1 Year After Fires, LAUSD Looks To Expedite Rebuilding Of Palisades Schools

PACIFIC PALISADES, CA — Ahead of Wednesday's one-year anniversary of the Palisades Fire that devastated the Pacific Palisades community, Los Angeles Unified School District officials said Tuesday they were working to expedite school rebuilding and recovery efforts so students can return to their campuses as quickly as possible.

"Like the Phoenix, we cannot be kept down," LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said at a news conference at Marquez Charter Elementary School in Pacific Palisades.

Marquez was heavily damaged by the January 2025 fire, but students have been attending classes at temporary facilities on the campus while rebuilding work continues.

"Marquez Elementary is a project already approved by the Board (of Education), alongside two other projects for a total investment of $604 million — $202 million dedicated to this project right here at Marquez Elementary," Carvalho said. "The rest for Palisades Elementary and a significant investment into Pali High as well.

"The board has not only approved the appropriation, the board has also approved, in a very expedited way, the architecture, the engineering work, as well as the construction cost for these three projects," he said.

Students at Palisades Charter High School have been attending classes since August at the former Sears building on Fourth Street in downtown Santa Monica. That facility has been affectionately dubbed "Pali South."

Classes at the fire-damaged campus, known as "Pali Main," are expected to resume Jan. 27. Students will begin the LAUSD's second semester next Tuesday at Pali South, allowing additional time to complete environmental testing at the Main campus before students return there.

Students at Palisades Charter Elementary School have been attending classes at Brentwood Science Magnet school pending rebuilding of the main campus.

Carvalho noted that the rebuilding work at Marquez and Palisades elementary schools is expected to be completed by fall of 2028.

"Initially we promised the fall of 2028," Carvalho said. "We will do our very best, not only for Marquez, but also for Pali Elementary, to reduce that timeline by taking advantage of all the flexibilities and support provided to us by the state of California, including Governor (Gavin) Newsom. They promised the red tape would be cut, and they are living up to that promise. And we're going to take full advantage of the flexibilities provided to shorten the timeline of the rebuilding process.

"... I want to reassure our community that what we promised we will deliver on. These projects will come in on time or ahead of schedule. These projects will come in at or below budget. And these projects will honor the resilience, the determination, the courage, and yes, the suffering and the sacrifice of the community of the Palisades."

LAUSD board member Nick Melvoin echoed Carvalho's emphasis on expediting the construction work.

"Urgency matters, because we aren't just rebuilding campuses for the next 100 years, we are serving children who only have a few years left in elementary school or high school," Melvoin said. "And that's why over the past year the district has acted with focus and speed."

City News Service