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What we Do

A holistic, diapers-to-diplomas approach to liberatory education.

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Together with families, schools, and the community, LAEP facilitates access to and opportunities for quality educational and wellness practices that align resources, promote agency, build capacity, and create systems change.

Drawing on four decades of experience, LAEP has identified Six Core Elements schools and learning communities need to ensure children thrive in school and in life:

Educational Equity

High-Quality Instruction

Teacher Leadership & Collaboration

College & Career Readiness

Families as Partners

Youth Empowerment

Transforming education for every child, from every angle.

The strongest supports for a child’s education already exist within the homes and communities we serve. LAEP focuses on building on these strengths and breaking down silos or obstacles through strategic planning, skill-building, and partnering directly with families, teachers, principals, and community-based organizations to ensure sustainable progress. 

Everything we do is community-centered, trauma-informed, healing-focused, and culturally relevant.

The ultimate goal: Children of every age, race, gender, socio-economic status, and ability are developmentally and academically prepared for success in school and in life.

We do this through three main program areas:

Early Childhood & Family Engagement

LAEP’s Early Childhood & Family Engagement programs build school readiness in children ages 0 to 5, their families, and neighboring schools. We foster catalytic change by working with families and leading community initiatives that improve early childhood systems and access to resources—all at no cost to families. We are also addressing the shortage of qualified early childhood educators through a paid early childhood educator training and education program.
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Transform Schools (K-12)

LAEP’s Transform Schools model uniquely emphasizes both integrated student supports as well as teaching and learning. Community Schools and Teaching & Learning service areas promote whole-school transformation across each of the Six Core Elements.
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CORE (Cultivating Organizational Resilience & Empowerment)

Building on LAEP’s expertise in employee wellbeing and shared leadership models, LAEP provides workshops and coaching to help high-stress work environments become trauma-responsive, resilient, and equitable—safe, respectful communities that promote well-being for all members of the workforce.
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PARTNER WITH US

LAEP can come alongside your community, as thought partners and collaborators, empowering you to drive transformation and liberation.

Collaborate

Eric Barela, Ph.D.

Senior Consultant, Raya Cooper Impact Consulting

Dr. Eric Barela has worked as a measurement & evaluation professional for over 2 decades, helping organizations to better understand and act on their social impact. He’s currently a Senior Consultant with Raya Cooper Impact Consulting and previously worked at Salesforce, where he led efforts to measure the social impact of the company’s work with nonprofits and educational institutions across the globe. He began his career working with the Los Angeles Unified School District and with the nonprofit, Partners in School Innovation. Eric previously served on the Board of the American Evaluation Association and currently serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of the American Journal of Evaluation.

Eric grew up in East LA and was educated in the Montebello Unified School District. He holds a Ph.D. in education from UCLA. He loves a good road trip, with his husband serving as trusty navigator.