Dozens of Los Angeles Unified School District campuses are among more than 200 schools statewide receiving funding to replace asphalt playgrounds with trees, shade and green space as part of a $156 million effort to protect students from extreme heat, the governor’s office announced Tuesday.
The funding is part of CAL FIRE’s Green Schoolyards Grant Program, which since 2022 has supported projects at more than 215 campuses across California, reaching roughly 94,000 students and planting more than 6,000 trees, state officials said.
In LAUSD, 35 campuses serving largely underprivileged or disadvantaged communities have received funding through the program, which aims to transform heat-trapping schoolyards into cooler, safer environments for students.
At Hawaiian Avenue Early Education Center in Wilmington, one of the participating LAUSD campuses, Principal Raquel Shepard said the improvements have helped create a more engaging environment for students.
“With this new environment, our students are opened up to different facets and opportunities of learning. To see a whole school become vibrant and inviting and a service to the community and children this way tops off my career,” Shepard said in a statement.
State officials said the projects include planting trees and vegetation, replacing pavement with green space and adding shaded areas designed to reduce temperatures, improve air quality and provide more opportunities for outdoor learning.
“Kids shouldn’t have to choose between going outside and staying safe from the heat,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement. “Every child deserves a healthy, safe place to learn. We’re planting trees, creating shade, and transforming schoolyards that will protect our children for generations to come.”
Beyond cooling school grounds, officials said the projects are intended to improve student health, concentration and academic performance, while also benefiting surrounding communities by improving air quality, capturing stormwater and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Additional funding is also being made available, including $13.5 million in grants for campuses in communities affected by the 2015 Aliso Canyon gas leak, such as Porter Ranch, Northridge and Canoga Park.
The grants will support similar projects aimed at reducing heat and expanding access to nature-based learning environments.