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Why this small Pacoima school saw big gains in state testing

The percentage of third- through fifth-graders who met or exceeded the Smarter Balanced assessments in English language arts at Vena Avenue Elementary & Gifted Magnet increased from 44 percent in 2014-15 to 66 percent in 2015-16. Meanwhile, 52 percent of third- to fifth- graders met or exceeded the standards in math last year, up from 43 percent the prior year. Los Angeles Unified School District officials are pointing to this small San Fernando Valley school — in which more than 20 percent of its population are English learners and about 80 percent are low-income — as a success story with its own lessons to share. By Brenda Gazzar, LA Daily News

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