Sally Zuniga goes over a lesson at the Student Empowerment Academy, where discipline and personalized attention are credited for raising test scores on the latest Academic Performance Index. (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Sally Zuniga uses a projector go over notes with students in her English class. (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Abraham Rivas, 16, uses a new laptop computer in his American studies class at the Student Empowerment Academy, which offers new computers for students in contrast to other schools with outdated equipment. (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)
The Student Empowerment Academy’s Sasha Guzman, right, with Elizabeth Dooley, says of teaching at Jefferson: Id have to count on kids to be absent to fit everyone in. (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)
