The Brief

Just getting to the first day of school feels like an accomplishment — and it is! — but decades of research show when parents are involved in their child’s education year-round, their kids learn and feel better.

“Don't drop your kids off at school and think what's happening inside the school is what's actually happening inside the school,” says Kelly Bedford, a parent of four children who have gone through LAUSD schools. “You better get in there and you better find out what's going on so that you can then fill those gaps that are missing.”

Studies have found parent engagement is tied to improved reading skills, student mental health, and higher high school graduation rates.

There are many ways to show up for your child and navigate their educational journey as a team.

These tips are all from parents and educators with ties to Los Angeles Unified, but you may find similar resources in your school district. We’ve ordered these suggestions by increasing effort levels.

First: You are busy! And that's OK!

Every parent LAist talked to emphasized that between work and caregiving, it’s hard to find time to attend meetings, fundraise, or volunteer at your local school.

“What I would advise a parent is to not feel guilty at all for not meeting or conforming to the district's model of parent engagement,” Bedford says. “But I do think that parents should be engaged with their child's education in a way that is best for them and their family.”

Introduce your child 

Write a parent introduction to a teacher

At the beginning of every school year, Bedford typically sends an email to her son’s teachers introducing herself and her expectations for her kids.

“I let them know that we are a team,” Bedford says.

Write a student introduction to a teacher

You can also work with your child to write a letter from them to their teacher, outlining things like:

• What they’re looking forward to
• What they need extra help with
• What they want their new teacher to know

Here’s an example of what that note can look like— you can also add personal details about your child’s goals and tips for how they learn best.

“Once teachers realize that you are an advocate, sometimes they're pleasantly surprised,” Bedford says.

Get in-person help

Many school districts have family resource centers. These are dedicated spaces for parents and caregivers to participate in workshops about their child’s education, digital tools, financial literacy, career development, and communicating with their students.

Build a resource library

When Bedford realized her first child needed more support, she started collecting pamphlets and information from every nonprofit and potentially helpful agency she could find.

“Sometimes you have to look for resources outside of the district in order to determine what is best for your child,” Bedford says.

Here are some organizations our parent advisors recommended:

• Families In Schools: An educational advocacy organization that provides resources for parents around preparing for college, supporting their child’s mental health, and literacy. 
• Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE): A nonprofit that offers classes that cover topics like communication, school resources, and the steps to graduation and college. 
• Parents Supporting Teachers: This Facebook group started in the months leading up to the 2019 teachers strike as a way for parents to share information. Now nearly 30,000 members share news, answer questions, and advocate for accountability.
• TASK: A nonprofit that provides information, training and resources for families of children and youth with disabilities. 

Keep track of your engagement 

Sometimes your child has specific learning needs beyond what a school might expect to offer and a parent or caretaker has to make their case to school district employees. A common example of this is students with disabilities, who have the legal right to an education that best fits their needs.

L.A. parent Lisa Mosko Barros is an advocate, the mom of two “wildly creative and wonderful kids” who are neurodiverse, and founder of nonprofit SpEducational.

She suggests you:

• write down when and how you’re communicating with your child’s school in a specific notebook or document; and
• save emails, texts, and other electronic communication.

That way, you can remember to follow up and prove that you’ve made a concerted effort to request that the school meet your child’s needs.

“You're creating a paper trail,” Mosko Barros says. "Hopefully you won't need a paper trail, but you have it if you need it."

Learn the chain of command 

Every person working in a school, from the custodians to the front office staff, plays a role in a child’s education.

“There's a chain of command and you have to work your way all the way up,” says San Fernando Valley mom Roxann Nazario.

She says the first person to talk to about your child’s education is their teacher, but if you don’t feel like your question or problem is being addressed, reach out to the principal and other school staff.

If that still doesn’t work, there are other levels of power and accountability in a district. Here’s how it works in LAUSD:

Region leadership: LAUSD is broken into four regions— North, South, East, and West— each with its own superintendent. Find your region here and the contact information for who’s in charge here.

School board: Voters elect seven people to make policy and determine how to use district resources. They also choose the district's top superintendent. Their offices can also help spur action at the school level.

Every regular school board meeting includes an opportunity for parents, or any member of the public, to say something to the board and audience. Registration for public comment opens 24 hours before the meeting. Speakers can weigh in by phone or in person and are generally limited to two minutes.

What if my child goes to a charter school?

In many cases, charters have boards separate from the district.

Affiliated charter schools are those operated by the district; in LAUSD, the board’s decisions influence their operations in a similar way to a traditional public school.

Independent charter schools are run by a separate, nonprofit organization. And day-to-day operations are overseen by a separate board, often appointed by the school’s founders or nonprofit leaders.

They might decide on everything from curriculum to hiring and student discipline.

Find out who is on the board, when they meet and how to contact them on your school’s website or by asking your child’s teacher.

Unite with other parents and educators 

“The more you can network with other parents, the more you're going to learn,” Nazario says.

• Check to see if your school has a parent-teacher association or a booster club.
• You may also meet other parents through a neighborhood council, which are official city groups that support L.A.'s large number of enclaves. Many have a representative focused on education. Here's how to find yours.

While fundraising is often a primary focus for school-based groups, they can be more inclusive, says former Atwater Village PTA president Lori Rosales.

“People can give money, they can give supplies, or they can give time,” Rosales says. “If we thought through those lenses, that is going to ensure that everybody can participate in some way.”

For example, when the PTA spearheaded a school painting project, local businesses donated money and families chipped in supplies and time on the weekends.

You may also find that you get a lot of tips from other members of those networks. Still, do your own research.

“Because sometimes even the most well intentioned advice might be incorrect,” Mosko Barros says.

Volunteer (or be otherwise helpful!)

Volunteers can help out throughout the school from the front office to the cafeteria, playground, in the classroom and on field trips. There are also opportunities to pitch in virtually.

More than 36,000 volunteers supported LAUSD students last school year, according to Antonio Plascencia Jr., who leads family and community engagement efforts at LAUSD. Prospective volunteers have to:

• fill out an online application
• provide a health screening
• you may also be required to pass a background check

‘Boss up’

Los Angeles schools convene parents and other stakeholders in a variety of different committees, councils and working groups to get feedback and help shape plans for:

• school safety
• English-language learners
• meeting the needs of students with disabilities; and 
• how to spend money

One example is called a School Site Council. This group of parents, community members, staff, and students creates a plan for academics.

“You're able to learn, but also give very direct recommendations and approve those recommendations with your elected peers,” Plascencia says.

The council is required by California law at schools that receive certain types of federal and state funding.

Sometimes important organizations have boring names — Bedford would suggest a catchier moniker. “Maybe 'bossing up,'” Bedford says. "Meaning that you are in charge, you are making decisions, you are in a leadership position.”

About this series

School Game Plan helps L.A. families navigate their child’s education, from choosing a school to making change once they’re enrolled. Help us keep this project fresh and helpful:

Top illustration by Olivia Hughes/LAist.

LAist reports on local issues for — and with — communities across Southern California, but chances are most readers have never spoken with a journalist before. Your stories and experiences power our reporting, so it’s important that people know what to expect when they speak with a reporter.

That’s what this guide is for.

Below are some tips from our newsroom on what to keep in mind when talking to a journalist.

Remember: You are the expert on your own life

Tell the story you want to tell about yourself.

Be honest. Truthfulness and facts are central to journalistic ethics.

Also know your worth. Reporters come to you for a reason. They may be intimidating because they have a mic or a camera, but you have a perspective they need. Media outlets also want to expand their audiences, and that includes you.

Common questions

How can I get a journalist’s attention?

Contact reporters by social media or send them a personal email — at LAist, contact information is available on our staff page. If you meet a reporter, get their business card. It will usually have a direct phone number to talk with them.

Will all my words be published?

Probably not. Journalists are often working with a limited word count or air time. They will likely use one short sound bite or quote from you. It’s also possible they will not use your interview at all. Reporters and their editors decide what will get published.

Can I see a copy of the story before it's published?

Probably not. It is against journalistic ethics to have sources review a story before it’s published. Imagine if a journalist were to do a piece about government corruption. You wouldn’t want the government agency to review the story and edit it. Editors review stories for accuracy.

When will the story be published?

It depends on the type of story. Some stories are short and may air on the radio or be published online the same day you talk to the reporter. Other times a reporter might work on a story for several weeks or months. It’s OK to follow up with the reporter who talked to you and ask when the story might be done and ask them to let you know where you can read or hear it.

Can I speak with a fact-checker?

You are welcome to ask reporters about their fact-checking process or how they make sure a story is accurate. Not all outlets have fact-checkers. If the story is an investigative story or a long-form or magazine format, designated fact-checkers are more common. At LAist, reporters and editors are responsible for verifying information.

What if I am asked about something that makes me feel uncomfortable?

Your story is your own and during an interview you have full control over what you say to a reporter. Answer questions in any way that makes you feel most comfortable, and you can always decline to answer a question.

What do I do if a reporter asks me about my immigration status?

You don't have to disclose your immigration status to a reporter. If it's directly relevant to the story, a trustworthy reporter will explain that and also tell you how they'd handle the information. You can decline to answer.

• More on how LAist handles this topic

How do I determine if the newsroom I'm speaking with has a specific point of view?

It's a great question and relates directly to media literacy — meaning how well you can spot misinformation, disinformation and bias. The reality is that we all have points of view. Here are some tools to check on where a publication falls across the political spectrum:

• FAIR's (Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting), which describes itself as a "progressive media watchdog group" has this media literacy guide.
• PEW Research Center, which describes itself as a nonprofit, nonpartisan nonadvocacy organization, has information on sources most popular with different political perspectives
• You should be able to find information on who funds the work on the site (corporations, individual owners, subscribers, members and so on).
• You can also check out this interactive chart tracking media outlets across the political spectrum (note that you may need a paid version to search smaller outlets). Ad Fontes Media, which describes itself as a "public benefit corporation" which they said means they are "a for-profit business with a stated public mission," has been publishing its analysis since 2018.

Is everything I say usable in a story?

You can come to an agreement with reporters ahead of the conversation about how your words can be used:

• “On the record”: This means that everything you say in your conversation with the journalist can be quoted, published and attributed back to you. By default, you should assume any exchange you have with a journalist is on the record unless you mutually agree otherwise. 
• “On background”: This means that you are sharing information with a journalist that can be referenced in a story, but is not directly attributed to you. 
• “Off the record”: This means that you are sharing information that is not for publication. People may share experiences or tips off the record if they want the journalist to be aware of the information but don’t want it mentioned in a story. Remember that “off the record” only counts if both you and the journalist agree to it. 

It's worth noting that different newsrooms may use these terms slightly differently. You should confirm with the reporter that you have as shared understanding of the meaning.

Do I need to pay to be in a news story? Can I get paid?

No and no. You will not pay or get paid to be in a news story because this is against journalistic ethics. Anyone who receives payment for a story could be swayed to bend the truth.

What if the reporter gets my story wrong?

If you feel that the reporter misrepresented your story, you can ask for a correction or an update to clarify a point. Reporters want to get the story right and they don't want to incorrect or misleading information to go unchecked. That said, corrections deal with information that is factually incorrect, so you should be ready to explain what was wrong and why. Under California law, you have 20 days to demand a correction and the publisher has to respond within a set period of time.

• More on California civil defamation claims and the definition of defamation.

How can I prepare for an interview?

Think about the main points you want to get across in your interview. What are the most critical things for the reporter to know? Some people like to organize their thoughts into three major points. If you are not used to telling your story, you may want to have a friend ask you some questions to practice. Depending on the story, a reporter may also ask if you have any pictures to share that they can use to help tell the story.

Get involved with LAist

Ask LAist reporters questions

You can reach out to LAist reporters through the contact information listed on their bios. All our editorial staff, including the teams reporting, editing and producing news, are listed here.

How else you can be a part of LAist's reporting

Aside from contacting journalists directly, you can share your story with LAist through short surveys and meeting us in person. Learn more here.

This guide was originally written by former LAist early childhood producer Stefanie Ritoper, with contributions from Mariana Dale. Cato Hernández and David Rodriguez also contributed to this guide. 

File this under things that could only happen in L.A.

Paradise Dynasty, the Singapore-based chain known for its signature eight-flavor xiao long bao, has teamed up with Burritos La Palma — the SoCal burrito institution whose birria de res recipe traces back over 45 years — to create a limited-edition birria soup dumpling. The Birria XLB will be available starting Monday (May 11) for a limited time at Paradise Dynasty locations.

I've eaten my weight in both soup dumplings and burritos, so naturally, I'm a fan of both.

Paradise Dynasty has been on a steady ascent as a major player in L.A.'s dumpling scene, with locations at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa and The Americana at Brand in Glendale.

Meanwhile, Burritos La Palma — known for its simple, savory burritos and finely crafted flour tortillas — has been capturing hearts and stomachs since Alberto Bañuelos opened the first eatery in L.A. in 2012. It’s since grown to several spots across L.A. and Orange County, earning a Michelin Bib Gourmand award in 2024 for its high-quality, Zacatecan-style handmade flour tortilla burritos at an affordable price.

How the collab came together

So what exactly is a birria soup dumpling? A delicate wrapper, lightly packed with tender birria de res — slow-braised beef stewed in chilies and spices — juicy, savory and gone in one bite.

It all began with a call from Paradise Dynasty, when Jason Kuo, district manager for Paradise Dynasty USA, reached out to Bañuelos, calling it, simply, a perfect match between the two dishes.

Kuo said the idea came straight from the community.

"When we started asking guests and people around us what flavor they would want to see in a soup dumpling, birria kept coming up again and again — it was very clear. If we're going to do birria, it has to be done right. Burritos La Palma was the first name that came to mind."

Bañuelos was "beyond thrilled" to have been approached.

"We come from a small town in Mexico, and to be able to elevate to the level of Paradise Dynasty and that culinary perfection, I can't even really put it into words," he said.

It took months of R&D to get the right consistency. Bañuelos said the process required dialing down the moisture and upping the spice potency and landed on serving a fresh red salsa with thin slivers of serrano peppers alongside — a riff on the black vinegar and pickled ginger traditionally served with soup dumplings.

The Birria XLB's juicy interior is part of what makes it work — the dish is served with a fresh, tomato-based salsa and slivers of serrano pepper in place of the traditional black vinegar and pickled ginger.

(

Katrina Frederick

/

Courtesy Paradise Dynasty

)

How it tastes

I got a chance to try the dumplings ahead of the public launch and was struck by how well the combination worked. The juicy nature of birria is almost turbocharged in dumpling form, its savory, herbaceous flavors fully encapsulated in the thin skin, creating an exceptional texture in every bite. The dish hits even harder when dipped in the light tomato-based salsa — a rush of freshness that cuts through the richness, with a spike of heat from fresh serrano. (Feel free to skip the peppers if spice isn't your thing.)

But what's most impressive is how organic it all feels. This isn't fusion for fusion's sake — it's a natural meeting of two dishes that are deeply embedded in the Southern California diet, each playing to the other's strengths.

It feels like a logical meeting of the minds — birria and soup dumplings have both been part of L.A.'s culinary zeitgeist for the better part of a decade, and it makes sense that these worlds should collide.

When asked whether a collaboration like this could happen anywhere else, Bañuelos was quick: "It has to start in L.A. You just can't compete."

Where to try it

Nine Democratic House members from California are demanding information about how the Trump administration is treating unaccompanied migrant children who are pregnant and in federal custody. They’ve signed a letter, along with 39 other House Democrats, to Trump officials expressing their concern that the girls are not receiving adequate medical care or access to abortion.

The letter comes in the wake of an investigation by the California and Texas Newsrooms, public media collaboratives in those states. LAist is part of The California Newsroom.

The joint investigation found that the federal government is detaining pregnant migrant girls in a single group home in South Texas. Doctors and reproductive-health experts interviewed for the investigation said prenatal care is severely limited in that region.

The letter says the detention violates federal regulations because the children are “entitled to the full range of medical care, including reproductive health care.”

Rep. Gil Cisneros, who represents the central San Gabriel Valley, says he worries that pregnant migrants who are apprehended in California will be put at risk if they’re sent to a part of Texas that is short on obstetric care. Of particularly concern: High-risk pregnancies are common among minors.

“If they were in California," he said, "they would be able to have more choices of the type of health care that they would get when it comes to reproductive health care.”

Rep. Judy Chu, who represents the West San Gabriel Valley, wrote in a statement that “this administration is so intent on restricting abortion that it is using immigration detention as a tool to control these girls’ bodies.”

Mark Betancourt is a regular contributor to The California Newsroom. 

The U.S. Department of Education is investigating how the Los Angeles Unified School District responds to educators accused of sexual misconduct with students.

The department accuses the district of maintaining a policy that “automatically” reassigns teachers to other schools when they are accused of sexual misconduct with students and cites a 2024 agreement with the teachers union.

A Los Angeles Unified spokesperson wrote in a statement that it’s “not true” that staff being investigated for sexual misconduct are reassigned to other school sites.

“‘Reassignment’ typically means an employee is directed to remain at home and away from students and schools during an investigation,” the spokesperson wrote.

United Teachers Los Angeles called the DOE's accusations a “fundamental misunderstanding” of the district’s reassignment policy.

“[Employees] are not reassigned to another classroom or to any other setting where they would interact with students,” read a statement provided by the union. “This policy protects both students and staff and creates conditions for a thorough and appropriate investigation of allegations.”

What to expect from the federal investigation

The federal investigation, overseen by the department’s Office for Civil Rights, will assess whether the district’s policy violates Title IX, a law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs.

Kimberly Richey, the assistant secretary for civil rights, wrote in a statement that Title IX requires schools to address claims of sexual misconduct in a “timely manner.”

“It is unconscionable that the district would simply ignore Title IX’s procedural requirements to protect teachers who cause life-changing harm to their kids,” Richey wrote. “The Trump administration will always fight to uphold the law, protect the safety of all students and restore common sense to our schools.”

The Trump administration also has recently targeted LAUSD's desegregation policy and transgender student protections.

Last year, the office failed to resolve any cases related to sexual harassment, sexual violence or racial harassment, according to a report released by Sen. Bernie Sanders in late April. Sanders is the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Education Committee.

In March 2025, the Trump administration pushed to cut over half of OCR’s nearly 600 staff members, which contributed to a growing backlog of cases. Those employees were placed on administrative leave pending the result of legal challenges, and many were later brought back.

The Education Department has also withheld records related to civil rights investigations, prompting a lawsuit from investigative nonprofit newsroom ProPublica.

What does LAUSD’s policy say? 

LAUSD protocol related to employee misconduct says administrators must remove accused employees from their classroom or worksite whenever there is a risk to the safety of students or staff.

The 110-page protocol document also lists several other requirements for allegations related to sexual misconduct, including contacting law enforcement and the agencies that license teachers.

“Los Angeles Unified takes all allegations of sexual misconduct and harassment with the utmost seriousness,” a spokesperson wrote in a statement. “Our primary responsibility is to ensure the safety, dignity and well-being of every student and staff member in our care.” The statement also said the district follows Title IX procedures and continuously reviews its policies, training and reporting systems.

The UTLA settlement outlines several circumstances where an employee can be reassigned, including a law enforcement investigation of misconduct, sexual harassment of a student, behavior toward a student perceived to be motivated by a sexual interest and communicating with a student for non-school-related purposes.

School employees are “mandated reporters” who must, by law, notify local law enforcement or child welfare agencies of suspected child abuse or neglect. California Attorney General Rob Bonta reminded K-12 school district leaders in late April of their legal obligation to prevent sexual misconduct and protect students.

How prevalent is sexual misconduct in California schools?

There have been few comprehensive studies of sexual misconduct in schools. A 2004 report to the Department of Education estimated 1-in-10 students experiences sexual misconduct, ranging from inappropriate comments to physical abuse.

A new California law requires schools to train students and staff to recognize and report misconduct and write new policies on “appropriate behavior.” It also will create a new database of educators credibly accused of abuse.

More than 1,000 lawsuits related to sexual abuse that date to the 1940s have been filed against California school districts since the enactment of a 2019 law that gave victims a three-year window to sue.

LAUSD has authorized $750 million in bonds to pay for sexual misconduct settlements related to suits stemming from the law.