Table 1
THE ENVIRONMENTAL CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL APPROACH
✴
S M A L L L E A R N I N G C O M M U N I T I E S
✴
R I G O R O U S , I N T E R D I S C I P L I N A RY C U R R I C U L U M & A U T H E N T I C A S S E S S M E N T
✴
R E L E VA N T & E N G A G I N G I N S T R U C T I O N
✴
E N V I R O N M E N T & E X P E R I E N T I A L L E A R N I N G
✴
PA RT N E R S H I P W I T H O U R C O M M U N I T I E S
Environmental Charter High School, the award-winning public high school located in South Los Angeles, resides steps from
one of the busiest freeways in the world. Our learning community equips all students with the knowledge & skills to graduate
from college while inspiring them to discover their own sense of purpose. We hope to empower them to become quality
stewards of their community & world. Since ECHS’ inception in 2000, students are surrounded with a unique learning
experience that utilizes environmental service learning to inspire students to find authentic meaning in their studies, & the
results are clear--students who are prepared for college, motivated to continue their learning & desire to positively contribute
to their community. Our growing network of schools--spanning from 6th to 12th grades--serve South Los Angeles
neighborhoods with crime rates that are twice that of the national average, low levels of educational attainment & high levels
of poverty. ECHS is a Title 1 school with 81% of students at or below the poverty line.
ECHS Enrollment
2011-2012
2012-2013
2013-2014
2014-2015
Current 2015-2016
Grade 9
141
150
144
134
138
Grade 10
134
138
142
135
130
Grade 11
122
143
120
135
131
Grade 12
74
105
131
119
117
Total Enrollment
471
536
537
523
516
2015-16
Demographics
Latino
Asian
African-American
Caucasian/Other
Free/Reduced Lunch
77%
7%
13%
3%
81%
Average SAT Scores
2011-2012
2012-2013
2013-2014
2014-2015
Current 2015-2016
Overall Percent Tested
100%
99%
99%
100%
100%
Critical Reading
460.20
431.05
433.04
443.44
431.70
Mathematics
463.49
450.47
445.48
445.12
453.13
Writing
479.09
451.96
445.17
449.26
462.06
Essay
8.14
7.97
7.51
7.42
7.98
Post Graduation
Class of 2011
Class of 2012
Class of 2013
Class of 2014
Class of 2015
A-G Requirements
for the University of
California
98%
92%
95%
99%
99%
Percentage of Senior
Class Graduates
90%
95%
95%
93%
93.5%
Post Graduation
Class of 2011
Class of 2012
Class of 2013
Class of 2014
Class of 2015
Graduates (A-G
eligible) accepted
into 4-Year
University/College
93%
85%
92%
92%
96%
School
Profile
2015-16
Post Graduation
Class of 2011
Class of 2012
Class of 2013
Class of 2014
Class of 2015
Private College
Enrollment
31%
23%
20%
24%
26.7%
Public College
Enrollment
22%
30%
39%
43%
41.6%
Community College
Enrollment
46%
45%
41%
29%
31.7%
Trade/Technical
School Enrollment
N/A
N/A
N/A
4%
N/A
Advanced Placement
& Community College
Enrollment
2011-2012
2012-2013
2013-2014
2014-2015
2015-2016
AP Class Enrollment
(6 course offerings)
111
276
177
157
206
Concurrent College
Enrollment
7
8
5
9
11
Awards & Accolades
U.S. News & World Report
Ranked in top 3% of Public High Schools in the
U.S. by U.S. News & World Report.
National Green Ribbon Schools Award
Inaugural recipient of
National Green Ribbon Schools Award from the
Department of Education & President Obama.
Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental Protection Agency Award for working to protect public health &
the environment.
Partner School with The Nature Conservancy
LEAF is an ambitious effort to empower the next generation of conservation leaders. LEAF provides paid summer internships
for partner school students in natural areas
across country.
Featured in PBS Documentary ‘Growing
Greener Schools’ as a
prime model for green education.
President Obama Commencement Challenge
ECHS was selected as 1 of 6 finalists in President Obama’s Commencement
Challenge.
Green Leadership Award
rom the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for developing
& employing innovative strategies & initiatives to
enhance our environmental sustainability. California Department of Education Service-Learning Leaders Schools Award from the California Department of Education for service-learning excellence & program sustainability.
College Acceptances for our Alumni
Our students are bold, collaborative and creative contributors. They will eagerly pursue opportunities all over the world in order to make a difference. Our students have been admitted to these fine academic institutions:
Arizona State University** Bates College**
Bethune-Cookman University** Boston College
Brown University** Bryn Mawr College** Bucknell University**
California Polytechnic University Pomona** California Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo California State University, Bakersfield
California State University, Channel Islands** California State University, Chico
California State University, Dominguez Hills** California State University, East Bay** California State University, Fresno California State University, Humboldt** California State University, Long Beach** California State University, Los Angeles** California State University, Monterey Bay** California State University, Northridge** California State University, San Bernardino California State University, San Diego** California State University, San Francisco** California State University, San Jose** Carleton College
Chapman University Clark Atlanta University
Colby College College of St. Benedict Connecticut College Dartmouth College** Davidson College Dickinson College** Drexel University Duke University
Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising** Florida Tech University
Florida A&M University Franklin & Marshall College** Hampshire College**
Hampton University Harvard University**
Haverford College Howard University** Illinois Institute of Technology Kalamazoo College** Lewis & Clark University Loyola Marymount University** Manhattanville College
Marymount College Middlebury College**
Mills College** Morehouse College
Mount Holyoke University**
Northern Arizona University** Oberlin College Occidental College** Otis College** Pepperdine University** Pitzer College Pomona College** Prescott College**
Rochester Institute of Technology Santa Clara University
St. Olaf College Scripps College Smith College** Spelman College** Swarthmore College Syracuse University** Tufts University Tuskegee University University of Alaska
University of California Berkeley** University of California Davis** University of California Irvine** University of California Los Angeles** University of California, Merced** University of California Riverside** University of California Santa Barbara** University of California Santa Cruz** University of California San Diego** University of Oregon
University of Pennsylvania**
University of Puget Sound** University of Richmond** University of Southern California
University of San Francisco** University of Tampa
University of the Pacific
University of Wisconsin Stevens Point** Vassar College**
Wake Forest University** Wellesley College** Wheaton College (Mass)** Whitman College
Whittier College** Williams College** Willamette University
**denotes schools where ECHS alumni are attending &/or from where they have graduated.
Grading @ ECHS
We are on a 1-2-3-4 system & then convert this score into a percentage grade for the report card & then a letter grade for the transcript. We are aiming for proficiency & beyond. On the transcript, we have As, Bs, Cs & Fs. There are no Ds at ECHS.
Proficiency Scale
What the Grade Means
Gradebook
Percentage
4
In addition to the proficiency mark of 3.0, student makes in-depth inferences & applications & canprovide a written or verbal explanation & can create their own examples
100%
3
Students has mastered the standard that was explicitly taught. This is the proficiency mark &represents significant academic achievement.
85%
2
There are no major errors or omissions regarding the simpler details & processes. Students havepartially mastered the standard.
65%
1
With help, a partial understanding of some of the simpler details & processes & some of the morecomplex ideas & processes. Student’s performance is limited.
50%
GPA Distribution
3.50-4.0+
3.0-3.9
2.5-2.99
2.0-2.49
1.0-1.9
% of Class of 2016
29.91%
28.20%
27.35%
11.96%
2.56%
Above & Beyond
As part of the graduation requirements at Environmental Charter High School, seniors are expected to complete the Senior Thesis Project which allows ECHS educators to assess a broad range of the academic skills of graduating candidates to determine if these students have gained the skills necessary to prepare a competent, articulate academic work.
Within specific guidelines, students will research a topic of their own choosing. The topics must a) directly address the prompt below by discussing a current environmental or social injustice in the world; b) be relevant to the local community; c) consider research findings that will be shared with the community in a beneficial manner.
2015-16 Prompt: What current environmental &/or social injustice do you see in the world that affects you & your community? How can you address that injustice & use your own personal power to create civic action that will help others facing the same issue?
Thesis components:
• Written Essay of Findings & Defense to Panel
The written component of the Senior Thesis is an 8-page college-level essay that presents the topic, the thesis, and the findings of the student’s research. Students must submit an annotated bibliography prior to the final paper.
• Service Learning Project
Over the course of the spring semester, students will perform a minimum of 20 hours on a self-designed service learning project which utilizes their written research to create civic action for change on their issue.
• Culminating Presentation
In June, to a panel of teachers, community members, and students from different grade-levels, each senior will, in a multimedia presentation, defend his/her paper and analyze the effectiveness of the experience and the work they have done on their Service Learning Project.
Intersession
Our students are taught to solve real world issues through the lens of different subjects and disciplines.
Standards are linked between teachers and subjects making them relevant for students as they question, investigate, construct meaning, discover relationships, and solve problems. Every January, ECHS students spend the month working in interdisciplinary grade-level teams to wrestle with the following essential questions (2015):
• 9th grade--”What makes a quality community?” • 10th grade--”What is the value of change?” • 11th grade--“Whose truths do you live by?” • 12th grade--”Why does my community need me?”
Students receive two scores--one for the project and one for the interdisciplinary unit exam at the end of January to be averaged out to an A, B, C or an F. A massive community forum is hosted by the school where students present, advocate, debate and share their big ideas.
Community Service
Beyond the Walls
Our students spend quality time expanding their education beyond the classroom walls through rich collaborations with partners & community members--whether through class projects &/or internships.
The Nature Conservancy Natural Resource Defense Council
From Lot to Spot Heal the Bay West Basin Water District
Surfrider Foundation LA Conservation Corps U.S. Green Building Council
Green Ambassadors Institute Pacific Crest Trail Association
Sea Lab
Algalita Marine Research Institute
Trash for Teaching Catalina Environmental Leadership Program
Beach City Cycles Student Climate & Conservation Congress
Youth Justice Coalition YMCA Richstone Family Center
South Bay LGBT Center Common Vision Ghetto Film School Woodcraft Rangers Boojum Institute for Experiential Education
College Match Los Angeles CSU Long Beach School of Engineering
The Posse Foundation SpaceX Northrop Grumman
Mattel JAMAH Academy of Business Leadership
Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship
Contacts
Mandy Breuer, M.A., P.P.S., Principal
mandy_breuer@ecsonline.org
Mailing address:
16315 Grevillea Ave
Lawndale, CA 90260
Ph: 310-214-3400, Fx: 310-214-3410
http://echslawndale.org
http://www.twitter.com/EnviroCharter
http://instagram.com/enviroschools
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Environmental-Charter-Schools/
322675152446
Katherine C. Villoria, M.A., Assistant Principal
kc_villoria@ecsonline.org
Lucia Banuelos, M.A., P.P.S., School Counselor
lucia_banuelos@ecsonline.org
Rossa Doño-Ramirez, M.A., P.P.S., School Counselor
rossa_dono@ecsonline.org
Lacey D. Harris, M.A., P.P.S., School Counselor
