LAUSD has a poor record of school construction, having failed to open a new high school in thirty years, but in the past year LAUSD has developed new strategies to streamline projects and has nearly 60 sites in development in Los Angeles.

TCLA: Why does overcrowding exist in LA schools?

Mayor Hahn: Los Angeles is the second most populated city in the United States and has the second largest school district in the nation. Over the past few decades, the rapid increase of population in Los Angeles has been a contributing factor to overcrowded schools in our city. Also, the State-mandated class size reduction program, while a very positive initiative for the children, created the need for many more classrooms, seats and schools. Further, Los Angeles and other large, urban cities in our nation face the difficult task of finding suitable space that meets the requirements and regulations for building new schools. Finally, the arduous processes to purchase the proposed property, apply for construction funding, and pass all regulatory hurdles has at times blocked new school construction. The Los Angeles Unified School District ("LAUSD") has a poor record of school construction, having failed to open a new high school in thirty years, but in the past year LAUSD has developed new strategies to streamline projects and has nearly 60 sites in development in Los Angeles.

TCLA: How does this overcrowding impact students and families in LA?

Mayor Hahn: The overcrowding in LA schools takes a significant toll on families and children. Children as young as 5 years old are bused due to overcrowding. I visited Hoover Elementary where 500 neighborhood kids are bused about an hour each way because they cannot attend their local school. Children who are bused often cannot participate in after school programs and their parents have difficulty participating in a school that is located an hour away from their homes. Schools are being forced to adopt year-round multi-track schedules, and to meet the needs of multi-track schedules, kids are obligated to attend schools for longer hours and fewer days, decreasing productive time in the classroom.

TCLA: What is your plan for addressing this issue?

Mayor Hahn: As Mayor, I am doing every thing I can to expedite school construction at the city level. All city government departments are working closely together with the school district to facilitate a swift construction process and maximize the enhancement of our neighborhoods. We are working to make sure the infrastructure, such as streets, lighting and sewers that are part of every school enhance the new schools as well as the surrounding neighborhoods. We are making sure that all joint use opportunities are being exploited, so to the greatest extent possible, schools can be co-located with parks, libraries and health care facilities.

TCLA: What sorts of school facilities do you believe every California student deserves?

Mayor Hahn: The best in the nation. Our children and all children for that matter deserve the best education possible, and that means the best teachers, programs, curriculums, and facilities. Over 50 architectural teams from throughout Los Angeles are designing new school facilities. These teams are working tirelessly to design a new generation of schools. For instance, one could visit the new elementary at 3rd and Lafayette, which had its ribbon-cut ceremony yesterday, December 11, 2001 and see what a beautiful, inviting happy place the new schools are going to be. This is the kind of facility our students deserve. My administration has, as one of its priorities, addressing the issues facing the schools in Los Angeles, whether it is overcrowding or expansion of after-school programs. I am committed to ensure the best education for our children and will work in implementing the best approaches to do so.

*tcla

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