Laurel Street Elementary Receives 2025 NCUST America's Best Schools Award
Media Release
Congratulations to Laurel Street Elementary for being one of only nine schools nationwide to receive the 2025 NCUST America’s Best Schools Award.
In a special ceremony attended by scholars and staff, Dr. Greg Ottinger, Executive Director of the National Center for Urban School Transformation (NCUST), presented the award to Principal Rachel Collins and the Laurel Street community.
This recognition is truly historic:
- Laurel Street Elementary is celebrated for its culture of academic excellence, student-centered learning, and commitment to equity.
- Laurel Street joins Tibby Elementary, another Compton Unified school, as two CUSD schools that received the award in the same year—a milestone never before achieved in NCUST’s 20-year history.
- Fewer than 200 schools nationwide (out of over 100,000) have earned this distinction in the past 20 years.
The award also showcases the dedication Compton Unified has for providing outstanding programs that prepare scholars for success from Pre-K through 12th grade. Across the district, nationally recognized initiatives in STEM, technology, and the arts empower students to thrive academically, socially, and creatively.
Congratulations to Principal Rachel Collins, the Laurel Street Falcons, and the entire Compton Unified community for showing what’s possible when innovation and commitment come together.
