As about half a million students prepare to return to Los Angeles Unified School District campuses in a few weeks, Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho is set to deliver his annual “Opening of Schools” address Tuesday, previewing new initiatives and setting the tone for a school year shadowed by political and financial uncertainty.
Carvalho will speak on the theme of “Inspiring Greatness” at Walt Disney Concert Hall, according to the district, and highlight how students continue to excel “despite the numerous challenges they face as the federal government attacks our community and reduces education funding,” a district spokesperson said Monday. The address is also expected to include new initiatives for the school year.
Carvalho, in a press conference earlier this month, called the federal action “illegal in nature,” noting the money for LAUSD had already been approved by Congress. He said the school district would press for a swift resolution.
“We will be speaking with the GAO (Government Accountability Office) to ensure that the GAO takes the necessary steps to investigate this illegal action, and produces the necessary report to Congress to expedite the release of these funds,” Carvalho said.
He said not getting the funds would hit vulnerable students hardest, including English learners and those from immigrant families.
The annual speech, typically an opportunity to reflect on progress and set priorities, comes as the nation’s second-largest school district grapples with the potential loss of more than $120 million in federal support.
District officials have not released full details of Tuesday’s announcements, but Carvalho may address topics such as staffing, student support services and recent academic gains.
LAUSD will also continue implementation of last year’s landmark policy limiting cellphone use during the school day, a measure that aims to improve students’ focus on their classroom subjects and to combat cyberbullying among students on their cellphones.
The district is facing the potential loss of $123 million this school year due to the Trump administration’s decision to withhold federal education funding, part of a broader $6.8 billion freeze affecting districts nationwide, including more than $900 million in California.
“The potential impact to Los Angeles Unified alone is severe,” a district spokesperson said in a statement Monday. “An estimated over $123 million in critical funding is at risk for the 2025–26 school year.”
That includes support services for migrant students ($1.4 million), professional development for teachers ($30.2 million), academic support for English learners ($10 million), college and career support ($45.4 million), after school programs for students in all grade levels ($23.2 million), and support to help adult learners build English skills and understand U.S. civics ($12.9 million).
The money had been appropriated by Congress and was originally scheduled for distribution to school districts on July 1. It was intended to support programs for English learners, students from migrant families, after-school and summer programs, classroom technology and teacher training.
California and two dozen other states sued the administration earlier this month, calling the funding freeze “unconstitutional, unlawful and arbitrary.” The Trump administration has said the pause is necessary to prevent the misuse of government funds and to review whether the money has been used in ways that conflict with its priorities.
The administration has since released about $1 billion of the withheld funds for after-school and summer programs, but the bulk of the funds remain in limbo.
Carvalho said the budget approved by the LAUSD board in late June did not account for the newly announced freeze.
“We provided protection for $46 million specific to federal programs that had already been eliminated, but did not contemplate an additional $110 million in the middle of the summer, effective the 25-26 school year,” he said. District officials have since updated that estimate to more than $123 million.
For some parents, the funding crisis deepens their fears following a summer marked by immigration raids.
“Going into this school year, I am concerned about safety,” said Nicolle Fefferman, a district teacher and mother of two LAUSD students. “The ICE raids and deportations have made students and families scared for themselves, their loved ones and their communities. It has been a really hard summer for so many of us in Los Angeles and I hope that schools are being given the resources to support students and families. If students don’t feel safe, they cannot learn.”
She also said she hopes district leaders will make greater efforts to engage with families.
“Endless and longwinded robo-calls do not equal engagement,” Fefferman said. “Webinars that are essentially lectures are not engagement. How are the people at (LAUSD headquarters) and in the regional offices actually engaging in dialogue with school communities about our concerns and our hopes for our public schools?”
While the $123 million in jeopardy makes up a small portion of LAUSD’s multibillion-dollar budget, she said the issue raises broader questions about how the district prioritizes spending.
“Why are we spending almost $600 million on contracts with outside consultants and programs? Why have we hired less teachers over the last five years and hired more out of school staff,” Fefferman asked.
She added: “Board Members need to make certain that the resources are flowing to classrooms. No teacher should have to buy a class set of crayons. Families should not have to donate tissue boxes. We have the money. Board members need to make sure it is being spent correctly.”
The first day of instruction for the 25-26 school year is Thursday, Aug. 14.