Citywide Black Student Achievement
The Citywide Black Student Achievement (CWBSA) parent leader team is a group of parents, educators, and community members working to eliminate the achievement gap for Black students in Los Angeles Unified. We do this by organizing ourselves and our community to find and work toward solutions that will improve the academic experience and social-emotional well-being of Black students in LAUSD.
“We are a team of Black parents, educators, and community members that deeply understand and know the power, knowledge and resiliency of the Black community — our community.”
– Citywide Black Student Achievement Parent Leaders
The People’s Playbook to the Validated Plan for Black Students
The Validated Plan: Promoting Equity and Access for Black Students is a commitment and plan to make Black student achievement a top priority in Local District South. It is a blueprint that describes how schools will promote equity and access for Black students so that they can thrive academically, socially and emotionally. The creation of this plan was made possible by Black parents, educators, community members, and district leaders. The People’s Playbook to the Validated Plan for Black Students is a guide for parents and advocates to hold the district and schools accountable to what was promised for Black students in Local District South.
How we got here
In the fall of 2018, a group of Black LAUSD parents started organizing around challenges their students were facing in school under the guidance of Jalisa Johnson, community organizer with Innovate Public Schools. Their mission was clear: to eliminate the achievement gap for all Black students by pushing the district to unapologetically commit to Black student achievement and provide targeted resources for Black students.
After countless hours organizing, planning, and meeting with hundreds community members, district leaders, parents, local churches, and community organizations, the Citywide Black Student Achievement (CWBSA) Parent Leader Team secured a commitment from Local District South Superintendent Mike Romero. At a community event hosted by the parent leader team with over 300 people in attendance, Local District South Superintendent Mike Romero said, “I’m going to be unapologetic about how we have to do things differently, specifically for African American kids”.
This was a huge win for Black families and students in Local District South. But then, the COVID-19 pandemic forced school closures in 2020. The team saw minimal action from the district and to make matters worse distance learning was worsening the inequities Black and low-income students were facing. Black parents refused to give up on all of the work they had pushed for for the 50,000 Black students in LAUSD.
The 2020 political uprisings, coupled with the ongoing global pandemic, are shining more light on the very same educational justice and policy changes that Innovate parent leaders have been fighting for in Los Angeles schools. The actions taken by parents forced a widespread movement across LAUSD in which local districts and community members are now evaluating the status and experiences of Black students.
“I’m going to be unapologetic about how we have to do things differently, specifically for African American kids.”
– Mike Romero, Superintendent, Local District South
What we know to be true:
Black students have historically received the least resources from the district.
The Black community is demanding more.
In 2021, the CWBSA parent leader team found a champion for their work: LAUSD Boardmember Tanya Ortiz Franklin. Black parents, faith leaders, educators, and community members worked closely with Ortiz Franklin’s staff and Local District South Superintendent Mike Romero to develop a plan that centers the needs of Black students. The plan is called the Validated Plan: Promoting Equity and Access for Black Students.
Timeline
December 2018
Citywide Black Student Achievement (CWBSA) parent leader team is formed to eliminate achievement gap for Black students in LAUSD.
January – August 2019
The CWBSA parent leader team met with hundreds of parents, community members, local churches, community organizations, and district leaders to learn about Black students’ experiences in the district.
April 2019
In partnership with the First African Methodist Episcopal Church (FAME), Innovate published Spotlight on African American Students in Los Angeles, a data brief that provided a snapshot of how schools in LAUSD were serving African American students.
December 2019
The CWBSA team hosted a community action in Watts during which Local District Superintendent Mike Romero committed to focusing unapologetically on African American student achievement. More than 200 parents and community members attended.
May 25, 2020
George Floyd is murdered by former police officer Derek Chauvin.
May – July 2020
Nationwide protests took place calling for racial justice and divestment from police.
December 2020
The CWBSA team met with newly elected LAUSD Boardmember Tanya Ortiz-Franklin who champions their push for a Black student achievement plan in Local District South.
January 2021
The CWBSA team, Boardmember Tanya Ortiz-Franklin, and Local District South partner to begin the planning process for what will become the Validated Plan.
February 2021
The LAUSD Board of Education approved a plan that diverted funds from the Los Angeles School Police Department to an initiative to improve the education of Black Students– what is currently known as the Los Angeles Unified Black Student Achievement Plan.
April – May 2021
The CWBSA team hosted listening sessions in Local District South with Black parents, educators, and students to gather feedback on the Validated Plan for Black Students.
September 2021
The Local District South Validated Plan: Promoting Equity and Access for Black Students is officially launched.
Featured video
50,000 Strong: Standing for Black students in Los Angeles Unified schools
In December 2019, our Citywide Black Student Achievement (CWBSA) parent leader team held a community action in Watts, California to stand for the 50,000 Black Students in Los Angeles Unified School District. Our parents scored a major win when Local District South.
Stories from parents
Black parent power for me means unity. When one is down, being able to tag in another person knowing that we’re all on the same page and we’re going to tag each other in. That’s a form of support for one another. I always imagine if it were more of us and how much power that would be.”
Keisha Jones, CWBSA Parent Leader
“The parents were already validated before the plan was named the Validated Plan. I actually believe that parents’ power validates this plan. They are the ones who organized, made phone calls, knocked on doors, held 1:1s, and house meetings… they are the ones who kept sharing their stories about the struggles they were having and the challenges their children were having in the district. When this plan got put together in partnership with the district, the parents fingertips are all over this plan. That is what validates this plan.”
Pastor Peter Watts, CWBSA Parent Leader
“We got here by engaging parents and the community. We all worked together as a team. We really saw a need for Black kids and we reached out and we kept going and we’re loud and we never gave up even when people wouldn’t talk to us. We persevered through a pandemic as well.”
Melissa Mack, CWBSA Parent Leader
Take action
Get the Playbook
Download the People’s Playbook to the Local District South Validated Plan for Black Students
Join our Movement
Email Jalisa Johnson (Program Manager, BSA & BEAN) for more information.
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