Founded in 2003, the Los Angeles Small Schools Center (LASSC) provides leadership in Los Angeles for system-wide small school development through advocacy, education, and support for the conditions required to develop, implement and sustain personalized, high performing, learner-centered schools that advance public education for equitable student success.

LASSC is particularly concerned with the City’s lowest performing schools that serve predominately Latino and African American students from the poorest neighborhoods. The Center’s philosophy is based on the Coalition of Essential Schools (CES), a leading national school reform organization and the organization is a CES Center.

Successful small schools must be places where personalization, equity, and high expectations pervade the school’s design, curriculum and pedagogy, decision-making, and systems.

LASSC’s vision is for every school in Los Angeles to be a sustainable small school or learning community where students are known well and their families are engaged participants. We believe that meaningful reform occurs when those closest to the work of schools have professional autonomy and the necessary supports to engage students in rigorous and relevant learning that is authentic and connected to their interests.