LAUSD students set to return to classes Wednesday; commuters brace for increased traffic

EDUCATION LAUSD students set to return to classes Wednesday; commuters brace for increased traffic Wednesday, August 12, 2026 4:06PM Hundreds of thousands of students in the Los Angeles Unified School District will return to classrooms Wednesday for the start of the school year, as the LAUSD faces budget concerns and the district implements restrictions on the use of digital devices during the school day. LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Hundreds of thousands of students in the Los Angeles Unified School District will return to classrooms Wednesday for the start of the school year, as the LAUSD faces budget concerns and the district implements restrictions on the use of digital devices during the school day.

Asked how parents should feel about sending their children back to school on the first day, LAUSD Superintendent Andrés E. Chait told ABC7: "They should know that when their kids come back to our campuses today, we're ready for them.

"Our campuses have been cleaned over the summer," Chait said. "Teachers are ready, principals are ready, staff are ready."

The superintendent touted new features on the district's school buses, including one that gives parents the ability to track the location of the bus while students are en route to and from school.

Meanwhile, under a policy adopted by the Board of Education in June, digital device use will be eliminated for students in early education, transitional kindergarten, kindergarten and first grade, with limited exceptions.

The restrictions are part of a broader district policy aimed at reducing student screen time across all grade levels.

"During COVID, student devices became a necessary lifeline, and seemingly overnight, screen time limits were shelved to ensure every child had access to the technology they needed to continue learning and stay connected with their teachers and peers," board member Nick Melvoin said in June. "Our charge now is to recalibrate, evaluate the role of educational technology in the classroom, and balance access to that technology with the kinds of instruction and interaction we know help students thrive."

Exceptions will be made for district- and state-mandated assessments, students enrolled in the LAUSD Virtual Academy and students with disabilities who need devices under an Individualized Education Program or 504 Plan.

The district will also block student access to YouTube, social media and streaming platforms unless access is approved by a teacher.

Students will no longer automatically receive devices to take home, although families will be able to request them. The policy also encourages teachers to assign homework involving reading, writing, problem-solving, hands- on activities and other work that can be completed without a digital device.

The changes follow the district's earlier restrictions on student cellphone and social media use during the school day.

According to the district, the nation's second-largest, the move makes it "a national leader in setting thoughtful, research-based limits on student screen use and classroom technology tools."

The district said the policy was developed after research and outreach to parents, teachers and community members.

Indexed and credited by AIPROPX. Originating outlet: ABC7 Los Angeles. Open at source →