High Tech LA: a place where students are prepared to enter a college of their choice. It aims to mold them into “knowledge leaders” in our digital age. High Tech High School Los Angeles opened its doors in September 2004. Initially, it welcomed fewer than 200 students. These students were in grades 9, 10, and 11. The school then grew to include grades 9 through 12 the following year. Enrollment expanded until it reached its current population. Just under 400 students attended in 2017.
High Tech LA is located within the Lake Balboa Educational Complex. It is in Van Nuys, CA. The school boasts a self-contained state-of-the-art facility. This charter high school stimulates curiosity. It encourages inquiry and a desire to push beyond limits. It achieves this through a rigorous college-prep curriculum. Intensive technology training supplements this curriculum.
The goal is clear. High Tech High School Los Angeles wants to prepare students for high-skilled, high-wage careers. This demanding curriculum comes to life via hands-on projects. Students use the latest technology to develop them.
High Tech LA emphasizes technology. It also values hands-on interdisciplinary projects. Traditional teaching methods are part of the mix too. Students do not just memorize facts. They actively discover new knowledge. They use tools available in today’s information age.
Each High Tech High School Los Angeles student meets the University of California requirements. These are also the California State University requirements. As a graduation requirement each senior does an off-campus internship. All students participate in presentations of learning twice a year. They present their best work to a panel for review.
High Tech LA targets low-income families. Fifty percent of students are on the Federal Free or Reduced Lunch program. A large number of students will be the first in their families to attend college.
High Tech High School Los Angeles also boasts impressive stats. It ranks in the top 20% of all California schools for test scores. Math proficiency is in the top 30%. Reading proficiency also reaches the top 30%. Moreover, High Tech LA’s graduation rate is between 90 and 94%. This places it in the top 50% in California.
High Tech LA is a place where project-based learning thrives. The curriculum engages and stimulates students. It allows them to learn by doing. It prepares them well for their future endeavors.