Founded in 2003, the Los Angeles Small Schools Center (LASSC) provides leadership in Los Angeles for system-wide small school development.

LASSC is a change agent: through advocacy, technical assistance, professional development and coaching, LASSC develops and sustains high performing, learner-centered schools that advance public education for equitable student success and ensure that every student has a pathway to college and career.

LASSC focuses its work within and across three structures:

Los Angeles Pilot Schools—to build an infrastructure for systemic small school development

LASSC partners with the Los Angeles Unified School District, UTLA and AALA, the Belmont Educational Collaborative, and the Center for Collaborative Education to support the development of small autonomous Pilot schools in Los Angeles. LASSC serves as the local intermediary for the Belmont Pilot School Network and Los Angeles Pilot Schools.

Consultancies and Professional Development—to provide direct support to a variety of constituencies

LASSC supports the work of Pilot schools, small charter schools and small learning communities   by providing technical support, professional development and coaching to educators, school districts, unions, community organizations, parents, and students throughout Southern California. LASSC also supports schools that are implementing Linked Learning programs and is the first regional Linked Learning Center in partnership with ConnectEd: The California Center for College and Career.

Policy Research—to support systematic inquiry and educational transformation

LASSC partners with UCLA Center X to engage in research on the conditions for teaching and learning in small schools to support an array of student, teacher, and school-level outcomes that close the achievement gap.