LA's BEST

LA's BEST
Name	LA's BEST
Formation	1988
Type	Nonprofit / After-school program
Headquarters	Los Angeles, California
Region served	Los Angeles Unified School District
Leader title	Executive Director

LA's BEST is an after-school enrichment program serving elementary and middle school students in Los Angeles. Founded in 1988, the program operates at sites within the Los Angeles Unified School District and collaborates with municipalities, foundations, and cultural institutions. It provides academic support, arts, sports, and STEM activities designed to complement the school day.

History

LA's BEST was established in 1988 amidst urban policy discussions involving the administrations of Mayor Tom Bradley and later Richard Riordan and Antonio Villaraigosa. Early funding and advocacy connected LA's BEST with actors such as Arnold Schwarzenegger in public service campaigns and with civic organizations including the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and the United Way of Greater Los Angeles. Expansion occurred during the terms of Governor George Deukmejian and Governor Pete Wilson through state after-school initiatives, intersecting with federal programs under presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton that influenced national youth policy. During the 2000s LA's BEST aligned with municipal efforts of Mayor James Hahn and Mayor Eric Garcetti to increase youth services. Historical collaborations involved institutions like the Getty Foundation, the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, and the California Endowment, while research partnerships linked with universities such as University of California, Los Angeles, University of Southern California, and California State University, Los Angeles.

Programs and Services

LA's BEST offers after-school activities including homework assistance, arts workshops, and physical education. Programming has included science modules developed with partners like the California Science Center, digital literacy in collaboration with the Los Angeles Public Library, and music initiatives with organizations such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Hollywood Bowl. Wellness and nutrition efforts have connected with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the California Department of Education, while sports and recreation have coordinated with the YMCA of Greater Los Angeles and local parks departments including Griffith Park programs. Curriculum elements have been informed by research from RAND Corporation, evaluations by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and pedagogical models promoted by the Johns Hopkins University and the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Funding and Governance

LA's BEST funding streams combine municipal, state, and private support, involving entities like the City of Los Angeles, the County of Los Angeles, the California State Legislature, and federal allocations linked to initiatives from the United States Department of Education. Philanthropic donors have included the Walt Disney Company Foundation, the Annenberg Foundation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Governance includes oversight from boards with affiliations to institutions such as the Los Angeles Unified School District, the California Community Foundation, corporate partners like Kaiser Permanente, and legal frameworks influenced by statutes such as the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act and state after-school legislation championed by legislators like Tom Hayden and Eleni Kounalakis.

Partnerships and Community Impact

LA's BEST partners with cultural, educational, and civic organizations including the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, the Skirball Cultural Center, the Norton Simon Museum, the California African American Museum, and the Autry Museum of the American West. Collaborations extend to sports franchises such as the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Dodgers for mentorship and outreach. Community impact evaluations have engaged research centers at Pepperdine University, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, and USC Rossier School of Education. Local political figures, neighborhood councils, and school principals across neighborhoods like South Los Angeles, Watts, Echo Park, Downtown Los Angeles, East Hollywood, San Fernando Valley, and Compton have participated in site decisions. Workforce development ties connect to job training programs run by LA County Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services and employment initiatives linked to Mayor Eric Garcetti’s administration.

Evaluation and Outcomes

Assessments of LA's BEST have been conducted by institutions such as RAND Corporation, Abt Associates, and the American Institutes for Research. Outcome measures include academic gains tracked through metrics associated with the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress, attendance records maintained by the Los Angeles Unified School District, and social-emotional assessments used in studies by the Annenberg Institute at Brown University. Longitudinal analyses have been compared with cohorts examined by researchers at Stanford University and University of California, Berkeley. Evaluations have been cited in policy discussions at forums including the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute.

Controversies and Criticisms

LA's BEST has faced scrutiny related to funding stability debated at meetings of the Los Angeles City Council and the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education. Criticisms from advocates tied to organizations like the American Federation of Teachers and community activists highlighted concerns about equitable site distribution across neighborhoods including South Central Los Angeles and Northridge. Debates over accountability involved audits from the Los Angeles City Controller and reviews by nonprofit watchdogs such as GuideStar and the Better Business Bureau. Policy critiques were raised in op-eds by columnists at the Los Angeles Times and analyses at the California Policy Center and the Public Policy Institute of California, focusing on issues of measurement, scalability, and partnership transparency.

Category:After school programs Category:Organizations based in Los Angeles