The Clock is Ticking on Downtown's Elementary Future

To all those parents in Downtown with elementary-age school children: Where ideally would you like to see a Downtown elementary school? The Historic Core, South Park, etc. Just curious to see what area of the city most prefer.

As 9th st is a "Program Improvement" school, there is a chance Kidlo could go to a different school under the "Public School Choice" (PSC) program. This allows kids enrolled in poorly-performing schools to switch to a better school. But as everything in the LAUSD, resources are limited and priority goes to the "lowest achieving children from low-income families” (as it should be, but that puts us Lofties at the end of the list.)

An even remoter possibility would be trying to game the "Permits with transportation" program, but then you don't get to pick the school you end up at.

And then there is the Charter School lottery... You could end up anywhere.

LAUSD choices informational website

I have mentioned this before, don't let test scores deter you from choosing an elementary school. Yes, 9th Street Elementary has low test scores, there are quite a few things that go into that, lack of parental support, the crap the kids have to deal with on a daily basis at home (or lack thereof), English Language Learners, etc. Your child will do well there as long as you are involved with your child's education. There are students that do well at 9th Street Elementary regardless of their situation. I can't believe someone will give up on a school based solely on test scores, there is much more to a school than test scores.

Visit a classroom and observe what the teacher is teaching, and see if it is at grade level. Look at the standards of the grade you are observing and see whether the teacher is teaching or addressing those standards.

Make an informed decision before giving up on a school.

By the way, I am a teacher...

When my daughter and her then three year old son came to live with me in my loft, we needed to find a pre-school as we both worked full time. We also hoped to find a school close to where we lived, and preferably within walking distance. We checked out the day care at the Calwirks building and ultimately chose the First Five pre-school at Union Station. It was a wonderful school.

Three years later, my grandson goes to a private Catholic school just east of the First St. bridge. This has been a great choice for us. There is an amazing community just to the east of us that has more facilities; parks, swimming pools, soccer camp, baseball camp, basketball camp, pre-schools, elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, with a brand new HS being built at 1st & Mission. My grandsons school is three minutes from downtown. It's not diverse in culture, but the culture and the community he partakes in will have long lasting benefits in his life. We love living downtown and look forward to the array of possibilities for him in this multi-cultural place we call home.

Afraid to say it out loud, I think Downtown parents would like a school right in their own building. Have a requirement for each development to set aside one unit as a mini-classroom, perhaps a second unit for recess/P.E./activity room. Sounds crazy but just thinking outside the box. Perhaps Quimby fees could cover this and go to good use, since the fees seems so difficult to spend obtaining park land. That might pay for one instructor and one administrator per building. Have the mini-classrooms managed by LAUSD. Or not. For all the LAUSD haters out there: I'm a product of LAUSD, it's not that bad.

To Li I would say: Apply to the Magnet school system. One of my children attended 32nd Street elementary, which has a strong relationship with USC. Another currently attends Open Charter Magnet. LAUSD provides buses if the school is too far away (although I think 32nd Street might be too close to downtown and you would be stuck with driving).

And if you don't get into the magnet school of your choice right away, then hit the phones. When my daughter moved from elementary school to middle school, she didn't get into LACES, the magnet she applied to. We got on the phone, and got her into a new Charter school that had just opened near Lafayette Park and Wilshire and we are very happy there.

Using the public school system in LA can seem like a daunting task. But you can make it work, and you can continue to live downtown.

One last thing...when we moved to our neighborhood, a number of moms got together to figure out the school system and what schools to apply to. One mom even dragged along a friend who was a teacher at a Magnet School. That meeting really helped us understand the process. Perhaps a meeting like that is needed within the downtown community.

The problem with the magnet school system is that there is such a big demand for the good schools, there's no guarantee your kid will get in. Same with charter schools. So yes, you can apply, but if you don't get the school of your choice, you're stuck.

Tim, I hear you on working the system, but given a choice between having to scramble and work the phones and harass LAUSD administrators and pray that my kid gets into a decent school, and simply moving to a school district that has decent schools and requires no scrambling on my part--I have to say the no-scrambling wins out for me. And I'm sure that will be the case for a lot of other families as well.

Mifami, Catholic schools are a great alternative for a lot of families, but not everyone religious school.

VQ, I've heard of families banding together and hiring a teacher for small groups of kids--it's sort of like homeschooling on steroids. But it requires a hell of a lot of time and energy and as a working parent I don't see that being possible for our family.

Li, you don't want a solution to allow you continue living downtown. So good luck, where ever you go.

I must be missing something here--downtown does have an elementary school, at 9th St. Why would anyone at LAUSD entertain the idea of building ANOTHER school downtown to cater to loft dwellers simply because 9th St. is beneath them? I'm not trying to throw stones, but let's call it what it is--whatever the excuse, the existing school isn't good enough--location is bad, enrollment demographics aren't whom you want your kids learning with, test scores of said homeless children aren't as high as what you want them to be, etc. Excuses.

The amount of literature on public education describing school performance as a positive correlation with parental involvement and socioeconomic background is astounding. If you're as involved as you claim to be, your child will do well. And if there are enough parents downtown sending their children to 9th St. to even remotely justify another elementary school, not only would you collectively improve the ranking of 9th St., but your children and the homeless children would benefit from greater diversity and THEIR educational prospects would improve as well.

I've worked with inner-city public school children in other cities. Many of them are bored, frustrated, and unmotivated because they have no expectations of them. They don't want to go to college because they "know" it won't happen (parents can't afford it, parents discourage or just don't encourage it because they didn't do it, etc.) and that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy; they don't see college as a possibility, so they don't prepare for it, so they don't have the test scores and grades to qualify.

Sure, you might be stepping outside of your comfort zone sending your children there, and sure you have valid concerns about 9th St.--we are talking about your children--but let's not forget that schools don't improve on their own. Downtown didn't begin transforming because everyone waited for Skid Row to go away, and 9th St. will be the same thing.

My mother was just visiting Los Angeles from Indianapolis, and we were downtown at CPK last night. She had not been downtown in 5 years, and was SHOCKED at how many people were on the street at 9:45pm. The last time she was downtown, the streets were dead past 7:30pm. 5 years. Given the momentum, I don't see why 9th St. wouldn't begin improving as quickly, if not more so, if given the chance.

I like what George said above: visit a classroom and see for yourself before you judge. You should be doing that anyway, no matter how high the test scores are--I'd never send my child to a school where the students appeared to be exceptionally cliquey or seriously lacking in diversity.

Of course, your mileage may vary.

Li, you don't want a solution to allow you continue living downtown.

This can't be the answer anymore. I see this kind of response often on this blog whenever someone complains about anything downtown. People aren't going to choose to live downtown if living down here means it's going to seriously inconvenience them. Rather than say, oh, you must not really want to live downtown, the community needs to acknowledge the serious lack of key services and amenities and address them. That's the only way you're going to establish a stable community down here.

The Dude, I went to an elementary school in the Bronx in the 70s, exactly the kind of school you're describing. And it was a miserable experience. I was bored because I was working four to five grade levels above the other students and my teachers didn't have the time to spend on giving me assignments that could challenge me. And because I was a smart and quiet kid, I was bullied by the other students. Why should I subject my child to a similar experience? Just so I can stay downtown? No thanks.

I agree that the community needs to invest in 9th Street Elementary and that community commitment can go a long way. But so far I'm not seeing any will to do that. As Susana has said, she has reached out repeatedly to other parents, as have I, but they haven't shown any interest in investing in the school. And even if we did have a lot of parent buy-in, that wouldn't be enough.

We also need commitments from the business community and local government, but again, I haven't seen a lot of interest. I spoke to Hal Bastian's office about this issue and a member of his staff simply told me, "Don't send your kid to LAUSD." If that's the attitude of the BID, I'm not holding my breath that they'll make any meaningful investment in 9th Street Elementary.

I agree with Li. A common response to when people disagree with someone's comments here is to tell them to leave downtown. I call it the banishment option. They seem to be saying, "I don't like where this conversation is going. Go away!" It is a regretable impulse.

I don't quite understand it. But, that's me. There are plenty of people here who I tend to disagree with regularly. Regardless, I read their comments with interest because they are thoughtful. Oft times, I learn something or consider an issue anew. I gather too many people aren't interested in ideas which differ from their own. Their loss.

Yep, this is a big issue which will define downtown. Will downtown rise to the occasion? I ain't holding my breath. For those with kids, the clock is ticking.

The Dude, I went to an elementary school in the Bronx in the 70s, exactly the kind of school you're describing. And it was a miserable experience. I was bored because I was working four to five grade levels above the other students and my teachers didn't have the time to spend on giving me assignments that could challenge me. And because I was a smart and quiet kid, I was bullied by the other students. Why should I subject my child to a similar experience? Just so I can stay downtown? No thanks.

I agree that the community needs to invest in 9th Street Elementary and that community commitment can go a long way. But so far I'm not seeing any will to do that. As Susana has said, she has reached out repeatedly to other parents, as have I, but they haven't shown any interest in investing in the school. And even if we did have a lot of parent buy-in, that wouldn't be enough.

We also need commitments from the business community and local government, but again, I haven't seen a lot of interest. I spoke to Hal Bastian's office about this issue and a member of his staff simply told me, "Don't send your kid to LAUSD." If that's the attitude of the BID, I'm not holding my breath that they'll make any meaningful investment in 9th Street Elementary.

Then what is it you want, Li? You don't know that 9th St. will be the same as your school in the Bronx, certainly not without sitting in on it, you agree that the community needs to invest in 9th St., but you won't do so yourself until someone else has. I'm not sure what business commitments have to do with education here, but I have to agree with Tim--you do not seem interested in really trying to reconcile your child's education and living downtown, as you shoot down any suggestion anyone gives you.

Again, what is it you want to gain from this? What is your larger goal? I'm under the impression you want a brand new elementary school downtown for the loft-dwellers, and I must say that's mighty unrealistic.

Seriously, I understand the need to provide your child with a safe & clean learning experience. I also understand the need to be challenged in school without being held back by those under-achieving. But, you've said it yourself Li, you don't have time. You can't dump your child on the school, you need to MAKE time. And I really hate to break it to you but anyone who considers finding their child a good quality school an inconvenience is doing exactly that, dumping their child on the school system. In that case you'd be no different than the parents of those under-achieving hobo kids attending 9th St Elementary. In whatever school you send your child to across the country, it's important you're engaged in their education.. or really, you're just leaving it up in the air for your child to decide what's important at school, or not.

Part of Li's issue is that there is no school within her neighborhood. Her neighborhood is not in the vicinity of 9th Street Elementary, nor is it in Chinatown.

A neighborhood needs families to add stability. To attract families, you need schools, libraries, parks and churches within the neighborhood. If the historic core (or for that matter, South Park) is going to be viable 15 years from now, it needs to have these resources available within a safe walking distance.

The formula is simple. When people have schools and parks in their neighborhood, they become protective of those resources, they begin to care more about what goes on the streets, and they consequently demand improvements to the safety of the neighborhood.

As a parent of a six-year-old, I would have a problem sending my kid to 9th Street Elementary. Not because of the poverty: I too grew up with little money in a low-income neighborhood. So I would have no fear of having my kid going to school with people that have less money or of a different background.

The issue is crime in Skid Row. Crime is pervasive in the area. Is it getting better? Sure. But as a parent, your first responsibility is for the safety of your child. So you have to consider the risk of sending your kid to a school where massive amounts of drug trade and usage, prostitution and other crimes take place in the open on the street.

Li,

I think there are some other options here that I haven't seen yet in this dialogue. I think that 32nd Street is a great option, but I also think that some of USC's Family of Schools locations (Vermont Ave. is one), provide parents with not only USC financial resources but student manpower as well. Additionally, they receive support and oversight from USC Rossier School of Education, an excellent school of ed.

Additionally, there are some very good public schools in the neighborhoods ringing downtown. The API scores may not match that of schools like Ivanhoe in Silverlake, but the reality is that many schools in affluent neighborhoods with high scores haven't done a thing to change practice in decades. Often-times schools that are improving but haven't joined the 800 and above club yet are working really hard to implement best practice. Research shows that the most important variable in the quality of a child's education is the quality of the classroom teacher. I think you need to do some more research. I also think that you may find some excellent teachers at 9th St. It sounds like your mind may already be made up. You don't sound too open to opinions that differ from yours at this point.

Joel C:

Part of Li's issue is that there is no school within her neighborhood. Her neighborhood is not in the vicinity of 9th Street Elementary, nor is it in Chinatown.

How is 9th St. not in the neighborhood? Is it situated on 9th and Hope? No, but it's not even a mile away.

I agree with Li, but I'm not interested in moving out of downtown. I moved downtown ten years ago and now have a wife and children. My kids will be ready for school soon and I want them to have a good education that is not religiously based. We contribute to our community through our livelyhood as well as taxes and want the amenities we deserve; a good school is one of them. Downtown is changing for the better; there's nothing wrong with asking for an education that meets the growth of central city. I know Ninth Street is there, and I'm sure the teachers are doing the best job they can possibly do, but it is also the environment that worries me.
To put it bluntly, a lot of the kids there are dealing with extreme depression, drugs, and have very little guidance from there parents. I don't want to throw my kids into that mix. Even in decent schools you have to fight for their education; in a school that must address so much hardship, it would be an emotional struggle just to learn the basics. No kid should go through that, but unfortunately some do; i'm not about to turn my kids into martyrs for a blighted education system.
The rest of you moved down here and raised the demand for better restaraunts, bars, clubs, clothing, there's nothing wrong with throwing education into that mix. Li is just throwing the word out tosee if anyone else out here facing the same concerns; yes, I am.
If I'm wrong, then why don't you nay-saying hipsters move to Wall or St. Julian Streets and get in line at the mission for your meals. Next time you go out for a drink, walk passed the Varnish and make King Eddie's your watering hole.
TO THE DUDE: Asking Li to send her kids to 9th Street is akin to taking your visiting mother, not to CPK's, but instead to King Eddie's for Oyster Shooters. How many homeless people do you think were at CPK's the night you took your mother there to eat? Basically, if you're not willing to give up on all your growing and 'cool' amenities that you're getting as a new downtown hipster; if you're not willing to hang out with the homeless (eat with them, live with them, date them, bring them home, make their emotional problems your own), why should you expect my kids to?

I'm a teacher at Ninth Street and you are welcome into my classroom anytime. We have remarkable teachers and students who do outstanding things every year. In fact, one homeless student just graduated from Jefferson High School and is enrolling at Harvard this fall. Every student is different and every family is different. We teach to the standards with our students best interests at heart. Please come SEE what we're about :)

Thank you for your response Ms. Benavidez. I can understand your concern about our school. I have plenty of those concerns myself and many of us have been taking actions for years to really make a difference at our school as well as in the lives of these students. I keep in touch with countless of my former students, many of whom are college bound. The possibilities are endless when parents and the school are committed to education. It's a shame that during your visit you only spoke to Ms. Barry-a principal who has been present less than a year at our school and hardly has the insight that some of the rest of us do into the real "gems" at our school. I really hope that during your conversation, more than just our "problems" were highlighted. It's also a shame that Ms. Barry never told us that there were so many of you interested. Perhaps we could have started to collaborate and take action sooner.

Like you, I am also looking forward to more community interest and a strong partnership for change in the future. It's what our students deserve.

Sincerely,

Andrea

http://ladowntownnews.com/articles/2009/08/29/opinion/letters/doc4a983d773c5ea470047840.txt