-LA- Closing of Los Angeles School for the Arts

Closing of Los Angeles School for the Arts
Due to the pulling of government funding assistance it was announced yesterday publicly that the Los Angeles School for the Arts has not met it’s goal for funding and will be closing it’s doors at the end of the school year. “This is a very saddening day for all of us here students and staff alike to make this announcement” States Director Victoria Shephard.
Los Angeles School for the Arts was created as part of the Los Angeles City Public School System and Community Resource Development for talented youth; however the resolutions provided the LA School for the Arts with the structure and the authority to design and implement policies and programs necessary to be successful in its mission as a pre-professional arts high school. The resolutions stated "that it differ from other Baltimore city high schools by training students with potential for careers in the performing and visual arts." The LA School for the Arts was designed to prepare students within a four-year program to compete nationally for admissions to leading conservatories, art schools, liberal arts colleges and/or professional companies. Therefore, students with the potential to pursue a professional career in their arts discipline are selected through yearly auditions, open to eighth and ninth graders -- more than 1,000 students vying for approximately 100 spots. The admission process gives no consideration to past academic performance. In order to graduate, however, BSA students must successfully meet the school's rigorous standards in both the arts and academic programs.
Los Angeles School for the Arts struggled from the beginning with funding. Over the past few years when the state of California withdrew from there financial assistance program that enabled students partial to full scholarships with enrollment the budget declined and simply could not maintain the drop in numbers from nearly 350 students to just over 200 this past year.

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