From the Chairman Of the Board
Richard Riordan 

This school year has been a time of significant growth and achievement for the Alliance.

• In August of 2007, California’s Annual Performance Index scores revealed that every Alliance school dramatically outperformed its neighboring district schools once again.

• In September of 2007, three additional Alliance schools opened, bringing the total number of Alliance college-prep schools up to 10.

• In October 2007, we officially broke ground on the Marc and Eva Stern Math and Science School, an innovative partnership with Cal State LA to provide the highest level math and science education to students in East LA.

• In November 2007, Alliance President and CEO Judy Burton was the recipient of the Distinguished Educator Award given by the Charter College of Education.

The remainder of the year will bring with it wonderful “firsts” for the Alliance, with its first senior class graduating from the Gertz-Ressler High School in June. Howard Lappin, the principal of Gertz-Ressler High School, predicts that the vast majority of current Gertz-Ressler seniors will be attending a four-year university in the fall. He notes that most students will be the “first” in their families to attend college. What a remarkable and reaffirming day Graduation will be for the entire Alliance community!

I would like to thank the Alliance’s CEO Judy Burton for her leadership and all of the Alliance management team, teachers, supporters and students for their unwavering commitment to improving Los Angeles public education.  Together, we will continue to raise the bar for our public schools and ensure all students are truly “college-ready”.