The Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE), in partnership with Equality California Institute, hosted an inspiring and thought-provoking event centered around the unveiling of the 2024 Safe and Supportive School Report Card. This event created a meaningful space for open dialogue on the successes and challenges faced by California Unified School Districts as they work towards building LGBTQIA+ inclusive programs and policies.

Held at the LACOE Education Center West, the event featured a dynamic panel discussion moderated by Veejay Atilano, Associate Program Director at Equality California. The panel included Mira Costa High School student, Jonah, secretary of the school’s Banned Book Club that especially focuses LGBTQIA+ banned books; Virginia, parent of a transgender student in the Glendale Unified School District; Equity California program director, Erin Arendse and LACOE’s Project Director III, Wellbeing and Belonging, Tonya Moore, all sharing their experiences in fostering safe, supportive and affirming learning environments. Attendees were able to engage directly with the panelists during the Q&A, sparking insightful conversations about how to further push the needle on LGBTQIA+ inclusivity in the education space.

The discussions were deeply impactful, shedding light on the real-world implications of inclusive policies and how they affect the daily lives of LGBTQIA+ youth. From hearing students' personal stories of navigating school as LGBTQIA+ individuals to parents’ and educators’ strategies for creating affirming spaces, the event was a powerful reminder of the importance of continued advocacy and support for inclusive education.

In recognition of October’s significance in LGBTQIA+ visibility, the month that celebrates National Coming Out Day and Spirit Day, this gathering emphasized the need for ongoing community involvement and dialogue. The collective energy and commitment to making California schools more inclusive was evident throughout the event.

This collaborative event was a significant step toward amplifying the voices of those who are often marginalized and ensuring that all students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, feel seen, heard and supported.

2024 Safe and Supportive School Report Card – L.A. County Highlights and Challenges

• 84.6% of responding districts observe days of significance for the LGBTQIA+ community
• 61.5% of responding districts translate their antibullying policies into multiple languages
• L.A. county districts on average included 75% of the required language in their antibullying policy
• 57.7% of responding districts provide LGBTQIA+ cultural competency training to staff at all grade levels
• 34.6% of responding districts require 2+ hours of LGBQIA+ cultural competency training in a 24 month

*Data based on responses of 26 districts