Long Beach Unified School District
Encyclopedia
The Long Beach Unified School District is a school district
headquartered in Long Beach
, California, United States.
LBUSD serves most of Long Beach
, all of the city of Signal Hill
, and portions of Lakewood
, and Paramount
, as well as Avalon
and Two Harbors
on Santa Catalina Island
.
s in all elementary and middle schools, with the wearing of school uniforms to start in September 1994. The district was the first large urban school district in the United States to require school uniforms. On August 23, 1994, SB 1269 the School Uniform Law was approved by the Governor of California to support schools that adopt a school-wide uniform policy, which also allowed parents to opt-out of the policy. At LBUSD, roughly 2% of the students opt-out of the uniform policy.
Since starting the uniform policy, LBUSD claimed assaults dropped by two-thirds, suspensions dropped by almost a third, vandalism dropped, attendance improved, and test scores increased. President Bill Clinton
mentioned LBUSD's uniform policy in his 1996 State of the Union Address
. Numerous other large urban districts have now adopted school uniform policies.
Some researchers, including David Brunsma of the Sociology Department of University of Missouri
, have said that the benefits ascribed to the implementation of the LBUSD uniform policy were logically attributable to other factors; such as increased school security, collateral attendance enforcement efforts, and in-class programs designed to bolster sagging test scores.
LBUSD now has three high schools, Wilson Classical High School
, Cabrillo High School
, and Millikan High School
, that require school uniforms as well.
In 1999, Jefferson Leadership Academies
became the first public middle school in the United States to convert entirely to single gender classes. Only a few dozen more schools have followed this trend, mostly because of Title IX
of the 1972 Education Act, which prohibits sex discrimination in federally funded programs. The school has plans to discontinue the program after scheduling conflicts and disappointing test scores.
. In 2004 the Broad Foundation also awarded 55 Long Beach Unified School District seniors $500,000 in scholarships as Broad Prize Scholars. LBUSD has gone on to receive nominations for the award three more times and once prior to winning (2002, 2006, 2007, 2008).
on Catalina Island
, is a one-room school
. Enrollment, is 12 students. The district had planned to close the school in fall 2005, but Two Harbors residents and visitors raised enough money to keep the school open.
Hi-Hill Outdoor School (informally known as Camp Hi-Hill) is a former Girl Scout
camp on 13 acres (52,609.2 m²) of land in Angeles National Forest
near Mount Wilson
owned by the district. The camp allows urban students to experience a week of outdoor education. The first class of sixth graders was on April 19, 1948. Now it is fifth graders who traditionally spend a week at Camp Hi-Hill. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts, students do not go to this camp anymore.
are currently divided between four different school districts (ABC Unified School District
, Bellflower Unified School District
, Paramount Unified School District
and LBUSD), there is an active movement to break away from those districts and form a new Lakewood Unified School District. After gathering the required number of petition signatures and an LA County review, the issue went before the California State Board of Education
. The board rejected the petition on February 8, 2001 because the board said the proposed district failed to meet four of the state's nine criteria for new district formation. With that setback, the most current plans are to try to merge those areas of Lakewood served by Paramount into either the Bellflower or Long Beach Unified School Districts.
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
headquartered in Long Beach
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
, California, United States.
LBUSD serves most of Long Beach
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
, all of the city of Signal Hill
Signal Hill, California
Signal Hill is a small city in California located in the Greater Los Angeles area. Signal Hill, completely surrounded by the city of Long Beach, was incorporated on April 22, 1924, roughly three years after oil was discovered in Signal Hill. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
, and portions of Lakewood
Lakewood, California
Lakewood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 80,048 at the 2010 census. It is bordered by Long Beach on the west and south, Bellflower on the north, Cerritos on the northeast, Cypress on the east, and Hawaiian Gardens on the southeast. Major thoroughfares...
, and Paramount
Paramount, California
Paramount is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. According to the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 54,098 down from 55,266 at the 2000 census...
, as well as Avalon
Avalon, California
Avalon, or Avalon Bay, is the only incorporated city on Santa Catalina Island of the California Channel Islands, and the southernmost city in Los Angeles County. Besides Avalon, the only other center of population on the island is the small unincorporated town of Two Harbors...
and Two Harbors
Two Harbors, California
Two Harbors, colloquially known as "The Isthmus", is a small unincorporated island village on Santa Catalina Island, California with a population of 298 . It is the second center of population on the island, besides the city of Avalon. It is mainly a resort village. It has only one restaurant, one...
on Santa Catalina Island
Santa Catalina Island, California
Santa Catalina Island, often called Catalina Island, or just Catalina, is a rocky island off the coast of the U.S. state of California. The island is long and across at its greatest width. The island is located about south-southwest of Los Angeles, California. The highest point on the island is...
.
School uniforms and single gender classes
On January 18, 1994, the LBUSD Board of Education voted to require school uniformSchool uniform
A school uniform is an outfit—a set of standardized clothes—worn primarily for an educational institution. They are common in primary and secondary schools in various countries . When used, they form the basis of a school's dress code.Traditionally school uniforms have been largely subdued and...
s in all elementary and middle schools, with the wearing of school uniforms to start in September 1994. The district was the first large urban school district in the United States to require school uniforms. On August 23, 1994, SB 1269 the School Uniform Law was approved by the Governor of California to support schools that adopt a school-wide uniform policy, which also allowed parents to opt-out of the policy. At LBUSD, roughly 2% of the students opt-out of the uniform policy.
Since starting the uniform policy, LBUSD claimed assaults dropped by two-thirds, suspensions dropped by almost a third, vandalism dropped, attendance improved, and test scores increased. President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
mentioned LBUSD's uniform policy in his 1996 State of the Union Address
State of the Union Address
The State of the Union is an annual address presented by the President of the United States to the United States Congress. The address not only reports on the condition of the nation but also allows the president to outline his legislative agenda and his national priorities.The practice arises...
. Numerous other large urban districts have now adopted school uniform policies.
Some researchers, including David Brunsma of the Sociology Department of University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
, have said that the benefits ascribed to the implementation of the LBUSD uniform policy were logically attributable to other factors; such as increased school security, collateral attendance enforcement efforts, and in-class programs designed to bolster sagging test scores.
LBUSD now has three high schools, Wilson Classical High School
Wilson Classical High School
Woodrow Wilson Classical High School is a secondary school in Long Beach, California. It is part of the Long Beach Unified School District and opened in 1925.-Overview:Wilson High School opened in 1925 as the second school in the city....
, Cabrillo High School
Cabrillo High School (Long Beach, California)
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo High School is one of the latest schools to be built in Long Beach, California. The school is a part of the Long Beach Unified School District.-History:...
, and Millikan High School
Millikan High School
Robert A. Millikan Senior High School is a high school in Long Beach, California administered by the Long Beach Unified School District. It is located near the intersection of Spring Street and Palo Verde Avenue in East Long Beach on a campus approximately one square mile...
, that require school uniforms as well.
In 1999, Jefferson Leadership Academies
Jefferson Leadership Academies
The Jefferson Leadership Academies is a middle school in the Long Beach Unified School District in Long Beach, California, United States....
became the first public middle school in the United States to convert entirely to single gender classes. Only a few dozen more schools have followed this trend, mostly because of Title IX
Title IX
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a United States law, enacted on June 23, 1972, that amended Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In 2002 it was renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, in honor of its principal author Congresswoman Mink, but is most...
of the 1972 Education Act, which prohibits sex discrimination in federally funded programs. The school has plans to discontinue the program after scheduling conflicts and disappointing test scores.
District awards
LBUSD was the winner of the second annual $1 million Broad Prize for Urban Education (in 2003). The Broad Prize is the largest education prize in the country awarded to urban school districts. In 2004, LBUSD received a second grant from The Broad Foundation for $1.14 million to continue their efforts to improve the organization of the district's schools using Baldrige strategiesMalcolm Baldrige National Quality Award
The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recognizes U.S. organizations in the business, health care, education, and nonprofit sectors for performance excellence. The Baldrige Award is the only formal recognition of the performance excellence of both public and private U.S. organizations given by...
. In 2004 the Broad Foundation also awarded 55 Long Beach Unified School District seniors $500,000 in scholarships as Broad Prize Scholars. LBUSD has gone on to receive nominations for the award three more times and once prior to winning (2002, 2006, 2007, 2008).
Unusual schools
Two Harbors Elementary School, at Two HarborsTwo Harbors, California
Two Harbors, colloquially known as "The Isthmus", is a small unincorporated island village on Santa Catalina Island, California with a population of 298 . It is the second center of population on the island, besides the city of Avalon. It is mainly a resort village. It has only one restaurant, one...
on Catalina Island
Santa Catalina Island, California
Santa Catalina Island, often called Catalina Island, or just Catalina, is a rocky island off the coast of the U.S. state of California. The island is long and across at its greatest width. The island is located about south-southwest of Los Angeles, California. The highest point on the island is...
, is a one-room school
One-room school
One-room schools were commonplace throughout rural portions of various countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Ireland and Spain in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In most rural and small town schools, all of the students met in a single room...
. Enrollment, is 12 students. The district had planned to close the school in fall 2005, but Two Harbors residents and visitors raised enough money to keep the school open.
Hi-Hill Outdoor School (informally known as Camp Hi-Hill) is a former Girl Scout
Girl Scouts of the USA
The Girl Scouts of the United States of America is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. It describes itself as "the world's preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls". It was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912 and was organized after Low...
camp on 13 acres (52,609.2 m²) of land in Angeles National Forest
Angeles National Forest
The Angeles National Forest of the U.S. National Forest Service is located in the San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles County, southern California. It was established on July 1, 1908, incorporating the first San Bernardino National Forest and parts of the former Santa Barbara and San Gabriel...
near Mount Wilson
Mount Wilson (California)
Mount Wilson is one of the better known peaks in the San Gabriel Mountains, part of the Angeles National Forest in Los Angeles County, California. It is the location of the Mount Wilson Observatory and has become the astronomical center of Southern California with and telescopes, and and tall...
owned by the district. The camp allows urban students to experience a week of outdoor education. The first class of sixth graders was on April 19, 1948. Now it is fifth graders who traditionally spend a week at Camp Hi-Hill. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts, students do not go to this camp anymore.
Secession movements
Because students in the city of LakewoodLakewood, California
Lakewood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 80,048 at the 2010 census. It is bordered by Long Beach on the west and south, Bellflower on the north, Cerritos on the northeast, Cypress on the east, and Hawaiian Gardens on the southeast. Major thoroughfares...
are currently divided between four different school districts (ABC Unified School District
ABC Unified School District
The ABC Unified School District is a school district that is based in Cerritos, California, United States.ABCUSD serves the cities of Artesia, most of Cerritos, Hawaiian Gardens, the portion of Lakewood east of the San Gabriel River, as well as tiny portions of Long Beach, Norwalk, and La Mirada...
, Bellflower Unified School District
Bellflower Unified School District
The Bellflower Unified School District is a school district in Los Angeles County, California. It serves the city of Bellflower as well as portions of Cerritos and Lakewood.-Middle/High schools:*Bellflower High School*Mayfair High School...
, Paramount Unified School District
Paramount Unified School District
Paramount Unified School District is a school district headquartered in Paramount, California, United States.The district serves the city of Paramount, and portions of Lakewood, Bellflower, Long Beach, and South Gate with eleven elementary schools, five middle schools, one comprehensive high...
and LBUSD), there is an active movement to break away from those districts and form a new Lakewood Unified School District. After gathering the required number of petition signatures and an LA County review, the issue went before the California State Board of Education
California State Board of Education
The California State Board of Education is the governing and policy-making body of the California Department of Education. The State Board of Education sets K-12 education policy in the areas of standards, instructional materials, assessment, and accountability...
. The board rejected the petition on February 8, 2001 because the board said the proposed district failed to meet four of the state's nine criteria for new district formation. With that setback, the most current plans are to try to merge those areas of Lakewood served by Paramount into either the Bellflower or Long Beach Unified School Districts.
2000s population decrease
In the 2000s, LBUSD's population started to decline despite the growth of the city which is mostly within the district boundaries.Primary schools
- Addams Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Alvarado Elementary School (Signal Hill)
- Barton Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Birney Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Bixby Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Bryant Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Buffum Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Luther Burbank Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Burnett Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Burroughs Elementary School (Signal Hill)
- Carver Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Chavez Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Cleveland Elementary School (Lakewood)
- Dooley Elementary (Long Beach) (Originally Part of Sutter Academy)
- Edison Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Emerson Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Fremont Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Minnie Gant Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Garfield Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Grant Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Harte Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Henry Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Holmes Elementary School (Lakewood)
- International Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Keller Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Kettering Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Starr King-Edison Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Lafayette Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Lee Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Lincoln Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Longfellow Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Los Cerritos Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Lowell Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Douglas MacArthur Elementary School (Lakewood)
- Madison Elementary School (Lakewood)
- Mann Elementary School (Long Beach)
- McKinley Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Muir Academy (Long Beach)
- Naples Bayside Academy (Long Beach)
- Prisk Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Riley Elementary School (Lakewood)
- Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Signal Hill Elementary SchoolSignal Hill Elementary School (Signal Hill, California)Signal Hill Elementary School is a K-5th magnet grade school in Signal Hill, California, U.S.A. with advanced 3-5th grade class program S.H.A.R.P.The school serves sections of the city of Signal Hill....
(Signal Hill) - Stevenson Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Sutter Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Tucker Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Twain Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Two Harbors Elementary School (Two HarborsTwo Harbors, CaliforniaTwo Harbors, colloquially known as "The Isthmus", is a small unincorporated island village on Santa Catalina Island, California with a population of 298 . It is the second center of population on the island, besides the city of Avalon. It is mainly a resort village. It has only one restaurant, one...
, Unincorporated Los Angeles County) - Webster Elementary School (Long Beach)
- John G. Whittier Elementary School (Long Beach)
- Willard Elementary School (Long Beach)
K-8 schools
- David Burcham School (Long Beach)
- Butler School (Long Beach)
- Cubberley School (Long Beach)
- Gompers School (Lakewood)
- Elizabeth Hudson School (Long Beach)
- James Monroe School (Lakewood)
- Newcomb Academy (Long Beach)
- Colin L. Powell Academy for Success (Long Beach)
- Jackie Robinson Academy (Long Beach)
- Tincher Preparatory School (Long Beach)
K-12 schools
- Avalon School in AvalonAvalon, CaliforniaAvalon, or Avalon Bay, is the only incorporated city on Santa Catalina Island of the California Channel Islands, and the southernmost city in Los Angeles County. Besides Avalon, the only other center of population on the island is the small unincorporated town of Two Harbors...
on Catalina IslandSanta Catalina Island, CaliforniaSanta Catalina Island, often called Catalina Island, or just Catalina, is a rocky island off the coast of the U.S. state of California. The island is long and across at its greatest width. The island is located about south-southwest of Los Angeles, California. The highest point on the island is...
is divided into elementary, junior high, and high schools, but with a single principal.
Middle schools
- Bancroft Middle SchoolBancroft Middle SchoolBancroft Middle School can refer to:*Bancroft Middle School *Bancroft Middle School *Bancroft Middle School *The Middle School level at Bancroft School...
(Long Beach) - DeMille Middle School (Closed/Demolished in 2011) (Long Beach)
- Franklin Classical Middle School (Long Beach)
- Hamilton Middle School (Long Beach)
- Hill Middle School (Long Beach)
- Hoover Middle School (Lakewood)
- Hughes Middle SchoolHughes Middle School (Long Beach, California)Charles Evans Hughes Middle School is a public middle school, part of the Long Beach Unified School District in Long Beach, California.Hughes is located in the Bixby Knolls and serves portions of the cities of Long Beach and Signal Hill. The principal is Dr. Sally Gregory...
(Long Beach) - Jefferson Leadership AcademiesJefferson Leadership AcademiesThe Jefferson Leadership Academies is a middle school in the Long Beach Unified School District in Long Beach, California, United States....
(formerly Jefferson Middle School) (Long Beach)
- Charles A. Lindbergh Middle School (Long Beach)
- Perry Lindsey International Studies Magnet (Long Beach) (Originally Sutter)
- John Marshall Middle School (Long Beach)
- Will Rogers Middle School (Long Beach)
- Stanford Middle School (Long Beach)
- Stephens Middle School (Long Beach)
- George Washington Middle School (Long Beach)
Zoned high schools
- Cabrillo High SchoolCabrillo High School (Long Beach, California)Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo High School is one of the latest schools to be built in Long Beach, California. The school is a part of the Long Beach Unified School District.-History:...
(Long Beach) - Jordan High SchoolJordan High School (Long Beach, California)David Starr Jordan High School is a public high school in Long Beach, California. It is part of the Long Beach Unified School District-Overview:...
(Long Beach) - Lakewood High SchoolLakewood High School (California)Lakewood High School is a public secondary school located in the Southern California city of Lakewood. Founded in 1957, it is part of the Long Beach Unified School District...
(Lakewood) - Long Beach Polytechnic High SchoolLong Beach Polytechnic High SchoolLong Beach Polytechnic High School, founded in 1895 as Long Beach High School, is a High school located at 1600 Atlantic Avenue in Long Beach, California, United States....
(Long Beach) - Millikan High SchoolMillikan High SchoolRobert A. Millikan Senior High School is a high school in Long Beach, California administered by the Long Beach Unified School District. It is located near the intersection of Spring Street and Palo Verde Avenue in East Long Beach on a campus approximately one square mile...
(Long Beach) - Wilson High SchoolWilson Classical High SchoolWoodrow Wilson Classical High School is a secondary school in Long Beach, California. It is part of the Long Beach Unified School District and opened in 1925.-Overview:Wilson High School opened in 1925 as the second school in the city....
(Long Beach)
Alternative high schools
- California Academy of Mathematics and ScienceCalifornia Academy of Mathematics and ScienceThe California Academy of Mathematics and Science is a public magnet high school in Carson, California, United States focusing on science and mathematics...
(CAMS)
[on the CSU Dominguez HillsCalifornia State University, Dominguez HillsCalifornia State University, Dominguez Hills is a public university located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County and was founded in 1960...
campus] - Renaissance High School for the Arts
- Educational Partnership High School (EPHS)
- Evening High School
- Reid Continuation High School
Charter schools
- Constellation Community
- Emerson Parkside Academy
- New City Public Schools
- Pacific Learning Center