Our Impact
As a public charter school network, we are proud to be a part of a movement that is revolutionizing public education. We are preparing our students to emerge as a new generation of leaders – as trailblazers who are ready to tackle the future challenges in our world and surpass the conceived limitations of what students, communities, parents, and schools can achieve in the world.
Our Impact
As a public charter school network, we are proud to be a part of a movement that is revolutionizing public education. We are preparing our students to emerge as a new generation of leaders – as trailblazers who are ready to tackle the future challenges in our world and surpass the conceived limitations of what students, communities, parents, and schools can achieve in the world.
Our Schools
Citizens of the World Charter Schools Los Angeles (CWC LA) provides free, public, community-based schools that reflect the abundant racial, cultural, and socioeconomic diversity of their surrounding neighborhoods. We provide a joyful educational experience that develops leaders who can solve critical challenges in new ways – across lines of difference. We believe in the power of community to create true citizens of the world.
100%
of students participate in Social Emotional Learning
100%
of middle schoolers receive individualized high school counseling
100%
of students are exposed to diverse and inclusive curriculum
100%
of students receive arts instruction weekly
100%
of students have a pathway to stay at CWC through middle school
Free
to all students in California
7
years is the average teaching experience for our teachers
Smaller
students to teacher ratio than LAUSD and surrounding schools
2:1
laptop ratio in elementary school
1:1
laptop ratio in middle school
CWC is a free public school
50% of our students qualify for free or reduced lunch
Nearly 60% of our student are individuals of color
12% of our students are English Learners
10% of our students have special needs.
100% schools are academically rigorous & high-achieving
Our Story
CWC LA has established a dynamic, welcoming, high-performing learning environment in some of the most diverse neighborhoods in urban Los Angeles. We do this by ensuring that all of the diverse components of these remarkably unique neighborhoods are welcome and actively participating in our school, creating a hub for community activity that truly reflects and embraces the ethnic, racial, linguistic, and socio-economic diversity of the neighborhood. Our activities on campus focus on our role as contributing citizens of the neighboring community and larger world in which we live.
Our Achievement
Since our inception, CWC LA schools have consistently outperformed schools on state assessments across LAUSD and California. We are especially proud that our Black, Latinx, low income, English Learners and students with special needs have significantly outperformed students in LAUSD and the state in both ELA and math, closing learning gaps that are present in most schools in our city, state and country.
English Language: average percentage of students at grade level by subgroup
Math: average percentage of students at grade level by subgroup
Our Influence
As part of our partnership with Citizens of the World Charter Schools, we have access to top education experts who help create the foundation for our educational model and provide access to innovative professional development opportunities for our instructional staff. CWCS gained national recognition for the educational model we employ here in L.A.
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Article: How Schools are Expanding the Definition of Student Success
Case Study: Citizens of the World Charter Schools
The Century Foundation
Profile: Citizens of the World Charter Schools: Balancing Network and Community
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
Profile: Federal Charter School Programs Are Key to Expansion
Teacher’s College Study
Profile: Performance Outcomes and Implementation Lessons from Diverse-by-Design Charter Schools
CWC LA Named a Gap Busting Organization
The latest study from Stanford’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) evaluated the academic progress of students enrolled in charter schools in the United States. The current report identified Citizens of the World Los Angeles as a “Gap Buster” organization.
Gap Buster schools are succeeding in achieving educational equity for their students. Maintaining yearly growth across student groups and ensuring minority and poverty students learn on par with or better than their White peers.
As a public charter school network, CWC LA is proud to be a part of a movement that is revolutionizing public education. This latest study found that charter schools have had improved student academic progress over the last 15 school years. Charters have provided stronger learning experiences and more instructional time in both reading and math, leading to long-term gains for students.
This study proves the transformative potential of charter schools and how we are changing the trajectory of learning for students at scale. Black and Hispanic students at charters had some of the largest academic gains, demonstrating what we have always known: learning gaps between student groups are not inevitable.
Why Diverse By Design Matters
As a diverse-by-design model, we serve a substantial number of vulnerable students. We are part of a nation-wide initiative to provide high quality, diverse, equitable school options for children in Los Angeles.
Word in Black
Article: The Case for Universal Transitional Kindergarten
Case Study: CWC LA’s Head of DEIB, Shernice Lazare shares the benefits of early childhood education for black and brown students.
Annual Survey
As a way to measure family involvement and satisfaction, our school conducts annual caregiver, student and staff satisfaction surveys. These surveys serve as critical indicators of how well the school is serving the needs of all families. We constantly work to achieve high response rates from families.
Across CWC LA
- Families believe their school strongly values the diversity & background of all children & families. 87%
- Staff report that their work is quite meaningful or extremely meaningful to them. 94%
- Students (6-8th) feel they have learned a new skill or strategy to respond to a difficult time or a big emotion. 91%
Our Growth
In 2010 CWC LA opened it’s doors to 96 students from the Hollywood community. By 2023 we have grown to serve 3,700 students in the neighborhoods of Silver Lake, Mar Vista, East and West Valley. We continue to grow and by the 2026-27 school year 5,000 students will call CWC LA home.
Visit our Facilities page to find out more about the future of CWC LA
Visit our Support page to join the movement.