LAUSD Unveils Major Plan To Improve Academic Achievement in Low-Performing High Schools

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, today announced that it will begin working with three national organizations as part of a comprehensive effort to help all district high school students graduate with the skills and knowledge needed for success in post-secondary education and work.

With more than $7.4 million in foundation investments, the Institute for Research and Reform in Education (IRRE), Talent Development High Schools (TDHS), and Architects of Achievement will assist LAUSD implement strategies needed to strengthen instruction, student supports, and facility designs at four existing large Los Angeles high schools: Carson Senior High School, Jordan Senior High School, Fremont Senior High School, and Washington Prep Senior High School—serving approximately 14,000 Los Angeles youth.

“After making significant progress in our elementary schools, we are now zeroing in on our high schools—to help more students graduate ready for the demands of college and today’s job market,” said Governor Roy Romer, LAUSD superintendent. “The work being done at these four high schools will serve as a catalyst for district wide improvements in the quality of our secondary schools.”

In June, the LAUSD board approved a plan requiring all high school students beginning with the class of 2008 to complete a 15-course series, known as the A-G Curriculum, in order to graduate. This is the same requirement for admission to the University of California and California State University systems. Only 54 percent of senior high students completed A-G courses in the last year school year.  Of those, 46 percent passed. The partners funded today will help the district adopt new instruction and support methods to help all young people master these high-level academics. 

"The Los Angeles Unified School District and our other partners are transforming large high schools so that each student receives a meaningful education designed to help them achieve their full potential," said Steven G. Seleznow, program director for education at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “This proactive approach has a proven record of providing students with challenging coursework and the supports needed to meet high standards and graduate from high school ready for college and work.”

Research has shown that successful schools prepare all young people for college, work, and citizenship by offering rigorous instruction that challenges all students; a relevant course of study that motivates students through real world experience; and meaningful relationships that ensure that a caring adult is involved with every young person’s learning experience.  These elements are most often fostered in smaller learning environments.

Today’s announcement includes the following investments:

• IRRE ($2,688,852 over three years) will implement their “First Things First” framework at Fremont and Washington Prep. The model’s three-pillar approach combines small, four-year themed learning communities, “family and student advocate” supports pairing teachers with 15-17 students and families, and intense instructional improvements.
  
  
• TDHS ($3,057,087 over four years), which is a part of the Johns Hopkins University Center for Social Organization of Schools, will work with administrators and teachers at Carson and Jordan high schools to implement rigorous 9th grade Success Academies and career-focused academies for grades 10-12. The schools will feature TDHS-designed courses in math and English/language arts during "block" scheduled double periods, coaches to support professional development, and smaller learning communities to encourage engagement and increased support.
  
  
• Architects of Achievement ($1,690,650 over three years) will work with the district’s Office of School Redesign and Facilities Services Division to implement small learning communities and evaluate their progress.

“As the nation’s second largest school district, LAUSD is working to overcome the unique challenges it faces in helping all students achieve at high levels,” said James P. Connell, president and co-founder of IRRE. “The First Things First framework will support LAUSD and our partner schools to provide students with whatever it takes to bring graduation, college, and a productive career within their reach.”

Since 2003, the foundation has invested more than $10 million in the Los Angeles region to open new high schools and strengthen existing ones in Los Angeles. To date, the foundation has invested about $1 billion on efforts to improve the nation’s high school system, including supporting the creation of more than 1,500 high-quality high schools in 40 states and the District of Columbia. As of this past fall, more than 550 of these new and transformed high schools have opened around the country.

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IRRE (www.irre.org), a nonprofit organization, partners with districts and schools that serve significant numbers of low-income students to transform the way they work toward every student's success. IRRE is best known as the developer of First Things First, a comprehensive framework for K-12 reform. In addition to providing technical assistance, IRRE supports education reform through research, product development and consultation.
Contact: Carol Thomson (215) 747-7700
 
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The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD - www.lausd.k12.ca.us) serves more than 735,000 Kindergarten-12th grade students, making it the second largest school system in the country.  LAUSD is an urban school system with a highly diverse population with 92 different spoken home languages. Since an overall reform of its instructional program five years ago, LAUSD students have demonstrated unprecedented academic improvement. And for the first time in three decades, LAUSD is building new schools—construction of a 160 new schools is now underway.

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Architects of Achievement (www.archachieve.org) is a Seattle-based organization focused on building bridges between educational practice and architecture. It provides design expertise and educational program planning services to communities, school districts, and organizations engaged in designing or renovating buildings to support powerful small schools and educational complexes. Bringing research regarding how people learn, they help school communities across the nation think creatively about effective design solutions that improve educational outcomes for all students.
Contact: Ellis Kauffman  (213) 633-8988

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Talent Development High Schools (www.csos.jhu.edu/tdhs) is a comprehensive reform aimed at reducing student anonymity and apathy, increasing achievement and deterring drop outs.  Started in Baltimore in 1994, TDHS provides organizational, instructional and curricular innovations and extensive professional development to create an orderly teaching and learning environment that will help break the cycle of poor attendance and low achievement that plagues many large, urban high schools.
Contact: Mary Maushard (410) 516-8810