Shavala Rodriguez wasn’t looking for just another school.

She wanted a place where her children would be known, challenged, and given a real sense of direction.

That search led her to Sacramento Academic and Vocational Academy (SAVA), a public charter school operated by Gateway Community Charters (GCC).

Today, both of her children attend SAVA—and the difference is clear.

Her daughter, Nayeli, is on track to graduate early. Her son is already exploring career technical education pathways.

“The kids actually want to go to school,” Shavala said. “They have great relationships with all the teachers. The teachers are involved. They want to get to know us as parents as well.”

But that wasn’t always the case.

Before SAVA, Nayeli was doing well academically, but she wasn’t engaged. She loved cars and wanted something more hands-on—something connected to her interests and her future.

So Shavala brought an idea to the school: EV lowriding.

Instead of dismissing it, SAVA leaned in.

The school found funding and helped launch the EV Lowrider Conversion Project—giving Nayeli the opportunity to turn her passion into a real-world learning experience which is part of the school's Advanced Automotive Technologies pathway. 

“My kids are not just a bunch of kids falling through the cracks,” Shavala said. “I feel like everyone is involved in my kids’ success.”

That sense of belonging is at the heart of SAVA.

The SAVA EV Lowrider Conversion Project team beams with pride as students, staff, and supporters gather for an event that brings EV lowriding to life. Through the school's Advanced Automotive Technologies CTE pathway, students dive into hands-on innovation, empowering them to feel valued as they gear up for a successful future. -Photo courtesy of SAVA.

Students come to the school because they haven’t always found their place in traditional classrooms. What they find instead is a flexible, personalized approach to learning—one that meets them where they are, both academically and in life.

SAVA operates as a flex-based charter public school and community school, where students attend campus two to four days a week for small-group instruction, while completing independent work at home with support from credentialed teachers.

But what truly sets SAVA apart is how it supports the whole student.

After the pandemic, staff saw rising mental health needs and the lasting effects of instability at home. That reality shaped how the school expanded its community school model.

“If a student’s mental health is not right, if they don’t have food or a place to sleep, we know they’re not going to perform academically at the level they’re capable of,” said Morri Elliott, Assistant Superintendent at Gateway Community Charters (GCC). 

Through its community school approach, SAVA connects students and families to critical resources—from counseling and mentoring programs to workshops, job readiness support, and access to basic needs like food and household essentials.

SAVA organizes several annual events to provide basic needs for its students and families including school supplies. -Photo courtesy of SAVA.

Because at SAVA, academic success doesn’t happen in isolation.

It happens when students feel safe, seen, and supported.

The school also offers a wide range of career technical education (CTE) pathways—from building trades to broadcasting—many of which are dual enrollment courses that allow students to earn college credit while still in high school. Key to its success is the school's ability to establish and maintain valuable community partnership with organizations and businesses. 

Students are not only catching up. They are moving forward.

And the results are beginning to show. 

One of the many CTE pathways that SAVA offers is Culinary Arts & Hospitality through a partnership with Hyatt Regency and Panda Express. Students gain confidence in the kitchen and skills for immediate entry into the industry. -Photo courtesy of SAVA. 

SAVA’s graduation rate increased by 13 percent after the first full year of its community school implementation—an especially meaningful gain given that many students arrive several years behind grade level.

Those gains reflect a broader trend across California.

A 2025 Learning Policy Institute study found that community schools reduced chronic absence by 30 percent more than similar schools, lowered suspension rates, and significantly improved student learning outcomes.

At SAVA, those outcomes are personal.

Nayeli, once quiet and reserved, is now participating in public speaking, outreach, and peer counseling. Her confidence has grown alongside her opportunities.

Her mother sees a young person who is stepping into her potential—because the adults around her made space for her to do so.

That’s the power of a community school.

It doesn’t ask students to fit into a rigid system. It builds around their lives, their needs, and their futures.

And for families like Shavala’s, that makes all the difference.

To learn more, visit savacharterschool.org or gcccharters.org.