Community by Design: 

Charter Flexibility, CCSPP Support, and Gateway’s Community Schools Vision

When community leaders and families came together in 2003 to launch Gateway Community Charters, the goal was transformative. The aim was not merely to offer additional school options but to reimagine public education in a way that wove rigorous academics, wraparound supports, cultural identity, and family voice into the very fabric of schooling and the education system. Although our communities continue to change and the regulations surrounding charter schools have evolved, our core mission has remained the same: to create school choice grounded in community, equity, and lifelong opportunity.

Notably, charter status has been essential in enabling these advancements. Using the charter school model as a vehicle has given us the ability to customize programming, staffing, budgeting, and partnerships. This has allowed Gateway to respond swiftly to the needs of students and the community, without being restricted by strict regulations. This flexibility remains a key factor in shaping Gateway’s school designs, support systems, and community engagement efforts. However, the charter model also introduces challenges, such as securing steady funding, facilities to provide support services to families, balancing accountability with innovation, and ensuring program sustainability after grant funding concludes.

From the very beginning, Gateway’s schools were designed to be more than just academic centers; they aimed to serve as active community hubs. We emphasized smaller classes, deep family involvement, and combined support systems. Teachers and staff knew students personally, and families felt a school culture rooted in respect, dignity, and inclusion.

Choice is not antithetical to community; it is an extension of it.”

Over time, as the community schools movement grew nationally, Gateway’s early practice came into sharper alignment with those principles. Today, with more than 6,000 students served in transitional kindergarten through 12th grade, Gateway embraces a diverse student population, including many English Learners, newcomer and refugee youth, and historically underserved students. The conviction remains the same: every student, regardless of background, can thrive when anchored in a caring, well‑resourced community.

The autonomy inherent in charter status has allowed Gateway to expand programmatic pathways to reflect local needs. Schools are intentionally designed as “schools of choice” rooted in community voice. Choice is not antithetical to community; it is an extension of it.

Gateway has long embraced the philosophy of creating environments that support community education. This approach involves leveraging the physical spaces where people live, work, and play; such as designing educational programs, libraries, parks, sidewalks, and transportation systems, to promote learning, engagement, and well-being. Key elements include aligning with community needs and assets, applying urban planning principles, encouraging active transportation, and building equitable, sustainable environments for everyone. By assessing community needs and assets, and developing schools and programs that not only address academic requirements but also strengthen home environments, Gateway aims to foster educational success. Its pathway options reflect a deliberate design philosophy rather than randomness. For example:

• The International Baccalaureate (IB) at Gateway International School (GIS), Empowering Possibilities International Charter (EPIC), and Higher Learning Academy (HLA) cultivate globally aware learners who value diversity and are willing to take intellectual risks. These programs are situated in communities that typically lack access to such rigorous curricula without restrictions or prerequisites. We have deliberately placed these programs in these areas to enhance the economic and global knowledge of students and their families. 
• Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways at Sacramento Academic and Vocational Academy (SAVA) and Community Collaborative Charter School (CCCS) connect students with emerging industries and regional workforce prospects. 
• Early College Initiatives at Futures High School allow students to earn valuable college credits and, in some cases, complete an associate’s degree while in high school, thereby lowering barriers to higher education.
• The Virtual Academy offers flexible learning options focused on providing access and choice for students whose circumstances might otherwise hinder their ability to attend in person.

Key elements include aligning with community needs and assets, applying urban planning principles, encouraging active transportation, and building equitable, sustainable environments for everyone.”

These programs go beyond simple add-ons; they are developed through ongoing conversations with families, community partners, elected officials, and industry leaders. Their purpose is to intersect local opportunities, student interests, and real-world needs. The Portrait of a GCC Graduate, which highlights academic excellence, resilience, civic responsibility, and personal growth, is our guiding framework for all decision-making.

Our design, rooted in the fabric of our community, enables students to discover pathways that best match their needs and dreams, thereby decreasing frustration and disengagement with the educational process. This enhances the connection between school and community: when students feel recognized, valued, and empowered, they and their families are more inclined to participate actively in the educational process.

Gateway’s success hinges on collaboration. Families are active partners, not just recipients. Local groups, nonprofits, civic institutions, faith leaders, and cultural organizations are encouraged to contribute, not merely advise. This relationship-based approach keeps school practices grounded, adaptable, and culturally responsive.

Recently, Gateway’s work with newcomer and refugee families at COA (Community Outreach Academy) has highlighted this relational philosophy. Efforts in language support, cultural integration, mental health, and family engagement demonstrate that a community schools approach is not just a program but a mindset centered on equity, agency, and belonging.

We believe that community challenges are too great to solve alone, making collaboration essential.”

The SAVA EV Lowrider Project exemplifies this: youth-led design, research, and production that link culture, creativity, and skill. Students participate deeply as learners and co-creators, fostering pride, agency, and opportunity.

Funding from California’s Community Schools Partnership Program (CCSPP) has helped Gateway expand and sustain these practices. Although many strategies predate CCSPP, the funding has improved the implementation of integrated supports, mental health services, and partnerships. Leaders emphasize that these practices are meant to be lasting, not temporary, and driven by the mission. 

School district collaborations are also vital. Gateway has worked to build strong partnerships with Twin Rivers USD, San Juan USD, Sacramento City USD, Elk Grove USD, Yolo County Office of Education, and Sacramento County Office of Education. These partnerships allow us to broaden community impact and support districts in serving their students and families. We believe that community challenges are too great to solve alone, making collaboration essential.

As the superintendent, I ensure Gateway is poised for growth grounded in equity, intentionality, and community voice. The Portrait of a GCC Graduate continues to serve as the guiding principle, ensuring that every student, regardless of background, emerges equipped with the mindsets and skills to succeed in college, career, and life.

Gateway’s strategic priorities, supported through our charter status, include:

1. Deepening wraparound supports: Ensuring that every student has access to mental health services, social-emotional learning, academic interventions, and family resource navigation.
2. Strengthening family and community partnerships: Elevating the voices of family members, cultural leaders, community-based organizations, and students themselves to co‑design school practices.
3. Broadening program access: Bringing equitable access to IB, CTE, Early College, and virtual pathways across all schools so that no student is limited by location or demographics, which is a core principle and policy goal of charter schools.
4. Sustaining innovation and scaling what works: Leveraging charter flexibility to pilot, test, and refine new approaches with a focus on long-term sustainability and fidelity to community intent. Charters’ flexibility in curriculum design and staffing, along with the ability to expand the instructional design of the day beyond what traditional schools can do, allows us to test programs that can serve as models for innovation and partnerships that expand what’s possible for all.

Gateway’s growth is not about rapid expansion for its own sake. It is about evolving intentionally: spreading the impact of what works, and innovating to meet emerging needs, especially for students living in historically underserved communities. In this manner, Gateway remains anchored to the foundational intent of the Charter Schools Act: to expand opportunity for the most underserved students and expand innovation as an extension of public choices that enhance community opportunity.

For more than two decades, Gateway has led with the conviction that schools and communities belong together. Our mission is far from complete: as we move forward, we invite teachers, families, partners, and civic leaders to join us in co‑creating schools that uplift every student.

In this moment of renewed focus on community schools across the nation, Gateway offers a living example: a charter network that has practiced, refined, and advanced community schooling from its roots. We believe that when flexibility, vision, and collaboration converge, education becomes not just a pathway but a promise.

Together, we can continue to lead. Together, we can ensure every student is supported, empowered, and prepared to thrive in whatever future they choose.