In the upcoming 2023-24 school year, approximately 500,000 students in the Los Angeles Unified School District will embark on a journey of accelerated success, according to Superintendent Alberto Carvalho. During his recent back-to-school address, Carvalho emphasized the potential to change the lives of every student. He expressed his enthusiasm for a focused approach on speed and accelerating success.
Carvalho affirmed that the district’s top priority is meeting the needs of its students. He declared their mission to establish Los Angeles Unified as the premier urban school district in the country, a promise they are wholeheartedly committed to doubling down on.
Before the start of the school year, Carvalho personally visited students’ homes as part of an annual effort to combat absenteeism and help those who fell behind during the pandemic. He explained that these visits have garnered positive reactions from parents and students who feel acknowledged and supported. Carvalho emphasized the district’s stance on providing assistance and asked, “How can we help?”
Ensuring a fully staffed school year, the district has reached new contract agreements with teachers and school staff. These agreements followed a three-day strike that led to the closure of district schools and were ultimately ratified. Another dispute arose when the district initially proposed shortening the winter break to compensate for lost instructional time. However, after objections from the unions, the district decided to maintain a three-week winter break from Dec. 18 to Jan. 5.
This year, there is an increased focus on safety within the district. Mayor Karen Bass asserted the need for enhanced safety measures, particularly regarding vehicular accidents and substance abuse incidents near schools. Carvalho echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that walking to school should not be a traumatic experience for students. To address safety concerns, the district has hired a significant number of crossing guards, the highest in at least a decade.
The Los Angeles Department of Transportation has also taken steps to improve safety by implementing School Slow Zones at 45 schools. These zones feature reduced speed limits and street improvements such as speed humps in 28 schools. Additionally, the Los Angeles Police Department’s Community Safety Partnership Bureau has introduced a pilot program focused on educating students, parents, and school staff about the dangers of drugs, specifically fentanyl. The program includes training staff on the proper usage of Narcan.
The school year will conclude on June 11, 2024.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
