 In 2002 Johnson received $ 1.1 million in grants from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education. Johnson used the money to create eight smaller learning communities for the 2003 – 2004 school year. In the first five years the graduation rate at Johnson increased 19 % with state-required 10th grade reading and writing tests also seeing double digit increases. The money from the grants ran out before the 2006 – 2007 school year. Currently, there are eight smaller learning communities within the school. All students start in the Freshmen FOCUS Academy and then choose one of seven other academies for the remainder of their high school career based on their interests. Beginning with the class of 2006, graduating seniors are required to engage in the Senior Project, a program designed for students to showcase the skills they have developed during their stay at Johnson and as a practice for building a résumé or portfolio when applying for jobs.
