CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS TO WATCH
California Schools to Watch is a statewide program implemented by the California League
of Middle Schools, California Department of Education, California Middle Grades Alliance, National Forum, and the California Schools to Watch model schools.
Redesignated: 2024
Designated 2019
Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles County
Steve Martinez, Principal
600 S. McCadden Place, Los Angeles, CA 90005
323-549-5010
School Characteristics
Community: urban. Enrollment: 1,705. Grade levels: 6,7,8. School schedule: six-period day with early release of students on Tuesdays to allow for collaboration time for teachers. The school houses a magnet program, school for advanced studies, and dual language programs in Spanish and Korean.
School Demographics
Free/reduced lunch: 80%. English learners: 10%
Replicable Practices
Burroughs Middle School is a 1-1 iPad school which utilizes technology in core instruction and offers multiple technology-based elective opportunities for students, including a before and after school girls’ robotics STEAM club and a makerspace focused on design thinking working on real world problems.
Mental health support is a high priority at the school and they have partnered with multiple community organizations to provide services, as well as the three full time counselors, intervention counselor, psychiatric social worker, school psychologist and school nurse at the site.
Burroughs offers before and after school tutoring as well as minimum day Tuesday tutoring for students with special needs. In addition, the school supports an after-school intervention program for identified at-risk learners focusing on the online blended learning platform, Edgenuity. All teachers have been trained in and utilize restorative justice practices.
All students at Burroughs have a Naviance account to assist them in preparing for college and the workforce. Students also benefit from college gear Fridays where they wear a college shirt in lieu of the school uniform, the college fair, the opportunity to take the PSAT exam, and a college field trip for all 8th graders.
Teachers and administrators work together in a collaborative cycle based on Dr. Richard Elmore’s work to develop actionable, short-term goals and apply new strategies in the classroom. This targeted feedback cycle allows teachers to identify teaching strategies they would like to develop.
ELD students are provided with ELD support classes during the school day as well as targeted intervention courses during common planning time on Tuesdays and after the school day.