La Canada Unified board receives CSEA proposal, approves district proposal, awards childcare contract and adopts safety, textbook and emergency measures

The La Canada Unified School District governing board on March 25 opened public hearings on collective bargaining proposals and approved a set of routine but substantive items including receiving CSEA's negotiation proposal, approving the district's counterpart proposal, awarding a five-year contract for elementary after‑school child care, adopting comprehensive school safety plans and approving emergency repairs after severe winter wind damage.

The board followed required "sunshining" procedures under district policy and the Government Code to make public both the California School Employees Association (CSEA) Chapter 122 proposal to the district and the district's proposal to CSEA. "Per La Canada Unified School District Governing Board Policy 41 43.1 and government code section 35 47, a public presentation ... of any negotiation proposal between the district and the California School Employees Association ... is required," Associate Superintendent Deborah Craddock told the board while opening the hearings. The board voted to receive CSEA's proposal and to approve the district's proposal so negotiations may formally begin.

The board awarded a five-year contract for school-age child care at LCUSD elementary sites to the Child Educational Center (CEC). Superintendent Wendy Sennette said the RFP published in November 2024 drew four proposals; an evaluation panel scored responsive applications, interviewed finalists and recommended CEC based on program quality and educational alignment. Board members said the panel examined budgets, staffing ratios, program offerings and financial viability before favoring CEC. The contract is recommended to begin in the 2025–26 school year.

Board members approved the district's comprehensive school safety plans, a requirement under California Education Code 32280. Executive Director Karen Hurley summarized the process: the plans were updated with input from site councils, law enforcement, parents and staff; LCHS campus documentation was amended to note 65 cameras providing 96 viewpoints. The board adopted the plans for the 2025–26 school year.

The board also approved a textbook adoption for AP Psychology: the district's current text dates to 2007, which is outside the College Board's acceptable publication window. Presenters said the newly selected text aligns with the College Board's revised course and provides updated language, supplemental resources and AP-style practice materials.

On finance and operations, the board approved a technical increase to the supervision substitute daily rate from $225 to $230 effective April 1, 2025 to align with the $30 per period rate paid to classroom teachers who cover prep periods. The board adopted resolution 1524‑25 related to Proposition 2 and School Facility Program requirements and also approved an emergency resolution authorizing immediate repairs to campus property damaged during extreme wind events in January 2025. District staff estimated about $200,000 in damages so far and noted a district insurance deductible of $10,000; staff said repairs could not wait for a competitive bid process.

Other actions: the board approved revisions to the LCUSD elementary core literature list, approved the request-for-proposal award for child care services (R1402425), and approved the consent agenda. Several items were routine and passed without extended debate.

Votes at a glance

- Receive CSEA Chapter 122 negotiation proposal to LCUSD: motion to receive passed (no roll-call tally specified). - Approve LCUSD negotiation proposal to CSEA Chapter 122: motion to approve passed. - Award five-year contract for elementary school-age child care to Child Educational Center (R1402425) beginning 2025–26: approved. - Approve comprehensive school safety plans (Ed. Code 32280) for 2025–26: approved. - Approve AP Psychology textbook adoption (replacement for 2007 text): approved. - Increase supervision substitute rate from $225 to $230 per day, effective 2025-04-01: approved. - Adopt resolution 1524‑25 regarding Proposition 2 / OPSC conditions: approved. - Approve emergency repairs for storm damage and make emergency finding (four-fifths vote for emergency finding): emergency finding and repairs approved; board noted ongoing insurance adjustment. - Approve revisions to LCUSD elementary core literature list: approved. - Consent agenda: approved.

What this means: receiving and approving the negotiation proposals begins formal bargaining between the district and CSEA. The child care award sets a five-year vendor relationship for after‑school programs beginning in 2025–26. The safety plan adoption finalizes site-level emergency and safety procedures for next school year; the emergency repairs authorization allows the district to contract quickly to restore campus use while insurance is processed.

No ballot or collective bargaining outcomes were finalized at this meeting; the CSEA negotiations process will proceed through bargaining sessions following the mandated public "sunshine" presentation.

Motions, approvals and formal outcomes recorded at the meeting were entered into the minutes; the transcript does not show individual roll-call vote tallies for the motions.