The Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education recently voted to approve a resolution by Board Member Nick Melvoin seeking to expand child care access, wherever feasible, to district families until schools can safely reopen.

Melvoin and the board hope to expand on the district’s current plan to provide small group childcare for employees reporting to school sites in compliance with public health and safety guidelines.

“Our district has made tremendous progress toward meeting some basic needs of our families in this crisis, from maintaining food security, bridging the digital divide, providing mental health support and more,” Melvoin said. “As we begin to roll out childcare programs for our employees, I’d like us to take this a step further and to the extent possible, open this opportunity to more equitably serve district students in need of supervision and a stable distance learning environment.”

The resolution tasks LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner with developing a plan by Sept. 15 that focuses on equitable access and prioritizes high-need students and families, including homeless and foster youth and children of essential workers. The plan will account for available capacity under current staffing levels and the feasibility of expanding staffing levels to serve more students and provide supplemental support.

“Los Angeles Unified remains committed to supporting families who have been impacted by the crisis,” Beutner said.

For information, visit lausd.net.