History

History of Stanford New Schools

The Stanford Schools Corporation (SSC) was created by Stanford University in early 2005 as a California non-profit public benefit corporation, qualified as tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, for the purpose of operating the Stanford New School charter school. A charter petition was submitted to the Ravenswood City School District (hereinafter “RCSD”) for the full spectrum of grades K through 12, with the goal of creating a high quality unified public school program accessing the expertise and resources of the Stanford University School of Education. 

This new charter encompassed East Palo Alto Academy-High School (“the high school”), which was originally started as East Palo Alto High School in 2001 by Aspire Public Schools, a charter school management organization. East Palo Alto High School was the first public high school to operate in the district since Ravenswood High School was closed as part of a desegregation plan in 1976. Stanford University’s decision to operate the school independent of Aspire and to add a K-8 program was motivated by a desire to create a model K-12 program for the East Palo Alto community using the research, knowledge and experience provided by its School of Education.

During the 2005-2006 academic year, the high school transitioned from Aspire’s management to SNS, while planning and hiring began for the K-8 program, to be known as East Palo Alto Academy Elementary School (“the elementary school”). In August 2006, the elementary school opened with 150 students in grades kindergarten, 1 and 6. Grades 2 and 7 were added in fall 2007; grades 3 and 8 in fall 2008 (although no grade 6 was enrolled in that year); and grade 4 in fall 2009 (no grades 6 or 7 were enrolled).  In April 2010, the plan to grow the full K-8 program was modified since RCSD and Stanford New Schools could not reach agreement on continued elementary school operations.  In order for the 4th grade students to make a natural transition to middle school, Stanford New Schools operates a 5th grade, as well as the high school in the 2010-11 school year.  Beginning in 2011-12, Stanford New Schools will only serve high school grades.

The new leadership team hired in 2010-11 will help lead Stanford New Schools into the next decade with a renewed focus in serving students and helping to prepare them for college and careers.