By Mariana Dale for LAist
Originally published on Jan. 5, 2026
Topline: On the first day of Los Angeles Unified’s Winter Academy, enrollment is 14% lower than last year, with about 64,000 students signed up for a week of credit recovery and enrichment camps.
The backstory: Winter Academy started in 2022 as “acceleration days,” meant to help students make up for lost learning time during the COVID-19 pandemic using winter and spring breaks. Enrollment has ranged from 71,000 to 74,000 students, with an average attendance of 55% to 60%, according to a statement provided to LAist by a district spokesperson.
New this year: The district moved the program to start in January this year, ahead of the second semester, rather than keep it in December at the end of the first semester, as in previous years. And it is now a full week instead of three days.
Why it matters: “Bringing kids in earlier, particularly students who actually need it, giving them a bit more of … a ramp into the second semester makes a great deal of sense to all of us,” Superintendent Albert Carvalho said Monday. He said that while enrollment is lower, he hopes overall attendance will be higher than previous years.
Families can still sign up: Fill out a paper application and take it to one of the 319 participating school sites through Friday, Jan. 9.
This report is reprinted with permission from Southern California Public Radio. © 2026 Southern California Public Radio. All rights reserved.
