We are an in-district partner.
How does the principle connect to our mission?
We manage urban schools in close partnership with LA Unified and intentionally adhere to district policy and collective bargaining agreements. We work in the traditional public education system where the vast majority of students are served in order to show what’s possible and to advocate for solutions that can benefit all students.
At the same time, we leverage our independence as a non-profit to be nimble and pilot innovative strategies to meet our students’ needs. We use the flexibilities set out in our MOU to focus on building the capacity of school leaders, teachers, and families to close achievement gaps. We also leverage our position to work in coalition with partners (non-profits, the District, and community partners) because we know no one can do this work alone.
What does this look like in practice?
• Our schools receive standard operational funding allocated by the District, and we supplement with additional philanthropic resources.
• With our non-profit status and MOU we can be flexible and nimble in our hiring practices. Our culture and mission allow us to attract and develop top talent at the home office and our schools.
• We use key flexibilities in our MOU to select, manage, and supervise school leaders; deliver professional development for school staff; adopt and support innovative new curricula; and support principals in recruiting and selecting teachers and creating teacher leader positions.
• We work within collective bargaining agreements and hire teachers and school staff according to district and union policies.