The Los Angeles Unified School District says it is earmarking $2.2 billion to repair or rebuild three fire-damaged schools and to make all of its campuses more “natural disaster resilient.”
The Los Angeles Times reports that the district is setting aside up to $725 million for the cleanup and reconstruction of Palisades and Marquez elementary schools, which were destroyed in the January fires, as well as the parts of Palisades Charter High School that were damaged.
Other planned spending: $550 million for “natural disaster resilience investments,” such as more fire-resistant roofing; $250 million to upgrade HVAC systems; $200 million for seismic retrofitting; and air purifiers for every classroom.
The district also is allocating $700 million for accelerated greening and shading projects and $122 million to expand solar energy.
Some of this work was already planned but is being expanded in scope or accelerated, officials said.
The best-case scenario is that, by next fall, displaced students could return to fire-damaged campuses, even if they have to do so in temporary buildings. L.A. Superintendent Alberto Carvalho expressed hope that the elementary schools would be rebuilt by fall 2028.
Carvalho also announced that the district is conducting new health and safety evaluations at two smoke-damaged campuses near the Pacific Palisades fire. Parents at Canyon Charter Elementary and Revere Charter Middle School had expressed concerns over whether these recently reopened campuses were safe.
The superintendent called on state and federal regulators to help the district expedite debris removal, cleanup, environmental testing and reconstruction.
