Reflecting On a 2018 of Growth

Growth

As we turn the page on a new year, we take this time to reflect on all the ways we’ve grown in the past year. We have much to be proud of, and still more growth to pursue, but always, we remain committed to the students and families who have entrusted us to help pave a path of preparation for college, leadership, and life.

Growing How Many We Serve

14,000 Students in 30 schools across 3 regions

Green Dot Public Schools was founded in 1999 in direct response to the state of public high schools in the Los Angeles area. Green Dot began as one class of 140 ninth graders at Ánimo Leadership Charter High School. Nearly 20 years later we are proud to serve over 14,000 students in 30 schools across three regions and eight cities.

Growth

Growing Our Students in California

A Rapid Growth Rate

Growth

In 2018, our students achieved breakthrough growth. According to state test and academic growth models from CORE, a network of the nine largest school districts across California, students at Oscar De La Hoya Ánimo Charter High School, Ánimo Pat Brown Charter High School, Ánimo Jackie Robinson Charter High School, Ánimo Western Charter Middle School, Ánimo Mae Jemison Charter Middle School and Ánimo College Prep Academy are growing at a CORE student growth percentile of 87+ -- meaning they are significantly outpacing student academic growth of their peers across the state.

Best in the Nation

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Green Dot has dedicated itself to creating positive, academically rigorous public schools in neighborhoods across the country that are in highest need of quality school options. Our efforts were recognized last year when seven of Green Dot’s high schools were awarded gold and silver medals by U.S. News & World Report’s Best High Schools 2018 report. The report recognizes seven of our independent public charter high schools as among the best in the nation.

Growing Our Students in Tennessee

Scoring 5 on TVAAS

We began operating schools in Memphis in 2014 when we were invited by the state’s Achievement School District to help transform several local middle and high schools. In Four short years later, Bluff City High School, Kirby Middle School, and Wooddale Middle School all achieved Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) scores of 5, which shows significant growth and achievement for our students. TVAAS measures student growth year over year by comparing their performance to those of their peers on previous state assessments.

Growth

A Top Place to Work

We have an excellent and highly satisfied team in Tennessee to thank for such extraordinary results. For the second year in a row, The Commercial Appeal, in partnership with research firm, Energage, LLC, has recognized Green Dot as one of the best places to work in the Greater Memphis area. We were proud to be acknowledged on the Top Workplaces 2018 list, as professional development and empowerment of employees are continued priorities for the organization.

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Growing Roots in Washington

Charter Schools are Constitutional

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In September 2018 the Washington State Supreme Court ruled for a second time, that charter schools are constitutional, and upheld lower court rulings that affirmed the laws that govern and fund charter schools. For many families in Washington, this ruling safeguards the educational choices they have made to enroll in charter schools like Green Dot’s schools in the Puget Sound region--Destiny Charter Middle School, Excel Public Charter School, and Rainier Valley Leadership Academy Middle and High School.

Building a Permanent Home

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This year students at Rainier Valley Leadership Academy (RVLA) got a new school home. RVLA students and staff, along with community partners, hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony and shared their thoughts on the importance of having high quality public school options in their neighborhood. Civic leaders encouraged families, staff, and students to be proud of having another high quality public education option available to Southeast Seattle.

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