LA Unified outlines accelerated plan to rebuild three Palisades campuses, aiming for late‑2028 completion

The Los Angeles Unified School District told its Facilities and Procurement Committee on Dec. 2 that permanent reconstruction of three campuses damaged in the January 2025 Palisades fire is underway and being pushed on an accelerated schedule. Isam Dadul, director of facilities planning and development, said the district advanced roughly $600 million in bond funds to begin design work for Marquez Elementary, Palisades Elementary and Palisades Charter High while pursuing insurance and FEMA reimbursement.

"Construction in general ... is anticipated to take about three years for the permanent rebuild," Dadul said, describing a plan to submit design documents to the Division of State Architect (DSA) in March–April and to run contractor short‑listing and procurement concurrently so construction can begin as early as the first quarter of 2027 and finish by the fourth quarter of 2028.

The district provided campus‑level estimates. Marquez’s total project budget is approximately $200 million for a permanent rebuild of roughly 20 classrooms and commons spaces; Palisades Elementary’s restoration and additions are estimated at about $135 million for 14 classrooms and supporting infrastructure; and Palisades Charter High has been operating temporarily at a Sears building in Santa Monica while remediation and environmental clearances continue.

Why it matters: families displaced by the fire have relied on interim housing and temporary relocations for the past year, and parents told the committee that earlier return dates would materially affect whether families remain in the neighborhood. The committee heard multiple requests from Palisades parents to seek every available administrative and legislative fast‑track to narrow a one‑year gap between LAUSD’s timeline and the private Village School next door.

District staff said they are taking steps to accelerate without bypassing required state reviews. Dadul said DSA has been meeting bi‑weekly with the team to streamline review, and that running procurement processes in parallel with DSA review would allow a short list of bidders to price stamped drawings once they are available. He described a four‑month target for an expedited DSA review window once designs are submitted.

Dadul also described the financial approach: bond funds front the work, insurance proceeds and FEMA reimbursements are being pursued, and the district has engaged a consultant to assist with FEMA filings and coordination with insurance carriers. "We hope to recover as much as possible," he said.

Committee members pressed staff on community engagement, programing (how much space to rebuild versus reduce), environmental clearance timing for returning Palisades Charter High, and resiliency measures such as 7A hardening and sprinklering. Dadul said architects are incorporating resiliency plans, landscaping setbacks and material choices to address the high‑fire‑severity zone.

Public comment included parents who said the timetable matters for neighborhood recovery and urged the district to pursue emergency waivers where appropriate. Victor Aaliyah, a Pali Elementary parent, told the committee the school’s destruction "clearly meets the definition of an emergency" and urged the district to seek waivers to avoid public‑bidding delays that can extend timelines.

Next steps: staff will submit DSA documents, continue coordination with FEMA and insurance, and return to the committee and board with procurement and implementation updates. The committee scheduled further follow‑up on both the Palisades program and the district’s broader procurement review.