On September 10, the school board passed (by a narrow 4-3 majority) a resolution to establish the Supporting Meaningful Teaching and Learning Initiative that will create a Community School Lead Teacher role, implement project-based learning programs, and replace district -mandated testing with performance-based assessments at ten Community Schools starting next school year. The resolution directs the district to work with labor and other partners to develop the application and approval process. 

Rosa Jimenez, Multilingual Multicultural Academic Language Coach at UCLA Community School, helped push for the resolution.

“This resolution is a big win for the Community Schools movement,” says Jimenez. “Our teachers are saying that because of testing and testing prep, there is no time to plan and teach the engaging, culturally relevant curriculum that we know students love and that we know will increase student achievement.” 

On top of state and federally mandated testing, the district imposes its own additional testing mandates that take away from valuable learning time where educators have more autonomy to tailor instruction for their students’ unique needs, abilities, and learning styles. 

UTLA Elementary Vice President Maria Miranda told the school board that educators often spend too much time on test prep at the expense of instructional time. “Teachers can tell you that standardized tests don’t accurately measure student learning and growth,” said Miranda. “Performance-based assessments can authentically show students’ growth coming from an asset-based approach rather than a ‘one size fits all’ like standardized assessments do.” 

Jimenez says that Community Schools are “already doing the collaborative work that it takes to create the types of learning opportunities and alternative assessments that reflect student learning. This resolution will create more space for teachers to improve teaching and learning at community schools.”