LAUSD students hit the books on first day of school

LOS ANGELES -- It was a big day for more than half a million Los Angeles Unified School District students, who said so long to summer and headed back to class for the first day of school on Tuesday.

Officials with LAUSD, the second largest school district in the nation, visited several campuses, greeting students and speaking about the importance of education.

"We want complete degrees, graduation, that really is the goal," said L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, who spoke alongside LAUSD Superintendent Michelle King at Fremont High School's brand new library.

King said she is proud of LAUSD's 75 percent graduation rate, but she pressed that the district, schools, faculty and students can do better.

Watch Darsha Philips' report above from Eyewitness News at 11 a.m.