The Los Angeles Leadership Academy is a public charter school that uses taxpayer money to support its unusual dual mission — to raise its students’ test scores and their consciousness. (Robert Gauthier / LAT)
Independent reading is encouraged at the charter school, where the average student last year read at slightly better than second grade level. (Robert Gauthier / LAT)
At the Los Angeles Leadership Academy, protests are part of the curriculum and students are instructed to review their efforts from a street demonstration. (Robert Gauthier / LAT)
Principal and co-founder Roger Lowenstein greets a student at the academy. (Robert Gauthier / LAT)
To combat a persistent graffiti problem, a wall was reserved just for tagging. (Robert Gauthier / LAT)
