Heather Brown

The meeting commenced with introductions, review of committee norms, and opportunities for public comment. A significant portion of the discussion focused on translation needs for parents speaking languages other than Spanish, especially concerning families from Afghanistan. Key agenda items involved an educational partner engagement session regarding the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP), where attendees reviewed LCAP goals, context, and performance data, and provided feedback for future one-year and three-year planning. Parent discussions highlighted barriers to college/career technical education (CTE) for immigrant families, such as immigration status and financial constraints. Further discussion centered on the administration and feedback collection for the English Learner (EL) Needs Assessment Survey, with suggestions for improving parent outreach, including incentives and dedicated orientation events.

The Natomas Unified School District's Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (LEAP) plan serves as a roadmap to extend learning beyond the traditional school day, providing safe, inclusive, and enriching environments. Its mission is to close opportunity gaps and accelerate learning through high-quality, student-centered programming focused on academic support, enrichment, and whole-child development. Key areas include fostering safe and supportive environments, active and engaged learning, skill building, youth voice and leadership, healthy choices, diversity, access, and equity, quality staff, collaborative partnerships, continuous quality improvement, and effective program management. The program aims to develop well-rounded learners prepared for academic success and positive community contributions.

This document outlines the agenda for the Local Control & Accountability Plan (LCAP) Parent Advisory Committee meeting, focusing on the mid-year update for the LCAP. The LCAP goals, aligned with the district's Forward 5 strategic plan, cover academic growth, student social-emotional well-being, safe learning environments, parent and family engagement, and high-quality staff. The update reviews progress on identified metrics, implementation status of actions, and mid-year expenditures, alongside discussions on early literacy, math curriculum, and recent student outcome survey results.

The meeting covered several significant topics related to English Learners and student support. Key discussions included a review of the District English Language Learner's Advisory Committee (DELAC) norms and a presentation from Human Resources detailing teacher and instructional aide requirements concerning English Learner Authorizations, including the difference between authorizations for English Language Development (ELD) instruction and Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE). The committee discussed the district's use of Designated ELD and Integrated ELD, confirming all teachers possess the required authorization. An attendance presentation highlighted the district's overall attendance rate, chronic absenteeism rates, and efforts to improve attendance through intervention processes such as SART and SARB meetings, as well as new digital reporting options. Furthermore, data on newcomer students, defined as students born outside the U.S. with less than three years in district schools, was presented, detailing their distribution by ELPAC levels and home languages, with a majority being Spanish speakers, followed by Afghan and Indian languages. Finally, planning for the upcoming needs assessment for the 2025-2026 school year was initiated, focusing on making the assessment shorter and more targeted based on previous feedback.

The meeting included introductions of 2025/2026 officers and a review of committee norms. Key discussions centered on communication strategies, including exploring options beyond Parentsquare for sending out notices and the use of Infinite Campus for automated calls. The Constituent & Customer Services (CCS) department overview highlighted the expansion of services, the "path to successful communication," and the implementation of the Language Link translation and interpretation service to support multilingual families and avoid using students as translators. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP), explaining its role in supporting English Learners through specific goals, funding actions, and metrics tracking progress, including the upcoming release of the California School Dashboard data. Furthermore, the English Learner Pathway and reclassification criteria were reviewed in detail, prompting feedback from parents regarding the ELPAC testing process, the need for translated materials, and understanding the progression toward fluency.