Los Angeles Unified Supports Students, Families, Teachers and Staff (03-23-20)

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Shannon Haber, 213-241-6766                          March 23, 2020

Focus on E-Learning to Maintain Educational Continuity,
Community Support and Continuation of Pay for Teachers and Staff

Commitment to Ensure All Students Learn by Providing Devices, Internet Connections and Training for Students, Teachers and Families

School Facilities Remain Closed through May 1

LOS ANGELES – MARCH 23, 2020 – Today, Los Angeles Unified outlined the steps it is taking to support students, families, teachers and staff members and to provide stability for the school community.

Los Angeles Unified’s response to COVID-19 focuses on three objectives: maintaining the continuity of learning; supporting students and families; and ensuring stability for Los Angeles Unified’s 75,000 employees. 

“In ordinary times, we aim to help students learn, provide support to students and families most in need, and take care of the employees who teach and provide support to our community,” Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Austin Beutner said. “Even in these extraordinary times, these are still our goals.”

Teaching and learning will continue through a plan to address the needs of all students, providing devices and internet connectivity to all of those in need, and providing training to teachers, students and families. This will be in addition to the learning plans sent home by teachers and the educational programming and lesson plans provided through Los Angeles Unified and PBS.

“This is an unprecedented commitment, but a necessary one,” Superintendent Beutner said. “So many of our families are struggling to make ends meet and cannot afford to do this on their own – but their children deserve the same opportunity as those in more affluent communities.”

Los Angeles Unified also plans to establish help desks for students, teachers and families to provide answers to questions ranging from “How does this device work?” to “Where can I find my child’s homework assignment?”

Los Angeles Unified is continuing to provide support to students and families through the operation of 60 Grab & Go Food Centers at schools in the communities it serves to provide meals to those in need. This effort is being led by Los Angeles Unified employees and volunteers from the Red Cross. Others have joined to help, including chef Jose Andres and World Central Kitchen and Snap Inc. Last Friday, almost a quarter of a million meals were served, helping more people than any other food bank in the country.

In addition, Los Angeles Unified is working with City, County, State and Federal officials to provide additional, much-needed services to those most in need. This morning, Los Angeles began providing meals at the 8 temporary homeless shelters set up by the City of Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Unified will continue to pay its more than 75,000 employees through the duration of the school closures, providing employees with stability during these uncertain times.

“The more than 75,000 people who work at Los Angeles Unified have one mission – to support the students and families we serve,” Superintendent Beutner continued. “My position has been clear from the start, we are going to take care of our employees. Because it’s the right thing and because it’s the tireless efforts of each and every one of them which allow us to help students and families.”

As previously announced, Los Angeles Unified also created a charitable fund to provide meals and supplies for students and their families. Tax-deductible contributions can be mde at LAStudentsMostInNeed.org.

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