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Lawndale reports test score gains, expands targeted classroom support and tutoring
Summary
During a district briefing, Superintendent Virginia Castro highlighted multi-year gains on state assessments and outlined expansions to MTSS, classroom coaches and tutoring programs to sustain growth.
Lawndale Elementary School District Superintendent Virginia Castro told parents and community members that districtwide assessment scores have risen over her four years in office and described specific classroom and support strategies the district is using to sustain that growth.
Castro said, “50% of our students district wide are proficient in English language arts, and 38% are proficient in mathematics. ... 33% are proficient in science.” She credited site-level gains — several with double-digit increases — and singled out work on vocabulary development and English language development (ELD) supports.
The district frames its approach under MTSS (multi-tiered systems of support). Castro said MTSS is the “umbrella that encompasses everything that we do for your students” and described three district drivers that guide instruction and social-emotional supports. She said the district uses iReady diagnostic data three times a year to identify students in need of intervention and that teachers and administrators meet in Professional Learning Communities to review data.
To increase classroom capacity, the district places three Teachers on Special Assignment (TOSAs) at every school. Castro described those TOSAs as “master level teachers” who co-plan, co-teach and provide small-group instruction. She said the TOSAs are intended to “support teachers with small group instruction” where students lag behind.
Castro also outlined tutoring options: an invitation-only AIR Tutors program for students identified by classroom teachers, and HeyTutors through the district’s wrap program (RAP), which she said begins in-person on Sept. 29. She urged families to accept teacher recommendations for tutoring and said more information would be shared through school sites.
Attendance remains a focus: Castro said the district’s live data showed 96.5% attendance and asked parents to reduce absences and schedule appointments outside school hours. She described attendance recovery options such as Saturday school.
The district also reported English learner outcomes. Castro noted that 19% of English learners reclassified as Fluent English Proficient and that 47% of a subgroup earned a 3 or higher on an alternative ELPAC summative used for students with disabilities.
The presentation tied behavioral supports to academics: every school received a PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) recognition (gold, silver or platinum), which Castro said reduces exclusionary discipline and supports learning.
Parents at the meeting asked about how to access tutoring, specific program eligibility and how the district tracks progress; Castro directed parents to site staff, community liaisons and district coordinators for follow-up.
The district provided links and said the slide deck would be posted on the website.
Less-critical details: Castro named district staff present and thanked IT support for presentation technology. She encouraged parent involvement through PTA and school volunteer events.
