Local Plan for New School is Favored By Wide Margin in Advisory Election

A team of local parents and educators won out in January's nonbinding election about the future leadership of Echo Park's new middle school.

The LD4 & Echo Park Community Partners proposal got 561 votes in two days of voting. Camino Nuevo Academy's proposal got 242. 

Parents, teachers and community members cast a total of 874 votes. They did not have to register to vote.

The League of Women Voters of Los Angeles administered the election and prepared the tally. Families in Schools served as observers during the election and prepared its own report. Both are available at the Public Schools Choice website.

Hua Trong, Director of Operations for Camino Nuevo, said the nonprofit is heartened by its stronger showing among self-identified voters--people who don't work at or have children at Rosemont, Union and Logan elementary schools. 

"We were able to get a solid percentage of the vote even though we didn't have direct access to the schools affected," he said.

Lisa Baca-Sigala, a long-time Echo Park resident who supports the LD4& Community Partners Plan, was delighted by the result.

"It's a sign the community cares," she said. "They turned out in good numbers."

The LAUSD is holding a community briefing on the election--which affected 13 schools-- Thursday at 5 p.m. at district headquarters.

It is just one factor that LA Schools Superintendent will consider before making his recommendation to the LAUSD Board.

Click here to see the full report from the League of Women Voters.