La Cañada Unified reviews spending plan
La Cañada Unified officials were updated Monday on the district’s Local Control Accountability Plan — a document which guides the spending of state dollars — and conveyed to teachers their wish for satisfaction at the bargaining table actually aligns with LCAP’s priorities.
Members of the school district’s governing board have been engaged in negotiations with representatives from the La Cañada Teachers Assn. since February. Chief among the issues being hashed out are teacher salary increases.
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Educators have shown solidarity in recent meetings, speaking in public comment sessions (for items not on the agenda) on the need for higher paychecks to help cover increased pension and health-benefit contributions and reach parity with salaries offered by similar school districts.
LCUSD Supt. Wendy Sinnette said the board originally planned to hold just a closed session meeting Monday to discuss LCTA negotiations but, anticipating teacher turnout, added a public presentation on LCAP goals and revisions for the upcoming school year, so board members could dialogue with teachers and community members about how a salary increase fits into the broader picture of districtwide goals.
“It served as an opportunity for the governing board to engage in conversation with anyone who presented on teacher salaries, because they’d be presenting on an agendized item,” Sinnette said in an interview Wednesday.
In her presentation, the superintendent revisited the eight main goals listed in the three-year plan, the revision of which will go before the board in June. She also provided initial feedback from a recent LCAP survey that asked for stakeholder input on spending priorities.
The survey asked respondents to rank the goals, which included attracting and keeping good teachers, small class sizes, implementing Common Core standards, using technology in the classroom and deepening student engagement, among others.
Mark Evans, the district’s chief business and operations officer, said one LCAP goal seemed to stand out to responders as being the district’s chief aim.
“The recruitment and retention of the highest quality district personnel surfaced as the highest priority,” he said.
LCUSD Board President David Sagal represents the governing board on the district’s LCAP Oversight Committee, the group responsible for setting and updating the document’s priorities with guidance from several community groups.
He said feedback supports doing what it takes to keep good teachers in La Cañada classrooms.
“Retaining the best possible teachers is our first (LCAP) priority, and certainly the salary is part of that,” Sagal said Tuesday. “It is a very high priority of the district, and I think we’re making progress.”
In regard to reaching an agreement with LCTA representatives, Sinnette and Evans painted a bright picture. They said with transfer requests starting to come in from other school districts, and a clearer picture of what Gov. Jerry Brown’s state budget will mean for local finances, the numbers are starting to come together.
“We have as a goal the recruitment and retention of our teachers and our staff, and the community supports that,” Sinnette said. “From a district perspective, we support our teachers. We are listening. Negotiations are moving along, and we’re optimistic for resolution and settlement.”
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Sara Cardine, sara.cardine@latimes.com
Twitter: @SaraCardine
