I attended Alliance Marc & Eva Stern Math and Science School, or Stern MASS, a charter high school in the University Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles. When most students come to Stern MASS, they are four grade levels behind. Across the network of Alliance schools, 85% of students are the first in their family to attend college and 17% are English language learners, making college seem more like a dream than an option. However, it’s clear from day one that the teachers and staff are committed to getting each student college-ready.
Our classes were small, meaning I got the personal attention I needed to s쳮d in AP and honors courses. And if I needed extra help outside of class, all Stern MASS teachers host office hours after school for homework help, tutoring or whatever else I might need.
As freshmen, I was placed in a 45-minute advisory class led by a teacher who I had for all four years of high school. It was in these classes that the college admissions process was demystified. Spending those years together, my teacher learned about my goals and dreams after high school, and we developed a deep trust of each other. We discussed what colleges would be within my reach, match and safety schools, what test scores I would need and how many years of math, science, and English I should take.
But more importantly, when I began to doubt myself and wonder if I was dreaming too big, my teachers at Stern MASS were there to remind me that I was on the right path and that college was going to be a reality.
This is why it’s hard to hear about the anti-charter legislation moving forward in California’s state capitol. Charter schools like Stern MASS serve low-income students of color—communities who often can’t afford the private schools, SAT tutors and college coaches that help so many other students get into prestigious colleges.
California needs access to high-quality public charter schools so that every child, regardless of zip code or background, can attend a school that offers the time and personal attention they need to truly learn and s쳮d. Let’s make sure all students have access to educational options that make the pathway to college possible.