How Venice High Opted In – And Became Los Angeles’ Most-Improved High SchoolNovember 8, 2016
Venice High School made the biggest improvements in math and English language arts proficiency among Los Angeles Unified schools this year. Proficiency increased from 25 percent in ELA last year to 67 percent this year, and from 12 percent in math last year to 41 percent this year. However, “the real story behind the jump is participation,” the article notes. In 2015, 80 percent of high school juniors opted out; this year, 80 percent participated. “The vast majority of parents understood the importance for the school, and also for the kids,” says Oryla Wiedoeft, the school’s principal, who made a push to inform parents about the value of high-quality assessments.