LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho talks school programs, safety, enrollment, AI and more

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Saying the best way to guarantee students graduate on time is to make an investment while they're young, LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho is touting the benefits of Universal Transitional Kindergarten.

Carvalho appeared on a recent taping of Eyewitness Newsmakers, discussing how every 4-year-old child in Los Angeles will have access to the UTK program beginning in the 2023-24 school year.

The program, according to the superintendent, prepares children for the first few years of elementary school, which then sets them up to succeed later in their school career and graduate.

There has been a progressive decline in enrollment in certain parts of the district, particularly in the African American community. LAUSD is working on re-energizing some of the schools with new and innovative programs that students have historically had to leave the community to find.

The district is also working with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on ways to increase safety around schools and transport students through more dangerous parts of their community.

LAUSD is one of many entities grappling with the surge of artificial intelligence. Carvalho explained how AI is useful for crunching data for teachers, but also how AI can automatically call or text a parent or student to remind them of duties and responsibilities, or provide them prompts for social-emotional support and mental wellness.

However, with the potential of students plagiarizing papers, LAUSD is working to develop policy and protocols for respectful use of artificial intelligence.

Keeping kids engaged during the summer months is something LAUSD is working on. Carvalho says there will be a month-long summer program strongly targeting students who need to catch up in terms of academic performance. It will also have all the fun of a summer camp, including field trips, arts and music.