Michael Friedman: Mr. Friedman addressed the board to inform them of his Career Technical Education (CTE) credential in hospitality and food service. He noted that he has access to a food truck and believes this resource could be leveraged to develop a capstone CTE class or establish a student-run business enterprise. Mr. Friedman indicated that he would only need to renew his credential to facilitate such a program.

Assistant Principal Diana Kim requested board approval for a California Department Education (CDE)  waiver regarding standardized testing. The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) exams are currently scheduled for the week of March 17th. However, due to the impact of the fire, the administration is requesting a waiver to postpone testing.

Rationale for Waiver Request:

• The significant loss of instructional time and the current remote learning format via Zoom would make it difficult for students to perform accurately on the assessments.
• The administration emphasized the importance of providing testing conditions that allow students to demonstrate their true academic capabilities and perform in a way that accurately reflects their knowledge and skills.
• The waiver would specifically apply to junior-level Mathematics, English Language Arts, and Science examinations.
• The online testing environment presents numerous challenges including technical difficulties, Wi-Fi reliability, and testing integrity concerns.

Additional Information:

• If granted, the waiver would not result in any penalties or negative consequences for the school.
• The NWEA (Northwest Evaluation Association) assessments are still planned to proceed after AP examinations are completed.
• The waiver application requires additional approval from both the Academic Accountability Committee and the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) representative council.

The board reviewed the Consolidated Application Reporting System (CARS) 2024-25 Winter Release documentation:

Federal Funding Compliance:

• The report addresses Title I through Title IV funding, providing required documentation to demonstrate that these federal funds are being appropriately utilized for instructional and educational purposes.
• It was clarified that these federal allocations are not specifically earmarked for particular programs or expenses.
• The primary purpose of this reporting is to verify proper fund utilization, which is essential for ensuring continued eligibility for these federal resources in subsequent academic years.