less able to learn in safe environments;
Whereas, The growing impacts of extreme heat demand a comprehensive approach to protect the
health and safety of students and staff, requiring the District to evaluate and address multiple
vulnerabilities at once including the environmental and health risks posed by artificial turf, the
strain of aging HVAC systems during heat waves, and the uneven access to critical protections
such as shade structures and hydration stations, so that all campuses are adequately prepared to
mitigate the dangers of rising temperatures;
Whereas, The District has created tools for response to extreme weather events, including the
issuing of heat advisories with recommendations and the Enhanced Emergency Preparedness
Bulletin to support school leaders in making timely and informed decisions during heat-related
natural disasters, including through the use of the Natural Disaster Decision-Making Matrix,
Tiered Fire Support system, and new tools such as the Wildfire Decision-Making Tree;
Whereas, The District recognizes that school buildings must have actionable plans in place for
temporarily posturing their buildings and HVAC systems to reduce the negative impact of
extreme heat, wildfire smoke, and other potential airborne contaminants, as well as an actionable
plan in place to return to normal operation and verify proper operation of all HVAC systems;
Whereas, Shade, through trees, canopies, and other natural or built features, is one of the most
effective and immediate protections and the District’s facilities division has committed to a goal
of at least 20% shade coverage when undertaking campus greening projects, it is critical to
assess current progress toward the benchmark and adopt a clear actionable strategy to meet it; yet
schools in historically redlined and under-resourced neighborhoods continue to have the least
shade coverage, leaving their students disproportionately exposed to unsafe outdoor conditions;
and
Whereas, Funds from voter-approved bond measures including LAUSD’s local facilities bond
Measure US, and state bond measures Proposition 2 and Proposition 4 create an opportunity to
further prioritize District capital investments to increase the build out of renewable energy
technologies, such as solar photovoltaic panels and battery energy storage systems on District
property to sustainably power upgraded HVAC systems, ensuring long-term cost savings and
climate resilience for campuses, and urgent action is needed to secure federal clean energy and
energy efficiency tax credits before they expire; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Los Angeles Unified School District shall update its disaster preparedness
plans to ensure a comprehensive response to escalating threats posed by extreme heat and related
climate emergencies including wildfires so that they clearly outline (1) decision-makers and
clear metrics for operational procedures such as shifting school schedules and closures, (2)
guidance on continuity of instruction, (3) notification of school site leaders, staff, and families
on District response and any other necessary information that can be shared in coordination with
City and County emergency response agencies, and (4) include necessary training for staff on the
updated protocols. This process shall solicit feedback from all relevant District divisions, labor
partners, school site staff, families, students, and community stakeholders, to ensure the plan
reflects on the ground needs, and report back to the Governing Board of the Los Angeles Unified
School District in 90 days;
