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How To LA: The 'Outrageous' Impact Of LAUSD's 'Norm Day'
Kindergarteners at Toluca Lake Elementary in North Hollywood pair phonics with movement.
(
Mariana Dale
/
LAist
)
Topline:
“Norm Day” often results in the reorganization of classrooms and teacher reassignment five weeks into the school year. How To LA host Brian De Los Santos speaks with LAist K-12 education reporter Mariana Dale about what parents say is the "outrageous" impact of this process and how LA Unified and individual schools are responding.
Why it matters: For over 30 years, Angelenos have been complaining about a student tallying practice called Norm Day that matches the number of students with the district’s allocated resources. If the school has less students than they have money for, they redistribute the students and reassign the teachers, often disrupting the relationships that have been established between students and teachers and routines set in the classroom. Already, LAUSD has been steadily losing students for 20 years. The city is growing more expensive. Families are leaving. People are also having fewer kids.
Why now: Parents at Atwater Elementary school advocated for school leaders to take action this year when some teachers were designated to be reassigned. They have been able to keep teachers by pleading their case, starting a petition, and even emailing journalists like Mariana. Since her story has been published, a district spokesperson said that the district is working on some internal changes for Norm Day and making money available to help schools retain their teachers.
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Listen to the episode:
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The 'Outrageous' Impact Of LAUSD's Process For Counting Students
Go deeper:
- Why A Longstanding LAUSD Student Count Scrambles Educators, Disrupts Classes, Frustrates Parents
- What Happens If LAUSD’s Enrollment Doesn’t Stop Dropping? Two Schools Offer Painful Previews
- LAUSD Enrollment Could Soon Dip Below 400K, New Forecast Says. At Its Height More Than 730K Students Attended
- Missing Students, Emptying Schools: LA Unified Faces A Hard Future. What Leaders Are Doing To Change Course
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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