Thousands of students missing from LAUSD as new school year approaches

Between 10,000 and 20,000 students are missing from Los Angeles Unified as the first day of school nears. The district is navigating the issue as it also grapples with declining enrollment made worse by the pandemic. LAUSD expects enrollment to decline by another 28% by 2030.

Officials are working on connecting with those students to bring them back to the classroom. Most are among the early grade levels, according to Superintendent Alberto Carvalho.

“We have new strategies to bring kids back into our school system,” he said at a news conference Friday. “Those include new innovative programs, new technologies, better transportation, reduced class sizes. We are making a strong case appealing to parents across LAUSD.”

Carvalho and 25 members of his staff have reached out to chronically absent students and their families in an attempt to address the problem, according to the L.A. Times. The district is dealing with it as LAUSD continues to grapple with worsening daily attendance, in part due to Covid-19 quarantines.

LAUSD is entering the school year with fewer pandemic restrictions this year. Students will not be required to quarantine if they do not show symptoms and will no longer be tested on a weekly basis.