The state of California uses a measure called "Similar Schools Rank" to compare schools that serve a similar demographic population. Based on student achievement data, 100 schools with a similar population are grouped into deciles, which are ranked 1 to 10 (10 being the highest). EPACS has been ranked a 10 out of 10 since 2001, and then year, our school was ranked first among all 100 similar schools. Click on the image to the right to see other impressive data about our students.

The students, staff and families at East Palo Alto Charter School and East Palo Alto Phoenix Academy are achieving amazing results, and people are noticing. We're pleased that our local media outlets are taking a good look at the positive things that are happening in our community. Check out some of the links below to see how EPACS and EPAPA are being recognized. Aspire Public Schools, the charter management organization we're a part of, is known as one of the pre-eminent educational organizations in California and nation-wide. Aspire is noted as "California’s top-performing large public school system serving predominately low-income students" (see full article). Check out some of our other press clippings here.

EPACS Press Coverage:

• East Palo Alto charter students earn top scores
  A recent article about our amazing 2010 test scores. Palo Alto Online, September 13, 2010.
• Raising the Bar: Charter schools boost results in East Palo Alto
  A front-page feature article about the amazing work our school is doing in East Palo Alto. Palo Alto Online, December 15, 2009.

EPAPA Press Coverage:

• East Palo Alto's Phoenix Academy graduates first class
  Our high school's first graduation ceremony. San Jose Mercury News, June 18, 2010.
• Phoenix Academy's first grads are college-bound
  This article highlights our school's tremendous work-ethic and tight-knit culture that led to our seniors' 100% college acceptance rate. Palo Alto Online, May 14, 2010.

EPACS-EPAPA Pancake Breakfast 2011

On November 5, 2011, our entire school community gathered to celebrate our school's achievements and our amazing sense of family. Students, staff, families, and community supporters came togehter to enjoy good company and great food. Check out some pictures or read more...

EPAPA Ribbon-cutting - Oct 15, 2011

On October 15, 2011, over 200 students, staff, families, supporters and volunteers came together to celebrate the opening of our new middle and high school campus on Garden Street (just down the corner from EPACS!). They also planted nearly 100 trees to beautify the campus. Learn more:

• See more photos from the day.
• Donate a brick to support our school.
• Sign up to help plant fruit trees on January 16, 2012!

EPACS-EPAPA Field Ribbon-cutting

A big thanks to some local landscape contractors, especially Jim Everett, and the Franklin and Catherine Johnson Foundation, for their support in renovating our field. Read more about the ribbon-cutting celebration and see a video of our students racing onto the new grass here...

On Saturday, October 24, 2009, EPACS and EPAPA hosted our 9th Annual Pancake Breakfast. Hundreds of students, staff, families and community members gathered to celebrate our school's success and to acknowledge the volunteers who have contributed so much to our community. The event couldn't have happened without the help of the Silicon Valley Chapter of ARMA International, our event co-host. And we'd also like to express our heartfelt thanks to the Four Seasons Hotel, Hobee's Restaurant, Safeway, Starbucks, and EPACS and EPAPA families for donating food and beverages for the event. Thanks to everyone for making the event such a fantastic success! Check out some of the pictures from a fantastic morning.

• In August 2009, Goal Posts were donated to EPACS to be used on the back field. This has been a very exciting development for our students, who now have a way to play soccer during recess and PE! As the year continues, we would like to work on getting funding to install irrigation, so that the field can be made safer for athletics during and after school. If you are interested in helping us raise funds to develop the back field, please be in touch with Monika Nagy, Director of Development at monika.nagy@aspirepublicschools.org, or call the school at 650-614-9100.
• Our own PE teacher, Stephen Ashford, spreads the word about education with a new music video about staying in school, produced with local bay area rap artists and Transvideo Studios.





EPACS News Archive


• Weekly Holiday Fund tops $3 million mark: Multi-year grants launched to help agencies achieve greater impact on community needs
  Palo Alto Weekly, May 1, 2007
• Rappers Spread the Word
  Palo Alto Daily News, February 25, 2007
• Digging into Nature: Environmental Volunteers lets kids get their hands dirty learning natural science
  Palo Alto Weekly, January 17, 2007
• "Ravenswood Board Rejects High School: Supporters Disappointed; Appeal Pondered."
  San Jose Mercury News, May 13, 2006
• East Palo Alto 'Aspires' for New High School
  Palo Alto Daily News, Wednesday, April 12, 2006
• Swing Kids: Rock steps, turns and even the electric slide are all in an afternoon's work for fledging ballroom dancers
  Palo Alto Online, March 24, 2006
• Sex ed classes help Ravenswood students make healthy choices: Extracurricular program aims to prevent teen pregnancy
  Palo Alto Weekly, January 12, 2005
• Community, Volunteers at E. Palo Alto School Cleanup Get A for Effort
  San Francisco Chronicle, May 7, 2004
• E. Palo Alto School Wins PG&E Grant
  The Oakland Tribune, August 22, 2005
• Off the Wall: East Palo Alto Mural Project teaches kids about art, history and community
  Palo Alto Weekly, July 26, 2002
• SCHOOLS: Charter school proposed in Ravenswood
  Palo Alto Weekly, April 16, 1997
• Palo Alto downplays impact of test scores
  Palo Alto Weekly, January 23, 2002
• Meeting the teaching challenge: A new nonprofit hopes to channel talent and energy into schools that need it most
  Palo Alto Weekly, April 25, 2001
• The charter school challenge: Notes from two pioneering California charter schools — one a success story, the other a failure
  Salon.com, May 30, 2000
• New school charts course for future: East Palo Alto Charter School opens Sept. 2 with a focus on student and parent involvement
  Palo Alto Weekly, August 20, 1997