Charter schools: Assessing the ICEF model in South Los Angeles

11-09-2010

By LeTania Kirkland/Intersections: The South Los Angeles Report

At Frederick Douglass High School in the West Adams District you are likely to see students working the reception desk, answering the phones, handing out tardy slips and making sure any students waiting in the hallway belong there. Most are volunteering, just looking for a way to spend their time during a free period. Every five minutes or so you might hear, “Are you late?” If a lie is suspected, the next question is, “Are you lying?” They keep a close eye on everyone. The high school is one of 15 elementary, middle and high schools in the Inner City Education Foundation Public Schools. ICEF is a group of charter schools in South Los Angeles founded by former CEO, Mike Piscal, who envisioned bringing rigorous education to the inner city. ICEF has become, to many, a symbol of high academic achievement all over South Los Angeles. As of this year, ICEF schools have a 95 percent graduation rate and more than 85 percent of those graduates have been accepted to four-year colleges. Six of ICEF’s 15 schools exceed the 800-point state target for API test scores and 11 of the 15 have scored above 700. (more…)

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