The school opened in bungalows across the street from the Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center and adjacent to the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in 1982.[4] In 1999 it moved to a standalone campus adjacent to the original bungalows. It was the dream of the principal during the mid 90s, Dr. Ernie Roy, to move from the bungalows, into a bigger school, that was more representative of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Dr. Charles R. Drew. Dr. Ernie Roy was also a key player in the founding of King/Drew Medical Magnet High School.
In 2005, J. Michelle Woods, the principal, stated that problems at the King/Drew hospital caused damage to the perception of the high school.[3] According to Mitchell Landsberg of the Los Angeles Times, the administrators and students at the school stated that the problems at the university and medical center did not affect them.[3]
On September 14, 2007, Hillary Clinton made an appearance at King/Drew Magnet High School.[5]
In 2008 and 2009 U.S. News & World Report ranked King/Drew Magnet High School as a silver medal winner amongst America's best high schools.[6][7]
In 2017 the school was named a California Gold Ribbon School.[8]
King Drew walkout
On April 25, 2023 a man was allegedly found dead near the school. Staff members at King Drew were informed by LAPD on the alleged death. The LAUSD high school would do nothing to address the situation or even explain what had happened. Many students felt that school safety and communication was at its lowest due to how the school responded to the situation. Principal Reginald Brookens stated there was a code to follow, but many had felt unsafe due to the danger of a school shooter being loose. After many days students rallied on the social media platform Instagram, and announced a walkout to honor the man's death, but also to give voice to safety issues at the school. The walkout was held May 9, with many staff members in attendance and the LAPD on site. The walkout was short lived but later moved to the school's lecture hall where students voiced concerns on school safety and the leadership of the principal and administration.
Academics
The school requires all students to adhere to the course loads, including four years of mathematics, two years of a foreign language, and two years of science, required by the University of California, Los Angeles and California State University, Los Angeles.[4] In 2015, seventy-two percent of King/Drew's tested students met or exceeded the Smarter Balanced standards in English language arts.[9]
Demographics
As of 2005 the school had slightly fewer than 1,700 students.[4] As of that year, the school had twice the number of female students as it does male students. Administrators at King/Drew stated that because the school does not offer American football, more girls than boys apply to the school.[3]
^ abcdLandsberg, Mitchell. "This King/Drew, a Magnet School, Is a Robust Success." Los Angeles Times. April 27, 2005. p. 2. Retrieved on April 16, 2014.
^ abcdLandsberg, Mitchell. "This King/Drew, a Magnet School, Is a Robust Success." Los Angeles Times. April 27, 2005. p. 1. Retrieved on April 16, 2014.
