Grants will fund new L.A. charter schools
A group that was spawned from a controversial plan for rapid charterschool growth has announced that it would fund grants to incubate new campuses run by the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Great Public Schools Now describes its mission as replicating successful schools in areas where Los Angeles students currently attend failing ones.
The schools defined as failing invariably are operated by L.A. Unified. Nonetheless, L.A. Unified will be an early recipient of “great schools” grants — if the district can meet the specified conditions, said Myrna Castrejon, executive director of the locally based group.
The grants, totaling as much as $3.75 million, would help jump-start as many as five L.A. Unified projects.
“We are excited to begin this collaboration with L.A. Unified schools,” Castrejon said in a statement. “Our goal is to increase the number of students enrolled in high-quality programs, and to do so quickly.”
Her organization was born out of a confidentially circulated plan, obtained by The Times, that envisioned pulling half the students from the nation’s secondlargest school system into charter schools. Charters operate independently of L.A. Unified, and their growth to date — with about 16% of district enrollment — is one important factor contributing to the district’s budget woes because education dollars follow the students.
Charters have proved popular with thousands of parents, and L.A. Unified has more of them within its boundaries than any other school system.
Critics of the original charter-growth plan said that it would bankrupt L.A. Unified and asserted that such an outcome was probably one of the goals.
That first plan was spearheaded last year by the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, which holds a seat on Castrejon’s board. But the goals have evolved, and the group should not be viewed as anti-L.A. Unified, Castrejon said.
Emphasizing possible collaboration, the group’s news release Wednesday included a comment from L.A. schools Supt. Michelle King.
“I am excited about the opportunities to increase the number of high-quality choices for our L.A. Unified families,” King’s statement said. “We have schools in every corner of the district where students are excelling. Investing in these campuses will allow more of our students to attain the knowledge and skills to be successful in college, careers and in life.”
Wednesday’s announcement marks the second installment of grants.
Earlier, the group awarded funds to Teach for America, an enrichment program and a charter school.
The grants will be awarded to school leadership teams that have demonstrated success. At least half of their students must have met or exceeded proficiency in English or math on state standardized tests.
Eligible schools also must enroll special education students and English language learners at rates comparable to district schools as a whole.
Christopher Downing, superintendent of L.A. Unified’s Local District South, oversees a region that includes “failing” campuses and is among the areas targeted by Great Public Schools Now. He said he chooses to emphasize the upside of potential added resources.
“We believe that we are the best option for the students currently attending our schools and that this opportunity will allow us to bring in additional revenue to help us toward our goal of high-quality instruction,” Downing said. Initiatives already underway would keep his local campuses competitive, he added.
Administrators can apply by Oct. 28 for planning grants.
The deadline for complete applications is February.
Proposals will be vetted by an advisory committee. The final decision, for funding ranging from $50,000 to $250,000, will be made by the board of Great Public Schools Now.