Education has the power to transform lives, but for too long, low-income Latino and African American students have been denied the opportunity to achieve their full potential. A systemically racist education system is holding many back, but these schools are leading the way towards a more equitable future.
The 52 schools in this year’s Bay Area Top Schools report are supporting their low-income Latino or African American students to beat the 2018-19 statewide average for all students in math and/or English language arts proficiency and college eligibility. To be considered, schools must serve a representative proportion of these subgroups (at least 14% Latino students or 20 African American students). Schools with selective admissions and/or high suspension rates are also disqualified. See the methodology.
Innovate Public Schools is a nonprofit community organization that builds the capacity of parents and educators to innovate and act together to create excellent public schools, and we publish easy-to-understand school quality data and research that highlights both problems and solutions to inspire change. Learn more.
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Few schools in the Bay Area are closing the opportunity gap for low-income Latino and African American students
Low-income Latino
There are
1,280
Bay Area schools
711
schools serve a significant number of low-income Latino students*
Only
49
of them are Top Schools
Source: California Department of Education, 2018-19 Enrollment files *Schools were considered in this analysis if they tested at least 20 low-income Latino students and this sub-group comprised 14% or more of the school’s overall enrollment.
Low-income African American
There are
1,280
Bay Area schools
234
schools serve at least 20 low-income African American students
Only
3
of them are Top Schools
Source: California Department of Education, 2018-19 Enrollment files **Schools were considered in this analysis if they tested at least 20 low-income African American students.
Every student deserves a high quality education that prepares them for college.
Every student deserves a high quality education that prepares them for college.
Every student deserves a high quality education that prepares them for college. In fact, 94% of students–regardless of race or income–see college in their future.
But in 2018-19, only 51% of all students who graduated from high school met the eligibility requirements to apply to a University of California or California State University. The gap between students’ dreams of college and the reality they face is even wider for low-income students of color.
The 2020 Top Public high schools are leading the way in ensuring that every high school graduate is able to reach their dreams of attending college. 93% of low-income Latino and African American students who attend Top Public high schools in the Bay Area are eligible for public universities in California vs. only 30% of low-income Latino and African American students at Non Top public schools.
The Bay Area’s Top Public Schools
These schools are closing opportunity gaps and setting students on a path to college.
Innovate Public Schools partners with parents and educators to advance education equity.
All schools in the Bay Area can achieve these same results and more. Let’s prove what’s possible.
Learn more about:
Our World-class Schools Fellowship for principals and teacher leaders, which is grounded in the practices that drive the success of the highest-performing schools.
Our community organizing campaigns in East Palo Alto, Redwood City, San Jose and San Francisco.
All schools in the Bay Area can achieve these same results and more. Let’s prove what’s possible.
