The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board of Education voted Tuesday to create up to six new online schools beginning in the fall of 2021. This is in response to a new adaptation for unvaccinated students as well as those who prefer to continue taking classes from home.
So far on 20% of students attending LAUSD schools are vaccinated or have an exemption, but the remaining 000% is the equivalent to approximately 20,000 students for whom the district seeks to represent everyone.
Recently, the LAUSD reported that students who do not have the covid vaccine-19 for the beginning of the fall semester, they will not be able to attend classes in person.
As of the school year 2022-2023, LAUSD plans a new path for online learning from pre-K through grade 12.
The district indicates that by creating up to six new online schools—each with a different theme—students whose parents choose the option independent study, they will have a variety of quality online school options with the opportunity to select an option that matches their interests.
Change one problem with another
Evelyn Alemán, leader representative of the Latino parent group Nuestra Voz/Our Voice, said the district’s plan is wrongly done.
He indicated that to begin with, the parents’ comment on this issue that affects their children, despite being very important, was almost impossible for many. She indicated that before the vote of the Board of Directors took place, she was one of the people who offered public comment, however, she had to wait eight hours for her turn.
“It is impossible that our community with the challenges we have in technology enter these meetings”, said Alemán. “If they are seeing that we have this digital gap, how is it possible that they think that six online thematic schools are going to be the solution for our families?”
Alemán, who is also the mother of two students, said that although the announced policies are well-intentioned, they do not respond to the immediate and urgent needs of the low-income community.
“We don’t know who these schools are going to benefit from,” said Alemán. “What we want is that when students have to stay home to quarantine, they have access to Zoom with their own teachers.”
Mrs. Lourdes agrees with Alemán and emphasizes that, as mother of two children with special needs feels that the district should first provide immediate help for the children, rather than spend money on additional programs.
“This money can be used for more teachers, therapists or assistants,” said Lourdes, who asked not to reveal her last name.
She added that a few days ago her daughter, who has Down syndrome and is in her fourth year, was left without classes for almost a week after being quarantined for having been at risk of contagion of covid-19.
“I was asking for help at school and they told me that they cannot send a teacher because nobody wants to get it and she missed classes,” said Lourdes, who lives in South Los Angeles. “What happens is that the district receives more money for special children, but they do not give them the necessary help.”
She strongly urged the district representatives that if they want to make changes, they start by caring for the children, including when they are quarantined.
The mother believes that it is unfair to exclude the students of classes while trying to stay safe and take care of their classmates.
“We want their teachers to teach them and not that other program because I have heard that it is not working”, said Lourdes.
Alemán stressed that the fairest thing in the short term would be for the district responds to the needs of parents. They recently sent a letter commenting on these concerns to the Board of Directors, but have not received a response.
The plan
City of Angels is LAUSD’s independent study school. From August through December of 2021, City of Angels enrollment increased to over 16, 000 students, whereas in a typical year, the traditional enrollment was about 1,800 students.
LAUSD indicated that prior to opening schools in August 2022, staff will use community input to establish the new schools. Staff will hire and train teachers in blended learning models and personalized learning methodologies.
They added that they will also work to implement the practices they consider to be successful in the City of Angels online learning program, as well as other school districts and universities.