Learn more about the Excellence in Education Awards Additional profiles: Carthay Center Elementary Wonderland Avenue Elementary Irving Middle School White House Place Primary Center Community Magnet School Lowman Special Education Center Magnolia Avenue School

Excellence in Education Awards Elizabeth Learning Center 4811 Elizabeth Street, Cudahy Emilio Vasquez, Principal New American Schools and Urban Learning Centers demonstration school A LEARN School Bell Cluster - Jorge Garcia, Cluster Administrator RESULTS: Nearly 1,000 adults participate in adult education offerings at Elizabeth Learning Center's Family Center. Parents volunteered a total of 2,298 hours between October 1998 and January 1999. Between 1994-95 and 1996-97, an increase of 370 in enrollment in sixth through twelfth grades could have negatively affected attendance and dropout rates. Rather, average daily attendance improved by four percent over a six-year period and the number of dropouts declined from 30 to 18 between 1994-95 and 1996-97. Scores on Stanford 9 tests in reading and mathematics increased between 1997 and 1998 at almost all grade levels. The last two graduating classes of the high school Information Technology Academy and the Health Academy have had a high school graduating rate of 98%. The graduating seniors were accepted to institutions of higher education at a rate of 96%. In addition, 30 graduating seniors received Recognition (top 30%) or Honors (top 10%) in the Golden State Exam. The Family Center at Elizabeth Learning Center creates a framework through which the entire school community has pulled together to make a difference in factors which could be barriers to student learning. The Family Center is the site of adult education offerings from English as a Second Language to computer skills. A group of parent volunteers called The Comadres and Compadres promote parent and community involvement in the school and run a child-care cooperative which enables many parents to attend adult education classes and/or volunteer in school settings. Children of parents involved in English classes come to school with a better understanding of English. The center hosts a five-day-a-week school psychologist, weekly visits by a social worker, a special-education psychologist, a marriage and family counseling intern and a master's in social work intern. A carefully designed referral plan helps teachers find appropriate resources for students and families. The Center is home to transition support services that ensure new students and parents are welcome when entering school. "Peer buddies," who are trained to welcome and befriend them, greet new students. A Moving Diamond program involves secondary students as cross-age mentors with elementary students. Through a collaboration with St. Francis Medical Center and California State University at Dominguez Hills, Elizabeth Learning Center is also deeply connected to the community through an on-campus health clinic which provides primary health services, prescriptions, immunizations, care for acute conditions such as asthma, health education, nutritional counseling, and screening for tuberculosis, diabetes and cholesterol.