LAUSD Delays Early-Start Plan

The Los Angeles school board has delayed a plan to move up the start of the school year because of uncertainty about the state budget, officials announced Wednesday.

Parents with children at the local Los Angeles Unified School District schools—, , , l and —received a letter Tuesday from schools Superintendent Ramon Cortines,  postponing the launch of the early-start calendar until the summer of 2012.

"The economic uncertainty in California continues to pose serious challenges to our district," Cortines wrote in the letter. "Governor Jerry Brown’s proposed tax election in June could result in deferred State and district budget decisions with a significant impact on the preparation of the upcoming 2011-2012 school year.”

The board adopted the districtwide, early-start school calendar in December, with the aim of boosting scores on the high school exit exam and AP tests. The new plan would have had students return to school on Aug. 15, three weeks sooner than the district’s traditional post-Labor Day start date.

“The new start was passed to allow students to perform better on exams," LAUSD spokeswoman Gayle Pollard-Terry told . "One of the major benefits is the ending of the first semester prior to the long winter break."

Cortines recognized that the new calendar would dramatically impact the families of LAUSD students. Valley parents have complained that the move would put kids back in school during some of .

“August can get brutal here,” said Encino parent Marcus Hoffman. “It’s too hot outside for students to start football, marching band and all those outdoor extracurricular [activities] we want our kids to be a part of.”

Concerned parents and district employees also said the early calendar would conflict with summer camp and family vacation plans that were made well before the district approved the Aug. 15 start date.

Cortines said the delay will “provide LAUSD students, families, communities and employees time to plan for the 2012-2013 school year.”