Schools seek state assistance
will not balance for the current fiscal year because of the extraordinary costs associated with responding to the global pandemic,” wrote Beutner in a joint letter Monday with San Diego Unified Supt. Cindy Marten. “We request an additional emergency appropriation to address these unforeseen costs.”
The two district leaders are seeking “$500 per student ... irrespective of family circumstances.” The money, they said, should especially be targeted to students who qualify for free- and reducedpriced meals at schools, students with disabilities, foster youths, homeless students and students who are learning English.
The extended-closure announcement came as L.A. schools were beginning the second week of what was originally scheduled as a two-week shutdown.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said last week that he thinks it’s likely that campuses would remain closed for the remainder of the traditional school year.
Schools and school districts have turned to online learning to keep academic activities going, with mixed results. Beutner acknowledged Monday that distance learning needs to improve.
“We know we can do better,” said Beutner, who estimated that about half of students continue to learn at the pace they had been at school. “Standing in the way is a great big digital divide.”
District officials estimated they were short about 150,000 devices. In an interview with The Times on Monday, Beutner said that computer purchases were likely to include tablets and Chromebook-style laptops.
The deal with Verizon for wireless service is crucial, Beutner said, even though cable providers have offered free internet for new customers during this crisis. The problem, he said, is that many families are not in homes that could be quickly and easily hardwired — especially given the directives about social distancing.
Details about the Verizon plan were not available Monday afternoon; nor was the cost. The contract is being prepared, Beutner said.
Another component of the district plan will be training teachers and students about how to work and interact online. Before the shutdown began, teachers were told to prepare two weeks of work for students — which takes students to the end of this week. It may be necessary to open up schools long enough for students to turn in or pick up assignments — and even to pick up computers, Beutner said.
Also on Monday, L.A. Unified began bringing meals to eight temporary homeless shelters newly opened by the city of Los Angeles.
City officials said the district would supply three free meals per person daily Monday through Friday, with other providers stepping in over the weekend.
L.A. Unified already is providing food at 60 “graband-go” distribution centers, which are open on weekdays between 7 and 11 a.m. People can walk up or drive through to receive cold, shelf-stable meals. On Monday, the district handed out about 260,000 meals, the largest number since the effort began Wednesday. On a typical school day, L.A. Unified serves about a million meals.
The cost of meals for students from low-income families is likely to be reimbursed by the federal government, but L.A. Unified has provided food to all who ask — a generous and widely applauded measure but a potential financial risk.
L.A. Unified also is paying staff volunteers a stipend of $100 per day to help at these distribution centers, another new cost associated with the emergency.
“We’re spending resources to try to be a lifeline to the community because we think it’s the right thing to do,” Beutner said. “We’re assuming we’ll sort out the money later.”
In their letter to state leaders, the two superintendents also called on additional funding to support services to disabled students and to English learners.