American Indian Public Charter School II

American Indian Public Charter School II is a highly-rated K-8 charter school in Oakland, serving about 617 students and consistently outperforming state averages in core subjects.

The school's most notable strength is its exceptional effectiveness with specific student groups, such as English Language Learners and students from low-income families, who achieve academic rankings in the 98th and 96th-94th percentiles statewide, respectively. This success is achieved with notably lower per-student spending than many nearby schools, like KIPP Bridge Academy, and it maintains better attendance rates than the state average. While the school operates within its own high-performing independent charter district, it serves a community with high economic need, similar to neighboring Bella Vista Elementary, yet it achieves proficiency rates more than double those of Bella Vista.

Compared to other charters in the area, AIPCS II represents a model of high-impact education for underserved communities, differing from elite charters like Yu Ming Charter which serves a less disadvantaged population. Its closest neighbor, Lincoln Elementary in the Oakland Unified district, also performs well, showing that different school models can succeed in the same community. Parents should note that while overall scores are strong, performance varies by grade level, and the school's ability to sustain its remarkable results as it increases spending and lowers its student-teacher ratio will be important to watch.