At Voices College-Bound Language Academy in south San Jose, students are expected to master not only the California state standards, but also two languages. They’re rising to that high bar – Voices is one of a small number of schools across Silicon Valley that are beating the odds for low-income students.
Millard McCollam Elementary is a neighborhood public school in East San Jose’s Alum Rock School District serving primarily low-income students. It might look like a typical school. However, its academic results are far from typical: 82 percent of its students were proficient in English and 87 percent in math in 2013-14. What’s the secret?
One of the nation’s most challenging high schools is located in a cluster of portables in East San Jose. KIPP San Jose Collegiate, where 70 percent of students come from low-income families, ranks with high schools in wealthy Silicon Valley communities on the Washington Post’s Challenge Index, which looks at the number of college-level tests taken by students.
At LUCHA elementary, a small public school in east San Jose, parents are not just welcome – they are deeply engaged in supporting their children’s education. That is little surprise given that it was parents who fought for the creation of the school 11 years ago. Those efforts paid off – as of 2012-13, LUCHA was identified as a “rising star,” one of a small number of Silicon Valley schools that are beating the odds for low-income students.
“Parents feel they have a voice here. They’re held accountable for doing their part to help their children succeed.” – Principal Kristin Burt, LUCHA school in San Jose
“Excellent teachers” and a culture of high expectations are the keys to success at Cornerstone Academy Preparatory School in east San Jose, says the school’s founder. Cornerstone is a Silicon Valley school that is beating the odds for low-income students – serving a majority of high-need students and achieving high levels of academic performance. Learn how they do it!