Creating Experienced-Based Classroom Learning Environments in Los Angeles

K-12 STEAM education

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Systemically, the US education system is not preparing our students for successful futures as members and leaders of the next generation workforce. The Chronicle of Higher Education reports that 70% of US jobs will require postsecondary education or training by 2027, yet only 38% of US high school graduates met 3 of 4 college readiness benchmarks, and the U.S. ranked 15th in science and 36th in math in most recent PISA assessments. A system designed this way is damaging for all young people, but particularly for young people of color or those who come from immigrant and under-resourced communities. These students experience the compounded effects of racial and economic inequities both in and out of school that contribute to disparate educational and life outcomes, and often don’t have access to networks or safety nets that can counteract the damaging effects of inadequate schooling. Citizen Schools is poised to meet this critical and unique moment.

Citizen Schools is reimagining the education experience for students and teachers. We believe that engaging every student through deeply relevant, hands-on learning is key to success. Through our STEAM programs, classrooms are infused with real-world application. For example, computer programmers join middle school math classes to help teachers create robot units and work alongside students as they learn to code. Others dive into climate science, personal banking, filmmaking, community organizing, and more, all with the support of a career professional from institutions local to the school such as Google, PwC, Suffolk University, Amazon, Saks Fifth Avenue, Intel, Alliance Bernstein, the EPA and so many others.
In a CS school, students have a teacher who is supported by a dedicated CS team, and also, crucially, a host of career mentors from the surrounding geographic area. These career mentors are selected and trained by CS staff based at the school, and they come from a mix of local small businesses, large businesses, nonprofits and other institutions across industries that include: Banking, Engineering, Financial Services, Biotech, Energy, Environmental Conservation, Healthcare, Retail, Tech and Higher Education.
By applying 30 years of evidence-based methodology, we will help middle school students from LA County on their path to high school graduation and post-secondary success.

A deeply community-connected approach is paramount to achieving our vision in LA County: If students learn content that is relevant, tactile, and embedded into the world around them; if teachers have the tools they need to bring their curriculum to life through hands-on learning; if leaders know how to create the conditions for this type of learning to thrive; and if community members see opportunity to bring their real-world experience to enrich student learning, then students will be more likely to attend school and class, accelerate their learning, and ultimately, have greater access to opportunity.
Overall, the success of Citizen Schools in Los Angeles County could result in a more empowered, connected, and resilient community, with residents actively working together to shape the educational opportunities of their young people.

Citizen Schools is deeply committed to rigorous evaluation and continuous learning. Informed by guidance from leading external research partners, years of implementation and a recent in-depth analysis and revision of measurement practices, Citizen Schools’ evaluation plan helps us generate learning around educator practice and pedagogy, as well as activities that support student learning. Key Impact Measures
With each of our partners, we focus on three key measures of impact:
· student engagement & attendance
· teacher efficacy & retention
· partner satisfaction
Data is collected via pre- and post-survey as well as through educator and volunteer self-reflections. Citizen Schools coaches also help educators compile their own processfolios to guide long-term reflection, learning, and self-evaluation. Formal reports are produced at the end of each semester by our Measurement & Learning Team, while real-time dashboards provide staff with timely data to inform their work.