Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
In Spring Break Update, LAUSD Superintendent Says ‘Normal Is Not Returning Anytime Soon’
LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner addressed the district community in a message streamed on Monday, April 6, 2020. (Screenshot of LAUSD website)
()
In a Monday address to the school community, Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Austin Beutner dedicated most of his remarks to the ongoing challenge of distance learning.
“Equity shouldn’t have to mean abandoning all students equally – it can mean giving all of them the same tools and access to realize their talents,” he said.
The district is dedicating $100 million to helping close the digital divide, Beutner said, including distributing devices. The first wave prioritized high school students, and Beutner said devices and internet hotspots “should reach all elementary schools by May as devices arrive from supply lines around the world.”
As a reminder: LAUSD has said campuses will be closed until at least May 1, though Los Angeles County Superintendent Debra Duardo recommended last week that the county’s 80 school districts -- which includes LAUSD -- keep their campuses physically closed through the end of this school year.
Support for LAist comes from
In his Monday remarks, Beutner did not specify whether LAUSD campuses will follow that recommendation, but he did say “it’s clear that normal is not returning anytime soon.” He said the district will address “what the rest of the 2019-20 school year will look like, including things like graduation and financial aid assistance for college, as well as plans for the summer,” when it returns from spring break next week.
In the meantime, the district is focused on providing students “with the best possible learning in this environment,” though there are challenges. Beutner said tracking attendance online is hard, and “it’s more difficult to measure engagement and progress remotely. Merely logging in does not tell us anything more than the student turned on their computer.”
He also said Schoology, one of the online platforms the district uses, will need the intervention of “a major tech company” to support the rapidly increased number of users.
Beutner said serving English-language learners and students with special needs through distance learning is another area of concern.
“This will be our greatest challenge as the technologies and teaching practices are not as well-established in these areas and there may be some students for whom there is no good substitute for face-to-face contact.”
Support for LAist comes from
READ MORE:
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
After rising for years, the number of residential installations in the city of Los Angeles began to drop in 2023. The city isn’t subject to recent changes in state incentives, but other factors may be contributing to the decline. -
The L.A. City Council approved the venue change Wednesday, which organizers say will save $12 million in infrastructure costs.
-
Taxes on the sale of some newer apartment buildings would be lowered under a plan by Sacramento lawmakers to partially rein in city Measure ULA.
-
The union representing the restaurant's workers announced Tuesday that The Pantry will welcome back patrons after suddenly shutting down six months ago.
-
If approved, the more than 62-acre project would include 50 housing lots and a marina less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow's famous nest overlooking the lake.
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance.
Best of LAist