Students attend one of three small village schools or receive educational services via a teacher who visits their home. In 1994, the district created a partnership with the Alaska Staff Development Network , the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory and several other rural districts in order to launch a shared vision of systemic reform. In order to share their successful model with other districts in the state, Chugach is working with the Alaska Staff Development Network to guide and mentor five other districts that comprise the Alaska Quality Schools Coalition in redesigning their educational systems. In September 2000, this public charter high school opened its doors to approximately 200 ninth and tenth grade students in a newly designed learning center near downtown San Diego. A coalition of high tech industry leaders and educators launched the school, which will eventually enroll 400 9th-12th grade students, in order to immerse students in a rigorous learning environment that engages their interest in the fields of math, engineering and science and provides relevant academic and workplace skills.
Students learn by actively solving problems, thus developing their critical thinking skills.
An early assignment, for example, requires students to assemble their own computers. Spanish is the one foreign language taught at High Tech High. The school connects with the high tech workplace. The curriculum is developed based on real-world projects, in collaboration with industry partners. Students in 11th and 12th grade spend part of their days working off-site in industry internships that provide additional contexts for projects tied back to the intellectual mission of the school.