What is Waldorf Education?

Waldorf is a 100-year old school model with over 1,000 schools worldwide. Its experiential, hands-on methodology incorporates art, music, movement, environmental learning and world language instruction coupled with rigorous academics. Teachers encourage free inquiry, curiosity, and creative thinking over test taking and rote memorization of facts; rather than using textbooks, they present material through multidisciplinary, project-based courses, and students create their own books to demonstrate learning. This developmentally appropriate and engaging approach to education fosters lifelong learners who become curious, engaged citizens and flexible, creative problem solvers well-equipped not only to succeed in college but more importantly, in life.

Although historically, most Waldorf schools have been private schools, today there is a growing movement of public Waldorf schools (60 in the United Sates), especially in California, which now has 27 public Waldorf schools striving to serve a racially and socio-economically diverse student body across the state.

As Waldorf schools begin to serve a more diverse population, both racially and socio-economically, Waldorf education has an opportunity to be reshaped into one that is more inclusive and aligned with the best practices of 21st century learning.

Waldorf education began in Germany at the end of World War I. Over the last 100 years, the education as it has been practiced has primarily reflected its Eurocentric roots. El Rio recognizes and acknowledges the problematic aspects of this history, and we reject the hurtful, exclusive and misguided philosophies that have too often been a part of many traditional Waldorf schools.

El Rio is a Waldorf public school because we believe that particular tenets of Waldorf education are relevant and even revolutionary in today’s world. These concepts include:

• Children are inherently capable, creative beings

• Learning happens through the body as well as the mind, and should be offered via multiple pathways to meet children where they are

• A child’s age and life experience informs the developmental approach to education.

• Childhood is a sacred time that should be honored

• The natural world is critical for children’s development

Based on these particular principles of Waldorf education, El Rio is actively committed to using a diversity, equity & inclusion lens to examine traditional practices, and is dedicated to creating a school culture and curriculum that honors and reflects our community, affirms children in their own strength, and teaches them to respect and value themselves, others, and the environment.

For El Rio, the work of reimagining what an inclusive and diverse Waldorf education looks like will continue to be shaped and re-shaped by the leadership of our school and the communities we serve.

Why is el rio a waldorf Public school?

How is El Rio different from other schools?

Although El Rio has elements of an arts magnet, a STEM school, and a dual language program, it is actually much more than the sum of those parts. Our holistic approach encompasses not just academics but social-emotional and kinesthetic learning: a child’s head, heart, and hands. Alongside our multidisciplinary approach to academics, students will get plenty of time outside, good food to eat, teachers who know them well, and a joyful, beautiful environment in which to learn. We want students to love school, and for school to be a place where they feel safe, valued, and free to take risks. By de-emphasizing grades and minimizing the use of textbooks and technology, we create an engaging and process-oriented learning environment that hones children’s imaginations, critical thinking, and fine and gross motor skills.

Alongside a culturally responsive curriculum, students receive an education in two world languages (Spanish and Mandarin), visual and performing arts (drawing, painting, music, theatre, movement, woodworking (upper grades) and handwork), environmental science and sustainability practices, and outdoor education, including class camping trips (starting in 3rd grade) and nature field trips.

What Grades Do you serve?

In 2023-24 we will have have two mixed-age TK/K classes, two 1st grade classes, two 2nd grade classes, and two 3rd grade classes, plus 4th, 5th, and 6th grades. Each year we will add a grade until we are TK-8 by year 6. By year 10, at full capacity we will have 444 students and 2 tracks of 1st-8th grades.

What Are your class size and ratios?

El Rio offers small class sizes of approximately 20:1 in TK/K (with 1 teacher and 1 assistant), and 24:1 in Grades 1-8. In addition, teachers loop with their classes for multiple years (TK/K, 1st-4th, and 5th-8th) cultivating an atmosphere of trust and academic risk-taking and building deep relationships between students, parents, and teachers.

We are located at 211 S. Avenue 20 in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of northeast Los Angeles, CA 90031. Our facility includes ample classroom space, a dedicated art room, special education spaces, indoor play spaces, an outdoor courtyard with urban gardens, and a multipurpose room that combines cafeteria facilities with gym space. We are also lucky to be able to access an outdoor gardening and open-ended space for frolicking, council circle, and other activities. We will walk to nearby Albion Riverside Park for additional recreation opportunities/movement and games. We share a central courtyard with Smidt Tech High School (of the Alliance for College Ready Public Schools), an adjacent small high school with deep roots in the community, and some of our El Rio students have siblings attending the high school, too!

Where Are you located?

Families are encouraged to attend one of our info sessions before applying and accepting enrollment to ensure El Rio is a good fit for their child. Please click here to RSVP for an upcoming session.

To apply, click here to apply. If more students apply than there is space within a grade, a lottery for that particular grade. Families will be notified of their enrollment status within one week of the lottery. Anyone who applies outside of our open enrollment period will be placed on the waitlist on a first come, first served basis. Our lottery preferences are as follows:

1. LAUSD residents (our independent charter is located within the attendance boundaries of LAUSD)

2. Children of El Rio Founding Parents, teachers, and staff (up to a cap of 10% of enrollment)

3. Students who reside in the attendance area of Albion Elementary School (the closest elementary school to our location)

4. Students who qualify for Free or Reduced Price meals. To determine if your family is eligible, visit the CA Department of Education website: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/rs/scales1819.asp/ A family automatically qualifies if receiving food stamps, CalFresh, CalWORKs, Kin-GAP, or FDPIR or other public assistance. You or your children do not have to be a U.S. citizen to qualify for free or reduced price lunch.

How do I apply?

Our current school day is approximately 8:15 a.m to 3:10 pm, with a shorter day for kindergarteners, from 8:45 a.m.-2 p.m. We have early dismissal at 1 p.m. on Fridays. We offer before care from 7:30 a.m. and after-care until 5:30 pm daily for a small fee.

What Are your school hours?

Yes! We are a tuition-free public school. We are an independent charter school, not an LAUSD affiliate charter, and are considered our own Local Educational Agency/school district, with our own El Rio Community School Board of Directors and policies. We receive federal, state, and local funding directly. Like any public school, we are open to all students, we offer a breakfast and lunch program, our funding is based on student attendance, and we are required to do yearly state testing beginning in 3rd grade, as well as NWEA benchmark assessments starting in mid-second grade. However, we are governed by our own Board of Directors who decide how our resources are allocated, whom we hire, and how we implement our curriculum.

Are you a public school?

My child has special needs. Will you be able to accommodate them?

El Rio Community School is charged with providing a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to eligible students with disabilities in their least restrictive environment. El Rio Community School has a general education program, along with providers for the RSP (resource specialist program), occupational therapy, speech and language, adaptive physical education, and counseling services, as well as related services for students whose IEP (Individualized Education Program) provides for these services.

Can you tell me more about your model?

Our holistic approach combines academic, social-emotional, and kinesthetic learning: a child’s head, heart, and hands. So what does this look like in practice for El Rio students?

Lots of time outside: Our program provides outdoor time both at the nearby park and our garden next door, where children can play, move their bodies, explore, inquire, observe, and build a relationship with nature. Our gardening program is a lived experience of scientific processes in action, encourages healthy eating, and builds a lifelong love of working outside.
Close relationships with teachers and classmates: Teachers “loop” with their class for grades 1-4 and 5-8, creating an atmosphere of trust that allows academic risk-taking to occur. A weekly Council practice and peer-to-peer mentoring encourage listening skills and build empathy and problem solving among peers.
Building their inherent creative capacities: Art- and music-making, sewing and knitting, woodworking and dance classes are not only offered every day but are woven into academic work as well, allowing each student to find their niche and excel in areas they may not have discovered in a traditional academic setting.
Capitalizing on their natural curiosity: Core academic subjects are taught in “blocks”: 3-4 week chunks of intensive study that allow for deep dives into subject matter and incorporate artistic practices alongside academic work.
Honing independent, flexible thinking: Rather than learning from textbooks, students learn through stories, music, games, projects, and experiences, then synthesize their learning into their own written and illustrated book or project.
Celebrating their own stories, festivals and histories: Our culturally responsive curriculum honors the narratives of students’ varied cultures. Seasonal festivals celebrate our families’ heritage and involve parents and the wider community in a rooted and authentic school culture.
Not too much testing or homework: Kids need space to be with their families, do things outside of school, and not be unduly stressed about studying, getting the “right” answer, or completing tasks outside of school hours that have been proven to make little to no difference in academic outcomes.
A developmental approach to media and technology: Knowing they have the rest of their lives to be in front of screens, technology and media are introduced to students in a thoughtful manner, privileging the development of fine and gross motor skills through writing, drawing and knitting before introducing keyboarding and coding.