The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), which has the second-largest school system in the country, announced this week that it will greatly expand its after-school tutoring program for kids in grades three through eight to help them get better at reading and math.
The program is part of a district-wide plan to improve academics. It expands partnerships with educational charities and opens hundreds of new tutoring locations where students can get free, one-on-one help. According to test results from all over the state, the expansion comes at a time when kids are still losing ground in their studies because of the pandemic, especially low-income and English-learning kids.
“We’re making sure every child has access to the extra help they need,” said LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho at a press conference on Monday. “This is about ensuring students not only catch up but thrive.”
Starting in December, the district will offer small-group tutoring sessions on weekends and after school at more than 450 schools. The lessons' main goals are to help students get ready for tests, learn basic math skills, and understand what they read.
Tutors will be volunteers from local groups, certified teachers, and college students who have the right skills. Parents can sign their kids up for school online or by calling the school office.
Addressing Learning Gaps After the Pandemic
The most recent state exam results show that only 38% of LAUSD students met expectations in math and 46% of students met grade-level standards in English language arts. Carvalho said that the district's extended program is meant to stop those trends by giving students regular academic help after school.
The district's expanded tutoring sessions, which started in the spring of 2024, had about 15,000 kids take part. By the middle of 2026, the program will have grown to about 60,000 students, mostly in the San Fernando Valley, East L.A., and South L.A.
The expansion will be paid for by federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) grants and partnerships with local groups like Reading Partners and the YMCA of Greater Los Angeles.
