LEARN -- ‘A Plan of Daring Imperfections’ : L.A. Unified: The proposal to reform the district is a chance to reclaim public education for the next generation.

“If not us, who? If not now, when?” With these words to fuel their commitment and to sharpen their collective vision, 600 neighbors--parents, educators, representatives of Los Angeles’ diverse ethnic, religious, business and labor communities--put aside their differences and came together over the past year to forge a plan to reclaim public education for the more than 640,000 young people whose futures we entrust to Los Angeles Unified School District. That consensus plan, the LEARN school reform agenda, is now a reality. For years, the crisis facing the LAUSD has been steadily growing. The district suffers from chronic shortages of classrooms and teachers, critical budget problems and labor disputes. Forty percent of Los Angeles’ children drop out of school, swelling an illiterate and semi-literate population in the county that now includes one in five adults. Our students are not competitive. A significant number are unable to qualify even for entry-level employment. These are the youngsters who will inherit Los Angeles. They are the future leaders, producers and guarantors of our present way of life. They will make up the majority of the electorate, purchase the homes of retirees and subsidize the Social Security benefits of the largest generation in history when the baby boomers reach retirement age. This generation’s tax base must be adequate to support the continued renewal and expansion of Los Angeles’ infrastructure. LEARN (Los Angeles Educational Alliance for Restructuring Now ), a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization formed in 1991 to reorganize and restructure the LAUSD, has convened all of the diverse factions represented in Los Angeles and engaged them in a dialogue of unprecedented scope. After extensive debate, the collaboration drafted an action plan that will serve the children and families of Los Angeles well into the next century. The LEARN plan identifies clear goals for academic achievement, refocusing every school activity to improve student outcomes. It sets forth meaningful ways in which to measure the learning of each student. It moves decision-making and budget authority to where the students are, enabling each school site to develop and maintain its own distinct character based upon the needs of the students and of the community. It empowers teachers and principals to make real decisions and then holds them accountable for those decisions. As with any pioneering effort, this plan is by no means a perfect or final draft. Rather it is, as one LEARN trustee described, “a plan of daring imperfections.” Over time, mistakes will surely be identified and corrected and the plan strengthened by these revisions. LEARN does not offer quick fixes or easy assurances. Rather, this is the beginning of a long, strenuous and exciting journey--one that will require the participation of our entire community. The school board has been reviewing the plan and will vote on the proposal March 15. In the meantime, let this serve, for each of us, as a clarion call to action. In order to succeed, LEARN will require the active support of each and every citizen. We urge you to call your school board representative to voice your support for the reform package, and your commitment to working with the board to make the restructuring process work. Talk to your friends, family and neighbors; get them involved. Bold, systemic school reform must come, not from an entrenched “top-down” bureaucracy but from each community--individuals, families, schools and neighborhoods. We in Los Angeles are faced with the formidable task of rebuilding and healing our city. We are working together toward the achievement of a simple but elusive goal: the renewal of hope. LEARN is in the vanguard of this movement, for the heart of a community--and its future--must certainly be its public school system. It has been said that “great accomplishments begin with great dreams.” This is indeed a great dream--one in which we hold the power to create a better, more hopeful, future for our children. There is much work to be done. There is a role for every member of this community. Let us begin.