What’s Working in Los Angeles? Two Decades of Achievement Gains

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by acoobca

The paper analyzes achievement gains in Los Angeles across two decades, focusing on how a “new pluralists” coalition—black and Latina leaders, civil rights attorneys, pro-equity nonprofits, and pedagogical reformers—rose in the 1990s. It explains their efforts to equitably fund central-city schools, improve teacher quality and student engagement, and decriminalize discipline. It then reviews evidence on which institutional changes predict pupil outcome gains, while noting remaining racial disparities in learning.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages18

Reading Time45 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Rise of the “new pluralists”

Equitable school funding

Teacher quality and student engagement

Decriminalizing discipline

Evidence on institutional changes and pupil outcomes

Policy implications and remaining racial disparities

| education policy analysis archives
A peer-reviewed, independent, open access, multilingual journal | | | --- | --- | | Arizona State University | | | Volume 30 Number 50 April 12, 2022 ISSN 1068-2341 | | What’s Working in Los Angeles? Two Decades of Achievement Gains Bruce Fuller University of California, Berkeley United States Citation: Fuller, B. (2022). What’s working in Los Angeles? Two decades of achievement gains. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 30(50). [https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.30.7013](https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.30.7013) [Abstract:](Abstract: A novel set of civic activists arose in Los Angeles in the 1990s)[ A novel set of civic activists arose in Los Angeles in the 1990s](Abstract: A novel set of civic activists arose in Los Angeles in the 1990s), gaining independence from neoliberal advocates and labor leaders to advance a variety of school reforms over the next three decades. In turn, student learning climbed steadily during the period. This paper first describes the rise of these “new pluralists” – a diverse coalition of black and Latina leaders, civil rights attorneys, pro-equity nonprofits, and pedagogical reformers – and sketches their efforts to equitably fund central-city schools, improve teacher quality and student engagement, and decriminalize discipline. I then review accumulating evidence on which institutional changes empirically predict gains in pupil outcomes, further informed by qualitative studies. These plural actors, rooted in humanist ideals, challenged the individualistic and competitive values of neoliberals. Carving-out a third civic space, they lifted achievement on average, but have yet to find policy strategies that narrow racial disparities in learning. Keywords: politics; institutions; student learning ¿Qué está funcionando en Los Ángeles? Dos décadas de mejoras en el rendimiento Resumen: Una nueva variedad de activistas cívicos surgió en Los Ángeles en la década de 1990, independizándose de los defensores del neoliberalismo y los líderes sindicales, para impulsar una variedad de reformas escolares durante las siguientes tres décadas. A su vez, el aprendizaje de los estudiantes aumentó constantemente durante el período. Este documento describe primero el surgimiento de estos “nuevos pluralistas”(una coalición diversa de líderes negras y latinas, abogados de derechos civiles, organizaciones sin fines de lucro a favor de la equidad yreformadores pedagógicos) y esboza sus esfuerzos para financiar equitativamente las escuelas del centro de la ciudad, mejorar la calidad de los maestros. y la participación de los estudiantes, y despenalizar la disciplina. Luego reviso la evidencia acumulada sobre qué cambios institucionaleshan pronosticado ganancias en los resultados de los estudiantes, más informados por estudios cualitativos. Estos actores plurales, arraigados en ideales humanistas, desafiaron los valores individualistas y competitivos de los neoliberales. Al crear un tercer espacio cívico, elevaron el rendimiento en promedio, pero aún tienen que encontrar estrategias políticas que reduzcan las disparidades raciales en el aprendizaje. Palabras clave: política; instituciones; estudiante aprendiendo O que está funcionando em Los Angeles? Duas décadas de ganhos em desempenho Resumo: Uma nova variedade de ativistas cívicos surgiu em Los Angeles na década de 1990, ganhando independência dos defensores neoliberais e líderes trabalhistas, para promover uma variedade de reformas escolares nas próximas três décadas. Por sua vez, a aprendizagem dos alunos subiu de forma constante durante o período. Este artigo descreve primeiro a ascensãodesses “novos pluralistas” – uma coalizão diversificada de líderes negros e latinos, advogados de direitos civis, organizações sem fins lucrativos pró-equidade e reformadores pedagógicos – eesboça seus esforços para financiar equitativamente as escolas da cidade central, melhorar aqualidade dos professores e engajamento dos aluno

FAQs

Who are the “new pluralists” described in the study?

They include a diverse coalition of black and Latina leaders, civil rights attorneys, pro-equity nonprofits, and pedagogical reformers.

What reforms did the coalition pursue in central-city schools?

They focused on equitably funding central-city schools, improving teacher quality and student engagement, and decriminalizing discipline.

Do the institutional changes fully close racial disparities in learning?

No. The actors improved achievement on average, but the study indicates they have yet to find policy strategies that narrow racial disparities in learning.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by acoobca