A program that was created to help place the children of UCLA faculty and staff at public schools near the campus has become an educational boon for families and children living in the neighborhood by providing enrichment and intervention programs for the entire community.

The Together in Education in Neighborhood Schools (TIE-INS) Program was launched in 2009 by the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies at the behest of Chancellor Gene Block so that children of UCLA employees could attend four public schools close to campus.

Through an agreement with Los Angeles Unified School District, which was recently renewed for another five years, Nora Sterry Elementary School, Brockton Avenue Elementary School, Emerson Middle School and University High School allow children of UCLA employees to enroll even if they do not live close enough to attend under normal circumstances.  March 1 is the deadline to apply for the 2014-15 school year.

Kim Mattheussens, an administrative assistant supervisor in the UCLA Department of Education, is happy with the special education services that her son Orson, who is autistic, is receiving at Nora Sterry Elementary School through the TIE-INS program.

In return, UCLA has introduced dozens of programs to these campuses, including music performances, physical education and Chinese language instruction to supplement the schools’ curriculum. And that, in turn, has helped the schools boost their student enrollment.

 “Most of the programs aren’t directly serving the TIE-INS families because they’re for whoever needs them most, so it’s a benefit for everyone at the school,” said TIE-INS Director Christine Shen.

“The schools need all of these things, and UCLA is able to fill in the enrichment gap,” Shen said.

Through programs like the Gluck Music Outreach program, the UCLA School of the  Arts and Architecture, all students now have the  opportunity to experience fine arts, dance and music.

The Graduate School of Education and Information Studies’ partnership program allows education minors to provide extra support at these schools for two quarters.

“They design or co-design [curriculum] with the teachers in an area that they have expertise in,” Shen said. “With funding being cut at schools in the arts and music, they’ve been really great.”

Kim Mattheussens, an administrative assistant supervisor in UCLA’s Department of Education, enrolled her son at Nora Sterry Elementary School when he was in kindergarten. She said she was impressed with the special education teacher at Nora Sterry, which was important to her because her son has autism.

“When I found about TIE-INS and decided to take the tour, I really liked how small the school was,” Mattheussens said. “I was really looking for something that would feel like you’re a part of a little community.”

Four years later, Mattheussens says she is still very happy with the program.

“Being so close to [UCLA], there’s more involvement and a focus on education,” Mattheussens said. “They want to give the kids more varied opportunities. I think it gives them a really rounded education.”

Before TIE-INS, all four schools were seeing a decrease in enrollment that Shen said was likely caused by budget cuts that had eliminated extracurricular programs.

“What parents didn’t realize though is that it was happening everywhere,” Shen said.

Over the years, TIE-INS has helped to bring up enrollment again.

Although only 80 students enrolled in the TIE-INS program during its first year, that number doubled in its second year and has continued to grow. This year, a total of 232 students were enrolled at the four school sites.

“Having more kids increases revenue, and that means schools are able to retain more teachers,” Shen said.

Since January when the period for new applications opened, 30 families have applied to the TIE-INS. And there are still spaces to accommodate more.

Visit the TIE-INS website for the schedule as well as for detailed school information, FAQs and an online application. 

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