The Los Angeles
Schools
LAUSD budget crisis remains severe, fiscal experts say, as district works to calm fears
LAUSD faces a looming budget crisis and job cuts as county officials pursue oversight ahead of the new school year. Get the latest details.
U.S. Marine veteran held in Russia for 4 years on disputed charges is released
Russia released an American military veteran on Tuesday, allowing his return to the U.S. after four years of what his family and U.S. officials allege was wrongful incarceration and abusive treatment that left him near death. Robert Gilman, a 32-year-old Massachusetts teacher and...
Trump administration proposes deregulating Head Start. Here’s what parents need to know
Parents and the public can now weigh in on the Trump administrations proposed changes to Head Start regulations. (Adriana Heldiz / CalMatters) Head Start centers in Southern California say they’re operating as usual despite the Trump administration proposing a vast overhaul to th...
LAUSD unveils student-created menu items ahead of new school year
Los Angeles Unified School District students returning to campus this school year will find new menu offerings in their cafeterias.
OCTA makes changes in bus service
The Orange County Transportation Authority on Sunday will implement a series of changes to its bus service throughout the county. The agency will offer upgraded service to Cal State Fullerton as students return to campus this fall, officials said. The agency encouraged students t...
For L.A. college students, the GOP's $20-burrito debate is about more than lunch
Conservatives debate online whether college students should be more frugal on food, or if the younger generation is contending with a larger affordability issue....
Wendy's worker Thalles De Souza heading to Yale after managers help him pay for school
Thalles De Souza is going from working at Wendy's to attending Yale University after his bosses at the restaurant chain saw his potential and helped fund his education....
LAUSD prepares to implement strict limits on students' screen time
The Los Angeles Unified School District has approved some of the most strict screen time limitations for students in the country.
LA college students face a tough housing market. So why are so many beds at CSU Los Angeles empty?
A California State University Los Angeles sign hangs on one of the student parking structures. (Ashley Balderrama / LAist) For years, roughly 700 beds at Cal State Los Angeles that could be occupied by students have sat empty, even in what officials call a “highly housing challen...
Some oppose plan to move historic LGBTQ+ bar into their L.A. community
Some are raising concerns about opening a bar near six school campuses in the Westlake neighborhood.
Parent says 9-year-old left asleep on school bus, found wandering district bus yard in New Jersey
A mother says her 9-year-old son was left alone on a school bus and was found wandering a bus yard after falling asleep on his way to summer school.
Student kills multiple people at Thai school after fatally shooting grandparents
BANGKOK — A gunman shot and killed his grandparents before killing five people and himself at a school outside Bangkok on Friday, Thailand’s prime minister said, in the Southeast Asian nation’s worst mass killing since 2022. Anutin Charnvirakul told a news conference that at leas...
Death of UCLA student interning at Amazon leaves community grieving a 'bright light'
Family and friends of Dayanara Nicole Urbina Ruiz, 21, are mourning her unexpected death. She was a first-generation college student at UCLA who had been interning at Amazon in Seattle....
More LAUSD students are riding the bus to school. Here’s why ICE raids boosted ridership
LAUSD's bus fleet now includes 250 electric buses. The vehicles cost about $420,000 each and are funded largely by state and federal dollars, said Daniel Kang, LAUSD's transportation director. (Mariana Dale / LAist) Topline: The number of Los Angeles Unified students regularly ta...
Trump administration moves to deregulate Head Start, opening door for sweeping change
Family educator Lisa Benson-Nuyen addresses her students in a circle in the Northern Lights classroom at the Meadow Lakes CCS Early Learning, a Head Start center, in Wasilla, Alaska, in 2024. The center has since closed because of a lack of staff and money. (Lindsey Wasson / AP) ...
Trump administration overhauls Head Start, largely giving up federal control
Head Start standards, such as the number of children a teacher can supervise, would soon be under local control, leading to variations across the country, which Head Start advocates worry could diminish the quality of the program....
Back-to-School finds 2026: Products to make the school year easier
Back-to-school shopping isn’t just about stocking up on notebooks and pencils anymore. Parents are also looking for products that save time, help kids stay organized and make everyday routines easier, whether that means packing lunch, getting out the door in the morning or settli...
LAUSD tackling chronic absenteeism with face-to-face outreach
Los Angeles Unified School District officials kicked off a series of back-to-school events.
Can a historic LGBTQ+ Latino bar find a new home in Westlake? Its future neighbors say not here
The Silver Platter in Westlake is slated for demolition and the owners are seeking to relocate within the neighborhood. (Nathan Solis / The LA Local) This story first appeared on The LA Local . Every school day, Vilma Armas watches her 16-year old daughter walk to Miguel Contrera...
Trump administration threatens to gut Head Start rules, affecting 70,000 kids in California
Policies including low student-to-teacher ratios and minimum teacher qualifications could be on the chopping block under the Trump administration's proposals for the Head Start program. Here, preschoolers at a Head Start center in Emeryville, California, in 2024. (Florence Middle...
These states have the most underprivileged children, study finds
A new WalletHub study ranks the states where underprivileged children face the greatest challenges, based on factors including poverty, health and education....
Cause of death determined for 4-year-old girl left in van in Valley Village
The medical examiner has released the cause of death of a 4-year-old girl who was left in a van in Valley Village in May after a school carpool drop-off. The cause of death was environmental hyperthermia — the body’s absorption of heat, causing a dangerous rise in core temperatur...
LinkedIn's top colleges: The 5 California schools giving grads the ultimate career edge
Five California institutions, including Stanford, UC Berkeley, and Caltech, secured spots in LinkedIn's Top 50 ranking for long-term alumni career success....
'The Shards' turns prep school into a nightmare in Ryan Murphy's FX thriller
Ryan Murphy's latest FX series, "The Shards," transports viewers to 1980s Los Angeles, where privilege, wealth and fear collide in a suspense-filled adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis' bestselling novel....
California health officials urge vaccinations ahead of school year
As the upcoming school year approaches, public health officials are urging families to prioritize obtaining all required vaccinations for their children....
Community college students need housing, Cal State LA will house some for the first time
Emma Bogart, 19, and Jordin Raven Tauzer-Pardo, 19, knit and chat between classes at Santa Rosa Junior College in Santa Rosa on Sept. 26, 2024. (Adahlia Cole / CalMatters) Starting this fall, 56 students from East Los Angeles College will use surplus apartment-style housing at Ca...
Desperate for day care: How empty TK-12 classrooms can help fix California's child-care crisis
Child-care nonprofits are taking advantage of declining enrollment at TK-12 schools to turn vacant classrooms and even closed campuses into child-care hubs, expanding scarce infant and toddler slots....
San Bernardino students celebrate first day of school
Thousands of students returned to classrooms Monday as the new school year began in the San Bernardino City Unified School District.
LAUSD could face layoffs, furloughs and school consolidation amid projected $231M shortfall
A Los Angeles Unified School District bus awaits it's child cargo. (MattGush/Getty Images / iStock Editorial) Los Angeles Unified School District leaders say they are confident they can persuade county officials that the district can avoid a projected cash shortfall and remain un...
7 On Your Side: The top back-to-school shopping tips to help families cut costs
The average family will spend about $900 per child on school supplies so shoppers are being encouraged to compare prices and look for discounts.
Best back-to-school deals on laptops, dorm decor and more
Shop the best back-to-school deals with school supplies and more starting at just $1.99.
Eyewitness Newsmakers: New Los Angeles USD Superintendent addresses concerns, challenges and ideas
As teachers and students prepare to head back to school, LAUSD is under new leadership. ABC7 spoke with Andrés E. Chait about his hopes for the district, as well as challenges he'll face, like declining enrollment....
LAUSD students set to return to class as concerns persist over smell near Lineage warehouse
At a community press conference held Friday, teachers raised concerns about the impact the situation could have on students.
UCLA adds three design media arts majors
Applications will open Saturday for three new Bachelor of Arts degree programs that UCLA's School of the Arts and Architecture will launch in fall 2027 in computational art, design and games....
Foothill Unity Center helps Arcadia families get ready for back-to-school with free backpack giveaway
Parents concerned about bills and school supply costs are expressing gratitude after Foothill Unity Center's backpack giveaway in Arcadia.
Oprah Winfrey says she will close her school for girls in South Africa next year
Oprah Winfrey says she will close the school for underprivileged girls she set up in South Africa two decades ago at the end of next year. Winfrey opened the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in 2007 after being inspired by conversations with former South African Preside...
Barstow Museum preserves the legacy of America's Mother Road
If you come to Harvey House, you're going to come into the WARM Museum, which is a Western Area Railroad Museum, and get a good education about the railroad....
Must-have lunch gear & accessories for back to school 2026
Upgrade your lunch gear with these new accessories for students.
LAUSD's youngest students will start a screen-free school year. Here's what parents need to know
A student uses an IPad at an LAUSD early education center in 2021. The district's new screen time policy prohibits preschoolers from using digital devices with few exceptions. (Mariana Dale) Screen time limits for Los Angeles Unified School District’s youngest students begin in A...
Father to be sentenced for murder in Georgia high school shooting carried out by teenage son
Colin Gray admitted to providing the assault rifle used by his then-14-year-old son in the shooting at Apalachee High School, which killed two students and two teachers....
Responding to complaints, UC campuses admit record number of California students
Students at UCLA on the Janss steps. (Ashley Balderrama / LAist) University of California officials announced Wednesday they have offered admission to a record number of California students. Around 102,000 residents were offered seats, about 1,400 more than last year. UC also adm...
6 players, 4 coaches charged in Cheltenham High School, Pennsylvania football hazing incidents
6 players and 4 coaches were charged in Cheltenham High School, Pennsylvania football hazing incidents.
LA Zoo welcomes 4 young Boer goats from Covina High's future farmers program
The Los Angeles Zoo has welcomed four Boer goat kids that were being cared for at Covina High School through its Future Farmers of America (FFA) program, the zoo announced Wednesday. Four female 6-month-old kids made their debut and are ready to meet visitors, who can get up clos...
LAUSD students in Boyle Heights to return to school amid odors, flies near Lineage facility
As fines continue to mount against Lineage Logistics over unsanitary conditions in Boyle Heights, parents and teachers said Wednesday that they remain apprehensive to send children back to the classroom when the new school year begins. The Los Angeles Unified School District held...
Share your back to school pics and videos with ABC7 Eyewitness News
Want to be featured on ABC7? Submit your Back-to-School pictures and videos, and you could get a shout-out on Eyewitness News.
UC accepts record number of Californians, but some select campuses out of reach for most
UC admissions data for fall 2026 show a record number of Californians were admitted, even as acceptance rates diverged sharply between its most and least selective campuses....
Some schools installing pepper-spraying drones to help stop active school shooters
Some American schools are now turning to a hi-tech drones to combat active shooters.
Proposed bill would strip protection for school arts funding, former L.A. Supt. Beutner warns
Supporters say bill would make it easier to use arts money for kids. But former LAUSD leader Beutner says the bill would allow schools to divert the funding....
California State University opens applications Aug. 1 with new tools to simplify process
High school seniors planning to attend a California State University campus will have more time than ever to prepare their applications this year.
International students say new visa limits are adding to uncertainty they experience
People hold up signs during the Harvard Students for Freedom rally in support of international students at the Harvard University campus in Boston on May 27. (Rick Friedman / AFP via Getty Images) International students in Southern California say new visa time limits imposed by t...
SEPTA employee surprises student with graduation card
When this public transit employee surprised a student with a graduation gift, it led to another act of kindness in return.
Bryan Kohberger waived his appeal rights but plans on pursuing post-conviction relief: sources
The admitted murderer Bryan Kohberger plans to file for post-conviction relief after pleading guilty to killing four University of Idaho students in a 4 a.m. home invasion attack, according to two sources familiar with the matter....
The complete guide to student tech: Best devices for 2026
Shop our guide for top tech gadgets every student needs in 2026.