Lycee International de Los Angeles

Basic Information

Address: 1105 W. Riverside Dr, Burbank, CA 91506
Phone Number: 626-695-5159
District: Los Angeles and Orange County
Fax Number: 818-859-7355
Director: John Fleck
Name of Project: LILA program (regular school program)

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Lycee International de Los Angeles
Lycee International de Los Angeles
Lycee International de Los Angeles
Lycee International de Los Angeles

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Additional Information

Partner(non-english) Language used in Program: French
First year of Program Implementation at Site: 1978
Program Scope: Complete immersion from Preschool. Double curriculum PS-12th following French Ministry of Education (accredited) and U.S. educational system (WASC accredited). Children in PK through second grade spend 80% of their school day with a French-speaking teacher, and 20% of the day with an English-speaking teacher. All Maternelle classrooms have a full-time bilingual teacher’s assistant. From third grade on, classroom time is divided equally between English and French. Students graduate with International Baccalaureate (IB) bilingual Diploma or French Baccalaureat S/ES/L.
School Type: International bilingual college prep
School Size: 1000 students in 5 campuses
Teacher/Student Ratio: 12:1 (Elementary), 7:1 (Secondary)
Grade Level(s): Pre-K
Number of Classes: 65
Criteria for Selection:

The application deadline for pre-elementary programs (preschool, Pre-K, and Kindergarten) is November 30. Applications received after this date will be considered according to space availability. Applicants are required to submit a completed application form and a Teacher's Reference Report, if applicable. Interviews are held in early January. Children are seen individually or in small groups by our Learning Support Specialist while parents meet with the Campus Director. Letters of acceptance are sent out via email in March.
1st through 12th Grade Admissions: Students coming from public or private French schools formally recognized by the French Ministry of National Education are admitted at the level stated by the previous school, based on the official 'bulletins scolaires' submitted with the application. Students coming from private schools or from overseas schools not recognized by the French Ministry of National Education will be admitted upon assessment. Sufficient fluency in spoken and written French is necessary. Students are required to submit a completed application form, report cards/transcripts, and standardized tests from the previous three years.

Available Program Materials: Visit our website at http://lilaschool.com You may also contact us at Admissions@lilaschool.com to request a school brochure.
% of Native English Speaking Students: 49%
% of students in program who are native speakers of the partner language: 13%
% of students in program who are native bilinguals: 36%
% of third language speakers: 2%
Additional languages spoken: Spanish, Italian, Arabic, German, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Armenian, Farsi
% of Students qualifying for Free/Reduced Lunch: Caucasian – 73% African-American – 3% Asian – 3% Hispanic – 8% Multi-ethnic – 8%
Separation of Languages for Instruction: Children in Preschool through second grade spend 80% of their school day with a French-speaking teacher, and 20% of the day with an English-speaking teacher. In addition, all of our Maternelle classrooms have a full-time bilingual teacher’s assistant. From third grade on, classroom time is divided equally between English and French. All teachers are native speakers of the language they are instructing in. In Middle School, students take 9 to 11 courses every year. These include French and English Language Arts – both taught at an advanced level, Math (French incorporating elements of the American system), Tech & Skills, Physics & Chemistry, Biology & Geology, World History & Geography (taught in both languages), Civics, US History, Visual Arts, Music, and Physical Education. Beyond the languages of instruction (English and French), LILA students study Spanish as a third modern language, starting in sixth grade. At the end of ninth grade (troisième), students are expected to take the Brevet, a compulsory French examination covering math, French language and literature, history/geography/civics, and art history. Through their sophomore year students follow a composite of French and American coursework based on the traditional French Lycée curriculum, to which the necessary elements of the American program are added. Every secondary student, regardless of academic orientation, takes on average 32 periods of classes per week. High school sophomores take the DELF examination (Diplôme d'études en langue française), which certifies their proficiency in the French language. They also choose one of two Baccalaureate programs for their final two years at LILA: the International Baccalaureate (IB) bilingual Diploma program which is a microcosmic version of a university degree program. Subjects are taught in French or English. The French Baccalaureat program is taught primarily in French except for English and Spanish Language Art classes.
% of School day Students from the two language groups is integrated: 100% in Preschool-10th, 50% in 10th-12th.
Secondary Programs: The Middle School program includes French and English Language Arts – both taught at an advanced level (grammar, literature, creative writing, essay structure), Math (French incorporating elements of the American system), Tech & Skills, Physics & Chemistry, Biology & Geology, World History & Geography (taught in both languages), Civics, US History, Visual Arts, Music, and Physical Education. Beyond the languages of instruction (English and French), LILA students study Spanish as a third modern language, starting in sixth grade. Through their sophomore year in High School, students follow a composite of French and American coursework based on the traditional French Lycée curriculum, to which the necessary elements of the American program are added. At the end of 10th grade, students choose between 2 programs: the International Baccalaureate bilingual Diploma program or the French Baccalaureat S/ES/L.
% of Classroom Teacher proficient in both languages: 90%
Additional Program Staff: Academic Program Office (Elementary and Secondary), College Counselor, IB Counselor, French Bac Counselor.
% of Additional Program staff proficient in both languages: 90%
Program Evaluated on Regular basis?: Yes
Computer Capabilities: Interactive Smartboards and computers in every classroom, iPads and Chrome books available to all students and teachers.<br /> <br />
School Clubs:

French Theatre, Model UN, Writing Club.

School Holidays: Follows the French Ministry of Education school calendar concurrently with the U.S. School calendar.
Mission Statement:

LILA is an international, preschool through 12th-grade school committed to academic excellence in a nurturing and intimate environment that encourages personal initiative, creativity and curiosity. Students are challenged through the rigorous and well-balanced bilingual curricula of the French and International Baccalaureate institutions. Our goal is to develop confident, caring, and open-minded critical thinkers who will thrive in a diverse competitive world.

Belief Statements:

LILA's core values are:
• First and foremost, academic excellence
• Collaboration, communication and community
• Commitment to the curriculum
• Utmost respect for all individuals within the school community
• Cultural diversity
• Intellectual curiosity and open-mindedness

At LILA we adopt ways of thinking and expression that reflect an appreciation for cultural differences and multiple world views. Diverse groups learn more from each other when exchanging different points of view, introducing new pieces of information, and confronting alternative ideas. LILA's small and nurturing classes facilitate the sharing of different viewpoints.
Being immersed in a truly multicultural environment helps develop the ability to better understand one's own culture - what makes it different, but also in which ways it is similar. This, in turn, helps maintain a strong sense of one's own background. 
Teachers, staff and students come from all over the world, each bringing their own experiences and perspectives. 
Our students study and live in a world community every day.

School History:

LILA was established in 1978 by visionaries of varied cultural backgrounds who felt that the Los Angeles community needed a school which would prepare children for life in an increasingly international environment. Because the majority of the founders had French backgrounds, they chose the proven French educational system as the foundation for LILA's curriculum. Since its inception LILA has continually evolved. We've grown out of the very first campus - a small house in Van Nuys with seven students - to five formal campuses with over 1,000 students. LILA has earned an esteemed reputation with the placement of graduates in top universities all over the world.

Additional Information:
LILA teaches a bilingual program from preschool through 12th grade culminating in the French Baccalauréat or the International Baccalaureate. Students are taught to read, write, and speak both languages by the end of their elementary education. Satisfying both the Core Standards and the French Ministry of Education's requirements necessitates a rigorous schedule; the percentage of each language of instruction varies at each grade level.
LILA aims to offer more than the mere knowledge of at least two languages. Our ultimate goal is to form fully bi-literate students capable of functioning in two linguistic worlds. To achieve this goal, LILA specifically avoids dividing students based upon their dominant language. At the very foundation of the educational program is a policy of integration: young Americans must be integrated into French classes and French children must study English along with their American classmates. Thus, by getting to know one another, students are able to appreciate both the French and American cultures; they are able to compete in both systems; they are able to feel at home in an American living room and à l'aise at a French dinner table.