SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – On Wednesday night, parents, teachers, students, and administration of Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) gathered at South Tahoe High School’s Student Union to discuss how the district has been doing and what the direction moving forward will be. The district addressed Measure U bonds, budget, priorities, and the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) survey results.

Dr. Ed Manansala, El Dorado County Superintendent of Schools, was the keynote speaker. His son was taught by one of the teachers now at South Tahoe High, Cindy Martínez, who he acknowledged. “You can feel the mark of students who are really engaged here,” said Manansala. “It’s so evident, the strength of this community… and there’s a sense of promise and hope.”

LTUSD’s vision has been to “discover and foster the unique talents and potential of all students,” which has been maintained since their first vision plan five years ago. On the whole, the board and administration has continued to use this to shape the policies of the district. Cutler addressed that in recent years, they have tried to integrate and move alongside rapidly changing technology like artificial intelligence, usually in the form of ChatGPT.

Last election, the city passed Measure U, which allowed the school to issue $127 million in bonds with increased property tax levies of $35 per $100,000 to fund classroom updates, safety improvements, and asbestos removal.

Phase 1 of these bond issuances will levy $35,000,000 to improve the softball field at the middle school, start energy projects to increase efficiency, and modernize Tahoe Valley Elementary and South Tahoe Middle School. Tahoe Valley will be receiving a new wing and new entrances. Cutler thanked the efforts of the Soroptimists’ Club and the Chamber of Commerce.

The final phase, Phase 4, of the bond issuances, is projected to occur in 2031.

Though the overall budget of the school will likely have some cuts come the new fiscal year, Kelly Buttery, interim Chief Business Officer, said that it will likely have “minimal impacts” on the programs they have.

Buttery spoke to the declining enrollment rate, which is typical for schools across California. However, the unduplicated student count, which refers to students who are either eligible for free or reduced-price meals, English learners, and foster youth, is at roughly 55%. These numbers are important for getting state funding for programs that support them.

LTUSD is dual immersion/bilingual from TK – 12, offers dual enrollment with Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC), career and technical education, and an active performing arts program.

The district also presented the LCAP 2024 – 2025 survey results. The LCAP is a three-year plan that describes the goals, actions, services, and expenditures to support positive student outcomes that address state and local priorities for California schools. Their five goals are to foster curiosity in students, establish positive climate and inclusive school climate, create a culture of continuous improvement and professional development for staff, increase achievement and attendance for students experiencing homelessness, and make partnerships that expand the career and college opportunities for students at Mt. Tallac High School.

The LCAP survey was administered from December 19 to January 24, which received lower parent engagement this year than previous years. The tabletop discussion portion of the night focused on three of the statements that received mixed results: “parents have opportunities to provide input on decisions”, “my student is academically challenged”, and “I receive useful information about my child’s progress from teachers and schools.”

Some suggested that there was too much information coming from the schools, that the system Aeries needed to be updated to provide better information, and there could be a feedback form for parents on the website.

Others said that there could be streamlined communication, better real-world engagement with teaching subjects, bilingual communication for the front desk, and concurrent schedules to provide better academic rigor for students. A common complaint was the second statement, “My student is academically challenged” was particularly unclear.

One of the tables was comprised of members of the Community Advisory Committee for Special Education, which had major complaints about the school’s implementation of ADA compliance. In fact, on Monday, a student using a power wheelchair was stuck in the snow due to improper clearing, and a new parent in town became emotional as she recounted that her child was unable to even enter classes because of the improper sizing of the doors.

“We have plenty of opportunities to provide input on decisions, but it doesn’t actually lead to change,” said Jennifer Drennan, a parent of a child with multiple disabilities attending South Tahoe High. Parents at the table also had complaints about the lack of appropriate classes or individualized education plans for their children.

The event concluded with a brief partner panel with representatives from the Boys and Girls club, The Learning Haven, the South Lake Tahoe Family Resource Center, and Sierra Child and Family Services.

Cutler finished by saying, “Whether you’re having a great time with your academic experience or a challenge, we need to hear you,” and invited parents and students to continue engaging with the district.

Upcoming education events of note are the joint board meeting with LTCC at 5:30 p.m. next Wednesday, and the Celebration of Education on May 15.

Eli Ramos is a reporter for Tahoe Daily Tribune. They are part of the 2024–26 cohort of California Local News Fellows through UC Berkeley.