High Tech High

High Tech High
Name	High Tech High
Established	2000
Type	Charter school network
City	San Diego
State	California
Country	United States

High Tech High is a network of charter public schools founded in 2000 in San Diego County, California, with an emphasis on project-based learning, technology integration, and teacher leadership. The network grew from a single campus to multiple K–12 campuses and graduate programs, engaging with regional partners such as San Diego State University, University of California, San Diego, and local industry including Qualcomm and Biocom. High Tech High attracted attention from educators, policymakers, philanthropies, and foundations including Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and Walton Family Foundation for its alternative approach to schooling.

History

High Tech High originated from a coalition of technology entrepreneurs, educators, and civic leaders in San Diego, including involvement by figures associated with Tech Coast Angels and corporate leaders from Sony Electronics and Microsoft. Early supporters included philanthropic entities like Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and regional economic development groups such as the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation. The founding drew on precedents from Magnet school movements, Charter school legislation in California State Assembly, and design influences from partnerships with Stanford University education researchers and faculty from Harvard Graduate School of Education. Expansion phases involved charter authorizers including the State of California Chartering Authority, collaborations with the San Diego Unified School District, and legal frameworks shaped by precedents like decisions from the California Supreme Court. International delegations—from Singapore Ministry of Education, Ministry of Education (New Zealand), and educational leaders from United Kingdom trusts—visited to study model practices. Over time High Tech High participated in networks with organizations such as Edutopia, NewSchools Venture Fund, and the National Center for Restructuring Education.

Campus and Facilities

Campuses were sited in diverse San Diego neighborhoods and included adaptive reuse of industrial buildings, examples of collaborations with architects who previously worked on projects for Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego and firms connected to SOM (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill). Facilities incorporate maker spaces equipped with tools and equipment familiar to partners like MIT Media Lab, Fab Foundation, and TechShop affiliates. Libraries and media centers reflect collections shaped by donations from entities such as San Diego Public Library and the Library of Congress outreach programs. Athletic and performing arts spaces have hosted tournaments and festivals associated with organizations such as CIF San Diego Section and the La Jolla Music Society. Campuses also served as sites for conferences with delegations from OECD, UNESCO, and visiting scholars from Columbia University Teachers College.

Academic Programs and Curriculum

Academic offerings include integrated STEM strands modeled on curricula influenced by researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology, and curriculum frameworks referenced by Next Generation Science Standards adopters. Programs span K–12 and include high school pathways that prepare students for admission to institutions such as University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology through rigorous college preparatory sequences. Elective and technical courses draw on industry standards aligned with organizations like Project Lead The Way, National Academy Foundation, and certification partners including CompTIA and Autodesk. Graduate-level teacher education is delivered in partnership with San Diego State University and influenced by scholarship from Teachers College, Columbia University and publications in journals such as Harvard Educational Review.

Pedagogy and Project-Based Learning

The network emphasizes project-based learning rooted in principles articulated by scholars at Harvard Graduate School of Education, Stanford Graduate School of Education, and researchers affiliated with SRI International. Assessment practices combine performance assessments shaped by the National Research Council guidance and exhibition models promoted by organizations such as Buck Institute for Education and Edutopia. Teacher roles incorporate elements from professional learning community models advanced by DuFour-aligned networks and teacher residency designs akin to programs at Relay Graduate School of Education. The pedagogical approach has been the subject of case studies at Harvard Business School and evaluations by think tanks including RAND Corporation and The Brookings Institution.

Governance, Funding, and Partnerships

Governance is administered through nonprofit boards with connections to civic institutions like San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce and philanthropic partners such as Carnegie Corporation of New York and William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Funding streams include public charter funding under California Department of Education rules, grants from national funders including Gates Foundation, and corporate partnerships with firms such as Qualcomm, Illumina, and Northrop Grumman. Partnerships for internships and workforce pathways have linked students to local employers like Sharp HealthCare, Scripps Health, and research centers such as Salk Institute for Biological Studies. External accountability involved agreements with authorizers including the State Board of Education and collaborations with nonprofits like KnowledgeWorks.

Student Body and Admissions

Student demographics reflect urban and suburban populations from districts across San Diego County with outreach efforts coordinated with community-based organizations like YMCA of San Diego County and Boys & Girls Clubs of San Diego County. Admissions use lottery systems consistent with San Diego Unified School District charter regulations and federal guidelines under programs such as Every Student Succeeds Act. Special programs support English learners and students with disabilities through partnerships with agencies like San Diego County Office of Education and nonprofit advocates including National Parent Teacher Association. Competitive admissions for certain magnet-style cohorts and internship pathways attracted students who later matriculated to colleges like University of Southern California and California State University San Marcos.

Notable Alumni and Recognition

Alumni have gone on to careers and studies at institutions including Stanford University, Harvard University, Yale University, Princeton University, University of California, Los Angeles, Columbia University, and employment with companies such as Google, Apple Inc., SpaceX, Illumina, and Kaiser Permanente. The network received awards and recognition from organizations like Ashoka, Edutopia, and Fast Company and has been profiled in media outlets including The New York Times, The Atlantic, Education Week, NPR, and The Washington Post. International delegations from the OECD and the European Commission have cited the model in comparative studies, while evaluative reports were commissioned by foundations including Gates Foundation and think tanks such as RAND Corporation.

Category:Charter schools in California