Endorsement : Central Elementary #15
Camino Nuevo is one of the most impressive charter operators in Los Angeles, and is the runaway best choice for the new Central Elementary School #15 on Washington and Vermont. Amongst the applicants, their ten year record of success with students of this same community stands far above and beyond any of their competitors. Through their two existing K-8 schools, they have built an impressive bi-lingual program that guarantees every child will be bi-literate in Spanish and English, and a track record that can boast an unparalleled 70.3% proficiency rate in math. This goes with a 47.7% proficiency rate in English Language Arts, which is a 58% improvement over neighboring 10th Street Elementary, and a 75% improvement over Magnolia Elementary. Perhaps most importantly, they are achieving these results with almost identical student demographics as the surrounding elementary schools – they have marginally fewer English Language Learners (62%), yet an even greater percentage of low-income children, than Magnolia and 10th Street. Additionally, Camino Nuevo is one of the few charters to have a unionized teaching staff, offering further proof that accountability and reform can exist in a pro-union environment. They have been part of the fabric of the community for the past ten years – their founder and executive director is even a graduate of Magnolia Elementary herself.
Neither the local district plan or the i-Design proposal from Youth Policy Institute give any indication that they will improve in any way over the status quo at Magnolia and 10th Street. While we are sure both schools have hard working teachers dedicated to teaching these children, the simple fact is that Camino Nuevo has proven it has a model that can achieve vastly superior results. The parents of the greater Pico-Union community deserve the best school possible for their children, and we believe any reasonable examination of the choices proves that Camino Nuevo will make that dream a reality.
