LAEP Excellence Awards Reward Teachers for Improving Student Achievement in L.A. Schools; Awards Recognize Exemplary Educators and Teaching Techniques.

News Editors & Education Writers

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 20, 2002

Teachers, Schools and School-Communities Receive Up to $10,000 for

Success in Improving Student Achievement

The Los Angeles Educational Partnership (LAEP) will honor the recipients of the fourth-annual LAEP Excellence Awards at a celebratory banquet May 30 at the Omni Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. The same evening, LAEP will honor Virgil Roberts with its Founder's Award for his longstanding commitment to educational improvement.

The LAEP Excellence Awards highlight the accomplishments of teachers, schools and school-communities in the Los Angeles Unified School District that have enhanced student learning and achievement in pre-K through 12th grade. The Awards provide grants of up to $10,000 to nine teams of teachers, four schools, and three communities that have been successful in improving student learning and achievement. The Awards also highlight and promote educational techniques and practices that can be used by other educators to engage students in the classroom. The Excellence Awards were developed by LAEP with the funding and support of The Ahmanson Foundation. More than a quarter of a million dollars has been awarded to educators in the first three years of the program and an additional $115,000 will be awarded this year. While funds may be used at the discretion of the recipients for academic purposes, many award winners have used the funds to purchase classroom materials and books, to fund staff development, or to bolster community based projects.

"The teachers, schools and school communities selected for this year's awards exemplify the hard work that is happening in many of our schools throughout Los Angeles," said Susan Way-Smith, president and CEO of LAEP. "I congratulate these terrific educators who won't accept failure as an option and have proven that it is possible for schools and teachers in underrepresented communities to achieve positive results."

The award recipients were selected by a committee of successful educators and community members. In making the selections, the committee drew from applications that documented significant improvements in achievement in reading, mathematics, and language skills. Improvements in attendance, levels and effectiveness of parental and community participation, and evidence of ongoing exemplary educational practices in the use of standards, student assessment and instructional techniques were considered.

Following are examples of award recipients for each category:

In the Teacher Category

Hank Amigo, Fair Avenue Elementary School; Robert Arnold, Sun Valley Middle School, 6501 Fair Avenue, North Hollywood, CA 91060, [phone]. Principals: Maxine Elise Matlen and Jeff Davis, respectively. A 3rd grade teacher and middle school teacher collaborate across their respective schools on a bridging program in which at-risk students, low-income and limited-English speaking students from Fair Avenue Elementary School go to Sun Valley Middle School for a month during off-track time to work on study skills and familiarize themselves with their soon-to-be new school. During the school year, the teachers focused heavily on the acquisition of basic skills. They create and maintain a relaxed, highly stimulating environment in which students' ideas and diversity are respected and explored through music, role-playing and other ways that foster learning. As a result of these efforts, the elementary classroom improved an average of 24 percentile points on the reading part of the 2001 Stanford 9 test. Scores improved 31.9 points and 34 points in math and language, respectively. Mr. Amigo's classes consistently achieve in the top 5 percent of the school's test scores and 12 of 20 students scored at the 68th percentile or better in reading. In math, 14 of 20 students scored above the 71st percentile and in spelling, 11 of 20 students scored in the 70th percentile or above.

In the Schools Category

Harbor City Elementary School, 1508 West 254th Street, Harbor City, 90710. [phone]. Principal: Pauline Wong. Harbor City adopted a multifaceted program of academic, behavioral, health and attendance improvement strategies for its large population of at risk students in a high-poverty neighborhood where many families are dislocated or experience hardship. Students are involved in an analysis of their own work through a variety of teacher, class and grade level assessments. An action plan is developed for students having difficulty. Tutoring is available during the day and after school. Extended school hour programs also offer homework assistance, classes and family literacy programs. Students regularly borrow entertaining books from the library and are tested for comprehension upon completion. Over the last two years, Harbor City's API has increased 83 points to 545. Stanford 9 reading scores increased at every grade level except one. The percentage of students scoring at the 50th percentile on the Stanford 9 reading test increased at every grade level except one with increases ranging from 4 percentile points in grade 5 to 27 percentile points in grade 1 and 19 percentile points in grade 2.

In the Schools-Community Category

Haddon Avenue School, 10115 Haddon Avenue, Pacoima, CA 91331. [phone]. Principal: Loraine S. Mason. Located in a low-income community in the San Fernando Valley, Haddon Elementary School in Pacoima mixes the enthusiasm of a large number of parent volunteers, the resources of local area businesses and community groups and a battery of effective programs to form a successful learning environment. Parents are made to feel comfortable interacting with students, teachers and administrators via its active parent center where leadership skills have been fostered to a point in which a number of parent volunteers have developed into school employees. Haddon uses various community resources from local businesses and non-profit groups and is active in seeking new funding opportunities. The school uses many strategies to remove impediments to student achievement. As a result of these efforts, Haddon has seen significant increases in attendance, reading at or above grade level, improved homework completion as well as a drop in tardiness and undesirable classroom behavior. In 2000-01, the students reading at or above grade level increased from 25% to 34%. Students scoring at or above the 50th percentile on the Stanford 9 increased at all grade levels between 2000 and 2001 with increases ranging from 2 percentile points to 8 percentile points.

Editors please note: Additional summaries of award recipients' achievements are available. For additional information please contact Diana Soltesz at 818/592-6747 or Jean Horwatt at 213/622-5237.