Aspire Public Schools - Public School Choice 2.0

Aspire Public Schools and Public School Choice 2.0

About LAUSD’s “Public School Choice” Resolution

The Los Angeles Unifies School District – LAUSD - plans to open 160 new schools over the next few years. But instead of handing these new schools over to the same struggling system, the school district historically voted 6-1 in August 2009 in favor of implementing “Public School Choice”. The Public School Choice Resolution offers other non-traditional school operators – like charter schools, teacher teams, and other organizations – the opportunity to run these new schools.

The Public School Choice Resolution also asks communities across Los Angeles to voice their concerns and weigh in on who is most qualified to provide their kids with the education they deserve. Under PSC 1:0 Aspire Public Schools was awarded South Region ES #4 a brand new 640-seat campus in South Gate. Aspire located two small learning communities in that state-of-the-art building : Aspire- Firestone Academy and Aspire-Gateway Academy.

This success in round 1:0 prompted Aspire Public Schools to approach the community in South Los Angeles and work closely with resident parents to develop an academically rigorous plan under round 2, for the new Juanita Tate Elementary school SR ES #6 at Slauson and Main streets, scheduled to open in August 2011.

The Juanita Tate Elementary campus is slated to relieve the overcrowding of the feeder schools 61st Street, 66th Street and 68th Street Elementaries in South Los Angeles. These three feeder schools have grown an average of 58 points in student achievement over the last three years, as compared to the average of 155 points that Aspire elementary schools have seen over the same time period. In February, the LAUSD board will decide which group will have the opportunity to run the school based on the quality of its plan, its track record of success and community input.

To strengthen our application, we need your support! Please sign the petition below to help Aspire Public Schools increase public school choice and the number of high quality schools in Los Angeles.