With LAUSD schools closed during strike, here are some options for parents and students

Jaysha Patel Image
Tuesday, March 21, 2023
With LAUSD closed, here are childcare, food options for local families
With LAUSD workers on a three-day strike - and all district schools closed - many parents are scrambling to find child care or other plans.

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- With thousands of LAUSD workers on a three-day strike - and all district schools closed as a result - many parents are scrambling to find child care or other plans for their kids.

Parents with children in the Los Angeles Unified School District have a few options to consider:

To help students and parents, the district is opening 154 schools for student supervision from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Participating locations can be found online.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced support for LAUSD families, saying the city's Department of Recreation and Parks will offer 21 recreation centers to serve as grab-and-go locations as part of LAUSD's food distribution program. More information can also be found online.

All Los Angeles public libraries will also be open for normal business hours, and will be prepared with educational games and activities for kids. They will also offer digital resources that can be accessed from home or library computers, which include online tutoring and homework help.

In addition, 16 Los Angeles County parks are extending the "Every Body Plays Program" during the strike, which began Tuesday morning and is scheduled to continue until Thursday.

Tens of thousands of workers in the Los Angeles Unified School District walked off the job Tuesday over stalled labor talks, triggering a strike that will shut down all district schools for three days.

The "Every Body Plays Programs" will be in operation from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and serve students during the strike, providing free meals and supervision.

The 16 sites in operation are:

Belvedere Park (4914 E. Cesar Chavez Ave. Los Angeles)

City Terrace Park (1126 N. Hazard Ave, E. Los Angeles)

Obregon Park (4021 E. First St. Los Angeles)

Saybrook Park (6250 East Northside Dr. East Los Angeles)

Ruben Salazar Park (3864 Whittier Blvd. Los Angeles)

Athens Park (12603 S. Broadway Los Angeles)

Bethune Park (1244 E. 61st St. Los Angeles)

Helen Keller Park (1045 W. 126th St Los Angeles)

Jesse Owens Park (9651 S. Western Ave Los Angeles)

Earvin Magic Johnson Park (905 E. El Segundo Blvd. Los Angeles)

Roosevelt Park (7600 Graham Ave. Los Angeles)

Ted Watkins Park (1335 E. 103rd St. Los Angeles)

Leon H Washington Park (8908 S. Maie Ave. Los Angeles)

Victoria Park (419 Martin Luther King Jr. St. Carson)

El Cariso Park (13100 Hubbard St. Sylmar)

Crescenta Valley Park (3901 Dunsmore Ave. Glendale)

The Dana Friendship Park and Nature Center in San Pedro and the Stoneview Nature Center in Culver City are also operating and offering services to students in the LAUSD.

The Los Angeles Zoo is offering free admission for LAUSD students grades K-12, along with a $5 fee for accompanying chaperones. Students must show proof of enrollment with a school ID card, report card, school newsletter, or similar proof of enrollment. Complimentary admission will be offered only on Tuesday through Thursday and tickets must be purchased in person at the LA Zoo box office.

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County in Exposition Park and La Brea Tar Pits in Hancock Park will offer free general admission to LAUSD students and chaperones. Free general admission tickets will be available only on site at the museum's ticket counters.

The LAUSD also has a family hotline that has information and resources to help families prepare for at-home learning and school updates at 213-443-1300 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

City News Service contributed to this report.