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Council adopts new crossing-guard allocation method after members raise concerns about local impacts
Summary
The Los Angeles City Council voted 11-2 to adopt a new methodology for allocating crossing guards for the upcoming school year after members raised questions about how the changes would affect individual districts and existing crossing-guard posts.
The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday approved a new methodology for allocating school crossing guards, a change intended to standardize how the city assigns resources but one that drew objections from members worried about immediate local effects.
Councilmember Lee called for a separate vote on item 20 and said he could not support the change without seeing how it would affect crossing guards in his district, noting the methodology was scheduled to take effect with the 2025 fall semester. "I really don't know what the impact is going to be to the different districts. I wish we had some sort of idea of how this would affect the crossing guards in my district," Lee said during debate. He added concern that the new formula could remove long-standing crossing guards from some schools just as the school year begins.
The motion to adopt the methodology passed with 11 ayes and 2 no votes. Councilmember Park also spoke against applying the methodology to existing posts without clearer information, saying she could not support reallocating established crossing guards and expressing concern about effects on parents and students.
Council discussion and the roll call did not identify a mover or seconder for the motion in the public record excerpt; the council proceeded to open and close the roll and the clerk announced the tally. The item as approved is framed as a change in how the Department of Transportation will allocate crossing-guard resources; the transcript did not provide the ordinance or full motion text in the public remarks.
Why it matters: city crossing-guard assignments affect student safety, parent confidence and daily travel patterns near schools. Several councilmembers said they would consider using the methodology for adding new crossing guards but objected to using it to reassign or remove existing posts without district-level impact data.
The council recorded the final vote as 11 ayes and 2 no votes.
