LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE:LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE:LOS ANGELES LEADERS IN LOS ANGELES LEADERS IN

EDUCATIONEDUCATION

PRELIMINARY FINDINGS PRELIMINARY FINDINGS

Fernando J. Guerra Brianne Gilbert Melissa Woehrstein

The Thomas and Dorothy Leavey

Center for the Study of Los Angeles

Loyola Marymount University

BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND

Leadership Initiative: Identify, survey and report the opinions and

attitudes of 100 leaders in 10 different sectors:

Culminating in the analysis of the top 1000 leaders in the Los Angeles region.

EducationHealthPolitics

Arts/CultureMedia/Entertainment

BusinessCommunity

LawLand use/Housing

Religion/Spirituality

METHODOLOGYMETHODOLOGY

2010 Leadership Initiative – Los Angeles Leaders in Education Surveyed educational leaders who impact

policy, practice, advocacy and/or research.

Only leaders who had responded as of the reporting date were included in this report (as of 3/21/10, 74 leaders participated).

DEMOGRAPHICSDEMOGRAPHICS

Gender: 39% Male; 61% Female

Highest Level of Education: 88% of respondents reported having a Graduate/Professional degree*

Racial/Ethnic Origin: 47% White/Anglo; 31% Latino/Hispanic; 13% African American/Black; 6% Asian/Pacific Islander; and 3% Other

Residency: Over 95% of respondents live in Los Angeles County; and of those respondents, 70% have lived in Los Angeles for 16 years or more

*Findings only include the most frequent response

IDEOLOGICAL BELIEFSIDEOLOGICAL BELIEFS

QUALITY OF EDUCATIONQUALITY OF EDUCATION

91% of respondents stated that the K-12 public education system was in need of major changes.

*Chart indicates the number of leaders who chose a particular response; N=69

LAUSDLAUSD

When rating the quality of education at a local and state level, an overwhelming majority of respondents said LAUSD was of poor quality (69%), compared to the 36% of respondents who said California’s public schools were of poor quality.

*Chart indicates the number of leaders who chose a particular response; N=69

*Chart indicates the number of leaders who chose a particular response; N=68

ADMINISTRATIONADMINISTRATION

While 80% of leaders approve of the way President Obama is handling education policy, 86% disapprove of the way Governor Schwarzenegger is handling the state’s K-12 public education system.

N=65N=64

ALTERNATIVE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLINGSCHOOLING

2/3 of respondents opposed the use of school vouchers to pay for a portion of the cost to send children to private schools – even if it would take some portion of money away from public schools

*Chart indicates the number of leaders who chose a particular response; N=65

ALTERNATIVE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLINGSCHOOLING

Over 2/3 of respondents believe that Pilot schools are an effective approach to education reform in Los Angeles

N=63

EDUCATIONAL REFORMEDUCATIONAL REFORM

An overwhelming majority of respondents (88%) agreed that high school students should pass a minimum competency or proficiency test in order to receive a high school diploma.

N=66

FOR MORE FOR MORE INFORMATIONINFORMATION Final results will be available Summer 2010

Contact the Leavey Center to request your copy (www.lmu.edu/csla)

Questions: Brianne Gilbert, Senior Research Associate 310-338-1779; brianne.gilbert@lmu.edu