Envision Education is a Bay Area network of high performing charter schools, founded in June 2002 by Daniel McLaughlin and Bob Lenz, that currently runs five public middle and high schools in the San Francisco Bay Area. Established in 2002, the mission of Envision Education is to transform the lives of students – especially those who will be the first in their families to attend college – by preparing them for success in college, career and in life. Envision accomplishes its mission through a nationally replicated Portfolio Defense assessment model, which authentically measures the most important things students need in order to succeed in college and career: academic content, leadership skills, and deeper learning competencies such as reflection and growth mindset. Portfolio Defense gives students, particularly those who are historically underserved, the academic, social-emotional and leadership skills they need to get into college and persist until they earn a degree. Envision Education serves approximately 1,500 students in the San Francisco Bay Area: 70% are low-income; 94% from communities of color; and 75% first generation college bound. From this population, 100% of graduates are accepted to 2- or 4-year colleges, with 77% accepted to 4-year institutions. Envision graduates also persist in college once they enroll. Their college persistence rate is 87% from first to second year, compared to the national average of 74%. Envision also operates Envision Learning Partners, a coaching and training division working with schools across the country to adapt and adopt the Portfolio Defense model. ELP works with more than 1,000 educators in 30+ school networks and reaching more than 200,000 students. One of the biggest problems facing underserved students is educational inequity. Because of this inequity, poor students are far less likely to receive an education that will lift them out of poverty. Nationally, only 1 out of 10 low-income students earns a 4-year college degree by their mid-twenties, significantly limiting their income potential for their entire lives. In its schools and with its consulting partners, Envision Education strives to address this problem by giving disadvantaged students access to transformative schools where they are well prepared for future success.
Investment
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation helped launch the school network with a $3 million investment in 2003 to form an initial group of five charter schools. In 2006, the foundation invested another $6.9 million aimed at helping the program duplicate its arts and technology programs.
Envision Academy of Arts & Technology in Oakland, California, opened in 2007-08 school year with students in grades 9 and 10; today, it serves students in grades 6-7 and 9-12. It will add 8th grade in school year 2021-22.
Impact Academy of Arts & Technology in Hayward, California, opened for 2007-08 with 125 students in grade 9.. Today, it serves over 700 students in grades 6-12.
Envision high schools are small and academically rigorous and use project-based learning, art and technology. This is predicated on studies that show that students in small high schools fare better academically than those in large ones. Envision's mission is to transform the lives of students - especially those who will be the first in their families to attend college - by preparing them for success in college and in life. Envision also focuses on a approach, by which students can gain the 21st Century Skills of collaboration, critical thinking, project management, and analysis.
