Our History… Mission...Vision...Opportunity...Aligned Lessons learned from the Career Center and AmeriCorps project and the urgent need to offer an education/ workplace program for seriously at-risk youth led to the successful creation of YouthBuild-Lawrence in 1993. Today, YouthBuild-Lawrence, in its twenty-third cycle, successfully prepares young adults to earn their HiSET, gain job readiness skills, develop self-confidence and feel ownership in their community through building homes for low-income Lawrence families. Building on the Adult Leadership Development Program and the Parent Mobilization Project (PMP) and with consideration for the attainment of U.S. Citizenship in Lawrence, LFD, Inc. applied for funding from the Massachusetts Office for Refugees and Immigrants (MIRA) and the New Americans Fund at the Boston Foundation. In collaboration with MIRA and funding sources, volunteer facilitators from the PMP became citizenship educators and assisted hundreds of immigrants to attain United States citizenship. Classes were held in the public library, Adelante Youth Center, civic clubs and churches throughout the community, and in 2006 the Maria del Pilar Quintana Family Center opened as the permanent home for LFD, Inc.’s adult education programs. Its funding continues through a variety of sources. The 1993 Massachusetts Education Reform Act established a foundation rate of state-mandated funding for public education and included the licensing of state-funded charter schools as an essential piece of education reform. LFD, Inc. was intimately involved with establishment of this initial charter school legislation in Massachusetts. In September 1995, after several years of hard work at the state and local levels, the Lawrence Family Development Charter School opened as one of the first in a group of fourteen public charter schools in Massachusetts. As a “Level 1” public school for MCAS performance in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, the work of the Lawrence Family Development Charter School is known for its best practices as a Massachusetts urban school and works extensively to disseminate best practices in urban elementary education. Our charter school uses research-based practices for academic instruction and intervention, and supplements this instruction with after school and summer school programs. In school year 2016-2017 Lawrence Family Development Charter School (LFDCS), now in its fifth five-year charter, enrolled 714 students from early Kindergarten through grade eight and graduates many of its students to private-independent, admissionsbased rigorous secondary schools ensuring a path to higher education and a positive, successful future. We continue with a keen focus on the key design elements from our founding in 1995 (ideas still in force from our original LFDCS charter application) which includes: Parent Engagement, Dual Language, Effective Teaching, Partnerships and Governance and Leadership Structure. Today, these design elements influence our school and our dissemination projects. Inaugural Meeting of Lawrence Family Development and Education Fund, Inc. as a 501(c)3 1992 1993 YouthBuildLawrence Opens LFDEF, INC FY’2016-2017 ANNUAL REPORT PAGE 2 LFDEF, Inc. receives Lawrence Family Development Charter School opens as one of Massachusetts first 14 charter schools 1995 funding from state to start Citizenship program, helping hundreds of immigrants attain US. Citizenship
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