Grant Years: 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Cristo Rey San Jose High School provides students from under-resourced communities with a rigorous college preparatory education combined with professional work experience. Through the Corporate Work Study Program, students work one day per week in 109 companies and organizations across Silicon Valley in high tech, health care, professional services, civic, and non-profit sectors. In the 2021-2022 school year, 96% of students met or exceeded expectations in their work placements, and 95% of work partners were satisfied or very satisfied with student performance. 98% of the class of 2022 are going to college. CRSJ is part of the 38 schools nationwide Cristo Rey Network.
Many of CRSJ were profoundly impacted by the pandemic. A significant number of existing and incoming students fell behind academically because of personal and family member illness, the loss of loved ones, moving home to accommodate family job losses, and even working long hours to support household expenses. Last academic year, there were triple the number of students in need of academic remediation to stay on track for graduation than pre-pandemic years. The current entering 9th graders’ entrance exams demonstrate a continuing need for academic support.
The Education Opportunity Fund is supporting the implementation of a new Learning Lab this academic year (2022-0223) to provide one-on-one and small group tutoring to help these young students catch up academically. Educators will focus on innovative approaches to connect with students, meeting their specific needs, and creating engaging learning modules and personalized plans to help students get back on track to succeed and flourish.
