Leadership Public Schools celebrates their graduating class. Charter high schools are tuition-free and graduated students who are college ready.
The time is now for Oakland families to choose from 14 tuition-free, college ready high schools. Many Oakland’s public charter high schools share a core framework: Linked Learning, a structured approach that combines college-preparatory academics with technical skills and real-world experience. Each school organizes its curriculum around a specific industry theme or career pathway. Students engage in a sequence of courses, gain experience through internships and projects, and receive personalized support. The pathways make learning relevant, and with Oakland charter high schools boasting 90% graduation rates and 85% college matriculation, students feel prepared for success after graduation!
Alternatives in Action: Alternatives in Action’s pathway focus is Media Arts. Students are trained for internships with local businesses, and the school partners with Berkeley City College to offer a Media Production class on campus. Internship partners include Highland Hospital and Oakland Public Libraries. One student had an art and therapy internship that turned into a paid contract and design work for the school.
AIMS College Prep High School: At AIMS, the Linked Learning pathways emphasize STEM, social justice, leadership, and civic engagement. AIMS partners with local colleges, universities, community organizations, and industry professionals to provide mentorship, internships, and career exposure. Example internships include a Community Outreach Internship, where students worked with local nonprofits, and a STEM Research Internship with industry mentors on coding and data analysis. One student shared: “Before AIMS, I didn’t see college as a possibility. Through the internships and college prep support here, I not only know I can go to college, but I already have college credits. It changed my life and my goals.”
AMPS – Oakland Charter High School: Oakland Charter High provides Linked Learning Pathways, integrating rigorous academics with career-technical education. The school connects classroom learning to real-world skills in sectors such as Information Technology, Health Sciences, Green Energy, and Engineering through project-based learning and internships. These pathways are designed to prepare students with both the academic foundation and practical skills needed for success in college and career, and are supported by mentoring and structured career exploration classes.
ARISE High School: Public & Community Health, and Education for the People are pathways available to ARISE students. Partners host interns, lead certification classes, and mentor students. Public Health partners include Highland Hospital, La Clinica, and Mentoring in Medicine & Science. Education partners include Ascend, Think College Now, and Achieve Academy. All 11th graders complete a semester-long internship, such as assisting at Highland Hospital or in elementary classrooms. Through a partnership with the Bay Area Medical Academy, students in the health pathway can attain their Phlebotomy Technician’s license.
Aspire Public Schools: At Aspire schools (Aspire Lionel Wilson College Preparatory Academy and Aspire Golden State Preparatory Academy) students explore fields such as Engineering, Health Sciences, and Arts & Media and Social Justice through a curriculum that connects classroom lessons to real-world applications. Partners provide curriculum support and host events like College Summit and work-based learning trips. A key component includes internships, job shadows, and mentorship with local industry partners. The pathway experience is supported by dedicated counseling and a cohort model, where students often progress together, building a community focused on a shared career interest.
Bay Area Technology School (BayTech): BayTech hosts a medical pathway where students study biology, nursing, and pre-med. Partners include YEP, High Ground, St. Mary’s College of CA, AAU, Oakland Genesis, and Oakland Promise. The school excels at getting students to take college classes while at BayTech, paying for all books and supplies, and has built-in time for online college classes in student schedules. A student shared: “BayTech changed my life and I am forever grateful. BayTech took care of me even when I was not taking care of myself.”
East Bay Innovation Academy: East Bay Innovation Academy (EBIA) offers a STEM-focused Linked Learning pathway in Computer Science and Design, featuring classes in robotics, cybersecurity, and applied design. EBIA is the only Oakland public school to offer the AP Capstone Diploma program. Students gain real-world experience through internships with partners like Chabot Space & Science Center (with pathways to NASA), the Oakland Zoo, and a Green Jobs cohort.
Education for Change – Latitude 37.8 High School: Latitude 37.8 High School offers a Linked Learning pathway focused on immersive, real-world experience, guided by the principle that “Oakland is the classroom.” The program is sequenced from career exploration in 9th and 10th grades to month-long, structured internships in 11th and 12th grades across fields like law, tech, culinary arts, and green jobs. These experiences, combined with college courses through Peralta colleges, are designed to build professional networks and navigational skills.
Envision Academy of Arts & Technology: Envision Academy of Arts & Technology implements a Linked Learning pathway in Design, Visual and Media Arts. The program is structured around rigorous academics and is built to ensure all graduates meet A-G requirements for UC/CSU eligibility. Students gain real-world experience through an 11th-grade internship program supported by community partners. The school fosters a close-knit community where students are known and supported through a strong advisory system, dedicated coaching for teachers, and targeted intervention blocks for academic support.
LPS Oakland R&D: The pathway focus at LPS Oakland R&D is Design and Multimedia Arts. Partners serve on the Pathway Advisory Council, and Berkeley City College provides dual enrollment. Work-based learning partners offer internships and real-world projects, and organizations like Next Wave STEM provide equipment. College access partners like College Essay Guy support applications. Student examples include a Web Design Internship with client projects and a WBL Career Practicum where students produced a public Creative Media Fest. A student shared: “Before joining the Design Pathway, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do… I applied to UC Berkeley to major in Art and Design—and I got in. This program didn’t just help me find my path—it helped me believe I belong on it.”
Oakland Military Institute: Oakland Military Institute (OMI) offers a Linked Learning pathway designed to provide exceptional college preparation through academic rigor, leadership development, and early access to higher education. The centerpiece is the Governor’s Baccalaureate Program, which enables students to begin dual enrollment college courses in 9th grade, with many seniors graduating with a full year of college credit already completed. This is paired with a structured leadership program through the California Cadet Corps, which includes opportunities for community service and certifications in areas like drone piloting and wildland firefighting.
Oakland School for the Arts: Oakland School for the Arts (OSA) runs a Linked Learning pathway centered on Entrepreneurship within the creative industries. The program integrates rigorous arts and academic curriculum with hands-on, real-world business experience. Students manage on-campus enterprises, gaining practical skills in artist development, marketing, venue management, and live production. These opportunities are taught by industry professionals who provide mentorship and connections to internships and job shadowing.
Oakland Unity High School: Oakland Unity High School’s Linked Learning pathway is Computer Science and Technology. The program includes classes like digital video film and connects students to internships through community partners, including Cliff Bar and the Olive Street Agency. The school culture emphasizes high support and high expectations within a small, rigorous community, fostering student voice through projects like senior defense presentations and a wide range of student-led clubs.
These are just a few examples of the exceptional charter schools available in Oakland! Explore all your options and find the perfect fit for your family at Oaklandenrolls.org.
Want to meet Charter Schools in person? Come meet representatives from all 14 high schools on Saturday, January 31, 2025 at the annual Oakland Enrolls School choice Fair
Many Oakland charter high schools like Alternatives in Action offer free team sports that develop essential life skills like leadership and teamwork.
Baytech seniors enjoying their high school graduation! They are ready to take on the challenges that lies ahead.
