There are nearly 6 million children in California’s public schools and approximately 2.7 million of them, or 47 percent, come from low-income backgrounds.
California’s Department of Education is currently auditing thirteen schools where students continue to receive unsatisfactory marks on standardized tests. These inspections could determine the future of their Title I funding.
Title I funding consists of federal funds earmarked to help students in impoverished neighborhoods. Under the program, the federal government awards grants through state education agencies to school districts serving low-income students. Districts in turn distribute Title I funds to schools based on their concentrations of students in poverty.
California Connected takes you inside one of the schools under the microscope: Mount Vernon Middle School in Los Angeles.
It’s one of ten schools within the Los Angeles Unified School District that has drawn the state’s attention because students have failed to reach mandated benchmarks on the tests over the past four years. Mt. Vernon Middle School is 67% Hispanic and 32% Black.
Among the auditors’ findings: the school is overcrowded and poorly maintained; teachers are not following state curriculum and have low expectations of students; and a lack of schoolwide policies and communication has translated into poor morale.
Now, Mount Vernon must make drastic changes to correct those problems over the next school year or the district could face costly sanctions.