Lawndale trustees hear plan to expand preschool, LEAP and early‑start services at Carson

District staff on Monday briefed the Lawndale Elementary School District board on expansions and program changes in the district’s preschool and early‑childhood programs at the Carson site, including full‑day state preschool slots, a co‑taught Lawndale Early Advantage Preschool (LEAP) model for students with disabilities, and an Early Start program for infants and toddlers, officials said.

The presentation outlined enrollment, assessment and quality‑rating details and emphasized inclusion and family engagement as the primary drivers behind the changes. "We currently have 162 students," Tierra Brown, the district’s director of preschools and early education, told the board during the presentation.

Brown said the district is operating AM and PM preschool sessions at five sites and has introduced two full‑day programs this school year at Carson and Mitchell. She said the state preschool is serving all eligible 3‑year‑olds in the district service area and that the program is currently rated Tier 3 in Quality Start LA and pursuing recertification toward Tier 4 or 5.

"We are currently in the process of receiving recertification, and we're excited about that," Brown said, noting district targets for teacher qualifications and 1:8 adult‑to‑student ratios.

Nut graf: Why this matters

District leaders said the program changes aim to close early learning gaps and increase inclusion for children with disabilities. The LEAP co‑taught model places typically developing "peer partners" alongside children with identified needs; Early Start serves children 18 months to 3 years who are deaf or hard of hearing or medically fragile, the presentation said. Staff described these steps as part of a multi‑tiered system of supports intended to smooth transitions into transitional kindergarten and kindergarten.

Sharon Osman, who described the LEAP and Early Start programs, said the Early Start site is a regional Southwest SELPA program that currently serves children from nine of 12 districts in the region and that the center delivers both center‑based and home‑based services. "The sense of joy and love that you feel as you walk into these classrooms is just so overpowering," Osman said.

Program details and assessments

Presenters described the district’s use of multiple screening and assessment tools: ASQ (Ages and Stages Questionnaire) at enrollment, DRDP (Desired Results Developmental Profile) assessments every 60 days, and CLASS observations to measure classroom interactions (emotional support, classroom organization and instructional support). Brown said the district uses assessment results to guide professional development and materials purchases.

Nancy Ortega, the district’s resource teacher for the preschool program, described classroom support and outreach, including parent meetings and maintaining the 1:8 ratio. Karen Bermudez, the community liaison for preschool, said family engagement is a priority and highlighted ParentSquare communications, a parent advisory committee and quarterly family engagement events. "My role is to assist families with communication such as Parent Square," Bermudez said.

Inclusion and co‑teaching

Osman described LEAP’s co‑taught, full‑day model and said every class includes peer partners to provide socially appropriate models for children with disabilities. She said referrals to LEAP come from Westside Regional Center, state preschool screening and local IEP or MTSS processes. The program structure targets social, emotional, physical, cognitive and language development and includes IEPs and DRDP monitoring.

Osman said the district moved from an "intensive review" stage with the California Department of Education (CDE) to a "targeted review" and is approaching required least‑restrictive‑environment benchmarks for greater inclusion.

Board comments and next steps

Board members praised the programs. Trustee Adi Morales called it a "great presentation" and said LEAP had made a positive difference in his family: "Many years ago, my kids were part of the LEAP program. And I know that, it did make a difference, in the lives and the academics." Trustee Anne Phillips and Clerk Shirley Rudolph also thanked staff for the work.

Presenters noted specific enrollment and support figures: 162 total preschool students districtwide (figures current as of the week of the presentation), nine students described as having exceptional needs who are dually enrolled and co‑taught, 16 students at Anderson (capacity 16), 14 in one Carson session, and roughly 40 children served on a rotating basis in Early Start. The presenters said seats have been set aside to preserve access for children with disabilities as co‑teaching expands.

District staff said they will continue recertification activities with Quality Start LA, maintain DRDP and IEP monitoring, and continue outreach and workshops to boost parent engagement and recruitment.

The board did not take any formal action on program changes at the meeting; the item was presented for information and discussion.