The Los Angeles Unified School District is fast tracking the rebuilding of three schools damaged by the Palisades fire by allocating up to $725 million for reconstruction efforts.
The funding comes from a $9 billion school construction bond approved by voters in November, LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho announced Tuesday, Feb. 4. The money will go toward Palisades Charter High School, Marquez Charter Elementary and Palisades Charter Elementary–all of which suffered extensive fire damage.
The Palisades fire, one of the most severe wildfires to hit Los Angeles, burned through large parts of the Pacific Palisades, forcing evacuations and leaving several LAUSD school campuses heavily damaged.
Hundreds of staff and students were displaced from their homes, with classes continuing at temporary locations as the district works toward long-term rebuilding.
Debris removal, soil condition inspections and site assessments are expected to be completed by May, setting the stage for reopening at least two of the three schools — or even all three — by the beginning of the 2028 school year. But Carvalho cautioned that progress hinges on state and federal agencies expediting approvals.
“We want to do this quickly, and we believe that we can shave an entire year of engineering, architectural work in the actual building, if the state and the federal governments meet us where we need to be in terms of cutting through the red tape, and expediting the process of approval,” Carvalho said.
“We are going to hold them to it, they made that promise,” he said.
Students at Palisades Charter High School and the other affected campuses could return as early as the 25-26 school year, which begins in August, if environmental testing and debris removal stay on track, Carvalho said.
With debris removal on track and environmental testing underway, the district plans to set up bungalows and temporary classrooms in areas of not designated for new construction. This parallel approach, Carvalho said, would allow students to resume in-person learning while rebuilding efforts continue.
As LAUSD pushes for federal cooperation to expedite approvals, uncertainty looms over the future role of the U.S. Department of Education.
On Tuesday, reports surfaced that the Trump administration is drafting an executive order to begin dismantling the department, a move that could have wide-reaching effects on education policy and funding.
Carvalho did not directly address the potential impact of eliminating the U.S. Department of Education. However, when asked what he needed from the state or federal governments to reduce bureaucratic delays, he stressed the importance of following through on commitments.
“We heard a good game plan, which is, ‘We’re going to do all we can to reduce the timelines of state approval, inspections.’ And now we’re going to hold folks to that commitment. If in fact that is the desire, we’re ready to go,” the superintendent said.
“And I hope that that is what is coming across loudly and clearly here today” he added, “is that we have a plan, we have the resources, we have staged the implementation of this plan at a multitude of levels. We now need the state and the federal government to react accordingly.”
As part of LAUSD’s rebuilding efforts, the district is also taking steps to support displaced students and staff.
To help students whose education was disrupted by the Palisades and Eaton fires, LAUSD has secured direct college admissions offers for affected 11th and 12th graders. Carvalho said Arizona State University was the first to commit, and the district is in talks with UCLA and USC to expand these opportunities.
In addition, the district announced a one-year moratorium on staff reductions and forced layoffs. While some school consolidations–such as merging Marquez and Palisades elementary schools–will be necessary, Carvalho said that no wholesale school closures will take place this year.
LAUSD is also expanding financial relief for staff impacted by the Palisades fire. Employees who were relocated will now receive $1,000 in grants per person, up from $500, while those who lost their homes will see their grants increase from $1,000 to $5,000. Carvalho said the district may increase aid further if the need persists.
“It is the right thing to do at the right time for absolutely the right reasons,” he said.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an emergency executive order Tuesday to ensure that displaced students, schools and child care facilities can resume operations without red tape.
The order temporarily increases enrollment caps at unaffected schools and child care centers by 20% for up to five years, allowing displaced students to transfer without restrictions. School and childcare facilities that were damaged or destroyed will immediately receive a 180-day permit to relocate and operate elsewhere in the city, doubling the previous 90-day limit. Any relocations beyond 180 days will be approved through an expedited process that eliminates hearings and appeals.