Re: Request for a Moratorium on Expulsions from K-12 schools during COVID-19 crisis
Dear Governor Newsom, State Superintendent Thurmond and State Board President Dr. Darling-Hammond:
Thank you for your leadership in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis within our state and nation. We are a coalition of organizers, advocates, and attorneys who partner with and represent California students who have experienced exclusionary discipline, such as suspension and expulsion.
Each year, California state leaders spend months proposing and refining the state’s budget, making decisions about programs and resources that directly impact students, schools, and colleges.
As California’s students and families of color grapple with the aftermath of remote learning and their disproportionately negative learning outcomes attributed to lost instructional time and
At EdTrust-West, we believe a different California is possible:
a California that ensures that Black, Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander and Native American students’ futures are as bright as their dreams are big. We believe that our state’s schools, colleges, and universities can form the bedrock of a more just California.
Committed to advancing policies and practices to dismantle the racial and economic barriers embedded in California’s education system.
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Communications Manager
Karla Fernandez (she/her/hers) joins Ed Trust–West as a Communications Manager with over 11 years of experience advancing social impact initiatives.
Karla started her career as a teacher at Chicago Public Schools and UIC College Prep. After teaching, Karla joined United Friends of the Children to support LA County’s youth in foster care as a college counselor. Through Leadership for Educational Equity, Karla also served as a Policy Advisor Fellow for the office of a Los Angeles Unified School Board Member. She solidified her interests in policy analysis and quantitative research during her time with the Price Center for Social Innovation, the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, and the USC Presidential Working Group on Sustainability. Before joining The Education Trust–West, Karla was the Associate Director for the Southeast Los Angeles (SELA) Collaborative, a network of nonprofits advocating for communities in SELA.
Karla holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology from the University of Chicago, a Master of Public Policy from the USC Price School of Public Policy, and a Graduate Certificate in Policy Advocacy from the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. Karla is based out of southern California and is passionate about using data analysis, communications, and digital strategies for policy advocacy and social justice efforts.