid growing up in East L.A. facing many of the issues he sees challenging families in the district.
“I had my own personal challenges with the family I grew up in,” he said, citing the barriers and conditions facing many families, including work and finance issues, stability, and an understanding of how to get the help they may need.
That’s why Salcido and other school officials, including LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, paid visitsto two of the district’s parents on Monday morning, to answer questions about how to get help — and commending each parent on their efforts to keep their children in school.
“We connect with families,” Carvalho said. “We hear firsthand from them what the obstacles are, what the challenges are, and we bring solutions to insure their kids get to school every single day.”
He cited the success of the district’s iAttend program, which aims to foster higher student attendance through outreach and guidance. Since the beginning of iAttend in 2023, “we’ve knocked on over 37,000 doors and that’s why chronic absenteeism has been reduced by 50 percent and average attendance is back up to pre-pandemic levels,” Carvalho said. “It is working”
Just after nine on Monday morning, Carvalho, Salcido, Andre Spicer, superintendent for Region South atLAUSD, and other school officials arrived at the home of Shunetha Adams, who has two of her five children in attendance at Audubon Middle School, which is led by principal Deanna Hardemion.
“As a school, we go out weekly to different families with outreach,” Hardemion said, “making sure they have the services they need (and) reminding them of the importance of going to school.”
Hardemion and Carvalho sat with Adams, offering support and noting the success of her children regarding attendance.
“Your children actually have made a remarkable turnaround in terms of attendance,” Carvalho said. “We really appreciate that.”
Superintendent Alberto Carvalho looks on as parent Mirna Cordero meets Andre Spicer, superintendent of Region South at the LAUSD on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. (Photo by Jarret Liotta)
He said, “We have great teachers, great principals, but I can tell you one thing — they cannot teach theabsent kid, so they need to be there.”
Adams said she had had some difficulties getting the kids to school, in part due to her health issues, including visions problems that have often kept her from driving them.
“I recently found out about getting them on the school busses,” she said. “I didn’t know that, me living so close to their schools, that I could get that option. I thought it was for kids farther out.”
Carvalho and school officials told Adams it was a family’s right under a program called Transportation for All, and gave her additional information on getting them on school buses.
She also noted that having to drop off and pick up her five children at three different schools was putting the bite on her in terms of gas costs.
“Count on us,” Salcido said. “That’s exactly what we’re trying to solve for you.”
Asked what was motivating her children to want to be in school more of late, Adams cited their love of field trips.
“With the kids, they like the field trips, so they see the benefits of, ‘Oh, if I go to school, I get toget on the list for the field trips,’” she said.
Carvalho said it was a good incentive. “It works,” he said. “We try to provide enrichment opportunities, whether they be field trips, arts and music, to keep it interesting.” He told Adams, I appreciate your efforts, I know it’s not easy as a single parent … but you’re doing it.
“I love stories like this early in the morning,” he said.
From left, Audubon Middle School principal Deanna Hardemion, parent Shunetha Adams, and Superintendent Alberto Carvalho on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. (Photo by Jarret Liotta)
Coincidentally, more transportation issues were discussed at the home of Mirna Cordero, whichCarvalho and school officials visited after Adams’ home.
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Cordero did not speak English, but she and Carvalho conversed in her native Spanish. Along with inquiring about transportation help for her own children, she also took time to share about the son she lost in 2011.
Adams expressed her appreciation for the home visit by Carvalho and his team.
“I feel like more of this should happen,” she said, “because as a parent you kind of get lost, or left out. … I really appreciate the fact that he even took the time to go out and ask a parent what they might be going through and how they’re making it,” she said.
Carvalho cited the importance of the personal touch. He said, “When parents understand the resources that exist to support them, when parents know that we can provide transportation for them, when parents understand that there are before- and after-school programs … they take advantage of those,” he said.
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