More funding urged for L.A. Unified’s neediest schools

A citywide coalition of community groups and civil rights leaders Monday unveiled a comprehensive new measure ranking L.A. Unified’s neediest schools and urged more targeted spending on them.

The student need index, which analyzed test scores, dropout rates, gun violence, asthma and eight other factors that affect learning, found that the neediest schools were concentrated in South and East Los Angeles, along with the Pacoima area of the San Fernando Valley. The schools included Fremont and Jordan high schools, Bethune and Drew middle schools and Griffith Joyner and Woodcrest elementary schools.

Activists praised L.A. Unified Supt. John Deasy’s draft budget released last week, which directed $837 million to students who are low income, not fluent in English and in foster care, as required under the new state school finance law. But they urged that the majority of that money be spent in the 242 schools they identified as the neediest and pressed for a more targeted plan to boost services at those campuses.

“We’re trying to push the district to be smart about how they invest resources and be bold and courageous about advancing justice by targeting schools with high needs,” said Alberto Retana of the Community Coalition.

John Kim of the Advancement Project, a civil rights organization that developed the index, said comprehensive services at the neediest schools would be far more effective in boosting achievement than scattershot spending across the district.

Deasy’s proposed budget, for instance, allocates $660,000 for five counselors trained in an alternative conflict-resolution method known as restorative justice. But Kim and others questioned how effective such a limited investment would be in a district of nearly 1,000 schools and 656,000 students.

The coalition has proposed its own spending plan, which includes boosting academic supports, healthcare and parent involvement. Members are also pushing for money to be spent to shift discipline practices to such alternatives as restorative justice programs rather than suspensions, expulsions and police citations.

“To deal with the multiple challenges these kids face, you need a comprehensive approach,” Kim said. “You can’t sprinkle services here and there.”

Some have argued, however, that the new state funds should follow the disadvantaged students to their campuses -- even if they are located in middle-class neighborhoods.

On Monday, coalition members were expected to turn in 2,500 postcards signed by students in South and East L.A. urging district officials to give more dollars to their schools.

Twitter: @TeresaWatanabe

Teresa.Watanabe@latimes.com