In terms of numbers, Los Angeles Schools is the second largest public school district in the country. Only New York City schools beat them. The management issues of any urban system are complex, but in massive districts the numbers make efforts even more difficult.
Los Angeles schools struggle with graduation rates
Simply getting students to graduate is a challenge for Los Angeles Schools. A 2006 USA Today study reported that Los Angeles Schools were among several large urban districts with less than 50% of their students graduating from high school on time. That report put the number of graduates in Los Angeles schools at 44.2%. This is well below the California state graduation rate of 71%.
Another report published by Princeton University in 2005 estimated the loss of income from these dropouts at more than $36 billion. These numbers do not surprise educators in Los Angeles Schools. Numerous studies over the years have confirmed what teachers in Los Angeles Schools know. High school dropouts are much more likely to become teen parents, commit crimes, and use government-funded medical and social services. Graduates have higher incomes, raise better-educated children, and enjoy other social benefits.
Los Angeles schools receive funding
As a result of a 2005 lawsuit filed by State Schools Chief Jack O’Connell and the California Teachers Association, some of the lowest-ranked Los Angeles schools received additional funding in May 2007. The lawsuit was filed in 2006 against California Governor Schwarzenegger and the California Department of Finance. He alleged that they had not adequately funded Proposition 98 during the 2004 to 2006 school years.
O’Connell is using the lawsuit awards to award $2.7 billion to some of the highest-risk schools in California and Los Angeles. The funds are part of a program called the Quality Education Investment Act. The funds will provide select Los Angeles schools with additional per-pupil funding of $500 for grades K-3, $900 for grades 4-8, and $1,000 for grades 9-12. Los Angeles Schools intends to use the money to hire more teachers, address class size concerns, professional development and hire counselors at the school.
Los Angeles schools are in need in many areas. The national achievement gap is huge here due to a large population of English language learners and a low socioeconomic population. One concern of the aforementioned Princeton study is that it pointed to large discrepancies in graduation rates between white and non-white students. African American students and Hispanic students have the lowest graduation rates; and Los Angeles schools are largely made up of these minority students. More than 100 Los Angeles schools will receive the additional funds over the next seven years.