Partnership for L.A. Schools

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, one of the most important and critical responsibilities any nation has, any community has, any State has, is the education of its children.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the extraordinary work of an organization from Los Angeles that has lessons for every community in America.

Nearly two decades ago, then-Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa partnered with my good friends, philanthropists Melanie and Richard Lundquist, to launch the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools. Dr. Lundquist is with us today.

Their nonprofit is committed to strengthening public schools in some of L.A.'s most underserved and challenging communities.

Today, under the leadership of Guadalupe Guerrero, the Partnership for L.A. Schools manages 20 K-12 public schools, serving more than 13,500 students in Boyle Heights, Watts, and South L.A.

These are not charter schools. They are neighborhood public schools working in close collaboration with the Los Angeles Unified School District.

The results speak for themselves.

When the partnership began, the high school graduation rate in its schools was just 36 percent. Today, that rate has risen to 92 percent.

The progress does not stop there. This year's partnership schools reached their highest math performance ever and matched their strongest literary results.

Following the pandemic, students demonstrated 3 consecutive years of growth in math and 2 consecutive years of growth in reading.

Every partnership elementary school advanced in literacy, and nearly all of them advanced in math, as well. Black and emergent bilingual students, those who have historically faced the steepest barriers, made some of the strongest gains.

I had the opportunity to see this outstanding education model at work when I toured Santee High School, one of the partnership's campuses. I was impressed by the students and their learning progress. I was convinced then and am even more certain now that the partnership has created a scalable and sustainable model for schools nationally.

The partnership is not only a success for L.A. but an example for all of America. Their work demonstrates that when we invest in teacher coaching, leadership development, aligned systems of support, and other proven strategies, students make real and, importantly, lasting gains.

Many in our country have taken aim at public schools recently. The partnership is proof that our public schools can deliver for every child so long as we provide them with the right tools and, importantly, the resources. The partnership continues to prove that every day.

I commend the Partnership for L.A. Schools--its educators, students, and families--for showing our country a better path forward.

Dr. Lundquist has become a dear friend and an extraordinary shining example for us all. I recognize my friend, Melanie, who is with me here today, and the tens of thousands of children, teachers, and participants who have made this such a success.

Mr. Speaker, tens of thousands of children have seen brighter futures because of Melanie and her husband Richard's philanthropy, vision, and dedication to improving America's public schools.

My friend, the late congressman Bill Natcher, used to say: ``As long as you take care of the health of your people and the education of your children, you'll continue to live in the strongest and best nation on earth.''

Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what Melanie Lundquist and the partnership for LA Schools are doing.

And for that, they have my thanks and the gratitude of the American people.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source