Los Angeles County High School for the Arts


Los Angeles County High School for the Arts is a visual and performing arts high school located on the campus of California State University, Los Angeles in Los Angeles, California, United States.

History

The school was founded by philanthropist Caroline Leonetti Ahmanson in 1985.

Overview

LACHSA is a public and tuition-free school. Most people identify the school by its aesthetic campus along with its ability to offer both college preparatory courses and conservatory style training. Though it shares facilities with Cal State LA, the two schools' activities are usually separate. It is operated by the Los Angeles County Office of Education.
The school specializes in preparing students for careers in the arts. It is one of two arts high schools in Los Angeles that allows students from any district within Los Angeles County to attend, the other being Charter High School of the Arts in Van Nuys. Acceptance into the school is based on an audition process for the approximately 130 spots available for incoming students, about 90% of whom are freshmen.
The school has five departments, Dance, Music, Theatre, Visual Arts, and Cinematic Arts. There is also a double major offered for Musical Theatre. The Music Department has the most students, followed by the Theatre Department, Visual Arts, Dance, and Cinematic Arts.
In 2012, Academy Award nominee Scott Hamilton Kennedy made an award-winning documentary about LACHSA called Fame High.
In late March 2013, LACHSA officially moved to a more permanent building on the edge of Cal State LA's campus. It has three stories, the third floor being a black box theater, where most performances from the school take place.
As of 2019 the total minority enrollment is 65%, and 19% of students are economically disadvantaged. L.A. County High School for the Arts is 1 of 2 high schools in the Los Angeles County Office Of Education.

Student enrollment

LACHSA serves around 565 students in grades nine through twelve, with a student-teacher ratio of 10:1. Full-time teachers 57.
Hispanic and Latino American28%
African American9%
Asian American13%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander1%
White European Americans35%
Multiracial Americans14%
Female60%
Male40%

Academic recognition