Charter public schools are helping to create a more equitable future by providing a quality K-12 education to historically underserved students. 

That’s according to a pair of new reports released last month by Innovate Public Schools, in partnership with the University of Southern California. The Top Public Schools for Underserved Students reports reviewed data from the California Department of Education for elementary, middle, and high schools in the Bay Area and Los Angeles.  

To make the list, schools needed to beat statewide proficiency averages in math and English Language Arts. College eligibility was also a factor for high schools designated as Top Public Schools. Every school on the list serves a representative proportion of low-income Black and Latinx students. Schools with selective admissions and/or high suspension rates were disqualified.

These reports reaffirm that charter public schools are bringing greater equity to our education system by providing more Black and Latinx students with access to quality educational options.  

Still, these reports make it clear that our education system has a long way to go to ensure all students attend top schools that unlock their full academic potential. Of the 1,280 schools in the Bay Area, only 52 are recognized as Top Schools for closing the achievement gap with Black and Latinx students. In Los Angeles, it’s only 289 schools out of 2,075. We can change these numbers. But it’s going to take charter and traditional public schools taking on the shared mission of ensuring all students, regardless of background or zip code, receive a quality education. 

Here are highlights from each of the respective regions:

Bay Area Highlights:

Elementary Schools

• American Indian Public Charter is the only school recognized as a Top School in both math and English for Black students. The school is part of the high-performing AIMS Charter Schools Network, which was this year’s Hart Vision Northern California School of the Year.
• Mission Preparatory is the Top School for low-income Latino students in English. Overall, Charter schools account for nearly half of the top ten schools named.
• The top 10 schools for low-income Latinx students in Math are all charter schools.

Middle Schools

• Only two middle schools are named Top Schools for Black students in English: Downtown Charter Academy and AIMS Charter School.
• Only two middle schools are recognized as Top Schools for Black students in math: AIMS Charter Schools (I & II)
• Eight middle schools are recognized as Top Schools for low-income Latinx students in English—all are charter schools.

High Schools

• No high schools are recognized as Top Schools in the region for low-income Black students.
• All six schools recognized as Top Schools for low-income Latinx students are charter schools. 

You can see the full report and list of Top Schools here. We want to congratulate each of the Bay Area charter public schools named Top Schools!

Elementary Schools

• American Indian Public Charter II
• Mission Preparatory 
• Rocketship Alma Academy
• Rocketship Mateo Sheedy Elementary 
• Rocketship Spark Academy
• Rocketship Futuro Academy
• Rocketship Rising Stars
• Rocketship Mosaic Elementary
• Rocketship Los Suenos Academy
• Rocketship Fuerza Community Prep
• Rocketship Si Se Puede Academy
• Rocketship Discovery Prep
• Rocketship Redwood City
• Voices College-Bound Language Academy
  at Mt. Pleasant
• Voices College-Bound Language Academy
  at Morgan Hill
• KIPP Excelencia Community Preparatory
• Aspire Monarch Academy
• Alpha: Cornerstone Academy Preparatory

Middle Schools

• Downtown Charter Academy
• American Indian Public Charter II 
• American Indian Public Charter
• Mission Preparatory
• Aspire Berkley Maynard Academy
• Alpha: Cornerstone Academy Preparatory
• Alpha: Blanca Alvarado
• Lazear Charter Academy
• KIPP Summit Academy 
• KIPP Excelencia Community Preparatory 
• KIPP Heartwood Academy
• Kipp Prize Preparatory Academy
• Caliber: Beta Academy
• Voices College-Bound Language Academy

High Schools

• Impact Academy of Arts & Technology
• Making Waves Academy
• Summit Preparatory Charter High
• KIPP San Jose Collegiate
• Leadership Public Schools: Richmond 
• Oakland Unity High

Los Angeles Highlights:

Elementary Schools

• Wilder’s Preparatory Academy Charter is in the top five of Top Schools for low-income Black students in English.
• Six of the 10 Top Schools for low-income Latinx students in English are charter schools.
• Seven of the 10 Top Schools for low-income elementary Latinx students in math are charter schools.

Middle Schools

• Nearly half of the Top Schools for low-income Black students in English are charter schools.
• Wilder’s Preparatory Academy Charter is the Top School for low-income Black students in math.
• Six of the top 10 Top Schools in English for low-income Latinx students are charter schools.
• Five of the top 10 Top Schools for low-income Latinx students in math are charter schools.

High Schools

• Only four schools are recognized as Top Schools for Black students. Topping the list: CATCH Prep Charter High
• The top 20 Top Schools for Latinx students are all charter schools. Overall, charter schools account for nearly 50 percent of the schools named.

You can see the full report and list of Top Schools here. We want to congratulate each of the Los Angeles charter public schools named Top Schools! 

Elementary Schools

• Wilder's Preparatory Academy Charter
• Aspire Juanita Tate Academy Charter
• Aspire Antonio Maria Lugo Academy
• Aspire Titan Academy
• Aspire Gateway Academy Charter
• Aspire Firestone Academy Charter
• Aspire Junior Collegiate Academy
• Equitas Academy #3 Charter
• Equitas Academy Charter
• KIPP Iluminar Academy
• KIPP Comienza Community Prep
• KIPP Promesa Prep
• KIPP Corazon Academy
• KIPP Raices Academy
• KIPP Vida Preparatory Academy
• Libertas College Preparatory Charter
• Global Education Academy
• Gabriella Charter
• Gabriella Charter 2
• ISANA Palmati Academy
• Synergy Charter Academy
• Lashon Academy
• PUC Community Charter Elementary
• Watts Learning Center
• Fenton STEM Academy: Elementary Center for Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics
• ICEF Vista Elementary Academy
• New Heights Charter
• N.E.W. Academy of Science and Arts
• PUC Milagro Charter
• ISANA Cardinal Academy
• Camino Nuevo Charter Academy
• Everest Value

Middle Schools

• Wilder's Preparatory Academy Charter Middle
• New Designs Charter
• KIPP Los Angeles College Preparatory
• KIPP Sol Academy
• KIPP Comienza Community Prep
• KIPP Scholar Academy
• KIPP Academy of Innovation
• ISANA Palmati Academy
• New Heights Charter
• Gabriella Charter
• Libertas College Preparatory Charter
• Alliance Marine - Innovation and Technology 6-12 Complex
• Alliance Gertz-Ressler Richard Merkin 6-12 Complex
• Alliance College-Ready Middle Academy 4
• ISANA Octavia Academy
• ISANA Nascent Academy
• Equitas Academy #2
• PUC Community Charter Middle and PUC Community Charter Early College High
• Magnolia Science Academy 5

High Schools

• CATCH Prep Charter High
• Alliance Cindy and Bill Simon Technology Academy High
• Alliance Dr. Olga Mohan High
• Alliance Judy Ivie Burton Technology Academy High
• Alliance Ouchi-O'Donovan 6-12 Complex
• Alliance Patti And Peter Neuwirth Leadership Academy
• Alliance Gertz-Ressler Richard Merkin 6-12 Complex
• Alliance Margaret M. Bloomfield Technology Academy High
• Alliance Marc & Eva Stern Math and Science
• Alliance Ted K. Tajima High
• Alliance Renee and Meyer Luskin Academy High
• Alliance Leichtman-Levine Family Foundation Environmental Science High
• Alliance Tennenbaum Family Technology High
• Alliance Collins Family College-Ready High
• Alliance Susan and Eric Smidt Technology High
• Ednovate - USC Hybrid High College Prep
• Environmental Charter High
• PUC Lakeview Charter High
• PUC Triumph Charter Academy and PUC Triumph Charter High
• PUC Community Charter Middle and PUC Community Charter Early College High
• PUC CALS Middle School and Early College High
• Math and Science College Preparatory
• Aspire Ollin University Preparatory Academy
• New Designs Charter
• Animo Leadership High
• Animo Inglewood Charter High
• Magnolia Science Academy 2
• Palmdale Aerospace Academy
• Hawthorne Math and Science Academy
• Lennox Mathematics, Science and Technology Academy
• Vaughn Next Century Learning Center