The Los Angeles Unified School Board last week approved a $18.8 billion budget for the 2023–24 school year that includes the last of its pandemic aid—and is beginning to prepare for operating without such funds.
Over the next two school years, the district will invest $4.2 billion—most of which comes from one-time emergency COVID-19 relief funding—into class size reduction, social workers, counselors, psychologists, and professional development and increased compensation for employees, according to a June 20 district statement.
Though the estimated amount for the budget is not available for the 2024–25 school year, school officials have predicted that unassigned funds will drop from $113.7 million at the end of the 2023–24 school year to $10.6 million two years later….