Five Years On, COVID-Era Enrollment Declines Decimate L.A. Schools

Yahoo! News - Apr 16th, 2025

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the second largest in the U.S., faces a worsening enrollment crisis, losing over 70,000 students since the COVID-19 pandemic, with current enrollment at 408,083. LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho proposes a novel approach to avoid full school closures by consolidating underutilized building spaces on campuses while keeping schools operational. This strategy aims to counteract the financial strain caused by declining per-pupil funding, although pressure mounts from board members like Scott Schmerelson, who advocate for school consolidations or closures due to fiscal concerns and under-enrollment affecting educational quality.

The broader context reveals a nationwide trend of declining school enrollments post-pandemic, with cities like New York and Chicago also exploring school closures or consolidations. The crisis, highlighted in a recent report by watchdog group Available To All, emphasizes the financial and social challenges faced by LAUSD, particularly in poorer neighborhoods with schools operating below capacity. While Carvalho’s plan seeks to preserve community protections, board members like Tanya Ortiz Franklin suggest reimagining school properties to meet community needs, such as converting them into teacher housing, necessitating tough conversations with stakeholders to balance educational service and financial viability.

Education Funding Alberto Carvalho School Closures Covid 19 Impact Lausd Enrollment Decline Scott Schmerelson Tanya Ortiz Franklin

Story submitted by Fairstory

RATING

6.8

Fair Story

Consider it well-founded

The article provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges facing the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) due to declining enrollment. It effectively presents the perspectives of key district officials and explores potential solutions to address the financial and social implications of this trend. The story is timely and relevant, addressing a significant public interest issue that affects many stakeholders.

However, the article could improve in several areas, such as transparency and source quality. Providing more direct citations and links to data sources would enhance the story's credibility and allow readers to verify the information more easily. Additionally, incorporating a wider range of perspectives, such as those of parents, teachers, and community members, would offer a more comprehensive view of the issue.

Overall, the article is well-written and informative, but it could benefit from additional context and diverse viewpoints to enhance its impact and engagement with readers.

Accuracy

The story is largely accurate in its depiction of the enrollment decline in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). It correctly states that the district has seen a significant drop in student numbers, with enrollment falling to about 408,083 from a peak of 746,831 in 2002. The claim that nearly half of the district's elementary schools are half-full or worse is also supported by evidence.

However, the story could improve by providing more specific data sources or direct links to the reports and analyses it references. While it mentions a study by a watchdog group, it does not delve into the methodology or specific data points from this study, which could enhance its factual grounding. The claims about financial challenges and the potential for school closures are consistent with broader trends in urban school districts, but they would benefit from more detailed financial data.

Overall, the story does a good job of presenting the situation based on available data, but it lacks some precision in attributing specific figures and trends to concrete sources.

Balance

The article provides a balanced view of the situation by including perspectives from both LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho and Board President Scott Schmerelson. It outlines their differing approaches to handling the enrollment decline, with Carvalho advocating for a more cautious approach to school closures and Schmerelson pushing for more immediate action.

However, the story could benefit from including more voices, such as those of parents, teachers, or community members who are directly impacted by these decisions. This would offer a more comprehensive view of the issue and highlight the human aspect behind the numbers. Additionally, while the article mentions other cities facing similar challenges, it does not explore alternative strategies or outcomes in those areas, which could provide valuable context.

Overall, while the article does well in presenting the main institutional viewpoints, it could improve by incorporating a wider range of perspectives.

Clarity

The article is well-structured and clearly presents the main points regarding the decline in LAUSD enrollment and the proposed solutions. The language is straightforward and accessible, making it easy for readers to follow the narrative.

The story effectively distinguishes between the different viewpoints of district officials and provides a coherent explanation of the potential financial and social impacts of declining enrollment. However, the article could improve clarity by breaking down complex issues, such as the financial implications of per-pupil funding, into more digestible parts for readers unfamiliar with education finance.

Overall, the article is clear and well-organized, but it could benefit from further simplification of complex topics to enhance reader comprehension.

Source quality

The article references credible sources such as LAUSD officials and a study by a local watchdog group, which lends credibility to its claims. However, the story lacks direct citations or links to these sources, which could help readers verify the information more easily.

The absence of direct quotes or data from the study mentioned ("Crisis in the School House") weakens the article's authority. Including more detailed information from primary sources or data sets would enhance the story's reliability. The story also mentions trends in other cities but does not provide specific sources or examples from those locations.

Overall, the article is based on credible sources, but it could significantly improve its source quality by providing more direct attributions and links to the data and reports it references.

Transparency

The article lacks transparency in its sourcing and methodology. While it mentions a study and interviews with key district officials, it does not provide direct links or detailed descriptions of the data used, which would help readers understand the basis of its claims.

The article could improve by explaining how enrollment figures were obtained or calculated, and by offering more insight into the methodology of the referenced study. It also does not disclose any potential conflicts of interest or biases that the sources might have, which is important for maintaining transparency.

Overall, the article provides a general overview of the situation but could enhance transparency by offering more detailed explanations of its sources and methodologies.