LAUSD Sees Child Care Opportunity In Empty Buildings, But There’s A Big Price Tag

By Mariana Dale

Published Jun 29, 2020 12:07 PM

If LAUSD resumes in-person classes in the fall, it’s likely to cycle students and staff on and off campus in a “hybrid” schedule.

“Who will take care of the children when they are not at school?”

Superintendent Austin Beutner asked that question in his weekly video update on Monday. The answer, like anything right now, is not entirely clear.

One option is to create child care in unused buildings such as public libraries and Cal State campuses.

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“There are a lot of pieces to work out and this can only work as a collaborative effort with the cities and other partners in communities we serve,” Beutner said.

He estimated the cost at $100 to $150 per child per day. The higher estimate includes “any meaningful amount of instructional program or enrichment classes and activities.”

The district has about 250,000 students in elementary school. Beutner said if one-quarter of their families need child care, it would cost the district $3 million a day.

The district also enrolled almost 22,000 kids in early education programs last school year. Here's Beutner again:

“State and federal government ought to be outlining a way to support this if they expect any meaningful recovery in the economy and in the job outlook for working families."

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LAUSD Sees Child Care Opportunity In Empty Buildings, But There’s A Big Price Tag