The Los Angeles County Board of Education voted 5-2 on Tuesday to renew the charter for Alain LeRoy Locke College Preparatory Academy, rejecting a staff recommendation to shutter the school and return it to the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). The decision allows Green Dot Public Schools to continue operating the Watts campus for another five years, prioritizing stability for the school’s 1,000 students over the district’s proposed transition.
Why the County Board Rejected the Closure
The board’s decision hinged on the potential disruption to student services and the loss of specific funding. According to the Los Angeles County Office of Education, the district’s recommendation to deny the renewal was based on academic performance data, specifically 11th-grade state test scores and graduation rates that trailed nearby schools.
However, board members who voted in favor of the renewal argued that closing the campus would cause immediate, irreparable harm to students. Board President James Cross noted that a transition to district control would have required creating a new school from scratch in only two months, jeopardizing approximately $7 million in Green Dot-specific grants. These funds currently support essential campus programs, including mental health services, college-prep counseling, and career-technical training partnerships.
The Argument for Charter Continuation
Green Dot Public Schools, which has operated the campus since 2008, presented internal data highlighting student growth rather than absolute proficiency. Chief Executive Cristina de Jesus stated that the school’s model is specifically designed for high-poverty areas, maintaining an eight-to-one student-to-adult ratio to ensure consistent engagement.
The defense of the school focused on the "best interest of the students" standard required by the California Education Code. Supporters argued that the school has built deep trust within the Watts community, and that the disruption of a closure would outweigh the academic concerns raised by district staff.
Contrasting Perspectives on Performance
The debate highlighted a divide regarding how to measure success in under-resourced schools:
| Metric | LAUSD/County Staff View | Green Dot View |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Focus | Absolute state test proficiency levels. | Longitudinal growth and value-added metrics. |
| School Environment | "Chronically underperforming" status. | Targeted support for students facing high barriers. |
| Operational Goal | Return to district-operated management. | Maintain existing community-based charter model. |
Board member Theresa Montaño, who voted against the renewal, characterized the continued operation of the school as an "inappropriate experiment," citing persistent low achievement indicators in the staff report. Conversely, board member Yvonne Chan argued that disregarding the school’s evidence of student growth would be a "disservice" to the local community.
What Happens Next for Locke High
With the charter renewal approved, Green Dot will remain the operator of the Locke campus through the next five-year term. The school, which was the first in LAUSD history to be converted to a charter following a teacher-led petition in 2007, will continue to face pressure to improve its state test scores to align with district-operated schools in the surrounding region. The decision concludes a high-stakes review process that has left the school’s future in doubt since LAUSD initially denied the renewal earlier this year.
Related reading