School districts are required to present an annual report on learning goals as part of their annual funding process. Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) received that report last week including midyear data on outcomes and expenses associated with the learning priorities.
The Feb. 15 meeting was the second of the month to look at the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP). The LCAP Mid-Year Update, provided by SMMUSD Director of Assessment, Research, and Evolution Dr. Stacy Williamson, expanded upon LCAP actions that have either been completed, in progress or not started. Along with the progress report, 2023-24 school year expenditures on various priorities were shared through February.
The first of three main LCAP goals, ensuring that "all graduates are socially just and ready for college and careers," had the most priorities on its list with 20 altogether, and an allocated budget of $31.6 million. Through February, the district has spent $10.7 million, though Williamson noted that some expenditures are staff salary and contract related, and won’t be reflected until the end of the year. Several of the priorities are using what Williamson called the DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) lens "based on our interactions and impacts [on] students and staff, and supporting our new incoming teachers with training as well." So far this year, the district has spent nearly $950,000 on "socially just and culturally responsive hiring practices," which supports a commitment "to hire and retain a diverse certified and classified workforce."
The district’s Project Based Learning initiative was also part of the report with an earlier agenda item lauding the program as part of Career Technical Education Month
Visual and Performing Arts priorities will be boosted by the passage of Prop 28 in November, which will give the district approximately $1.1 million for arts education. Payment was supposed to arrive in the fall, but was pushed back, with the allocation to be divided into five months of payments beginning in February. Discussions will continue with the community to decide "which new arts classes will begin implementation to benefit all arts disciplines" while keeping an eye on DEI for those decisions.
Credit: Courtesy SMMUSD
As part of ongoing efforts to support with additional needs, English Learners, Low Income and Foster Youth students in grades 1-8 were identified to participate in the district’s summer school program, while other students within those grades received additional English Language Arts and Math support, as well as social-emotional learning lessons at the start of each day. The district is still in the process of expanding aid to middle school students as part of a district-wide approach to address language needs of English Learners and provide academic support for Low Income students.
SMMUSD Board Member Maria Leon-Vasquez said she has heard families want math support, as well as more support for families of English Learners. Williamson and SMMUSD Math and Science Coordinator Rosa Serratore responded that the district has several support functions in place, such as Dreambox Learning online teaching systems "to accelerate learning for all students," an Academic Vocabulary Toolkit program that offers teachers their hourly rate to provide before or after-school instruction to a small group of English Learners, and family math night events at school sites like Will Rogers Learning Community and Grant Elementary School.
The second LCAP goal, ensuring that "English Learners will become proficient in English while engaging in a rigorous, culturally and linguistically responsive, standards-aligned core curriculum," has five priorities with an allocation of $1.3 million, $300,000 of which has been spent thus far. Williamson noted that one of the biggest challenges lies in the area of improving instructional outcomes through professional learning and collaboration, as the work on integrating English Language Development standards and culturally and linguistically responsive practices has not allowed for any spending on the priority.
LCAP Goal 3 is that "all students and families engage in safe, well-maintained schools that are culturally responsive and conducive to 21st century learning," a goal with 14 priorities, an allocation of $49 million, and a mid-year spending amount of $11 million. Over $4 million of spent funds is based on maintenance made completing work orders, improvements and deferred maintenance projects.
SMMUSD Board Member Alicia Mignano asked about the district’s language access and support, noting that herself and parents don’t want "just one" translator and interpreter for school campuses. Presenting staff stated that "language access is a critical piece of the work we do," and that the district is buffered in this department by Bilingual Community Liaisons and a three-person Language Access Unit.
