Altadena Arts Magnet Carpet Removal Update

PUSD conducted further interior testing at Altadena Arts Magnet Elementary on May 27, 2026 at the behest of parents. The reports identified detectable lead in approximately half of the rooms tested in Altadena Arts Magnet’s main buildings after the initial cleaning conducted in January 2025. Two rooms reportedly showed lead at or above the federal post-abatement floor action level, and one room showed concerning arsenic levels.

The district has since announced that AAM has agreed to replace all campus carpet with vinyl tile, conduct targeted professional cleaning in select areas using HEPA vacuuming, mopping, damp wiping, and surface cleaning, inspect HVAC systems, and replace HEPA filters in classroom air purifiers. These are meaningful responses to families’ health-protective concerns, but they do not eliminate the need for transparent post-remediation clearance testing and independent review.

Some families continue to call for bungalows and portable classrooms to be removed or decommissioned unless they can be comprehensively tested, remediated, and cleared under health-protective standards. Families are also calling for replacement of acoustic ceiling tiles and wall tiles where contamination may have settled, adsorbed, or become entrained in porous materials, followed by post-remediation clearance testing after material removal and cleaning for lead, arsenic and other CAM 17 metals, asbestos by TEM where appropriate, PAHs, and other wildfire-related contaminants.

This is evidence that schools still need contaminant testing, not just testing for wildfire debris. To date only AAM has received contaminant testing since the Eaton Fire. All other schools in the district reopened without receiving comprehensive contaminant testing for asbestos, lead, or any other heavy metals.