Board approves immediate enrollment for children of staff impacted by the Eden Fire; other permit items tabled to Jan. 21

The La Canada Unified School District board approved an immediate permit exception allowing children of staff who were impacted by the Eden Fire to enroll in district schools for the remainder of the school year; trustees tabled other permit-waiver proposals for further review at a Jan. 21 meeting.

A motion by Board member Dan (seconded on the floor) approved permitting staff children whose families were displaced by the natural disaster to enroll in district schools for the current school year; those temporary placements will require families to reapply for the 2025–26 year under the district’s regular permit process. Placement will be determined by available classroom space at each site.

Wendy told the board that district residents remain automatically eligible for enrollment and that displaced families now residing within district boundaries have the right to enroll under state homeless-student rules; the board’s action focused specifically on children of staff who needed rapid placement due to displacement. Staff said they would process enrollments according to available capacity by school and grade.

Trustees tabled other categories — including waiving permit timelines for Sagebrush residents in anticipation of a territory transfer and handling displaced families who are temporarily residing in the district but are enrolled elsewhere — until the Jan. 21 meeting so staff could assemble capacity figures and legal guidance.

"If displaced families are now residing in LCUSD, we will enroll them," Wendy said, clarifying the district’s obligation on residency-based enrollment. The board voted to take immediate action on the staff-children item; the motion passed by a voice vote.