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LAUSD Cancels Plans For Centers To Help With Childcare During Coronavirus Closure
A sign outside of Gage Middle School in Bell announces that all LAUSD schools will be closed beginning March 16. (Chava Sanchez/ LAist)
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Los Angeles Unified School District officials have cancelled plans to open 40 "Family Resource Centers," where the school system had hoped to offer childcare and meals to needy students during the district's two-week shutdown.
On Monday evening, LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner said public health authorities couldn't guarantee the centers would be safe — either for children or for staff — as the coronavirus spreads.
"I cannot ask anyone to work at one of the centers, or open them to children, unless we can be assured of their safety," Beutner wrote in a letter.
Update on March 16th.
— Austin Beutner (@AustinLASchools) March 17, 2020
Actualización del 16 de marzo. pic.twitter.com/xxc1b1AcxO
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LAUSD leaders have previously acknowledged the plans for the Family Resource Centers came with some risk. When Beutner announced the plans last week, he had said all visitors would have their temperature checked to ensure anyone with possible COVID-19 symptoms wouldn't be admitted.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has urged schools to make efforts to continue to provide social services to students. His executive order says schools must make efforts to "arrange for supervision for students during ordinary school hours … to the extent practicable."
So LAUSD is making a new plan.
Instead, the district plans to open 60 "Grab and Go Food Centers" starting on Wednesday. On weekdays from 7 to 10 a.m., each student will be able to take home two meals daily from these sites.
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