Gilroy Early College Academy
Dr. TJ Owens Gilroy Early College Academy | |
---|---|
Location | |
, | |
Information | |
Type | Early College Academy |
Motto | Be someone. Go somewhere. Seek Excellence. |
Established | 2007 |
School district | Gilroy Unified School District |
Oversight | Western Association of Schools and Colleges |
Superintendent | Deborah Flores |
Principal | Sonia Flores |
Staff | 13 (2012-2013)[2] |
Grades | 9-12 |
Enrollment | 236 (2013-2014)[1] |
Color(s) | Red and Black |
Mascot | Griffon |
Website | School website |
Dr. TJ Owens Gilroy Early College Academy (abbreviated as GECA) is a prestigious early college high school located in Gilroy, California, at the southern edge of Silicon Valley, in the San Francisco Bay Area. Founded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, GECA operates as an early college school, requiring its students to receive their college preparatory education through a mixture of high school, Advanced Placement (AP), and college classes, offered through partnership with Gavilan College, allowing most GECA students to graduate high school with an associate's degree. GECA ranks among the top 10 high schools in California and consistently ranks as one of the best high schools in the United States.[3][4][5][6]
History
GECA was founded through a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and is now solely funded by the California Department of Education.[7]
Dr. T.J. Owens, GECA's namesake, was the former Dean of Students at Gavilan College and president of the Gilroy Unified School Board.[8] A prominent member of the national organization 100 Black Men of America and civil rights activist, Dr. Owens was a key figure in GECA's inception, but died two years before the early college academy was established.[9]
Academics
Approximately 90 percent of the class of 2011 graduated and entered a four-year university or continued their education at Gavilan with the intention to transfer to one.[7]
The school's non-weighted average API from 2011-2013 is 929 schoolwide, 900 for socioeconomically disadvantaged students, and 869 for English learners.[10] Statewide, students of all groups average 790, socioeconomically disadvantaged students 742, and English learners 717.[11]
GECA is one of ten schools participating in A Study of American Public High Schools with Academically-Competitive Admissions sponsored by Stanford University’s Hoover Institution and the Thomas B. Fordham Institute.[7][12]
Rankings
The school was ranked 10th best in California and 54th best in the United States on the 2015 U.S. News & World Report rankings.[13]
GECA is the best performing of the 28 early college high schools in California.[7]
GECA is one of 40 Beat the Odds Schools in a study conducted by WestEd, which identified 40 schools that consistently and significantly outperforming schools with similar demographics on the California Standards Tests and the California Academic High School Exit Exam.[14]
Awards
GECA was awarded the California Distinguished Schools Award in 2013,[15]
GECA was awarded the California Gold Ribbon Award in 2015.
Demographics
2013–2014[1]
- 236 students: 114 Male (48.3%), 122 Female (51.7%)
Asian | White | Hispanic | Two or More Races | African American | Filipino | Pacific Islander | American Indian | Not Reported |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
49 | 79 | 99 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
20.8% | 33.5% | 41.9% | 1.7% | 0.4% | 1.3% | 0% | 0.4% | 0% |
Student life
Student Government
GECA ASB organizes events to foster school spirit and assists students in setting up clubs.[16] Tribunal is the judicial branch of student government and addresses honor code violations such as bullying, cheating, and other behavioral issues.[17]
Clubs
Chicken Scratch (which has since disbanded as of 2016) GECA's writing club, has created a full-length theatrical production which was later performed in the Gavilan theater. Other groups include the gay-straight alliance, FLC club, film club, [16] CSF (California Scholarship Federation), Robotics, and TEDx GECA. [16]
References
- ^ a b "Enrollment by Ethnicity for 2013–14: Dr. TJ Owens Gilroy Early College Academy". California Department of Education.
- ^ "Dr. TJ Owens Gilroy Early College Academy Staff directory".
- ^ "US News & World Report High School Rankings 2015".
- ^ Silicon Valley Business Journal - These Silicon Valley Schools Rule in New Rankings
- ^ KRON4 - List of Top California High Schools: See Which Bay Area Schools Made It
- ^ Mercury news - U.S. school rankings: Santa Cruz charter is No. 10; five Bay Area schools in top 100
- ^ a b c d "Early-College Academy Receives High Marks in Uncertain Budget Climate". Gilroy Dispatch.
- ^ "Who was Dr. TJ Owens?".
- ^ "Trustee TJ Owens Dies After Stroke". Gilroy Dispatch.
- ^ "Dr. TJ Owens Gilroy Early College Academy API". California Department of Education.
- ^ "2013 Growth API Report". California Department of Education.
- ^ "Nationally acclaimed Fordhan/Hoover Institute visitation".
- ^ "US News & World Report High School Rankings 2015".
- ^ "Positive school climate boosts test scores, study says". EdSource.
- ^ "2013 Distinguished Middle and High Schools". California Department of Education.
- ^ a b c "GECA ASB - Clubs".
- ^ "Honor Tribunal".