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LCFF Priority 1

Basic Services

LCFF resources for this priority include recommendations that: (1) teachers are assigned and fully credentialed, (2) students have access to the standards-aligned instructional materials, and (3) school facilities are maintained.

ISSUES OF EQUITY

We must reformulate our concept of "basic services" to mean the things our students require and deserve. That includes, for example, fully credentialed teachers who understand and represent the community. Having access to services is not the same as being engaged in those services with joy and criticality. School facilities should be maintained and be beautiful and worthy of our children.

HIRING AND ASSIGNING FULLY CREDENTIALED TEACHERS

Local educational agencies (LEAs) must address the needs of historically marginalized communities.

  • Recruit, hire, and retain highly qualified administrators, teachers, psychologists, counselors, school social workers, certified interpreter/translators, paraeducators, and staff members who are representative of student demographics
  • Ensure human resources employees engage in equity work for practices and policies including:
    • Knowledge and experience of working in multicultural settings
    • An asset-based new hire system to support and retain new employees
  • Create a mentoring program to support and retain BIPOC teachers
  • Partner with local universities on the assignment of student teachers
  • Ensure active promotional pathways and supports for BIPOC staff members
  • Align employee evaluations to community-designed goals and criteria for socially conscious leadership

ENSURING STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO STANDARDS-ALIGNED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

School systems actively motivate, engage, and teach students to be critical thinkers.

  • Implement standards-based instructional materials that are reflective of student populations
  • Ensure culturally and linguistically responsive instruction for all students by providing a space and structure for teachers to (1) engage in dialogue and dynamic learning with students; (2) explore their own identities, mindsets, and skills (mirror work) as they simultaneously seek to understand and affirm their students’ backgrounds, cultures, and languages (window work); and (3) cultivate restorative, student-centered classroom cultures
  • Design for cultural learning modalities (i.e., collectivist versus individualistic)

MAINTAINING SCHOOL FACILITIES

School leaders and LEA administrators should question whether their schools create the environment students deserve and ask themselves if they would send their own children to the school.

  • Include beautiful, child-friendly, clean spaces that welcome students and families
  • Ensure classroom libraries are open to families and have rich texts that represent the community it serves
  • Provide access to all school buildings within walking distance
  • Require high standards of cleanliness, including immediate removal of graffiti
Deeper Equity Dive Graphic

Recruit, hire, and retain highly qualified administrators, teachers, psychologists, counselors, social workers, school nurses, certified interpreter/translators, paraeducators, and staff members who are representative of student demographics. While this suggestion might seem like common practice, we might ask:

  • As student demographics shift, how are we actively recruiting?
  • As we hire a more diverse workforce, are we open to diverse perspectives and viewpoints?
  • Are our schools with a primarily white student population also benefiting from diverse leadership?
  • How are we creating pathways for employee engagement and promotion?
  • What is our process for welcoming new recruits?

 

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