Hawthorne Math and Science Academy: Creating a Community of Learners

In this archive, Joaquin R. Hernández, principal of Hawthorne Math and Science Academy, a Los Angeles County high school, shares the actual steps he and his staff have taken to help their high poverty, high minority student population perform well above the statewide average and maintain a decile 10 state ranking.
Use the archived online slideshow below or the MP4 or MP3 recordings on the right.



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Presenters

Joaquin Hernández (Primary)

Principal
Hawthorne Math and Science Academy

Description

Hawthorne Math and Science Academy (HMSA) in Los Angeles County, California serves a high poverty, high minority student population that performs well above its peers and has received a "similar schools ranking" of 10 (on a 10-point scale) on the California Academic Performance Index (API) for the past four years. HMSA is a charter high school dependent on the Hawthorne School District that does not base admittance on academic grades or test scores, but rather uses a series of assignments that are stringent on deadlines. In 2009, Newsweek ranked HMSA the 57th best high school in the nation. Also in 2009, US News and World Report ranked HMSA the 54th best high school in the nation. While roughly 40% of Hispanic high school students scored proficient or above in English language arts and math statewide, well over 80% of Hispanic high school students at HMSA scored proficient or above. In contrast to many large and impersonal high schools across the nation, HMSA is a small school, which fosters academic excellence, trust, safety, empowerment, and high expectations. In this webinar, Principal Joaquin R. Hernández will share how maintaining high expectations, enforcing rules consistently, and creating buy-in from and communication among students, teachers, and parents have helped the school achieve these results.

This webinar is presented by the American Institutes for Research and WestEd as partners in the California Comprehensive Center to highlight high performing schools making a difference in student achievement. To learn more about Hawthorne Math and Science Academy, please read the school profile. Two other recently profiled middle schools include the American Indian Public Charter School and Santa Fe Middle School.

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