LAUSD students return for first day of school Monday

Summer break is officially over for hundreds of thousands of students in Los Angeles. It's the first day of school and the school district is making changes and reversing some pandemic-era policies.

The new school year begins for Los Angeles Unified School District students Monday as about 500,000 students in the school district return to classes. LAUSD is the second largest school district in the U.S.

LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho spoke to KCAL News Monday morning about recent changes, including the introduction of "transitional kindergarten" classes now available for 4-year-olds, and an electric-bus fleet of more than 180 vehicles, the largest fleet of electric school vehicles in the U.S.

Carvalho previously said the district will begin the school year fully staffed with educators. The district earlier this year reached new contract agreements with teachers and school staff. The agreements followed a three-day strike staged by staffers and honored by teachers that shuttered district schools.

The school district has set up parent resource centers to inform about safety initiatives, tracking school buses via GPS, tutoring, child sick days and more.     

"We must do more in order for the students of Los Angeles and their families to feel and stay safe," said L.A. Mayor Karen Bass. "I am working with Superintendent Carvalho to ensure that we confront and address the vehicular tragedies, substance abuse and other incidents that we have seen near and in our schools."

The district has hired a number of crossing guards, reaching the highest number in at least a decade, according to the LAUSD.

The Los Angeles Department of Transportation has created additional School Slow Zones at 45 schools using 576 signs to reduce speed limits; it has made street improvements including installing speed humps at 28 schools.

The Los Angeles Police Department's Community Safety Partnership Bureau recently launched a pilot program for students, parents and school staff, focusing on the harms and risks associated with drugs, specifically fentanyl. The program includes educating staff on the functionality and proper usage of Narcan.

MORE: Los Angeles Unified School District: Resources for parents