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Board denies Matrix for Success renewal amid dispute over how to measure alternative schools
Summary
Matrix for Success Academy argued it should be judged on alternative metrics for long‑term enrolled, high‑need students; the LAUSD board denied the renewal after CSD said proposed metrics lacked consistent, whole‑school comparators.
The Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education voted Nov. 17 to deny the renewal petition for Matrix for Success Academy after extended public testimony and debate over appropriate measures for dashboard‑alternative (DOSS) schools.
Cesar Lopez and other Matrix leaders described the academy as a lifeline for students who have fallen out of the traditional system: credit‑deficient students, parenting or pregnant teens, students experiencing homelessness, and justice‑involved youth. Operators urged the board to weigh alternative metrics—long‑term enrolled student graduation rates, Lexile growth, credit completion and attendance gains—rather than standard district dashboard colors that the school argued were not comparable for non‑classroom‑based, highly mobile populations.
CSD staff said they engaged extensively with Matrix over more than a year to identify alternative metrics and to ensure the district could reliably evaluate them at renewal. The district concluded some metrics either could not be measured for the whole school in a consistent way or were not numerically significant for year‑to‑year comparison. Board members expressed sympathy for Matrix’s mission but also noted the district’s need for consistent evaluative criteria. The board approved the denial (four yes, two no, one abstain).
