Celebrating 20 Years

Twenty years ago, Alliance was founded on a powerful aspiration to create schools that believe in the full potential and brilliance of every student, regardless of their zip code, income, or background.

Our first school, Alliance College-Ready Academy High School #1, started with 150 9th-grade scholars. Today, the Alliance community has grown into a robust network of 26 schools, serving thousands of scholars each year, with phenomenal high school graduation and college acceptance rates.

As we think about our next 20 years, Alliance remains committed to building on our past successes and finding innovative ways to teach, learn, and engage with our school communities, so every scholar graduates from college and helps to create a world with purpose.

20th Anniversary Timeline, 2004 to Present

1983

U.S. Department of Education reports that American public schools overwhelmingly fail historically underserved students, sparking reform efforts across the country.

1992

California advocates from marginalized communities help pass the CA Charter Schools Act which supports flexibility and innovation to better serve all public school students.

1993 – 2003

Bi-partisan reform efforts across the country begin, while schools deal with overcrowding and underperformance.

1994

The first Charter School grants are made available, as the Clinton Administration enacts the Charters Schools Program to provide funds for State Education Agencies to “plan, design, and implement new charter schools.”

1994 – 2000

The Los Angeles Annenberg Metropolitan Project (LAAMP), is one of 18 major school improvement initiatives across the country funded by the $1.1 billion Annenberg Challenge. The project later comes to an end and some of its leaders, including current Alliance board member Virgil Roberts, merge with LEARN reform schools to create Alliance College-Ready Public Schools.

2003

Social justice advocate and education giant Judy Burton becomes founding CEO of Alliance.

2004

The first Alliance school, Alliance College-Ready Academy High School #1, opens in South L.A., proving that public schools can serve all kids regardless of zip code.

2006

High schools become known as “dropout factories” or “pipelines to prison” with only 45% of students graduating in four years from Los Angeles schools.

2005 – 2006

Alliance Judy Ivie Burton Technology Academy High School, Alliance Collins Family College-Ready High School, and Alliance Richard Merkin Middle School open.

2006

The Bush Administration awards millions in grant funds to schools, with additional millions to support a Choice Incentive Fund, and for assistance to help renovate and/or buy new school facilities across the country.

2006 – 2007

Alliance Dr. Olga Mohan High School, Alliance William and Carol Ouchi High School, and Alliance Marc and Eva Stern Math and Science School open.

2007 – 2008

Alliance Patti and Peter Neuwirth Leadership Academy and Alliance Jack H. Skirball Middle School open.

2008

Alliance Gertz-Ressler High School (formerly known as Alliance College-Ready Academy High School #1) celebrates the network’s first graduating class.

2008 – 2016

The Obama Administration’s Education Reform Orientation increases funding by nearly 50% for charter growth, and provides teacher incentive funds and innovation funds.

2008 – 2009

Alliance Christine O’Donovan Middle Academy opens.

2009

Alliance Dr. Olga Mohan High School, Alliance Gertz-Ressler/Richard Merkin 6-12 Complex, and Alliance Marc & Eva Stern Math and Science School receive the CA Distinguished School Award.

2009 – 2010

Alliance Piera Barbaglia Shaheen Health Services Academy High School, Alliance Leichtman-Levine Family Foundation Environmental Science High School, Alliance Morgan McKinzie High School, Alliance College-Ready Middle Academy 4, and Alliance Middle Academy 5 open.

2010 – 2011

Alliance Cindy and Bill Simon Technology Academy High School opens.

2008 – 2012

Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) evaluates the impact of Los Angeles charter schools, finding that over 48% of L.A. charters outperform LAUSD in reading, and 44% of L.A. charters outperform local schools in math.

2008 – 2018

Charter growth occurs at the national, state, and local levels, and schools begin to receive support from business leaders, school boards, and elected officials.

2011 – 2012

Alliance Renee and Meyer Luskin High School, Alliance Ted K. Tajima High School, and Alliance Tennenbaum Family Technology High School open.

2012

Alliance Collins Family College-Ready High School, Alliance Dr. Olga Mohan High School, Alliance Gertz-Ressler/Richard Merkin 6-12 Complex, Alliance Judy Ivie Burton Technology High School, and Alliance Ouchi-O'Donovan 6-12 Complex rank “Best High School” by U.S. News & World Report.

2012 – 2013

Alliance Susan and Eric Smidt Technology High School opens.

2013

Alliance Dr. Olga Mohan High School receives the CA Distinguished School Award for the second time.

2013 – 2014

Alliance College Ready Middle Academy 12 opens, Alliance Richard Merkin Middle School becomes part of the Alliance Gertz-Richard Merkin 6-12 Complex, and Alliance Christine O’Donovan Middle Academy becomes part of the Alliance Ouchi-O’Donovan 6-12 Complex.

2014

Alliance Patti & Peter Neuwirth Leadership Academy ranks “Best High School” by U.S. News & World Report.

2014 – 2015

Alliance Alice M. Baxter College-Ready High School, Alliance Margaret M. Bloomfield Technology Academy High School, Alliance College Ready Middle Academy 8, and Alliance Kory Hunter Middle School open.

2015

Dan Katzir, a leader in the K-12 education sector for over twenty years, is named Alliance CEO.

Alliance Leichtman-Levine Family Foundation Environmental Science High School, Alliance Morgan McKinzie High School, Alliance Tennenbaum Family Technology High School, Alliance Piera Barbaglia

Shaheen Health Services Academy rank “Best High School” by U.S. News & World Report.

2015 – 2016

Alliance Milt and Debbie Valera Middle Academy and Alliance Virgil Roberts Leadership Academy open.

2016

Alliance Cindy & Bill Simon Technology High School, Alliance Susan & Eric Smidt Technology High School, and Alliance Ted K. Tajima High School rank “Best High School” by U.S. News & World Report.

2016 – 2017

Alliance Joni and Jeff Marine High School opens.

2017

Alliance Marc & Eva Stern Math and Science School and
Alliance Renee & Meyer Luskin Academy High School rank “Best High School” by U.S. News & World Report.

2018

Because of the success of L.A. charter schools, attendance more than doubles from 10% in 2008 to 25% in 2018.

2019

The Alliance College-Ready Public Schools Foundation is created to raise resources and visibility for the Alliance school network.

Alliance Judy Ivie Burton Technology High School and Alliance Patti & Peter Neuwirth Leadership Academy receive the CA Distinguished School Award. Alliance Marc & Eva Stern Math and Science School receives the CA Distinguished School Award for the second time.

2020

Alliance Margaret M. Bloomfield High School ranks “Best High School” by U.S. News & World Report.

2020 – 2023

COVID-19 pandemic forces schools to initiate remote learning, districts are ill-equipped, and students experience significant learning loss and social-emotional challenges.

2021

Pablo Villavicencio, former Alliance President and Chief Schools Officer, is named CEO of Alliance.

Alliance Alice M. Baxter
College-Ready High School and Alliance College-Ready Middle Academy 5
Close.

Alliance Collins Family College-Ready High School, Alliance Gertz-Ressler/Richard Merkin 6-12 Complex, Alliance Leichtman-Levine Family Foundation Environmental Science High School, Alliance Tennenbaum Family Technology High School, and Alliance Margaret M. Bloomfield High School receive the CA Distinguished School Award. Alliance Marc & Eva Stern Math and Science School receives the CA Distinguished School Award for the third time.

2023

Alliance middle and high schools continue
to outperform neighboring schools, and is on
par with more affluent L.A. County and California public schools.

Stanford University’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) names Alliance a “gap busting” public school system.

2024

Alliance Marine-Innovation & Technology 6-12 Complex ranks “Best High School” by U.S. News & World Report.

Alliance Valera Middle Academy, Alliance Richard Merkin Middle School, Alliance College-Ready Middle Academy 4, Alliance College-Ready Middle Academy 8,

Alliance College-Ready Middle Academy 12, Alliance Jack H. Skirball Middle School, Alliance Christine O'Donovan Middle Academy, Alliance Kory Hunter Middle School, and Alliance Virgil Roberts Leadership Academy rank “Best Middle School” by U.S. News & World Report.

Today

Reach

9 middle schools
17 high schools
6 L.A. neighborhoods
Serving nearly 13,000 scholars a year
Over 20,000 alumni

Results

95% high school graduation rate
96% college acceptance rate
77% first-generation college students
College graduation rate 3.5x higher than national average