With an increased amount of students obtaining their driver’s licenses and no system to monitor who is using the parking lot, it’s too much for the small lot to handle.

By 7:50 a.m., the lot is chaotic with parents dropping off in the non-student drop-off area as students and staff are trying to find parking spaces. Although technically prohibited, some drivers are forced to create makeshift parking spots on the ends and along the fence.

Prior to the warning bell, there are still factors that make it difficult to enter the parking lot to find a vacant space. Some Valley Alternative Magnet students are dropped off on the Daniel Pearl Magnet High School (DPMHS) driveway and this causes drivers to stick out in moving traffic onto Balboa Boulevard, creating a jam as more people try to enter the lot.

This situation is especially frustrating because students are not dropped off quickly. This causes the line of traffic to  build down Balboa Blvd. and the risk of  having a large car accident increases.

Another factor that makes it difficult to find spaces is when DPMHS parents drop off their children and park in a parking spot until the bell, occupying spaces that students and staff need to use.

Parking is especially difficult for students and staff who come late to school because there are no quick options when the lot is full.

A partial remedy for the parking lot situation, can include asking parents not to wait around if they have already dropped off their children. The school can also check to make sure every student has a driver’s license and issue them a parking permit.