FAQs

What is the purpose of Supporters of Braddock Drive Elementary School [SBDES]?

SBDES, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, works hand‑in‑hand with Braddock’s teachers, families and community so that every child in every classroom receives the enrichment and educational support they deserve, each and every day.

How does SBDES support students in their Braddock journey?

• Discover, organize, and deliver diverse enrichment programs for all grade levels: art, music, STEM, cultural activities, field trips, and more

• Coordinate school-wide fundraising events - helping to  build community spirit and student engagement

• Help support funding of over 15 Teacher Assistants (TAs) to provide smaller classroom learning environments

Does SBDES support the whole school?

Yes. The thing that sets Braddock apart from all other schools is that we are three programs intertwined together into One School. Braddock is uniquely set up to give all of our children a worldly opportunity to experience diverse cultures starting at a young age. We want our Braddock Bobcats to thrive together, learn about each other, and care more about one other to create and maintain this distinctive One School identity. This enables all students to feel a sense of belonging within our Braddock community.

The SBDES mission supports the One School identity and fosters community building, generosity, equitable opportunities, and a sense of a larger Bobcat family. With the One School identity, each Braddock student has access to the extra-curricular activities and resources available to their grade. The September 2023 merger with Friends of Braddock (FOB), the booster club for the Braddock Magnet program, furthered the SBDES mission to support the One School identity.

How are SBDES funds raised and where are they applied? 

SBDES raises funds through fundraising events, such as with local restaurants or corporations where a percentage of the proceeds are donated back to SBDES. Our biggest fundraiser is through each family’s Annual Giving per student.

Who runs SBDES?

SBDES is a 100% parent-led volunteer organization.  Parents are voted into a Board position each year during the annual elections, which typically occur in Spring.  The volunteer Board is comprised of parents from all programs and with various backgrounds.

What is the Annual Giving goal? 

SBDES strives for 100% participation.  We encourage every family to give what is within their budget.  Whether you give the suggested amount, a little more, or a little less, every dollar matters. What counts is every family stepping in together to support our Braddock community.

Braddock is a Title I school.  What is Title I?

Title 1 is a Federal program that aims “to provide all children a significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable, and high quality education, and to close educational achievement gaps”.  To do that, Title I provides supplemental federal funds to help meet the educational needs of students in the highest poverty schools.  These Title 1 funds are allocated to benefit all students at Braddock for expenditures such as Teacher Assistants/Aides, school coordinators, intervention services, and school computers/electronics.

Being a Title I school also means students benefit from free/reduced admissions to field trips along with bus scholarships.  Without Title I funding, SBDES would need to raise more funds to cover the same amount of trips and accompanying transportation.

What is the relationship between SBDES funds and Title 1 funds?  For example, is there a difference between how these funds can be spent?  Are both pools of money going to the same types of expenditures? 

SBDES funds and Braddock Title 1 funds are not commingled.  Braddock Title 1 funds are managed by the administration of Braddock Drive Elementary School.  Use of Title 1 funds have to meet the criteria set by the California Department of Education (CDE) and Braddock Title 1 funds are used for Teacher Assistants/Aides, coordinators, and other social services.

SBDES funds are used to enrich the learning experience of all Braddock students. SBDES funds pay for enrichment opportunities such as music learning, theater, dance, and STEM.  SBDES also funds Teacher Assistants/Aides that are not covered by the Braddock Title 1 funds.

What is the relationship between SBDES and DragonSprouts [DS]? 

SBDES and DS are two separate non-profit entities that are run independently from one another.  DS supports the Mandarin Immersion (MI) programs in LAUSD West, namely Braddock Drive Elementary School, Broadway Elementary School, Mark Twain Middle School, and Venice High School. It focuses on advocacy and creating cultural experiences for students in the MI programs in LAUSD West. Examples of cultural experiences are the Lunar New Year celebration at Venice High School, Mariachi performance for Hispanic Heritage Month at Braddock, Folklorico dance performance for Dia de Los Muertos at Braddock, and Mandarin Spelling Bee.

When families donate to DS, the donation can go to a specific school. The elected DS representative of each school can decide how to use the funds raised via the annual meeting and grant requests.  

On the other hand, SBDES supports all the programs at Braddock and our funds are used to support the curriculum and extra-curricular activities of all students at Braddock.

What is Norming LAUSD, and why should I care about Norming?

Norming occurs annually where LAUSD will officially count the number of actively enrolled students in each school/level. The student count is the basis by which LAUSD revenue apportionments are determined by the California Department of Education and how LAUSD must shift teacher assignments to meet the mandated ratio of students to teachers.  Norm Day usually occurs 5-6 weeks into the academic year.

Just a few students can make the difference between keeping or losing a teacher, making the Norm Day count critical for schools.  The process can result in the reshuffling of classes and teachers, creating instability for students and educators.  The California Department of Education uses the student count to determine state funding, which influences the resources available to schools. 

Attrition within all the Braddock programs are natural consequences of changes in a student’s family life. Lower enrollment is also common in 4th and 5th grades.  If norming causes a teacher to be displaced, Braddock either loses the teacher, or must find other ways to pay for that teacher.  The cost of funding a displaced LAUSD teacher is expected to be more than $100,000 annually.