Most school districts across Los Angeles County reopened Monday, Jan. 13, after wind-driven wildfires forced widespread closures last week, leaving only a few districts in the hardest-hit area still shut down.
Safety is the primary factor guiding the decision to reopen schools, Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools Debra Duardo said in a phone interview on Monday.
“The key consideration is always safety,” she said. “Is it safe? Is there any risk of harm to either students or employees? And that’s why the districts have been inspecting all of their sites, all of their facilities to make sure that they’re safe.”
This includes verifying whether schools have the proper equipment, such as the air filter systems or masks. For the schools that do reopen, district staff are taking steps to limit outdoor physical activities to protect students from poor air quality, she added.
The Eaton and Palisade fires, fueled by strong and erratic Santa Ana winds, have severely disrupted communities across Los Angeles and its suburbs, leaving thousands of damaged and blackened homes and businesses and forcing tens of thousands to evacuate.
For schools, the fires have brought about the most extensive closures since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Initially, more than 25 school districts were forced to close due to immediate wildfire danger, including poor air quality, power outages and wind damage, Duardo said.
As of Monday, several school districts remained closed.
La Canada Unified School District will remain closed until Jan. 14, Pasadena Unified School District until Jan. 17, and schools in Malibu until Jan. 13-15. In Santa Monica, only Roosevelt Elementary will remain closed, while all other schools have reopened.
Some schools in LAUSD in the highest impact areas remain closed due to mandatory evacuation orders. These schools include Canyon Charter Elementary, Kenter Canyon Charter Elementary, Palisades Charter Elementary, Marquez Charter Elementary, Topanga Charter Elementary, Lanai Road Elementary and Paul Revere Middle School.
Out of caution, Roscomare Charter Elementary and Community Magnet Charter were closed on Monday, district officials said.
LAUSD’s Deputy Superintendent of Business Services and Operations Pedro Salcido said in a statement to Southern California News Group that the school district has closely monitored evaluation orders, air quality, and changing wind and fire conditions. Once areas were deemed safe, crews were sent to clean campuses and prepare for a safe return, he said.
“Some schools remain closed because they remain in impacted areas. Once they are cleared, they will go through the same return procedures,” Salcido said.
“The district has worked diligently to ensure a smooth transition for the reopening of schools, including employee assistance, childcare, mental health resources, securing substitute coverage, and other essential services,” he said. “We will continue monitoring the situation and make changes as necessary.”
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond visited the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) on Monday, where officials estimated that more than half of the district employees lived within the evacuated areas.
Thurmond joined PUSD Superintendent Elizabeth Blanco, PUSD Board of Education members and the district’s food service team to distribute grab and go meals to students and families in need.
“No student or family should have to worry about meals during this challenging time,” Thurmond said in a statement. “Our school communities in Southern California need our unwavering support as they face the increasing frequency of wildfires and other climate-related disasters. Time and again, our education community has shown remarkable resilience and generosity in the face of crisis. Let’s stand together to support these districts as they strive to stay safe and rebuild.”
Beyond immediate concerns like air quality and structural safety, schools are also focused on supporting the emotional well-being of students and staff who have endured multiple rounds of disruption in recent years, Duardo said.
She said that lessons from the pandemic highlight the importance of bringing children back to school as soon as it’s safe, noting that schools provide not only education but also essential services such as meals, counseling and family support.
“Besides all the educational components, there’s also people that are able to check in with families and assess what their immediate needs are, so that we can better take that back — not only to the districts — but to our county department,” Duardo said.
She added that while some districts have reopened, others are in high-risk areas and continue to undergo inspections to ensure safety.
“We’re not out of danger yet,” she said. “So they continue to inspect and assess and do everything to make sure that when they open, that everyone will be safe.”
The county office has compiled a list of resources for families affected by the fires, including shelters, safe clean-up tips and mental health support, Duardo said. These resources are available on the county’s website at https://www.lacoe.edu/about/newsroom/emergency-resources/wildfire-and-windstorm which is regularly updated: