The Los Angeles Unified School District has a new superintendent

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The Los Angeles Unified¹ School District has a new superintendent²

Transcript³

NPR's A Martinez speaks to Superintendent Alberto Carvalho about the challenges facing schools amid the omicron surge. Carvalho talks about his goals for the nation's second largest school district.

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

This COVID pandemic era has put a particular burden on school administrators⁴ as districts struggle to get students back to class but also keep everyone safe. One person who's been tackling those challenges is former Miami-Dade Public Schools chief Alberto Carvalho. Last December, as many people have during this period, Carvalho switched jobs to become superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, the second-largest public school system in the nation. I spoke⁵ with Carvalho and asked him about the challenges ahead and about the pressures not just on students but teachers, too, as they navigate⁶ the ongoing⁷ pandemic.

ALBERTO CARVALHO: We spent a lot of time obviously concerning ourselves with the well-being⁸ of students, how they navigated⁹ the pandemic, the academic loss that they experienced and the mental anguish¹⁰ as a result of social isolation¹¹ that they felt. And sometimes we don't recognize sufficiently¹² the challenges that teachers face during the same time. And I can tell you, after speaking with many teachers and actually serving teachers in a very deliberate way, we found out that teachers suffered that same type of stress and trauma¹³. It was difficult for teachers to establish necessary connection, not only intellectual connection with the students they taught but the emotional connection that usually face-to-face instruction allows. With that said, I'm actually quite inspired by the resilient nature of both teachers and students in Los Angeles and Miami and across the country. They did the very best during very, very difficult conditions, and in the process, they improved their skill set.

MARTINEZ: In Florida, I know that you defied Governor DeSantis' ban on mask mandates¹⁵. You're now moving to California, where even some politically progressive parents feel that the state's COVID restrictions¹⁶ for schools could be too strict. If, as you say, Superintendent, that the pandemic is here to stay, what's your message to LA parents about how their kids are going to deal with COVID while at school?

CARVALHO: You know, I've been someone who has been guided by the expert advice of public health and medical entities¹⁷ in Miami. I will take that perspective over to Los Angeles. No doubt, the political fight is not going to be like the one I dealt with in in Miami where my job, my pay was threatened over decisions that were in line with the expert advice of medical entities. I don't think that's going to be the challenge in Los Angeles. At the same time, I have to recognize that people are seeking normalcy. People are seeking routine. I think there's an appropriate way to establish a balance that resumes the routine that kids need, the normalcy they desire without abandoning scientific principles that protect our schools and protect our communities.

MARTINEZ: I saw that you recently asked the state of Florida to remove accountability measures for the year's annual school assessment¹⁸ levels. If it happens, it would make back-to-back years where test scores would be waived¹⁹. Your reasoning is that the pandemic has resulted in learning loss, loss of instruction days. How much longer, though, Superintendent, can schools generally downplay standardized²⁰ testing?

CARVALHO: Well, I'm one who believes in accountability but reasonable accountability - fewer tests, more opportunity to teach. But we still need some degree of accountability. We need to know where students are academically and sort of the gaps that have emerged. What I'm asking for is not an absolute removal or cessation of testing. What I'm asking for is let's not use the test results in a punitive²¹ way that will influence the evaluation²² of teachers or the designation of school grades. Why? Because conditions across the state of Florida were not homogeneous. So the impact of COVID continues to have a disproportionate level of consequence on communities based on positivity levels across the state that vary wildly. What I'm asking for is that the punitive actions that would come with accountability be suspended until such time as we have a uniform, level playing field across the entire state.

MARTINEZ: I know that you've always been pro¹⁴ upgrading tech in schools, but a lot of times, that's easier said than done. LAUSD had a plan to distribute iPads that did not go well. And a couple of summers ago, I know that you had to apologize for a deal with an online school provider that had a lot of tech issues. The pandemic, though, has pushed everyone and every school district to at least accept that learning from home could sometimes be a needed alternative. So how can that be done effectively?

CARVALHO: I'm proud of the fact that school systems stepped up, faced challenges in some aspects. The private sector²³ was not ready to really pivot²⁴ as quickly as teachers pivoted²⁵ to this new environment. So there were failures across the country. There were challenges. But I think today we are in a far better position as far as what technology can bring to schools. And what that means is that teaching and learning now because of - technologies can take place 24/7, anytime, anywhere. With that said, we need to recognize that the best type of instruction, the best type of education, happens in a face-to-face environment with a professionally trained teacher who cares, who has the right level of skill and will to teach the child. You know, you cannot teach the mind whose heart you have not touched. Sometimes it is hard to touch the heart from a distance.

MARTINEZ: I know that you took over in Miami in 2008, and I think most would generally agree that you had a successful run at Miami-Dade. I was an LAUSD student once. I was a teacher's assistant in the district. I have aunts and uncles who are teachers here, so I know firsthand how tough of a job the superintendent is in LA. It's a bruising²⁶ job. Since 2008, since you took over Miami, there have been six different LAUSD superintendents²⁷. So why do you want to do this job in Los Angeles?

CARVALHO: I know what works. I also know that the potential of LA, much like Miami - you know, the journey is not finished here - can be realized with equal parts skill and will and the belief that in fact, this work can be done. LA is a greater level opportunity. I think over the past 14 years, I've taken Miami as far as I can take it within the political environment, particularly over the past two years that we had to navigate. I now see literally²⁸ Los Angeles as this new western opportunity that, quite frankly²⁹, will prove to the nation that a mega system the size of Los Angeles can in fact aggressively move towards student performance at levels that have never been realized by, quite frankly, reunifying the LA community through the power of education.

MARTINEZ: That's incoming Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho. Thank you very much.

CARVALHO: Thank you.

(SOUNDBITE OF SAM PREKOP'S "A CLOUD TO THE BACK")

1 unified   

(unify 的过去式和过去分词)； 统一的； 统一标准的； 一元化的

参考例句：

• The teacher unified the answer of her pupil with hers. 老师核对了学生的答案。
• The First Emperor of Qin unified China in 221 B.C. 秦始皇于公元前221年统一中国。

2 superintendent   

n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长

参考例句：

• He was soon promoted to the post of superintendent of Foreign Trade.他很快就被擢升为对外贸易总监。
• He decided to call the superintendent of the building.他决定给楼房管理员打电话。

3 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

4 administrators   

n.管理者( administrator的名词复数 )；有管理（或行政）才能的人；（由遗嘱检验法庭指定的）遗产管理人；奉派暂管主教教区的牧师

参考例句：

• He had administrators under him but took the crucial decisions himself. 他手下有管理人员，但重要的决策仍由他自己来做。 来自辞典例句
• Administrators have their own methods of social intercourse. 办行政的人有他们的社交方式。 来自汉英文学 - 围城

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 navigate   

v.航行，飞行；导航，领航

参考例句：

• He was the first man to navigate the Atlantic by air.他是第一个飞越大西洋的人。
• Such boats can navigate on the Nile.这种船可以在尼罗河上航行。

7 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

8 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

9 navigated   

v.给（船舶、飞机等）引航，导航( navigate的过去式和过去分词 )；（从海上、空中等）横越；横渡；飞跃

参考例句：

• He navigated the plane through the clouds. 他驾驶飞机穿越云层。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The ship was navigated by the North Star. 那只船靠北极星来导航。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 anguish   

n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼

参考例句：

• She cried out for anguish at parting.分手时，她由于痛苦而失声大哭。
• The unspeakable anguish wrung his heart.难言的痛苦折磨着他的心。

11 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

12 sufficiently   

adv.足够地，充分地

参考例句：

• It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。
• The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。

13 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。

14 pro   

n.赞成，赞成的意见，赞成者

参考例句：

• The two debating teams argued the question pro and con.辩论的两组从赞成与反对两方面辩这一问题。
• Are you pro or con nuclear disarmament?你是赞成还是反对核裁军？

15 mandates   

托管（mandate的第三人称单数形式）

参考例句：

• Individual mandates would require all people to purchase health insurance. 个人托管要求所有人都要购买健康保险。
• While I agree with those benefits, I'm not a supporter of mandates. 我同意上述好处，我不是授权软件的支持者。

16 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

17 entities   

实体对像； 实体，独立存在体，实际存在物( entity的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Our newspaper and our printing business form separate corporate entities. 我们的报纸和印刷业形成相对独立的企业实体。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities. 北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

18 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

19 waived   

v.宣布放弃( waive的过去式和过去分词 )；搁置；推迟；放弃（权利、要求等）

参考例句：

• He has waived all claim to the money. 他放弃了索取这笔钱的权利。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I waived the discourse, and began to talk of my business. 我撇开了这个话题，开始讲我的事情。 来自辞典例句

20 standardized   

adj.标准化的

参考例句：

• We use standardized tests to measure scholastic achievement. 我们用标准化考试来衡量学生的学业成绩。
• The parts of an automobile are standardized. 汽车零件是标准化了的。

21 punitive   

adj.惩罚的，刑罚的

参考例句：

• They took punitive measures against the whole gang.他们对整帮人采取惩罚性措施。
• The punitive tariff was imposed to discourage tire imports from China.该惩罚性关税的征收是用以限制中国轮胎进口的措施。

22 evaluation   

n.估价，评价；赋值

参考例句：

• I attempted an honest evaluation of my own life.我试图如实地评价我自己的一生。
• The new scheme is still under evaluation.新方案还在评估阶段。

23 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

24 pivot   

v.在枢轴上转动；装枢轴，枢轴；adj.枢轴的

参考例句：

• She is the central pivot of creation and represents the feminine aspect in all things.她是创造的中心枢轴，表现出万物的女性面貌。
• If a spring is present,the hand wheel will pivot on the spring.如果有弹簧，手轮的枢轴会装在弹簧上。

25 pivoted   

adj.转动的，回转的，装在枢轴上的v.（似）在枢轴上转动( pivot的过去式和过去分词 )；把…放在枢轴上；以…为核心，围绕（主旨）展开

参考例句：

• His old legs and shoulders pivoted with the swinging of the pulling. 他一把把地拉着，两条老迈的腿儿和肩膀跟着转动。 来自英汉文学 - 老人与海
• When air is moving, the metal is pivoted on the hinge. 当空气流动时，金属板在铰链上转动。 来自辞典例句

26 bruising   

adj.殊死的；十分激烈的v.擦伤(bruise的现在分词形式)

参考例句：

• He suffered cracked ribs and bruising. 他断了肋骨还有挫伤。
• He slipped and fell, badly bruising an elbow. 他滑倒了，一只胳膊肘严重擦伤。 来自辞典例句

27 superintendents   

警长( superintendent的名词复数 )； （大楼的）管理人； 监管人； （美国）警察局长

参考例句：

• Unlike their New York counterparts, Portland school superintendents welcomed McFarlane. 这一次，地点是在波特兰。
• But superintendents and principals have wide discretion. 但是，地方领导和校长有自由裁量权。

28 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

29 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。