2024 LAUSD Elections

LAUSD Candidate Richard Ramos on PROP-39 Co-Locations

How would Richard Ramos protect students who are negatively affected when public schools are forced to share space with charter schools?

“Without a public explanation, I would demand an investigation to determine the legality and propriety of the sudden write-off of $7,678,022 in over-allocation debt.”

– BD3 Candidate Richard S. Ramos

Richard S. Ramos is running against incumbent Scott Schmerelson in LAUSD’s Board District 3, which covers most of the western San Fernando Valley. As part of my ongoing Candidate Forum series, Ramos was asked five questions about PROP-39 co-locations. For the introduction to this subject along with answers from other candidates, please see the article LAUSD Candidate Forum: PROP-39 Co-Locations.

The following are the candidate’s responses, printed exactly how he provided them with the exception of some minor formatting edits:

• Question 1: Do you support the “Creating a Charter Schools Co-Location Policy to Mitigate Impacts Caused by Proposition 39” authored by Board President Jackie Goldberg and Dr. Rocio Rivas? Yes

It is crucial to avoid Proposition 39 co-locations on school sites with the District’s 100 Priority Schools, BSAP Schools, and Community Schools. Through policy, we can safeguard schools, and school-site shared decision-making can focus on addressing the unique needs of the students. I would advocate expanding the District Magnet office to support the District’s 100 Priority Schools, BSAP schools, and Community Schools to expand Magnet Centers specializing in careers like AI, STEAM, STEM, business, etc.; this would better meet our communities’ educational needs, including space utilization of any empty classrooms.

• Question 2: Under The way that PROP-39 is currently implemented, rooms used to provide Special Education Services are considered to be “empty” and must be turned over to a charter school to satisfy its demand for space. As a Board member would you work…