Another Body Blow for L.A. Schools : But imagination (and money) could still save the day

The Northridge earthquake severely damaged 100 public schools and forced the Los Angeles Unified School District to close all campuses temporarily. Most classes will resume next week, but 1,000 classrooms will remain closed. Repairs could cost $700 million or more, and that will require massive help from Washington and Sacramento.

However, this emergency also provides an opportunity for educators to rethink how to accommodate children in the severely overcrowded district. LEARN--the Los Angeles Educational Alliance for Restructuring Now--is willing to call together business leaders, architects, children’s advocates, educators and others to find ways to capitalize on the local real estate glut and take advantage of empty corporate classrooms at firms such as the Northrop Corp. Some companies are already helping. They are lending structural engineers to inspect schools. More businesses, and individuals, should volunteer to help our children.

A MATTER OF MONEY: About 100,000 students cannot return to their classrooms any time soon because the campuses are unsafe. Most live in the hard-hit San Fernando Valley, but about 33,000 of these are bused to Valley schools from overcrowded campuses elsewhere. Where will all these children go to school? Unfortunately, a severe lack of money limits the district’s options.

Gov. Pete Wilson has said he’s willing to help. The State Allocations Board, which regulates school funding, can bring about that help by funneling available funds to the district now. A special bond issue is another option, but even if the voters approved one on the June ballot, those funds wouldn’t flow to Los Angeles until November. During that interim, the district couldn’t contract for substantial repairs. Perhaps Sacramento could be persuaded to act more quickly if the Los Angeles school board devised a plan that restructured and improved the system as it rebuilt schools.

President Clinton, who has promised to help Los Angeles recover from the earthquake, is sending Education Secretary Richard W. Riley to inspect the schools. And the Federal Emergency Management Agency is identifying federal funds for increased operational costs and repairs. The district needs all possible outside help because years of budget shortfalls have reduced reserves, deferred maintenance and resulted in a shortage of staff needed to repair buildings.

If money were no object, the school district could lease commercial space adjacent to the closed campuses to provide a safe environment close to home for the youngsters. That remedy would limit the dislocation caused by the earthquake. If Washington and Sacramento quickly provide funds, the district might also find new classroom space close to the overcrowded schools that have been sending thousands of children on long daily bus rides. Such a solution would reduce the risk of transporting children along quake-damaged freeways.

THE VALUE OF ROUTINE: Schools Supt. Sid Thompson is exploring several additional options, like identifying all available seats in the district and allowing children from anywhere in the district to attend any school that has room, without regard to racial balance. Such open enrollment could provide some relief. Thompson also is considering double sessions, extending the school year, lengthening the school day, doubling up in classrooms and placing portable classrooms outside schools on public property and in private buildings. Sacramento must bend the rules to approve some of these tactics.

To calm down after a major trauma like the Northridge quake, students need to return to routine and familiarity. Schools typically provide the needed sense of order. With help from Washington, Sacramento and LEARN, the public schools can recover and learning can resume.