Downtown Charter Academy District

The Downtown Charter Academy District in Oakland, California is home to a single public charter middle school, Downtown Charter Academy, which serves grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 259 students.

Downtown Charter Academy stands out as an exceptional school, with significantly higher academic performance than the state averages. The school's Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) scores in English Language Arts and Mathematics are well above the California state averages, and its 8th grade students also excel on the California Science Test (CAST). The school has consistently ranked among the top middle schools in the state, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. Additionally, the school's student population is racially diverse, with a significant Asian student population and representation from other groups.

Despite the fact that 76.83% of Downtown Charter Academy's students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a relatively high proportion of students from low-income families, the school is still able to achieve exceptional academic results. This suggests that the school is effectively supporting and meeting the needs of students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, making it a potential model for other schools, particularly in urban areas, to emulate in terms of academic achievement, student diversity, and support for economically disadvantaged students.