Topline:
It’s been more than a year since the Los Angeles Unified School District pledged to add more green space and shade to schoolyards to combat rising temperatures. Why it’s so important to do — and so hard to pull off.
Why it matters: According to the Los Angeles County Climate Vulnerability Assessment, extremely heat-prone regions of L.A. could see 30 or more additional days with temperatures above 90 degrees by 2050. That means hot weather could stretch further into the school year, says V. Kelly Turner, associate professor of urban planning and geography at UCLA. Research shows heat can negatively impact students’ ability to learn, therefore lowering academic performance.
Why now: It's been more than a year since LAUSD allocated $58 million to outdoor education initiatives, including greening. Then-LAUSD board president Kelly Gonez also followed up with a resolution a few months later, calling for Superintendent Alberto Carvalho to develop a plan to ensure all school campuses are at least 30% green by 2035. But Gonez says she’s still waiting on that final plan.
An LAUSD spokesperson says they are looking into when the finalized plan will be given to the board and will "share further information accordingly."
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