Rally to Save LA Family Literacy Program June 17

Family Literacy program,

Please join us Tuesday, June 17, as we carry our message to the Board of Education:

Bridge Family Literacy:

A Program That Works!

We will be gathering at noon at the door of the Board Room in LAUSD Headquarters in downtown LA (Beaudry Building, 333 S. Beaudry Ave., Los Angeles, 90017, first floor).

Wear red! Bring signs! Be prepared to tell your personal stories!

The backstory:

We are grateful to LAUSD Board member Steve Zimmer who is championing the Family Literacy program, and to Board member Bennett Kayser who has also been vocal in his support. At last week’s meeting, Board member Zimmer called upon the Board of Education to preserve this outstanding program which has a research-proven track record of improving student achievement and reducing absenteeism for English Language Learners.

Superintendent Deasy now says he will allow the program to stay open — but he has not designated any funding to preserve it. Superintendent Deasy says the program can continue, but he says he cannot find the necessary $750,000 anywhere in the District’s $7 Billion budget. Superintendent Deasy says the program may continue if its $750,000 annual cost can be raised from outside sources before the start of school on August 12.

While we see this as a bit of progress, we must point out that this unreasonable position is tantamount to killing the Family Literacy program outright. There are fewer than 60 days left until the opening day of school. It is unreasonable to expect that $750,000 can be raised from outside sources within that short a time period.

We must also point out: LAUSD administrators created this problem themselves by prohibiting Family Literacy advocates from applying for grants for which the program is eligible. The application period for those grants is now over, and will not reopen again until the next school year begins. Even though the nationally-recognized LAUSD Family Literacy program was eligible for grant money, it did not receive those funds because of prohibitions imposed by bureaucrats in 333 S. Beaudry.

We urge the Board of Education to bridge the funding for the LA Family Literacy program for the 2014-15 school year.

Please join us to carry our message to the Board.

For more information, and for instructions on how you can email your representatives, please visit our website: www.lafamilyliteracy.org

Follow us on Twitter: @LAFamLiteracy.

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