# Schools of Opportunity

Schools of Opportunity is a project that aims to recognize public high schools that minimize opportunity gaps with outstanding education. The National Education Policy Center, a non-profit education policy research center, created Schools of Opportunity as a project in 2014.

## Mission

The Schools of Opportunity project gives annual "gold" and "silver" recognition to schools in the United States. The project seeks to recognize those high schools that follow practices such as supporting students' physical and psychological health, having outreach to the community, and having a broad, enriched curriculum. It is built on criteria set forth in the 2013 book, Closing the Opportunity Gap.
The Schools of Opportunity project believes that high quality schools are those that use research-based practices, and that standardized testing mainly reflects the student's learning opportunities outside of school; therefore, the project does not focus on how effective the school is. That is, the project illustrates an alternative to ranking systems based on test score, which overwhelmingly reward schools that serve wealthy or cherry-picked student bodies. Schools submit initial applications explaining and documenting why they should be recognized with a reward. Then, after two online reviews and one school visit, the gold and silver recognitions are announced. In order to qualify for recognition, the school must be a public or charter school; it must enroll high school students; at least 10% of the school must qualify for free or reduced priced lunch; the percentage of students with Individualized Education Programs must not fall 2 or more points below the district where the school is located; the school must commit to ensuring all students have access to rich, challenging but supported learning opportunities; and it must be committed to non-exclusionary discipline practices. While designated Schools of Opportunity do not receive extra funding, the directors of the project hope for them to serve as role models for other peers.

## Origins

Schools of Opportunity was founded in 2014 in New York and Colorado by the National Education Policy Center and expanded across the United States in 2015. The project has been funded by, among others, the Ford Foundation, the NEA Foundation, and Voqal.

## List of Recipients

2015 Recipients :
| School | Reward |
| Centaurus High School | Gold |
| Fannie Lou Hamer Freedom High School | Gold |
| Grand Valley High School | Gold |
| Jefferson County Open School | Gold |
| Malverne High School | Gold |
| Center High School | Silver |
| Charles D’Amico High School | Silver |
| Durango High School | Silver |
| Eastridge High School | Silver |
| Elwood – John H. Glenn High School | Silver |
| Fox Lane High School | Silver |
| Harrison High School | Silver |
| Long Beach High School | Silver |
| Long View High School | Silver |
| Mapleton Early College High School | Silver |
| Sleepy Hollow High School | Silver |
| Sunset Park High School | Silver |
2016 Recipients :
| School | Reward |
| Crater Renaissance Academy | Gold |
| Hillsdale High School | Gold |
| Leland and Gray Union Middle and High School | Gold |
| Rainier Beach High School | Gold |
| Revere High School | Gold |
| Rochester International Academy | Gold |
| South Side High School | Gold |
| William Smith High School | Gold |
| Boston Arts Academy | Silver |
| Cedar Shoals High School | Silver |
| Clarke Central High School | Silver |
| East Rockaway High School | Silver |
| New Vista High | Silver |
| Northwest High School | Silver |
| Oakland International High | Silver |
| Ossining High School | Silver |
| Quilcene High School | Silver |
| Stillman Valley High School | Silver |
| Urbana High School | Silver |
| Washington Technology Magnet School | Silver |
2017 Recipients :
| School | Reward |
| Broome Street Academy Charter High School | Gold |
| Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences | Gold |
| Denver South High School | Gold |
| Health Sciences High & Middle College | Gold |
| Lincoln High School | Gold |
| Seaside High School | Gold |
| Hammond High School | Silver |
| William C. Hinkley High School | Silver |
2018-2019 Recipients :
| School | Reward |
| Casco Bay High School | Gold |
| Clark Street Community School | Gold |
| Native American Community Academy | Gold |
| Pocomoke High School | Gold |
| Salt Lake Center for Science Education | Gold |
| Social Justice Humanitas | Gold |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Early College | Silver |