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Have opinions on school closures? LAUSD adds meetings to get community input
LAUSD is calling its outreach campaign about the district's future “Stronger Schools Together.”
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Mariana Dale
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LAist
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Have opinions on school closures? LAUSD adds meetings to get community input
One district official says this is the beginning of “one of the most consequential initiatives” in decades. Mariana Dale reports.
Los Angeles Unified will hold another round of community meetings in November as it begins to consider school closures and mergers.
“We're gonna be embarking, I would say, on one of the most consequential initiatives that this district has completed and done over the last 30 years,” said Pedro Salcido, a deputy superintendent, at a similar community meeting in early October.
LAUSD officials’ decisions could reshape the experience of 374,000 students from transitional kindergarten through high school. The meetings, scheduled from Wednesday, Nov. 4, through Monday, Nov. 9, offer community members a chance to share their concerns and questions directly with district staff. Most are virtual, but there are two opportunities to attend in person.
Enrollment has fallen more than 40% in the last two decades, and the district has closed relatively few of its more than 1,000 schools. District officials say resources are often stretched thin at underenrolled schools. For example, small high schools may not be able to offer as many electives or advanced courses.
The district is also under increasing scrutiny by state and county officials because current projections show LAUSD will be unable to pay its bills by the end of the next school year. In response, the district is considering a series of budget cuts that could lead to the elimination of thousands of jobs.
When are the meetings?
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