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About Us
Gateway Community Charters (GCC) has been a cornerstone of Sacramento area public education, providing these options for over twenty years. Educators, parents, community, and political stakeholders recognize the value of providing public school choice options, especially to those students who have historically been underserved. With nine charter schools, five authorizers, and over 5,500 students, the GCC has demonstrated that it plays a vital role in providing options for the diverse needs of youth in our region.
Within this role, Gateway Community Charters will seek to grow responsibly within its existing schools and facilities to reach building/site capacity. In addition to excellence in our nine charter schools, GCC will continue to expand efforts to increase our public charter school choice offerings and increase our impact on area youth. Specifically, GCC hopes for the future are to open two new charters in the next 5 to 7 years.
Our staff is truly the cornerstone of our service to the community. Gateway Community Charters currently has over 600 incredible staff members serving our students and families. The present and the future of the GCC is predicated on the administrators, teachers and site staff and their excellence. The GCC is committed to continuous improvement as an organization and as schools – but more importantly, we are committed to growing and developing our people to reach their potential as we know that it is the adults in the building that most significantly impact our student outcomes.
As our organization has grown, our central office functions and infrastructure has, of necessity, grown. As we continue our journey, the organization continues to refine its business services, personnel services, and other key central office functions to ensure optimal outcomes to support our schools in fiscally responsible ways.
Why Charter Schools?
Charter schools give teachers the flexibility to innovate and try new ways to improve student achievement. This flexibility gives charter schools the ability to develop successful new models that work. Charter schools also hold teachers and the local community accountable: if student achievement isn’t improving, charter schools can make quick, effective changes like modifying curriculum or making appropriate staff changes to improve student achievement.
What is a Charter School?
Charter schools are independent public schools that are allowed to be more innovative and are held accountable for improved student achievement. By forming a strong partnership among parents, students and teachers, charter schools are able to create an environment that’s specially tailored for the students who go there. An environment where:
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- Parents are encouraged to be involved
- Teachers have the freedom to innovate
- Students have the chance to learn
All three are held accountable for improving student achievement
Charters like Traditional Schools:
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- Do not charge tuition
- Are not religiously-based, and may not discriminate
- Enroll all students who apply, unless the school is at capacity, when at capacity prospective students are entered into a lottery
- Meet all California State Standards for curriculum
- Administer state standardized tests
- Have credentialed teachers for core subjects
- Receive public funding, based on student enrollment
Gateway Community Charters
Gateway Community Charters mission is to create and manage high quality charter schools which provide access to innovative, quality, standards-based educational opportunity for all students. For more information on our mission, vision, and core values, please check out our Blueprint of Excellence.
