Compton Unified School District

CUSD partners with the Compton Robotics Club to offer the FIRST LEGO League (FLL), which allows students to creatively and collaboratively solve real-world problems, all while designing and building a robot using the engineering design process to develop and iterate solutions. CUSD hires and trains teachers to act as program coaches, with initial kickoff training followed by several training sessions throughout the year.

While researching their project, students interact with real-world STEM professionals who provide valuable information and feedback. These STEM role models also provide access to and information about STEM careers for Compton’s students, whose demographics fall into traditionally underserved and underrepresented subgroups in STEM careers. Access to these careers, categorized as the high-skill, high-wage, high-demand jobs of the future, will propel greater numbers of Compton students into pursuing STEM fields through high school and beyond.

Over the last three years, FLL has grown from four teams to nearly 30, from 25 students to nearly 200. In its first year, the program was funded by a FIRST STEM Equity Community Grant, but it is now funded by the district as an investment in our students' STEM education. All district middle and K-8 schools will have FLL teams by fall 2019.