Memo to Superintendent Alberto Carvalho regarding Proposition 98 Arts Funding

 

To: Superintendent, Alberto M. Carvalho

From: LAUSD Board Vice President, Scott M. Schmerelson

Subject: Proposition 28 – Arts Funding

Date: Jun 5, 2024

As you know, in light of the new funding provided by Proposition 28, I met with your staff to discuss the need to provide school staff, parents and community members information on arts instruction funding. I continue to receive many questions about whether the District is meeting the obligations of state funding.  Many have looked into their own schools’ budgets and have been unable to understand whether they are receiving the appropriate funding at their school sites.

They have expressed the following two key concerns:

● Did they receive the appropriate Proposition 28 allocation of $111 per enrolled student and the additional $78 for each Title 1 student? and

● What are the past and current arts instruction funding provided to their school site so they can determine if Prop 28 funds are being used appropriately to add, rather than replace prior arts program instructional funding?

I believe presentations at Board meetings and materials distributed need to be clear and easy to understand. So far, this has not been the case.

We must be able to show the public that we are complying with funding regulations.

I hope that you can provide the answers to these basic questions to me and the public before our next board meeting. I also would like to schedule an additional Committee of the Whole meeting for an extensive discussion of this topic so we can put this issue to rest.

c. Board Members

Devora Navera Reed

Saman Bravo-Karimi

Pedro Salcido

Nirupama Jayaraman

Karla V. Estrada

Nolberto Delgadillo

Kristen K. Murphy

Amanda Wherritt

Jaime Torrens

Michael McLean

David Hart