As visitors enter Vaughn Next Century Learning Center, they will be entering a learning village filled with colorful murals depicting student activities in the areas of science, language arts, physical education, library research and history. Intermingled with these murals are our multicultural learning tree, a rose garden and seventeen values we hold dear. These values include love, peace, honesty, friendship, trust and courage. Vaughn Next Century Learning Center, located in Pacoima, is a public charter school in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Pacoima is a designated Empowerment Zone due to its extreme poverty and high crime status.
All students move from room to room to share space.
Many of our families, mostly first generation immigrants with many children are living in rental space, garages and trailers. In 1990, Vaughn was cited as one of the worst schools in the district. Single-digit test scores had been a pattern and poor attendance triggered audits. 261 students also rode the buses to other schools due to overcrowding. No one wanted to substitute at Vaughn.