The Board of Education met on Tuesday December 16, 2025 starting at 10 a.m. You can view the video of the meeting here, the agenda here and the materials here. The meeting was opened by the students of Lemay EEC reciting the Pledge of Allegiance (watch it here). This video includes footage from the Annual Meeting, in which Board Member Schmerelson was re-elected as President of the School Board (press release) and Board Member Rivas was re-elected as Board Vice President.
Before the Board began the business part of the meeting, the Board of Education recognized the retirement of Police Chief Aaron Pisarzewicz, Cynthia Ronquillo, Administrative Assistant, Board District 3, and Miriam Rubalcava, Administrative Assistant Board District 6
The Board approved the Advocacy Agenda:
- Local Priorities:
- Strengthen relationships with other government agencies to help students who are not enrolled or are chronically absent.
- Strengthen partnerships with LA County for services on students impacted by ICE/DHS, housing, and other challenges.
- Keep working on education compacts.
- Open five or more community school parks for access after school hours.
- State Priorities:
- Expand flexibility with the merit system for LA Unified to hire and retain employees with specialized skills.
- Remove the sunset provision in job order contract statutes.
- Streamlining or clarifying existing state procurement laws affecting school facilities construction.
- Protect and fully fund Prop 98.
- Advocate for better COLA.
- Protect LCFF flexibility.
- Respond to immigration impacts.
- Change requirements and remove barriers to significantly lower the cost for shade structure installation.
- Secure ongoing, dedicated state funding for Community Schools, including protecting and expanding equity-based funding formulas and aligning education, health, and social service investments to enable braided funding models that sustainably support coordination staff, whole-child services, and cross-agency partnerships in high-need communities.
- Federal Priorities:
- Oppose the elimination of federal education programs and funding.
- Work with partners to support newcomers, immigrant students, staff and legal protections.
- Full IDEA funding.
- Advocate for protecting Title I, Title II, Title III, and Title IV.
- Secure ongoing, dedicated state funding for Community Schools, including protecting and expanding equity-based funding formulas and aligning education, health, and social service investments to enable braided funding models that sustainably support coordination staff, whole-child services, and cross-agency partnerships in high-need communities.
The Board approved the following Resolutions:
- Celebrating National Special Education Day and Calling for the Protections of Special Education Programs and Funding (Gonez)
- National Mentoring Month 2026 (Newbill)
- Commemorating the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the National Day of
Service (Newbill) - Strengthening and Expanding Community-Based Safety Programs in Times of Heightened Immigration Enforcement (Griego)
The Board also approved the following items related to BD3:
- Hazeltine ES, new shade structure
- Van Gogh Charter ES (affiliated charter), exterior lunch tables and benches
- Chatsworth Charter HS Esports 1 and 2 program
- Dual Enrollment opportunities at Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12 and Van Nuys Senior High
- Grants California Partnership Academies Prop 98 Grants for John F. Kennedy HS (Teacher Career Academy), North Hollywood HS (Home Engineering Academy) and Van Nuys HS (Manufacturing Academy)
- STEM and Arts Programming: Blythe St. EL, Columbus Ave EL, Napa St EL, Northridge MS, Canoga Pk MS
- Classroom Replacement – Dixie Canyon Charter
- Playground and Campus Exterior Upgrades – Germain Academy