Board Backs Proposals for Autonomy at 27 Schools : Education: Waivers are granted from districtwide policies. Schools must show improvement in student achievement within a year.

After a heated session, the Los Angeles Board of Education voted 6 to 1 on Monday to approve proposals to give 27 schools more autonomy and allow them to operate outside of formal district policies.

The vote followed a lengthy debate about whether the board should grant all 27 schools waivers of district policies when many of their restructuring plans appear to fall short of the goal of raising student achievement.

“It’s possible that a school granted a waiver will do something strange,” said board member Mark Slavkin. “But I think it’s important that we approve this and move forward. The world is watching and testing our commitment” to the school restructuring process, he said.

Waivers are required when the proposals conflict with district requirements, such as changing staff evaluations and graduation requirements.

The school-based management concept was approved by the school board and teachers union as part of the settlement of last year’s teachers strike. It allows councils of teachers, parents and administrators at all of the district’s 600 schools to gradually assume responsibility for the school’s operation.

The initial restructuring proposals were criticized by some board members for not going far enough to meet students’ needs. In accepting the plans on Monday, the board required all 27 schools to document by next year increases in student achievement.

Although district staff members expressed concern about many of the waivers requested, the board agreed to approve all except those that Supt. William Anton and teachers union President Helen Bernstein feel might negatively affect other schools or require additional funding.

The meeting was a rocky one for Anton, who has enjoyed a honeymoon with the board since his appointment in July.

At the meeting’s outset, he asked the board to allow him to study the waiver requests and postpone a decision. But about an hour before the board was to vote, he changed his recommendation and asked for immediate approval.

Several board members criticized the hasty way he presented the report and his apparent change of heart.

“This is just all wrong,” said a visibly angry board member, Roberta Weintraub.

Later, Anton admitted that the flip-flop was a “cardinal sin,” but said he changed his mind and ask for immediate approval to “speed up the process” and to send schools seeking to implement their restructuring plans this fall a message that the district supports the concept.

“In the end, if they accomplish what we all want--higher student achievement--I will approve this report,” said board member Leticia Quezada.

Only board member Rita Walters voted against approval of the plans, contending that the board needed more time to study the waiver requests.

In other action, district officials unveiled a plan to help schools avoid some of the chaos caused by student overcrowding last year.

Up to 17,000 new students are expected to show up this fall to enroll in schools that have no classroom space for them.

Unlike last year, when officials had to hustle after school had started to find room at other schools for more than 15,000 new students, the district has already located enough classroom seats for this year’s anticipated new arrivals.

Last year, the district was hit by an unexpected influx of students--most of them Spanish-speaking--in its most crowded schools. More than 25,000 of those youngsters had to be bused to less-crowded suburban campuses, even though many of those schools did not have enough teachers, supplies or bilingual aides to accommodate them.

Because of delays finding space for the students, many arrived at their new schools late in the semester, disrupting established classrooms and sending droves of suburban parents to complain at school board meetings.

This year, bus routes have been changed to minimize travel time for the bused students, and stronger relationships have been established between sending and receiving schools, said Ted Alexander, head of the district’s integration programs.

Also, he said, schools that receive bused students will get at least $225 per year per student--up from $50 last year--to fund programs, buy supplies and hire aides for the new pupils.

Overcrowded schools, which have traditionally received no additional funding, will get at least $47 for each student they bus to pay for such costs as clerical support and bus stop monitors.

The funding will allow schools to better plan for the new arrivals and avoid many of the haphazard arrangements that took place last year, Alexander said.