The Taft Family of schools is located in the West San Fernando Valley. Each member of our LAAMP Family of Schools is a LEARN school.

     In addition to neighborhood children, the Taft Family of Schools is comprised of students from across the city of Los Angeles. These traveling students come to us through childcare permit, work permit, Capacity Adjustment Program (CAP), Permit with Transportation (PWT) and Open Enrollment. The limited English Proficient (LEP) student population, representing almost 15% of our student body, is very diverse and includes Spanish and Farsi among its major primary languages.

     Although there are many pressing student needs, effective communication (reading, writing, speaking, listening and the use of technology) was chosen as our first area of focus. Raising students' reading levels to at least grade level is our highest priority.

     The Taft Family of Schools is using several broad strategies to support student achievement. These strategies include:
    • Fostering new interventions and instructional strategies.
    • Professional development activities that are aimed toward reading and skill development.
    • Parent/Community education and participation in student learning.
    •  Better uses of modern technology to enhance the quality of individual reading instruction. 

                                 — TAFT FAMILY SUCCESSES —

     During the past year, the Taft Family strengthened our "family" bond with improved communication and articulation. Some specific successes include:
   1. Selection and administration of family-wide, k-12 common assessment tools.    
   2. Creation of a Taft Family Reading Task Force comprised of teacher representatives from each school.
   3. Established a high school reading lab to assist targeted students reading below grade level.
   4. Provided $250 to each K-12 classroom to establish and/or supplement a high-interest reading library.
   5. Designed and implemented a Summer School pilot program to target at-risk primary school students not reading at grade level.
   6. Held family-wide professional development days with a focus on reading strategies and integrating technology with classroom instruction.
   7. Passport to Reading - a major community event involving families, students and community stakeholder participation focusing on reading.
   8. Established a technology task force to assess technology needs and assist with hardware and software purchasing, site licensing, and teacher training.

                                 — TAFT FAMILY CHALLENGES —

     This year, the Taft Family will continue to focus on student reading achievement. We will emphasize the following areas:
    1. Continued planning and implementation of staff development.
    2. Improved parent and community involvement, particularly for traveling students.
    3. Linking technology with literacy.
    4. Improved parent and community involvement, particularly for traveling students.