Los Angeles, CA (Aug. 12, 2023) – Today, Los Angeles Unified welcomed students, teachers, principals, employees and school communities back to the classroom for the 2024-25 school year. Having established the critical foundation with systems, structures and coherence, the District will continue implementing the 2022-26 Strategic Plan and go beyond limits to achieve student success.
“This year, we are focused on shattering the gravitational pull of the status quo, eliminating the barriers that keep our students from pursuing their dreams and defying the limits placed on us or the limits we put on ourselves,” Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho said. “We must rise to the moment. We must be the answer to an embattled world and shine a bright light on the successes in our Los Angeles Unified community. And we will.”
Los Angeles Unified implemented numerous programs and initiatives last school year to address barriers within the school community. Notable achievements include:
We began the year having reached agreements with our labor partners that provided historic compensation increases and maintained health and welfare benefits for employees, their families, and retirees through 2025 with no employee contribution – all without a reduction in workforce.
For the second year in a row, we earned top ratings from our credit rating agencies. The ratings reflect not only our strong fiscal controls and resilience, but they also validate our prudent financial decisions that have allowed us to provide historic pay and benefits while remaining financially stable.
Based on preliminary data, our 2023-24 Smarter Balanced Assessment scores increased across the board in ELA and Math. Every grade level and almost every student demographic demonstrated improvements over the previous year, and Priority Schools saw bigger gains than non-Priority Schools.
As part of our iAttend efforts, we combined efforts to make over 34,000 home visits to address the root issues of absenteeism. In 2023-24, we decreased chronic absenteeism by over 4%, after decreasing it by nearly 10% the year prior. We also increased our excellent attendance rates last year by nearly 8%, which is on top of the 4% increase in 2022-23.
In March, we opened our first housing complex dedicated solely to families experiencing homelessness. Through our partnership with Many Mansions, we are providing stable, safe, and secure living situations for Los Angeles Unified families who have experienced tumultuous circ*mstances. We also launched our mobile laundry truck where families and students can get their clothes washed, dried, and folded while they are at school or working.
We increased our total Arts budget from $74 million in 2022-23 to over $206 million in 2023-24 and will have an additional investment of $30 million in 2024-25, so every student in Los Angeles Unified has access to the arts no matter their zip code.
But Los Angeles Unified is focused on the future and responding to the challenge at hand. Among many others, the District will launch the following initiatives this year:
Vision Care Expansion
College Signing Day and College Fair
Transportation for All 2.0
New Principal Academy
Port of Los Angeles Training Facility Partnership
Safe Kids Alliance
TechRefresh
The 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project
iDream & Esports Mobile Labs
Eco-Sustainability Master Plan
LAUSD Health and Wellness Fair
Student Digital Wellness Plan
Partnership with SoLa Foundation
“Welcome back to all of our students, families and staff,” Board President Jackie Goldberg said. “We know the beginning of a new school year is always exciting – and sometimes a little nerve-wracking, as well. The athletes in the Summer Olympics in Paris have given us an inspiring example of camaraderie, team spirit, dedication and perseverance. Let's carry those same principles with us into this new 2024-2025 school year."
“With the facilities teams taking the summer to deep clean, repair and modernize schools around the district, we cannot wait to welcome back our students and staff,” Board Vice President Scott M. Schmerelson said. “While this year will have its new challenges, as we have every year, we are enthusiastic and hopeful that our students will have a fun and productive school year and our staff will have a healthy and successful work environment. Welcome back, Los Angeles Unified community!”
“We are excited to welcome students and staff back to school for the 2024-25 school year,” Board Member Dr. George J. McKenna III said. “The first day of school is the first step in a great adventure, and it is my favorite time of the school year. It is a time of new beginnings, discoveries, and achievements for students and a new opportunity for staff to provide the resources, support, and encouragement that ensure student success.”
“I’m glad our students and school communities had the summer break to recharge and rest,” Board Member Dr. Rocío Rivas said. “Last year’s academic growth in every grade level reflects their hard work and that of our teachers, interventionists and instructional teams, who will continue building strong learning and social environments as we return back to school.”
“I’m thrilled to welcome our kids back for another exciting school year in LA Unified – filled with the promise of academic progress, social-emotional support, and joy,” Board Member Nick Melvoin said. “I’m incredibly grateful to our dedicated teachers, staff, and families for their hard work preparing everything for a smooth return to the classroom. Together, we’re making strides toward a brighter future, where every child in our district has the opportunity to succeed and where our schools serve as pillars of the community.”
“Happy first day of school to our L.A. Unified students and families,” Board Member Kelly Gonez said. “We are excited to welcome you back for a wonderful school year, full of joy in learning. Together, we will make this year the best one yet.”
“Welcome back to school, LA Unified,” Board Member Tanya Ortiz Franklin said. “This school year is going to be full of exciting opportunities to propel our students beyond limits. Thanks to our staff, families, community, and scholars, 2024-25 will surely be a year of academic excellence, system-wide improvements, joy, and wellness.”
For the most up-to-date information, please follow Los Angeles Unified on Twitter at @laschools and @lausdsup, Instagram at @laschools and @lausdsup and Facebook at @laschools and @AlbertoMCarvalho1.
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