By Ethan Wang
Staff Writer
Inspectors from the L.A. County Office of Education gave Temple City High School a score of 98 percent during the Williams inspection, a procedure aimed at maintaining functional facilities, teacher quality and equal access to instructional materials. Consisting of two parts, officials evaluated school facilities on Aug. 29, and materials on Sept. 25.
The facilities check ensures there are no safety hazards on campus, while the materials check confirms students have access to proper educational resources. During the materials visit, LACOE representatives check 40 to 60% of classrooms, asking students if they possess the proper textbooks. They also assess teacher credentials to ensure they are qualified for the subjects they are teaching.
“I know we didn’t get 100%, but I look at those as little things that we can fix for next time,” Principal Elena Li said. “Since this was our first time, we didn’t know what to expect and I think we did great.”
Schools qualify for a Williams visit if subpopulations within that school have underperformed in categories measured by the California Department of Education, including graduation and suspension rates, English and math.
The California state legislature passed the Williams Act following Williams v. California, a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of students from San Francisco. The lawsuit alleged that California’s most disadvantaged students were being denied access to proper educational resources and opportunities. A four-year legal battle ensued, reaching a settlement in 2004. The resulting Williams legislation paved the way for Williams inspections and allowed parents to file complaints about school conditions.