The mission of El Sol Science and Arts Academy (El Sol) is to provide a rigorous academic environment that prepares students for entrance into a college preparatory track at the high school of their choice and to create a culture of kindness, creativity, courage, and honesty that will permit our graduates to assume leadership roles in the 21st Century. El Sol works to achieve that mission through a variety of curricular areas of focus. In particular, El Sol provides a dual immersion program. The program develops bilingualism and bi-literacy in Spanish and in English. Students emerge competent in multiculturalism through the understanding of different cultures and the development of high self-esteem. El Sol is located in Santa Ana, CA. It serves just over 750 students and has been in operation 12 years. In 2013, 76% of students qualified for free and reduced meals. El Sol serves students in grades Kindergarten through 8th grade. In 2013, 96% of students are Hispanic while 3% are White and 0.5% are Asian. The school also places curricular emphasis on instruction in the arts and sciences.

You can access a case study documenting the school’s efforts here. Safal Partners worked on this as part of its contract to operate the National Charter School Center.