LEARN Collection, CSLA-14, Series Descriptions

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LEARN Collection, CSLA-14, Series Descriptions

THE THOMAS AND DOROTHY LEAVEY CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF LOS ANGELES RESEARCH COLLECTION

LEARN COLLECTION (CSLA-14):
Series Descriptions

COLLECTION TITLE and NUMBER: LEARN Collection, 1974-1999. CSLA-14
COLLECTION SIZE: 149 archival document boxes, 4 oversize boxes
ACCESSION NUMBER: 1999.30

The LEARN collection was donated to Loyola Marymount University in 1999. The collection consists of textual and non-textual materials. The former includes subject files, correspondence, minutes and agendas of committee meetings, reports and studies, brochures, and publications on educational reforms. The non-textual materials are made up of videocassettes, audiocassettes, photographs, and film. The dates of the holdings range from 1974 to 1999, with 1991-1999 constituting the bulk dates. Materials dating before 1990 did not originate with LEARN, but were utilized by LEARN in its program of school reform.

The collection is organized in nine series: Financial Records, Implementation, Media, Michael Y. Roos, Outside Organizations, Promotion & Publications, Subject Files, Task Forces & Committees, and Working Groups. These nine series are based on the filing structure of LEARN, and form Collection Number CSLA-14 in the Center for the Study of Los Angeles Research Collection. The original order has been preserved when processing the collection.

A brief description of each series is listed below. Descriptions include links to each series' box and folder lists, which are indexes to a series' holdings and arrangement in folders and boxes.

Series Descriptions

Series 1: Financial Records back to top
Series Size: 39 folders

To consult the box and folder lists for the holdings of this series, select the following title: Series 1: Financial Records

The Financial Records Series consists of internal balance sheets, income statements, donation reports, budgets, IRS tax documents, lease and audit records from 1991-1997. All of the monies used for LEARN were given by corporations or foundations with the goal of improving public education in Los Angeles. These records show how LEARN, an influential and active non-profit organization, was funded and distributed monies.

Series 2: Implementation back to top
Series Size: 414 folders

The Implementation Series consists of documents that record the ways in which LEARN managed the process of implementing systemic reform in the Los Angeles schools. Materials within this series date from 1990 to 1999 and include school LEARN applications, meeting packets, reports, correspondence, surveys, training materials for workshops, and promotional material from potential training partners. Two management programs from UCLA--Advanced Management Program and Learning Community Program--were used to develop the training program (cf. Subseries A, D, E, and M) that instructed principals, teachers, parents, and staff to put into practice the principles of collaborative work, and methods for encouraging student learning and for changing a bureaucratic culture of the LAUSD. Also included in this series are files of participating schools of the implementation phases.

Series 3: Media back to top
Series Size: 202 folders

To consult the box and folder lists for the holdings of this series, select the following titles:
Subseries A: Community Engagement (8 folders) | Subseries B: LEARN Articles (91 folders) | Subseries C: Newsletters (4 folders) | Subseries D: Non-LEARN Articles (95 folders) | Subseries E: Press Conferences (4 folders)

The Media Series consists mainly of newspaper coverage, press releases, newsletter and journal articles about LEARN or educational reform in general from 1990-1999. News clippings are divided into LEARN related articles and non-LEARN articles, which detail educational reform outside the LAUSD.

Series 4: Michael Y. Roos back to top
Series Size: 112 folders

To consult the box and folder lists for the holdings of this series, select the following title: Series 4: Michael Y. Roos

The Michael Y. Roos series consists of Roos's personal copies of drafts, correspondence, and reports that were used in his office. These documents record the activities and concerns of Roos in his promotion and leadership of LEARN, as president from January, 1991 until July, 1999. Please note the term "chronology" refers to correspondence.

Series 5: Outside Organizations back to top
Series Size: 344 folders

To consult the box and folder lists for the holdings of this series, select the following titles:
Subseries A: California Reform Organizations (43 folders) Subseries B: Evaluation and Training Institute (14 folders)| Subseries C: Los Angeles Unified School District (182 folders)| Subseries D: LEARN Supporters (24 folders)| Subseries E: National Reform Organizations (81 folders)

The Outside Organizations Series consists of documents from other reform organizations: nationally, within California, and within the Los Angeles Unified School District from 1990-1999. Many of LEARN's ideas, goals and programs were adopted from these other reform movements. Much of the material is composed of promotional material or news clippings about the reform organizations and movements but also to be found are catalogs, standards, articles, manuals, books, presentations, reports, support sheets, proposals, initiatives, correspondence and survey results. Of special interest are the independent evaluations of the Los Angeles Unified School District from the Evaluation and Training Institute, and supporters of LEARN.

Series 6: Promotion & Publications back to top
Series Size: 283 folders, 2 (18 inch) document boxes, 4 video boxes, 2 audio boxes, 1 postcard box, 4 ov boxes

To consult the box and folder lists for the holdings of this series, select the following divisions of this series: Part I | Part II

The Promotion & Publications Series consists of LEARN's promotional materials; they span the years 1991-1999, with bulk dates of 1992-1993. Records in this series include petitions, handouts, bulk mail letters, newsletters, media advisories, audio tapes, video tapes, postcards. By creating petitions and distributing the "For All Our Children" document, LEARN garnered the support of over 90,000 people by early in 1993. Other outreach efforts included direct mail, phone calls, infomercials, handouts, videos, press releases, and newsletters.

Series 7: Subject Files back to top
Series Size: 174 folders

To consult the box and folder lists for the holdings of this series, select the following titles:
Subseries A: 1987-1995 (69 folders) | Subseries B: 1974-1999 (105 folders)

The Subject Files Series originated in the LEARN office and details the educational issues facing the LEARN reform movement. The Subject Files series has two subseries, both arranged alphabetically by subject topic. The first subseries spans the years 1987-1995; reports, bibliographies, analysis, and articles make up the bulk of the material.

The second subseries spans the years 1974-1999, and is comprised mostly of manuals, catalogs, reports, profiles, correspondence and promotional material. This series contains many noteworthy issues in educational reform in Los Angeles. These include issues that LEARN supported, such as professional support for teachers and school based management, as well as issues that LEARN did not support, eg, vouchers, and breaking up the LAUSD.

Series 8: Task Forces & Committees back to top
Series Size: 266 folders

The Task Force & Committees Series consists of records of all the LEARN action groups; their purpose was to create strategies for implementing reform in the LAUSD. This series consists of meeting packets, workbooks, articles, studies, proposals, annotated drafts, research material, correspondence, spanning 1989-1998, with the bulk of the material from 1992.

There were seven main Task Forces: Accountability & Assessment, Facilities, Parental Involvement, Professional Development, School Governance, School to Work Transition, and Social Services. Each Task Force created a document outlining suggested reform goals and strategies, which were then included in the comprehensive "For All Our Children" document by the Integrative Committee. Other Task Forces and Committees were initiated as necessary to accomplish specific tasks.

Series 9: Working Groups back to top
Series Size: 348 folders

To consult the box and folder lists for the holdings of this series, select the following titles:
Subseries A: Drafts & Documents (182 folders) | Subseries B: Internal Staff (18 folders) | Subseries C: Meeting Packets (107 folders) | Subseries D: Outreach Strategy (7 folders) | Subseries E: Presentations (8 folders) | Subseries F: Retreat (26 folders)

The Working Groups Series consists of documents that record the meetings and governance of the LEARN organization, such as meeting packets, correspondence, biographies, mission statements, drafts, memos and reports, from 1991-1999. The Working Groups consisted of the chairman and president of LEARN, and the LEARN trustees; all were prominent within education, business and politics. The Working Groups met monthly, and members of the Working Groups were co-chairs of each Task Force, managing the mission, goals and strategies of LEARN.

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LEARN Collection, CSLA-14, Series Descriptions