Are you trying to navigate LAUSD’s school choice process? We made you a guide

By Mariana Dale and Ross Brenneman

Published Sep 22, 2025 5:01 AM

A white booklet with pink text stands on a wood table. The booklet cover reads "What is a 'good school' and how do you find one in Los Angeles?" Several booklets are fanned out behind it.

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In Los Angeles Unified alone, there are more than 400 elementary schools, plus hundreds of specialized programs and dozens of charter schools run by separate nonprofits.

Families say the process of choosing a school for their child is bewildering, overwhelming and anxiety-driven.

And even if you’ve already chosen a school, there’s a lot to learn about a school system: how to be an involved parent, how to ask for a school repair, how to petition the school board and advocate for change.

That’s why, over the past year, we launched a series of guides, collectively known as School Game Plan, designed to help families understand how to get a “good education” and define what that means to them.

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And now we’re putting the series in your hands — we’ve created a print version!

It includes:

School options, application processes and timelines.
What to consider as you’re making your choice.
Real parent experiences.

The “right” school will look different for every family. Our workbook can’t make that decision for you — but it can help equip you with information to navigate the options available with confidence.

It also includes questions to help you reflect on what education means to you and your family.

The workbook is focused on elementary and middle school but, like our online version, also includes a lot of information that’s relevant if you’re looking for a high school or at another district.

We hope that it helps ease some of the stress families feel as they begin to navigate this process, whether they’re enrolling a child in transitional kindergarten for the first time or looking for an alternative to a school their child already attends.

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Two copies of a booklet, one of them open. The front cover says 'What is a good school and how do you find one in Los Angeles?'

And because we know this process is a lot, our workbook also has some words of encouragement.

“If you care about your kids’ education and you put time and energy into it, they’re gonna get a great education,” says Northeast L.A. mom Audrey Diehl. “Don’t overly stress about getting into some perfect school. ... There’s probably a couple of different options that’ll work great for you and your family.”

How to get a copy

Individuals

With major thanks to engagement producer Sabrina Sanchez, LAist has partnered with the Los Angeles Public Library to distribute several thousand guides across its 73 locations. LAPL expects copies to be available at most branches beginning Tuesday and locations in San Fernando Valley beginning Wednesday.

Not sure where your local branch is? Find it here.

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Organizations

If you’re an organization that serves families and parents of preschool and/or school-aged children, we’d love to drop off free copies to you or arrange a pickup at our Pasadena office. (Postage is expensive.) Send us an email with the following information:

Your organization
How many copies you'd like (minimum of 25)
Would you be available to pick up in Pasadena?

We'll read every response and try to arrange a handoff as capacity allows.

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