The Los Angeles Unified School District is planning to allocate $300 million of Measure RR funds through the Paving Plus Program to 30 elementary school campuses for modernization investments. Based on the description of this program, it appears to prioritize pavement repair and replacement, solar reflective coating, exterior painting, privacy fencing, and some greening at each of the schools.     

We are asking the District to use this opportunity to prioritize green, sustainable schoolyards rather than pavement and pavement coating through this modernization and sustainability effort. Rather than repaving campuses with precious public dollars, the District should instead utilize the funds to green schoolyards and to modernize, enhance, and support the 21st century learning environments LA voters voted for in Measure RR by:    

●  Focusing on rigorous and specific greening first, not as secondary to where repaving occurs.  

● Prioritizing schools in underserved communities. The 30 elementary schools selected do not prioritize historically underserved communities and the communities most vulnerable to extreme heat.   

● Increasing the number of schools served. We would like to see the program expanded from 30 schools to 100 schools.  

●        Decreasing focus on Cool Coat Paving.   

To read our letter and to  learn more about the Living Schoolyards Coalition visit:  https://www.lalivingschoolyards.org/pavingplus