Dear friends and partners,
As LA Unified continues working on
a reopening plan that prioritizes the health and safety of our school communities while also minimizing the learning loss caused by this pandemic, it’s more apparent now than ever—we’re all in this together. The recent spike in COVID-19 cases makes it clear that the fall school year will include some online components (with a fully online option, as well). We have to be prepared to provide
more rigorous and equitable instructional plans, with live instruction, as well as the social-emotional and mental health support as our students begin making up for lost time.
Even amidst the uncertainty, our work continues. A record number of students are practicing their reading, learning to play an instrument, exploring the depths of the ocean floor, and so much more in
LAUSD’s brand-new virtual summer learning programs. While we faced a few roadblocks along the way, my team worked to ensure every individual issue brought to our attention was resolved for our students and families—and we all learned some valuable lessons to carry with us into the Fall. And our advocacy helped secure
a state budget with nearly zero cuts to K-12 education—although we continue to advocate for the increased funding required to reopen schools. We also
passed an initial district budget that reallocates $25 million from our school police budget to invest in supporting Black student achievement. Although this vote was not taken lightly, I believe it was a step toward examining our entire $8 billion with the same level of transparency and equity needed to best serve our kids. You can
read more about my decision here.
In all our decisions—but especially given the uncertainty and unknowns around reopening—it’s essential that we continue to
seek the input of our families, employees, and community members and provide them with any relevant updates. We need to let the public know what we’re considering, what these options look like in practice, and when we expect to have more concrete answers and information for reopening. I have always been an advocate for open and honest communication in making decisions that affect our families and employees, and I will keep pushing, as it is vital we get this right.
Onward,
