Edward R. Roybal Learning Center

Edward R. Roybal Learning Center, formerly known as Belmont Learning Center, the Vista Hermosa Learning Center, Central Los Angeles High School 11, is a secondary school and park located at 1200 Colton Street in the Westlake area of Los Angeles, California, United States.[2]

Edward R. Roybal Learning Center
Edward R. Roybal Learning Center
First Street and Beaudry Avenue
Location
1200 Colton Street
Los Angeles, California
United States
Information
TypePublic
EstablishedSeptember 3, 2008
School districtLAUSD
PrincipalJared DuPree
Staff49.33 (FTE)[1]
Grades9–12
Enrollment829 (2018-19)[1]
Student to teacher ratio16.81[1]
CampusUrban
Color(s)Cranberry & Black
NicknameTitans
Websitewww.roybaltitans.net

Roybal high school was designed by architecture firm DLR Group WWCOT and built to relieve overcrowding at Belmont High School. The school is at the intersection of West First Street and North Beaudry Avenue. On March 25, 2008, the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education voted to name the school as Edward R. Roybal Learning Center for former Congressman Edward R. Roybal, who represented this area in Congress and whose daughter, Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, is representing the area.

The attached park, named Vista Hermosa Park, opened on July 19, 2008. The first new public park in the downtown Los Angeles area since 1895, it was funded and developed in part by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and is operated by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority. The park contains a soccer field that is shared by the school and the surrounding community.[3][4]

The school is part of LAUSD, and opened after years of controversy on Tuesday, September 2, 2008.[5][6][7] Roybal will accommodate approximately 2,500 students, which will alleviate enrollment at Belmont High which is currently 5,500 students. RLC has two independent pilot schools—Civitas School of Leadership (Civitas SOL) and School for Visual Arts and Humanities (SVAH)—as well as its own SLCs: International School of Languages (ISOL), Activists for Educational Empowerment (AEE), Business and Finance Academy (BFA), and Computer Science Academy (CSA).[8] Each Academy has its own purpose and different techniques of teaching. BFA is more about involving students with the business atmosphere, ISOL helps students that usually are new to this country and need help with the English language, CSA is more about involving students with the computer atmosphere, and lastly AEE provides their students with a sense of empowerment and helps them get involved.

History

The project to build the school began in 1997. The northern part of the site had been within the Los Angeles City Oil Field, an industrial area which contained over 1,000 active oil wells around 1900, and a concern of soil contamination—specifically, methane and hydrogen sulfide—was confirmed during development in 1999. This resulted in a temporary halt to construction.

In December 2000 Superintendent Roy Romer[9] saved the project and began reviewing private bids to address the additional issues at the site. In 2002, the "Alliance for a Better Community" was selected to finish the project.[10]

Further complicating the development, in September 2002 an earthquake fault was detected on the northeast portion of the plot. The project was again temporarily suspended.[11]

In May 2003 the LAUSD voted to finish the school using funds from voter initiative bond Measure K but with certain modifications: inclusion of a 10 to 12 acres (4.0 to 4.9 ha) park; a 500-seat learning academy; a library; an auditorium; and a parent center. The total project cost was then estimated to be around US$300 million.[12]

In December 2004, approximately one third of the buildings were demolished because of the earthquake fault and then construction continued.[13] In June 2009 the first graduating class of Edward R. Roybal Learning Center walked the stage on the football field and they were known as the Legacies of 2009.

The nickname of Titans was 1st place pick of all the students for the school's team name, while the Raptors was the second choice.

Administration
  • Sarah Usmani, principal of Edward R. Roybal Learning Center
  • Gregory David Jackson, Principal, Civitas School of Leadership

Features
  • Dance studio with a cushioned maple floor
  • 2,500-seat gym
  • 480 underground parking spaces
  • Individual shower stalls in locker rooms
  • Modern kitchen with a restaurant-quality pizza oven
  • Planning rooms between every classroom for teachers.
  • Solar panels have been installed
  • Three fields-Football Field, softball field, and a soccer field that is shared with Vista Hermosa Park

Reception

A Wall Street Journal opinion article stated, "even though many Roybal kids can't read or do math, at least they have a dance studio with cushioned maple floors and a kitchen with a restaurant-quality pizza oven."[14]

References
  1. "Edward R. Roybal Learning Center". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  2. http://cityplanning.lacity.org/complan/central/pdf/genlumap.wlk.pdf
  3. New park a sight for sore eyes
  4. Conservancy Opens New Park Near Downtown Los Angeles
  5. Central LA HS #11, 55.98107 School Name: Edward R. Roybal Learning Center
  6. LAUSD Approves "HS #11" Option to Complete Belmont Learning Center
  7. LA Downtown News (2007) Coming Into Focus
  8. Students, Community Triumph as LAUSD Cuts the Ribbon on Edward R. Roybal Learning Center
  9. LA Times (2006) Generally Speaking, It's Right to Honor Romer
  10. Alliance for a Better Community - History Archived 2008-11-20 at the Wayback Machine
  11. LA Downtown News (2005) Generation Next: Glenn Gritzner Archived 2004-07-10 at the Wayback Machine
  12. LAUSD Board Votes to Complete Belmont
  13. "LAUSD's $238 Million Belmont Demolished". Archived from the original on 2008-05-21. Retrieved 2008-12-03.
  14. Finley, Allysia (2010-09-04). "Broke—and Building the Most Expensive School in U.S. History". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 4 September 2010.

Bibliography
  • Endres B (1999) An evaluation of the oil and gas migration hazards existing at the Belmont Learning Center Complex, Belmont Blue Ribbon Commission Hearings, October 1999

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