La Mesa‑Spring Valley outlines Proposition 28 plan to hire itinerant arts teachers for TK–5

Christian Tordal, the district’s coordinator for Visual and Performing Arts, told the La Mesa‑Spring Valley school board that the district will use Proposition 28 funding to expand arts instruction across elementary schools.

Tordal said Proposition 28, passed by voters in November 2022 with 64.4% support, creates a guaranteed funding stream for arts instruction distinct from Proposition 98 school‑funding dollars but linked to that formula. He said the district plans to hire eight itinerant VAPA teachers — four in visual arts and four in music — who will visit each TK–5 classroom on a regular cycle so every elementary student receives standards‑based arts instruction.

The plan, Tordal said, calls for itinerant teachers to visit classrooms approximately once every three weeks. He outlined sample schedules in which students would receive about 40–50 minutes each of music and visual arts on site, and said the district will also reserve funds for arts partnerships, instructional materials and professional learning for classroom teachers to support arts integration.

Why it matters: Proposition 28 funding is intended to increase arts access during the school day for all students. Tordal emphasized the district must follow state rules on allowable uses and prepare for state audits, and he said some CDE guidance has been slow to arrive, which complicates planning.

Details and implementation steps

- Funding and rules: Tordal said Prop 28 funds are allocated to sites based on prior‑year pupil counts; the largest share must be used for certificated staff, with a district interpretation that a minimum of roughly 80% of the allocation is directed to staffing and the remainder toward materials and partnerships. He said allocations roll over for three years, which provides multi‑year planning flexibility.

- Staffing plan: The initial elementary rollout is an itinerant model (eight teachers covering 17 sites). The district plans to hire a mix of visual arts and music teachers to deliver sequential, standards‑based lessons. The goal is to keep itinerant teachers as consistent as possible year to year so students have continuity from TK through fifth grade.

- Pilots and evidence: Tordal described a pilot series led by Wendy Cross (visual arts teacher on special assignment) that included 56 classroom visits across three schools between Jan. 30 and March 15, reaching an estimated 1,500 students. The pilot used projects designed to teach visual design principles and engagement; Tordal said staff observed strong student engagement and teacher interest.

- Middle school planning: Tordal and arts leadership are meeting with each middle‑school site to address unique scheduling and staffing challenges; some middle schools may use pooled funds or site‑specific hires depending on enrollment and course design.

- Special education and access: The district will provide training for VAPA itinerant teachers and coordinate with the special education department to support students with learning differences.

Board and public discussion

Board members and attendees asked about site‑by‑site specialization (for example, ceramics vs. photography), how Prop 28 funds interact with existing school or PTA‑funded programs, whether funds can be pooled, and whether the model protects student instructional time and teacher prep time. Tordal and district staff said the law requires funds to supplement existing programs, not supplant them, and that staff are creating site inventories to avoid replacing current offerings.

Cindy Knight, principal at Tres Splendid Learning (public comment earlier in the meeting), praised district attention to student needs and the focus on social‑emotional learning as the district implements new programs.

Next steps

Tordal said the state released additional guidance in March and the district will use that guidance, site inventories and ongoing consultations with principals to finalize schedules and staffing. He recommended a cautious rollout and at least a one‑year trial before changing existing local programs.

Sources and provenance

This article is based on the district presentation and board discussion recorded in the La Mesa‑Spring Valley school board meeting transcript (topic start: SEG 200; topic finish: SEG 1132). Direct quotes and program details are attributed to Christian Tordal and district staff during that segment.

Ending

District staff will return to sites with detailed schedules and continue middle‑school consultations; staffing hires and site allocations will follow state guidance and audit requirements as the district finalizes its Prop 28 plan.