Students in the Los Angeles Unified School District are packing their backpacks and heading back to school next week.
About 400,000 students attended one of the district’s over 1,500 schools across the county last year.
From school supplies to new resources, here’s what students and parents need to know before classes begin next week:
When is the first day of school?
The first day of school for LAUSD students is Thursday, Aug. 14.
Other noteworthy dates can be found on the district’s instructional calendar.
How can families prepare for the first day?
Parents should be on the lookout for registration forms and ensure emergency card information is updated so school staff can reach a trusted adult, the district posted on social media.
If looking to secure school supplies and other necessities ahead of the upcoming year, nonprofits, city governments and churches across Los Angeles county are hosting upcoming back to school drives. Click here for a roundup of these free events.
What’s new this year?
LAUSD has expanded its fleet of electric school buses to 180 vehicles ahead of the new school year, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho shared on social media.
The buses will also be equipped with WiFi and GPS technologies so parents can track the buses in real time, according to the post.
UMMA Health, a community-based care provider, also expanded its partnership with the district, launching its third on-campusschool-based site at Locke Wellness Center in South Los Angeles.
The center will offer expanded services, including medical and preventative dental care, according to its website.
How is LAUSD handling immigration enforcement operations?
For many in Los Angeles, widespread immigration enforcement operations have added new levels of stress to the back to school season.
Scott Schmerlson, Los Angeles Schools Board president, said the district will continue to take steps to help families feel safe sending their children to school.
“I know that many of our hearts are heavy, and yet I do know that when we return, we will return with the same, if not a stronger commitment to ensure that our students can learn in the safe environment that are our schools,” Schmerlson said in his 2025 Superintendent’s Opening of Schools Address.
Schools will continue to protect safety zones, offer virtual options and distribute know your rights cards in efforts to help families feel safe, he said.
The district is also working to ensure students and families feel safe communicating with school staff. Schmerlson shared plans to connect students with confidential behavioral support regardless of immigration status.
Superintendent Alberto Carvalho told NBC Los Angeles that the district prevented individuals from entering the schools last year and will “do it again.”
LAUSD is also readapting bus routes, Carvalho said, to support family members who may have fear about being on the street when bringing their child to or from school. They have made over 4,500 calls to provide reassurance to families with a fragile immigration status, he said.
Carvalho added that a group of mayors, including Mayor Karen Bass, will be asking agents to avoid conducting operations within a certain radius around the schools.
Have more questions about back-to-school?
LAUSD is hosting a live social media Q&A with Carvalho on Aug. 13 from 10 to 11 a.m. The session will be aired across its Los Angeles Unified social accounts.