L.A. County High School for the Arts

A Brief History...

With the dream for the school getting close to reality, Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich and Mrs. Ahmanson established the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts Foundation in November 1984. Stuart Gothold, Then-Superintendent of Los Angeles County of Education was elected President of the board.  He volunteered to operate the school through LACOE’s Division of Alternative Education.  California State University Chancellor Ann Reynolds offered the school a home on the campus of California State University Los Angeles, as most of their students were attending classes in the evening.  In April 1985, the Educational Foundation of America provided a generous grant to help fund the initial work of the Foundation in getting the school established. 

Led by the able politician LA County Supervisor Michael Antonovich, the Arts High Foundation convinced Then-Assemblywoman Teresa Hughes, to sponsor Bill AB851 to establish Los Angeles County High School for the Arts as a specialized secondary school on the campus of CSULA with three important distinctions:

• LACHSA could select its students through auditions and portfolio reviews.
• LACHSA could hire master professional artists to teach the arts classes.  Theywere exempted from the requirement to hold a teaching credential.
• LACHSA hours could operate its school day from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to provide enough time for academic classes on a modular schedule in the mornings, and three hour, conservatory-style arts classes in the afternoons.

LACHSA is still presently operated by LACOE with the school receiving support from a regional director and director of Student Programs.  There are a number of internal structures that help shape LACHSA's operations chief among them is our Shared Decision-Making Council.