COW Committee Chair Report
We had two presentations. The first was from Chief of Legislative Affairs Martha Alvarez, who described the district’s upcoming legislative agenda for the school year. You can find the materials here, the video in English here and the video in Spanish here.
- Advocacy Agenda
-
- This year, LAUSD’s Office of Legislative Affairs and Government Relations tracked 678 bills, and 5 were signed into law.
- In January, the Office of Government Relations will use guiding principles to indicate support or opposition to certain bills.
- Advocate for better flexibility in continuation schools if students seek greater opportunities outside of the classroom, such as internships or CTE courses to fit their needs.
- The federal government helps fund various support activities around LAUSD, such as Special Education and professional development for teachers, and we are awaiting guidance from the new presidential administration regarding those funds.
The second presentation was from the Chief of School Operations, Mr. Andres Chait, on providing a phone-free school day.
- Providing a Phone Free School Day
-
- All school districts in California must have a cell phone use policy by July 2026. Students who need translations, emergency services, or medical attention are exempt.
- Under the current policy, cell phone use is strictly forbidden during instructional time, but students can use their phones during recess and lunch. The new policy will change that practice.
- Most of the parents were thankful that the District was engaging them in developing a policy.
- The policy will be implemented in 3 phases. Before the school goes on winter break, the students will select the option they will implement at their school site.
- Any policy adopted must allow students to maintain access to their phones in case of an emergency situation.
- Implementation will likely be conducted during the middle of February.