Voices College-Bound Language Academy

Voices College-Bound Language Academy is a K-8 school serving 316 students in San Jose, operating as its own Voices College-Bound Language Academy District, but its academic performance has declined sharply in recent years, now ranking in the bottom 10% of California schools.

The school's test scores are significantly below state averages, with only about 23% of students proficient in English and 21% in math; science scores are particularly low at just 4% proficient. A major challenge is chronic absenteeism, with 37% of students missing too much school, which is nearly double the state average and the highest rate among nearby schools like Parkview Elementary (31.5%) and Windmill Springs Elementary (9.6%). This is happening despite the school spending over $20,000 per student, which is more than some higher-performing neighbors, and having a smaller class size with a 19-to-1 student-teacher ratio.

When compared to other local schools, the performance gap is clear. For example, Rocketship Rising Stars achieves over 55% proficiency in English and 68% in math with similar students, and Ramblewood Elementary performs solidly despite also serving many economically disadvantaged families. The data suggests Voices Academy faces broad challenges across all student groups and grade levels, indicating a need to address attendance, review its curriculum—especially in science—and learn from the successful approaches of other schools in the community.