News & Resources
How can we improve our schools? What will help our children learn? Read about innovations in education and what they mean for your school, your children and your community.
New Report: Top Bay Area Public Schools for Underserved Children
Top Bay Area Public Schools for Underserved Students will be available online this week! Stay tuned to learn which local schools are showing that it is possible to narrow (and even close) the opportunity gaps we see across race/ethnicity and across income in the Bay Area. This annual report highlights 41 Bay Area public schools that had the top results for low-income Latino and African American students on the latest state tests.
7 things to do to support your child’s college dream
Rocio Guerrero admits she didn’t know what to do to help her son get into college until it was almost too late. She thought everything was fine until she was called to the school and told Danny was being placed on athletic suspension and was in danger of not...
The long ride to a good education
More parents are willing to spend hours on the road to ensure their child is in a school that really meets their needs. How far would you go?
Are you first in your family to go to college? Here’s where to get help!
College is a tough transition for all students – especially if you’re the first in your family to go to college. You’re not alone – here are some resources to help!
Parents Tell CA State Board of Education to Improve Its Accountability System
On Thursday, the California State Board of Education voted to approve the state’s new accountability system. This marks a major shift from publishing a single one-number rating for every school - the Academic Performance Index (API) - to a multicolored report with...
Montalvin and Verde: What’s your plan?
Read last week’s post introducing Eric and Katherine Acosta-Verprauskus and their schools, Verde Elementary and Montalvin Elementary
“I think once you believe that every child can learn, but it’s up to the adults to get it right to make sure that happens, that changes everything,” says Eric Acosta-Verprauskus, the principal of the long-struggling Verde Elementary in North Richmond.
Fact Check: How are Oakland Charter Schools Really Doing?
Contrary to recent claims that Oakland charter schools are less effective than district schools in educating students, on average, charter schools in Oakland still perform better on average than traditional district schools in OUSD.
Montalvin and Verde: Two Richmond schools see huge challenges and opportunities
Two years ago, Eric Acosta-Verprauskus told his wife he was interviewing for a job as principal at Verde Elementary. The school had a reputation as an incredibly tough place to work. The last four principals had lasted an average of less than two years. “All the terrible things you hear about rough public schools were true here,” says Mr. Acosta-Verprauskus.
Latest CA Test Scores Show the State is Failing African American and Latino Students
The latest California state test scores show that while schools and districts have made gains overall, wide gaps in student achievement persist between low-income, African American and Latino students and their peers. Overall, proficiency rates are up 5% in English and 4% in math statewide. However, scores still show huge achievement gaps. In English, just 37% of Latinos and 31% of African American students have reached proficiency compared to 64% of white students and 76% of Asian students.
How to Read Your Child’s Test Results: Interpreting 2015-16 CAASPP Student Score Reports
CAASPP Student Score Reports seem complicated — here’s how to figure them out and understand how your child performed on the state test.
How to help your child be the first to go to college
Is your child starting 9th grade this year? This is a critical time for you to make sure your son or daughter is on track. Even if you didn’t attend college yourself, here’s the info you need to make sure your child is on track and gets support from the school.
The Achievement Gap in Action: How Top Students End Up in Remedial Classes
Mar Y Sol Alvarado, who grew up in East Palo Alto, got straight As in high school, but when she got to college, she still wasn’t prepared. She’s not alone – nearly half of college students end up having to take remedial classes.
The New Federal Education Law has Changed: Why Should Parents Care?
By now, parents have probably heard that there is a new federal education law that will go into effect soon. But what has changed, and why? What do parents and community leaders need to know about this new law?
Too Few Top-performing Public Schools for Underserved Students in the Bay Area
At Innovate Public Schools, we love to recognize the schools that are making sure that students who have historically been underserved are appropriately prepared to reach their full potential and succeed in college, careers and beyond. We love to celebrate schools that show what all students can achieve and what a great school looks like.
Uncommon Collegiate Charter High School: Offering Rigorous Academics for ALL Students
Traditionally, what the high school lesson type looks like, is that the teacher tells students about something and they get a chance to practice with it. Unfortunately, that’s not what college classes look like.
FAQ: My Child is an English Learner
What does it mean that my child is an English Learner?
If a student does not yet speak and understand English at a level where they can fully participate in regular instruction taught in English, they should be classified as an English learner (EL). California law requires that school districts provide English learners with additional services to help them gain fluency in English while moving forward with everything else they need to learn.
It’s official: New KIPP school opening in East Palo Alto in 2017!
In February, the Ravenswood school board approved a new KIPP charter school in response to hundreds of parents who asked them to support high-quality options.
East Palo Alto Parents host 24th Assembly Candidates Forum on Education
On June 2, 2016, parent leaders with Innovate Public Schools hosted a forum to hear from candidates for the 24th Assembly on their plans for education and housing. All eight candidates participated in the event, which was co-chaired by Innovate parent leaders Rocsana...
Impact Academy of Arts and Technology: Building a College-Going Culture
A young man in a suit rises and stands before a panel of judges. For an hour, he walks through the challenges he faced in his past four years of study and how he took them on. He goes in-depth in explaining his academic work, including graphing parabolic functions and...
24th Assembly District Candidates Forum on Education
Education is the pathway to a better future. We want to make sure that all students in our community get an excellent education that prepares them for good jobs right here in Silicon Valley and that will also enable them to live here. However, last year only three out...