Magnet Schools Assistance Program Project Abstract

FY 2013 Competition

Applicant / Los Angeles Unified School District
PR Award # / U165A130049
School District / Los Angeles Unified School District
State / California
Project Title/Name / STEAM Network Magnets- STEM education, infused with the Arts, becomes STEAM.
Contact
Title / Cheryl Minke
Project Director
Phone 213.241.4285
Fax 213.241.8482
Email
Grant Award Amount / Total: $10,400,000 over 3 years
·  Year 1 $3,714,306
·  Year 2 $3,386,874
·  Year 3 $3,298,820
School and Grades Served / Theme
LAUSD/USC Cinematic Arts and Technology Magnet (6-12) / STEAM
Orville Wright Engineering and Design Magnet (6-8) / STEAM
Washington Irving Advanced Mathematics, Music, and Engineering Magnet (6-8) / STEAM
Sun Valley STEAM Magnet Campus (6-12): 3 Academies
·  Engineering Arts and Technology for Global Progress (6-8)
·  Environmental Studies through Arts and Sciences (6-8)
·  Biomedical Sciences, Engineering, and Leadership (6-12) / STEAM

Project Description:

Project Objectives:

Responding to the call to develop programs that promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), The Los Angeles Unified School District is creating a network of secondary Magnet Schools that will address:

1.  Reducing minority group isolation and providing access and equity to rigorous, theme-based curriculum;

2.  Preparing teachers to teach 21st Century skills by using strategies that promote collaboration and present content in an interdisciplinary manner; and

3.  Reversing the trend of underrepresentation in STEM/STEAM courses.

All STEAM Magnet Schools will commit to increase the percentage of students who reach proficient or advanced as measured by Adequate Yearly Progress. Instructional goals for all STEAM Magnet Schools support differentiated theme-based rigorous instruction designed to provide access to high levels of critical thinking, reasoning and standards-based instruction that parallel gifted standards.

STEAM Magnet Schools will improve instruction in academic subjects for all students by preparing them to become competitive innovators who use both the logic-driven left half of their brain and the creative right. Students in these Magnet schools will become 21st century critical thinking learners who master their cognitive/concrete and creative/abstract talents.

Magnet teachers will receive, on average, 30 hours of systemic reform professional development with their instructional team(s). Subsequently, an additional 30 hours of professional development will be completed at the Magnet school site implementing strategies learned to strengthen the STEAM theme.

Parent participation will be monitored yearly to verify parent involvement in magnet theme based curriculum. Parents are instrumental in encouraging students to achieve academic success as well as to take advantage of access to post-secondary opportunities.

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