This year the ESTA Assembly voted and passed two resolutions.
You can read more about these resolutions here:
RESOLUTION 2025A TO REINSTATE AN LCAP ADVISORY COMMITTEE
WHEREAS, the LCAP allocates around $25 million annually to positions and practices within ESUHSD;
WHEREAS, the goal of the LCAP is to provide useful resources for and services to targeted populations (especially Low-income, English Language Learners, and Homeless/Foster Youth).
WHEREAS, the state of California wants LEAs to be able to demonstrate that the resources and services established within the LCAP work;
WHEREAS, the data within the latest public LCAP shows at best questionable benefits from the current allocations; and that, despite the need to maintain at least some of the current allocations, alternative investments would increase the likelihood of moving student outcomes in the targeted populations.
WHEREAS, the LCAP entails over one-hundred pages of policies and practices that shape district operations, as well as statistical data that monitors student outcomes over the span of time;
WHEREAS, the LCAP Annual Update entails over sixty pages of data and evaluations of the LCAP from the Superintendent's perspective;
WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees has authority over the LCAP and would benefit from a transparent process that solicits from diverse perspectives evaluations of LCAP progress (including areas of agreement and disagreement);
WHEREAS, ESUHSD currently lists “Excellence” as a district value: “ESUHSD believes in continuous improvement through collaboration, inquiry, and openness”;
WHEREAS, ESUHSD currently lists “Inclusiveness” as a district value: “ESUHSD models integrity through transparent, respectful processes that engage the community, staff, students, and parents”;
WHEREAS, ESUHSD had an LCAP Advisory Committee prior to the 2018-19 school year (after which the LCAP Advisory Committee was merged with the District Advisory Committee and, in the 2021-22 school year, ESTA and other stakeholders were dropped from the group).
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, ESTA formally requests the district to create an LCAP Advisory Committee modeled after the district’s Budget Advisory Committee.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that ESTA requests that this LCAP Advisory Committee meet annually to discuss at a deeper level and collectively define what it means to address the needs of all our students.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Assembly of East Side Teachers Association, bargaining unit for the certificated educators of East Side Union High School District, on January 29th, 2025, by the following vote:
Ayes: 42 Nays: 0 Abstain: 0
RESOLUTION 2025B FOR ESUHSD TO MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL STUDENTS
WHEREAS, over the past two decades, ESUHSD has allocated tens-of-millions of dollars worth of resources, primarily in form of additional staffing and positions, with the goal of improving outcomes for student populations which the LCAP targets;
WHEREAS, since 2019, on-track A-G rates have decreased for all grade levels and all LCAP-targeted student populations except students with disabilities (who remained mostly the same for on-track A-G rates while their A-G course completion rates fell from 13.3% to 8.3%);
WHEREAS, on-track graduation rates have decreased since 2019 for all grade levels and across all LCAP-targeted student populations;
WHEREAS, SBAC testing scores have decreased since 2019 across all grade levels and all LCAP-targeted student populations;
WHEREAS, chronic absenteeism has increased since 2019 in all LCAP-targeted student populations;
WHEREAS, ESUHSD utilizes credit-recovery programs to raise student A-G completion and graduation rates;
WHEREAS, students in AP classes have increased the rate at which they score 3 or higher on the AP exam since 2019, including a 6.9% increase in African American students (despite a decrease in the populations of low-income students, English Language Learners, and students-with-disabilities);
WHEREAS, the only category that has seen consistent increases across all LCAP-targeted student populations is from students who have successfully completed both UC/CSU and CTE pathways;
WHEREAS, ESUHSD places too much value on the degree to which staff 1) writes behavioral referrals for defiance and other behaviors and 2) suspends, involuntarily transfers, or expels students;
WHEREAS, student responses to feeling connected to school and a sense of belonging dropped by 14% (to 53% agreeing) since 2019;
WHEREAS, ESUHSD’s Panorama survey offers limited value as questions have ambiguous language and/or ask multiple questions within one inquiry;
WHEREAS, scientists, academics, educational leaders, as well as California legislators (in sponsoring AB 3216) recognize the harmful effects that cell phones have on the academic and social-emotional development of high school students;
WHEREAS, approximately 30% of ESUHSD students graduate from either a 2-year or 4-year college/university within six years of graduating high school;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, ESTA formally supports meeting the needs of all students by refocusing our collective efforts in the following ways:
Appropriate placement for students.
(With a focus on English Learners, Students with IEPS, and incoming Freshman who are significantly behind in Math and English.)
Programs that tap into student interests.
(With a focus on increasing on-campus CTE programs for Freshman and Sophomores, running non-CTE Certified electives when students have interest, and allowing CTE and other elective classes to operate even with low enrollment.)
Appropriate and balanced incentives for students and staff.
(With a focus on recalibrating disincentives for student misbehavior to better support the positive interventions that promote safe and well-functioning schools.)
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that ESTA calls on ESUHSD to include ESTA in structuring and/or restructuring survey questions related to the Panorama and to eliminate inquiries that are ambiguous and/or contain multiple questions.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that ESTA calls on ESUHSD to, in conjunction with bargaining units, improve the current district-wide policy (BP 3151) to develop enforceable rules with clear consequences “to limit or prohibit the use by its pupils of smartphones while the pupils are at a school site or while the pupils are under the supervision and control of an employee or employees of that school district” (AB 3216).
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Assembly of East Side Teachers Association, bargaining unit for the certificated educators of East Side Union High School District, on March 5th, 2025, by the following vote:
Ayes: 40 Nays: 0 Abstain: 2