A Day In The Life Of A School Board Member At Los Angeles Unified School District
A Los Angeles Unified School District Board Member's day varies greatly, but always includes significant preparation for weekly board meetings focused on "proving budget requests" and "hearing resolutions," and involves extensive school visits to observe instruction and meet with community partners. The role demands a balance of policy work and addressing diverse challenges, ranging from "small challenges" to major budgetary decisions.
Public Speaking, Community Engagement, Policy Analysis, Budgeting, Educational Leadership
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
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Traits
Tanya Ortiz Franklin
School Board Member
Los Angeles Unified School District
Columbia University 2005
Loyola Marymount University, MA Elementary Education; UCLA School of Law JD, Public Interest Law & Policy, Critical Race Studies
Political Science, American Studies
Education
Education
Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Attending weekly board meetings to review budget requests, hear resolutions, and listen to public comments.
2. Visiting schools and classrooms to observe instruction and identify areas for improvement or celebration.
3. Meeting with community partners, labor partners, and internal teams to address various challenges related to policy, budgeting, community engagement, and school facilities.
Transcript
What does a day in the life of a board member look like?
Every day is different, which I really love. At least once a week, I'm in board meetings, sometimes that's all day.
Those meetings involve approving budget requests, hearing resolutions, and listening to public comments. I do a lot of reading to prepare for them.
I also visit schools and classrooms to see what instruction looks like. This helps me think about what needs to change and what we can amplify and celebrate that's going well.
I spend a lot of time meeting with community partners, labor partners, and my own team. We discuss our engagement with the community, communications, school site facilities, and solving challenges, both small and large, around policy and budgeting.