School Board to Get Prom Guidelines

The Los Angeles Board of Education is expected to vote Monday on a proposal from district students that is designed to increase participation in senior proms and reduce their cost.

A committee of students this week presented the board with a series of recommendations, including a proposal that students sign a code of conduct promising to stay off drugs and alcohol on prom night.

The board will vote on the guidelines, which were drafted at the urging of board member Roberta Weintraub, at Monday’s board meeting.

Included are suggestions encouraging students to open interest-bearing savings accounts to save the money for prom-related expenses which, according to an informal district survey, averaged $900 per couple last year. Another proposal asked the board to revise rules to allow senior classes to apply up to 50% of the profits from class fund-raisers to defray prom costs.