Tu Moua-Carroz
Principal
Earl Warren Elementary School
Sacramento City Unified School District
Sacramento
Since Tu Moua-Carroz became the principal of Earl Warren in 2005, she has consistently strived to make her school the very best it can be. Her leadership has been truly inspirational considering the school’s demographics: 97 percent of students qualify for free and reduced-price lunch and 57 percent are English Language Learners (ELL). Having been an ELL student herself, Tu applied her experiences to accommodate the needs of students by creating a Saturday school where English Language Learners new to the country can get the additional resources and instruction they need to excel.
Under Tu’s leadership, Earl Warren’s state Academic Performance Index has increased every year - from 715 in 2005 to 801 in 2009. Working closely with the staff on its school improvement plan has resulted in meeting federal Adequate Yearly Progress for the past two years. The result is the school exiting from its Program Improvement status.
These impressive accomplishments are reflected in Tu’s focus on data-driven, research-based instruction in the classrooms. She organized a group of sixth graders that gathers data on student relationships, curriculum and environment which her staff analyzes to better their teaching practices. The achievement levels of both students and teachers across the campus are proof that her goals are being realized.