• Category 1

    Selected in 2012

  • Grades: pre k - 5
    School Setting: urban
    Town Population: 97,000
    Student Enrollment: 565
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 19%
    White/Caucasian: 1%
    Hispanic: 78%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 1%
    Asian: 1%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 0%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:32
    % Reduced Lunch: 90%
    % ELL Learners: 61%
    Founded: 1933
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Frank Lozier
  • CONTACT:
    1321 W. Laurel Street
    Compton, CA 90220
    310.898.6440
    frank.lozier@gmail.com
Laurel Street Elementary
Compton, CA
The success of our students and staff is not revolutionary. We operate with the unwavering belief that all students can learn at high levels regardless of zip code or circumstance and the simple philosophy that we do more of what works and less of what doesn't.
What are your school’s top two goals for the next year?
As we look ahead, Team Laurel is adapting to the common core state standards by beefing up our science instruction and technology infrastructure. We are looking to cement the gains we have made in reading and writing by shifting more and more towards science-based texts. We know that readers often experience difficulty transitioning from narrative to expository modes of writing, and we also realize that science is a gateway to the information age jobs of the 21st century. We are also diverting our limited resources to updating our technology infrastructure to ready ourselves for the demands of the new assessments which will be technology-driven and online-based.
What is the single most important factor in the success of your school that others could replicate?
The success of our students and staff is not revolutionary. We operate with the unwavering belief that all students can learn at high levels regardless of zip code or circumstance and the simple philosophy that we do more of what works and less of what doesn’t. We also commit to working together as a team: taking the analogy of a relay race, we know that we not only have to run our respective laps to the best of our abilities, we also have to agree upon how we hand the baton to each other. Put another way, Team Laurel comes to consensus around vertical articulation targets in reading, writing, math, and science so that we prevent an achievement gap before it opens up.
Describe the program or initiative that has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement.
Although we have myriad programs that have contributed to Team Laurel’s success (guided reading, afterschool tutoring, Laurel approach to writing, etc.), what really makes our school work is our comprehensive, systemic approach to meeting goals. We begin by collaboratively setting long-term and short-term targets. We then take stock of the resources available to us. When we notice an area that needs to be shored up, we work creatively to meet our students’ needs within our limited budget constraints. Periodically, we assess our efforts and reallocate resources as necessary in order to course-correct in time to reach our long-term goals.
Describe how data is used to improve student achievement and inform decision making.
While we are a team of passionate educators, Team Laurel commits to making decisions based on evidence rather than opinions. From our placement of students in classes, to our drafting of pacing guides, to our deployment of limited resources, we use results from formative and summative assessments to inform our strategy and amplify our results. One innovation that helps us make decisions effectively, efficiently, and collectively is our online student achievement tracker. It includes summative results from the prior spring as well as formative results throughout the current year and functions as a student- and class-at-a-glance. Our instructional leaders are able to see data in real-time and reallocate resources and focus attention as necessary. Additionally, teachers are able to check up on their former students and follow up when they see dips in performances. Finally, because the entire team is able to see the same data set in real time, we can collectively make informed decisions based on evidence rather than opinion.
Stats
  • Category 1

    Selected in 2012

  • Grades: pre k - 5
    School Setting: urban
    Town Population: 97,000
    Student Enrollment: 565
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 19%
    White/Caucasian: 1%
    Hispanic: 78%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 1%
    Asian: 1%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 0%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:32
    % Reduced Lunch: 90%
    % ELL Learners: 61%
    Founded: 1933
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Frank Lozier
  • CONTACT:
    1321 W. Laurel Street
    Compton, CA 90220
    310.898.6440
    frank.lozier@gmail.com