Dropout Prevention Project
Our League formed an Education Advocacy Committee in January 2006 to use our education program positions to be part of the solution to the high school dropout problem in our ten communities.
The strategy we developed was to gather information, to assess the problem and develop recommendations for advocacy. We began by compiling a list of questions to ask school administrators, community leaders and dropouts and their families. Included was a list of items for the administrators and community leaders to rank for their effectiveness in preventing student dropouts.
Two subcommittees were created. One included the cities and towns in the Pasadena Unified School District (Pasadena, Altadena and Sierra Madre). The other targeted the Monrovia Unified School District (Monrovia). Although we did not create sub-committees, work was also begun in Alhambra, San Gabriel, South Pasadena, and Monterey Park.
The committee's Findings and Recommendations were presented at an April, 2007 League Day. A joint progress report was reported in our Summer 2007 VOTER. Both subcommittees continue to work. In addition, we are partnering with LWV California to support dropout legislation currently being considered in our legislature. SB219 passed both houses of the legislature and was signed by the governor. Other bills, SB344, 405 and 406 are still in the legislature.
Immigration
In September 2006, the League of Women Voters launched a two-year Immigration Study aimed at helping members and the community understand the implications of immigration at the local, state, and federal level. The LWVUS board outlined the scope of the study to include the underlying principles and values regarding immigration, the reasons for immigration, current federal immigration policy and the impact of immigration.
Since September 2006, the LWVUS Immigration Study Committee has prepared background papers and hosted a panel discussion entitled "Immigration Policy in the 21st Century." These items and more on immigration can be found at lwv.org.
The LWV Pasadena Area local immigration study committee hosted a program entitled "Can We Make Sense of the Immigration Debate?" on May 3, 2007. At that meeting, we looked at the history of immigration policy as well as some of the details of immigrating to the United States.
On September 15, the LWVPA hosted a second forum on immigration entitled "The Quest for a 21st Century Immigration Policy". This time the panel of speakers covered the economic impact of immigration, making immigration policy responsive to employment needs for skilled and unskilled workers, family re-unification, possible immigration reform and protecting immigrant rights.
The study consensus discussions took place at November League Day and unit meetings. The results were tallied and sent to the National League, which combined the results from all Leagues across the country and developed the following positions on immigration.
Affordable Housing
In 2006-2007, the League was active in efforts to secure and preserve affordable housing in the San Gabriel Valley area; it has undertaken a number of activities, including:
- A League Day presentation on affordable housing entitled "Where Will Our Grandchildren Live?"
- A review of the affordable housing positions for the cities in its service area
- A 5-part workshop entitled "Affordable Housing 101" designed to make community members more conversant with the basics of affordable housing
- A Pasadena City Council Candidates' forum on affordable housing issues
- An every other Friday networking sessions designed to keep advocates current on the many housing activities in the region
- Affordable housing advocacy
Instant Runoff Voting
We continue to work on educating the public and elected officials about the benefits of Instant Runoff Voting (IRV), with the goal of getting IRV adopted for Pasadena local elections. See our IRV page for more details.