Since Tu Moua-Carroz became the principal of Sacramento, CA’s Earl Warren Elementary School in 2005, she has consistently strived to make her school the best it can be. Her school outperformed 30 other schools in the district with similar demographics. And considering those demographics—97 percent of students qualify for free and reduced-price lunch and 57 percent are English Language Learners (ELL)—her leadership has been truly inspirational. Having been an ELL student herself, she applied her experiences to accommodate the needs of her students by creating a Saturday school where English Language Learners new to the country can get the additional resources and instruction they need to excel.
Under Moua-Carroz’s leadership, Earl Warren’s Academic Performance Index (API) has increased every year—from 715 in 2005 to 801 in 2009. Working closely with the staff on its school improvement plan has resulted in meeting Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for the past two years, thus exiting from the state’s Program Improvement status. These impressive accomplishments are reflected in Moua-Carroz’s focus on data-driven, research-based instruction in the classrooms. She organized a group of sixth graders to gather data on student relationships, curriculum and environment to improve instruction, which her staff analyzes to better their teaching practices. The achievements of students and teachers across the campus are proof that her goals are being realized.
“Being part of the Milken Family gives me an even greater..." (read more)
