Partnerships to Uplift Communities

At some middle and high schools, students are categorized in tracks, meaning some students are put in honors and others in basic classes. This is not the case for Partnerships to Uplift Communities (PUC) charter public schools. At PUC, the staff has the same high expectations for every student and all are prepared to graduate from high school prepared for college success.

PUC applies these high-standards and expectations to students who need them most. By creating their schools in 2 high need communities that are characterized by low-achieving schools, PUC is proving that there is a successful model for teaching at-risk students.

Founded in 1999 by two educators who came together through a similar vision and frustration with low-performing LAUSD schools, PUC has grown to 13 schools, all of which are located in Northeast LA, and the Northeast San Fernando Valley.

PUC’s successful school model includes: small class sizes, individualized instruction, total immersion for English Language Learners, and a partnership between the school, student, parent, and community. Through their unique early college program all PUC high school students take courses at local community colleges, giving them the chance to access high-level courses and start earning college credit. Many of the students have graduated with 30 or more transferable college credits.

Though serving communities where many schools struggle to graduate even half of their students from high school, PUC graduates over 90% of its students, and 100% of those graduates enroll in colleges and universities.