National Blue Ribbon Schools Program

Located in Oakland, California, Yu Ming Charter School innovates on a breakthrough K-8 educational model that is guiding a diverse student body to grow into the global leaders of tomorrow. We are centered on academic excellence and combine best practices in personalized, project-based, social emotional, and language immersion learning. Students gain mastery across core disciplines - math, science, social studies, and history - in both English and Chinese. Bicultural enrichment courses through hands-on learning experiences round out our learning environment, including Visual and Performing Arts, Choral and Instrumental Music, Design Lab, and Theatre.

We leverage researched-based pedagogies, such as Compass, a competency-based human development model, to help students grow in body, heart, mind, and spirit in pursuit of excellence in every dimension. Continuous program innovation hinges on data-driven decision-making and regular cycles of inquiry inform personalized learning experiences and differentiated instruction. Eighth grade students present a bilingual graduate defense aligned to the Yu Ming Graduate Profile skills and competencies. Yu Ming is committed to fostering a student body that reflects the diversity of its surrounding community and becoming a national model for closing the opportunity gap.

Already, Yu Ming students meet or exceed academic standards, regardless of socio-economic status or race. Learning alongside peers with different perspectives and backgrounds, students have more opportunities to develop creativity, deeper learning, and problem-solving skills. By virtue of our bilingual, bicultural focus and through intensive efforts to enhance student diversity, Yu Ming is preparing students to positively contribute to an increasingly multicultural society.