Academics
Our unique model provides a rigorous academic experience and teaches students how to thrive in our diverse society and be leaders in their communities.
Academics
Our unique model provides a rigorous academic experience and teaches students how to thrive in our diverse society and be leaders in their communities.
Our Approach
CWC provides a socioeconomically, culturally and racially diverse community of students with an exceptional public education. We foster creativity and academic excellence, and our students learn with and from each other in a hands-on, project-based learning environment. With participation from our entire community, we strive to instill in each student a dedication to improving the world we inhabit.
Our learning model has three foundational areas that guide how we learn and grow as citizens of the world.
Our Unique Learning Model
CWC LA prides itself on having a broad definition of how we measure success for our students. Connected to our work across the 3 foundational strands of our Learning Model, we make efforts to build student competency and skill in academic content, in addition to social emotional development and civic engagement. Beyond cultivating a group of readers, writers, and mathematicians, we also work to develop students who know how to meaningfully connect with one another and be a part of a diverse community. Students cultivate a set of dispositions and skills that will ultimately prepare them to courageously envision changes for the world and how to make those changes a reality.
Our curriculum is grounded in rich educational theories of learning and realized through evidenced-based instructional practices. Our teachers use a variety of approaches and practices to plan lessons and engage students in rich and meaningful learning. The following components help us bring this theory to life in each classroom:
Constructivism
Constructivism is a theory of learning based on the premise that knowledge is built (or constructed) upon earlier knowledge.
We structure learning to build on what students already know and support them in revising and refining their understanding as they work toward mastery. In addition to content knowledge, our students engage in learning processes that develop conceptual understanding and self-knowledge.
Project-Based / Inquiry Learning
Project-based learning or “inquiry” facilitates the constructivist approach. Inquiry Learning integrates skills and knowledge through meaningful and engaging projects that make abstract learning concepts concrete.
As reflective learners, students connect what they learn to their own lives. Teachers strive to teach for understanding, ensuring that students deeply internalize what they learn and are, in turn, able to apply what they learn to new and different circumstances and contexts. Within the CWC learning model.
CWC believes that learning experiences should give students the ability to engage in and make use of their multiple intelligences. This belief drives us to create rigorous, creative and joyful academic experiences that integrate across subjects.
Small Group Instruction
We firmly believe that with strong teaching in the classroom supported by targeted intervention as needed, every child can meet or exceed grade level expectations that are academic, social, or behavioral in nature. We recognize that students learn in different ways and we adjust our teaching to maximize the learning potential of every child.
Our Curriculum
A New Generation of Leaders
Our academic program reflects our broad objective of enabling our students to become self-motivated, competent, life-long learners. Based on our core beliefs of how learning best occurs, we establish the foundation for students’ current and future development as learners. Our curriculum is aligned with national and state standards.
English Language Arts
CWC LA strives to ensure that all students see themselves as analytical readers, capable writers, and skillful communicators who are prepared to emerge as a new generation of leaders who are true citizens of the world. In every classroom, students authentically engage with literacy learning in order to develop the skills that increase their intellectual capacity, while deepening their understanding of themselves, others, and the world around them.
Science & Social Studies Inquiry Projects
Students engage in study of historical topics and scientific exploration through hands-on projects that utilize an interdisciplinary approach. Inquiry projects invite students to examine real-life topics and questions that tie to authentic topics of interest.
Social studies learning, while often tied to learning something historical, will almost always connect as well to current everyday issues that are developmentally appropriate for every grade level. Inquiry projects are often the place where students delve into related learning about civic engagement, social justice and how to become a positive changemaker in one’s community. Inquiry learning is also a place where relevant diversity, equity and inclusion topics are tied in.
Science-focused inquiry learning aligns to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and includes physical science, life science, and earth-systems science. Methods of all science courses include the tools of science (e.g., technology, hands-on materials) and support the development of the reading, writing, analysis, and communication skills students need to become science-literate. Lab experimentation allows students to test their hypotheses.
Projects could include:
- Building Healthy Communities (K)
- Biodiversity and Interdependence of Ocean Habitats (1st Grade)
- Survival & Sustainability on Mars: Exploring How An Engineer Would Live in Space (3rd Grade)
- Re-Imagining the California Mission (4th Grade)
- Climate and Justice (6th Gr.)
- Genetics & The Future (7th Gr.)
- The Statue in the Plaza: Should it Be Removed? (8th Gr.)
Mathematics
CWC LA’s Math Workshop is based on principles of Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI). CGI is an educational philosophy that capitalizes on over 20 years of research showing that students come to school with rich informal systems of mathematical knowledge and problem-solving strategies that serve as a basis for learning mathematics. Across grades K-8, CWC LA utilizes a problem-based approach to teaching mathematics, with the use of the Illustrative Mathematics curriculum to make our CGI-aligned Math Workshop come to life. Illustrative Mathematics is a nationally regarded, standards-aligned program.
Social Emotional Development
Students participate in daily community building activities and ongoing Social Emotional Learning (SEL) lessons. The time and location of these lessons is different for every class and grade level, however CWC prides itself in not only having a dedicated block throughout the week for SEL but integrating it throughout all subjects and parts of the day, including outdoor play time.
A number of tools have been blended together to create an SEL program that specifically develops skills in:
- self-recognition and self-management of one’s emotions
- an understanding of others including empathy and perspective-taking
- decision making, problem-solving and resolving conflict
SED Components may include:
- Mindfulness exercises
- Peace Corners
- Instruction and practice with SED “Cool Tools”
- Morning Meeting
- Community Circles and Class Meetings for group problem-solving and community-building
- Integrated Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work
- Tools and scripts to support a restorative conflict resolution approach
Specials / Enrichments
School day “specials” vary slightly from one campus to the other and take place several times a week. Some examples of our enrichment programs are:
- Visual and Performing Arts (varies)
Art, both visual and performing/drama, at CWC is an exploratory journey where children not only learn about art but also about themselves, their world and each other. Children learn artistic perception and aesthetic valuing, i.e. how to look and respond to works of art, culture, nature and the environment. This is often an area that is tied into other disciplines and is a vehicle for multicultural learning. - Physical Education (PE)
In PE, students develop their confidence and skills with an emphasis on body and space awareness. Students learn personal versus shared space, fundamental locomotor, as well as non-locomotor, manipulative skills, and applications. Including a mixture of team sports and cooperative games/activities, our PE program is a joyful space that promotes good sportsmanship, fair team play, effective communication and other invaluable social-emotional skills. - Music
CWCLA ’s music program strives to provide children with opportunities to sing songs, play instruments and create musical compositions of their own. Children learn to describe music using the eight musical elements – melody, rhythm, harmony, dynamics, timbre, texture, structure and tempo. Children are exposed to music from different cultures, musical periods and rich musical traditions from around the world.
- Multicultural Studies CWC believes that children who learn about other cultures will be better able to function effectively in the 21st century and will view their neighborhood, city and world in a more informed, skillful and empathetic light. Many cultures and backgrounds are brought to students from outside the classroom through strategic choices of books, materials, music, food and more. In many CWC schools, there is a language instructional component (often Spanish) that is offered throughout the week as well.
Student Clubs (6th-8th)
Students also have the opportunity to select clubs of their choosing each trimester. The club program allows students to take a range of enrichment offerings – far more than at typical middle schools – which allows them to explore their various interests and get passionate about different subjects.
Past clubs include, but not limited to:
- Theatre and Performance
- Sports Club
- Black Student Affinity Club
- Meditation Space
- Mindful Journaling
- Math Circle
- Natural History of Social Insects
- Chess
- Study Buddies
- Community Service Game Club
- Music Appreciation
- Graphic Design
- School Store Managers
- School Newspaper
ROOTS / Advisory Period (6th-8th)
Students in grades 6-8 participate in ROOTS where they grow a set of enduring skills to navigate change and drive their own learning. ROOTS is similar to an advisory program, and students have a ROOTS advisor for the entire year.
In ROOTS, students grow their sense of self & how to respond to their emotions, build meaningful relationships across lines of difference, and engage in projects that are grounded in an Anti-Bias, Anti-Racist approach. The ROOTS program aligns with our Graduate Dispositions and includes the following key components: mindfulness, artistic expression, restorative justice, identity projects.
The ROOTS program includes:
- Goal Setting (e.g. Organization, Task Management, Executive Function, etc.)
- Identity and DEIB work
- Civic Advocacy (Informed Action Projects (6th/7th) or 8th Grade Defense Projects
- Community Circles
Transitional Kindergarten
At Citizens of the World Los Angeles, our Transitional Kindergarten (TK) program provides a powerful beginning to each child’s learning journey—one that honors their individuality, fosters a deep sense of belonging, and sets the foundation for lifelong learning as true citizens of the world. Our program is grounded in the California Preschool Transitional Kindergarten Learning Foundations and Curriculum Frameworks, ensuring that all experiences, materials, and expectations reflect the developmental stage of our youngest learners. Our TK program balances structure with freedom, academic readiness with joyful learning, and teacher intention with child agency. We create classrooms where play leads to inquiry, inquiry leads to discovery, and discovery leads to lifelong learning. Find out more here
Diverse By Design
A New Generation of Changemakers
CWC LA schools are built on the belief that the diversity of our communities, and of the world at large, is a great strength. Through targeted outreach and recruitment, our charter schools are intentionally designed to reflect their surrounding communities and the larger society in terms of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and all other forms of diversity, both seen and unseen. By learning, interacting and growing in a diverse setting, our students are preparing to thrive in the pluralistic society they will soon join.
How do we think about DEIB at CWC LA?
Equity Decision-Making Framework
We have adapted an equity decision-making framework to guide decisions & resource allocations across the region.
CWC LA Leaders
We are building the skill, will and capacity of CWC LA Leaders to facilitate DEIB work in their communities.
Family Accessibility
We are working to ensure communications and the school experience are accessible for families in ways and languages they understand.
Diverse Educators
We are seeking to recruit, hire and sustain diverse educators. (visit our careers page to join our team)
Sample Daily Schedule
A day in the lifE of a student
This schedule varies by grade and campus
Morning Meeting
Math Workshop
Phonics
Literacy Reading
Lunch & Recess
Literacy Writing
Social Emotional Learning Block
Inquiry Projects/Middle School Electives
School-Day Specials (Art, Music, PE, etc. throughout the week)
After-School Enrichments also available for students to opt-in
Inclusive Learning
Special Education
CWC LA strives to meet the needs of all students. This incorporates, but is not limited to those with an Individualized Education Plan (“IEP”) and 504 Plan. CWC LA is open to all students and will not discriminate on the basis of disability.
CWC LA provides special education instruction and related services in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA), Education Code requirements, and applicable policies and procedures of the Los Angeles Unified School District. Students with identified physical, emotional, learning, or developmental disabilities have the right to placement in the least restrictive environment and shall receive special education services according to a written IEP.
We offer high quality educational programs and services for all our students in accordance with the assessed needs of each student. We collaborate with parents, the student, teachers, the student’s district of residence, LAUSD, and other agencies, as may be indicated, in order to appropriately serve the educational needs of each student.
CWC LA campuses currently (2026-2027) offer General Education settings with Resource Specialist Program (RSP) services for academics, as well as related services as indicated on a child’s IEP services. CWC LA partners with local districts to provide a continuum of placements as necessary.
