May 27th
Debra Duardo, M.S.W., Ed.D.
Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools

As districts explore ways to secure the return of school-issued computer devices, LACOE and the Department of Children and Family Services ask that you consider the needs of foster youth. While we fully understand the financial implications when students do not return their devices, we hope the special circumstances of students in foster care will outweigh fiscal concerns.

Access to technology has allowed foster youth not only to participate in distance learning, but also to benefit from online tutoring, telehealth services, visits with family members and communication with social workers and attorneys, among other activities. This ongoing virtual connection with family and community has played a key role in their social-emotional wellbeing.

Thank you for supporting students in foster care and for considering providing these youth with continued access to vital technology tools.

(For more information on how to assist students in foster care, download LACOE's resource guide.)
Public Health Update
American Jobs Plan
President Biden on May 24 released a $1.7 trillion infrastructure counterproposal for a group of Republican lawmakers that has been negotiating with him on a bipartisan deal. The updated proposal includes a few areas of compromise, including:

  • Addressing manufacturing, research and development, and supply chain investments in a separate legislative package;  
  • Accepting the $65 billion proposal for funding broadband investments; and  
  • Reducing funding for roads, bridges and "major infrastructure projects" to $120 billion.

However, the balance of the document doubles down on President Biden's push to offset the package with tax increases on the wealthy, efforts to address climate change with clean energy initiatives and strengthening of the "care infrastructure," among others. The revised proposal is not expected to move the needle on a bipartisan deal, as both the White House and Republican lawmakers remain hundreds of billions of dollars apart on a comprehensive infrastructure package.

Senate Republicans on May 26 revived negotiations over President Biden’s sweeping investment plan, preparing a $1 trillion infrastructure proposal that would be funded with COVID-19 relief money as a counteroffer to the White House ahead of a Memorial Day deadline for a bipartisan deal. The lawmakers said on May 25 they would release details of the new offer this week.
Child Care
The LA County Department of Public Health has made one update to the COVID-19 guidance for early care and education providers. As of May 22, early care educators may work with multiple stable groups without maximum limits.
Nutrition & Meal Service
Pandemic-EBT provides additional food benefits to school-age children eligible for free or reduced-price school meals who may not have received ready access to those meals due to COVID-19-related changes in mode of instruction.

A one-time collection of data will be conducted at the district and charter school level to report on the primary mode of instruction by month across the 2020-21 school year. The Pandemic EBT Survey was sent to superintendents on May 24 and must be completed and submitted by June 4. This one-time data collection will be used to determine P-EBT benefit amounts for school-age children. 

State Budget
Governor Newsom on May 14 released his May Revision of the 2021-22 state budget. It includes total funding of $121.7 billion ($70 billion General Fund and $51.7 billion other funds) for all K-12 education programs. Funding totals $13,977 per pupil in Proposition 98 General Fund and $21,152 per pupil when accounting for all funding sources.

The Legislative Analyst’s Office on May 18 released its Overview of May Revision K-12 Education Proposals. The LAO states that a strength of the budget proposal is its inclusion of more than $4.2 billion for one-time activities. Combined with the Proposition 98 reserve deposit and one-time community college activities, the total one-time cushion is nearly $7 billion. A large one-time cushion has some notable advantages:

  • If the guarantee drops, the state has a cushion to avoid cuts to ongoing programs.  
  • If the guarantee does not drop, the state can use the freed-up funds to provide augmentations that address emerging issues.
Resources for Districts & Schools
Benefits of Social Emotional Learning (CASEL) click here

SEL for Educators Toollkit (Transforming Education) click here

Leading Forward in 2021: A Self-Paced Series for Mitigating Learning Loss (CCEE) click here

Q&A on Civil Rights and School Reopening in the COVID-19 Environment (USDOE) click here
African American teen girl wearing headphones learning language online_ using laptop_ looking at screen_ doing school tasks at home_ writing notes_ listening to lecture or music_ distance education