LAUSD To Create App For Communicating With Parents

LOS ANGELES, CA — The Los Angeles Unified Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday to develop a smartphone app for push notifications to alert parents and school staff of any relevant updates, such as emergency notifications, school closures and calendar updates.

LAUSD board Vice President Nick Melvoin said the new app would be used in place of antiquated robo-calls and paper surveys. Melvoin has hosted several roundtable discussions with parents and community members to gauge who would most benefit from a modernization of district communications.

"The goal of soliciting input was to make this an app for parents, by parents," Melvoin said. "We are ushering in a new era of innovation and transparency by making key information more accessible to parents and caretakers so they may have a louder voice in the education of their kids."

Board President Monica Garcia co-sponsored Melvoin's resolution for development of the app, citing the need for technology to increase parent engagement.

"Technology is part of the solution to get to 100 percent graduation," Garcia said. "This initiative will increase opportunities for parents to have access to accurate, useful and relevant information for their student's success. Parents are partners in L.A. Unified."

City News Service; (Photo by Martin Ollman/Getty Images)