Mission
Together with families and communities, KIPP San José Collegiate provides a joyful and academically excellent education that prepares students with critical thinking and college readiness skills to pursue their chosen path upon graduation. We are committed to building a diverse team that cultivates individual growth and ensures all students strengthen their responsibility, resilience, and leadership so they advocate for themselves and their community — becoming agents of change.
KIPP has a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Read more about our commitment to the work here.
History
KIPP San José Collegiate is a college-prep public charter high school located in East San José that is free, open to all students, and committed to preparing students for college and choice-filled lives. KIPP San José Collegiate opened its doors in 2008 and graduated its first class of seniors in 2012. Over 90% of KIPP San José Collegiate students matriculate to college.
Honors
#6 Public High School in San José – 2024 U.S. News and World Report
2021 California Distinguished School Award
2017-2018 California Honor Roll
Values
Leadership | Responsibility | Resilience | Excellence | Joy
College Preparatory Academics
Our top-ranked KIPP high schools are known for excellent teachers and strong academic supports that prepare students for college, career, and beyond. All students have access to challenging coursework and best-in-class college counseling.
Our unique KIPP Forward model supports students throughout high school as they choose their path after graduation. Students have access to structured support focused on college readiness and career exploration from day one. Services include college visits, 1:1 college advising, career exploration, and financial aid navigation.
KIPP alumni are 70% more likely to matriculate to college and are three times more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree than their peers who do not attend KIPP.
Mental Health & Wellness
KIPP Northern California aims to provide high-quality, client-centered, and culturally responsive mental health services designed to support students with varying levels of need. All students should have access to quality mental health services and as such, all services are free to students and provided regardless of insurance in order to reduce barriers to mental health care, meet students where they are at, and challenge mental health stigma. Learn more about our Mental Health and Wellness Program.
Special Education at KIPP
All students are welcome! We recognize the unique needs of each student and design high quality and specialized programs that enable each student to fully participate in their school community and the world at large. Special education services are available at all KIPP schools. Learn more about the Special Education Program.
Extracurricular Activities
We want our KIPP high schoolers to explore their interests and passions both inside and outside the classroom. In addition to core classes, our wide-range of electives and extracurricular activities give KIPPsters a well-rounded and engaging high school experience.
Clubs:
- Acts of Random Kindness
- Asian Pacific Islander Association
- Bring Change to Mind
- Computer Science Club
- Gender Spectrum Alliance
- Interact
- Key Club
- Robotics
- Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica
- Theater Club
- Yearbook
- Debate
- UNICEF Club
- KSJC High School Dems
- Bumblebees Club
AP Courses:
- AP 2-D Art & Design
- AP Calculus (AB & BC)
- AP Chemistry
- AP Computer Science
- AP English Language
- AP English Literature
- AP Government & Politics
- AP Psychology
- AP Spanish Language & Culture
- AP Spanish Literature & Culture
- AP US History
- AP World History
Our student athletes compete in the P.S.A.L. & CCS Division 4 Leagues. Learn more about KIPP San José Collegiate athletics here.
Fall:
- Cross Country
- Girls Volleyball
Winter:
- Varsity Girls Soccer
- Varsity Boys Soccer
- JV Boys Soccer
- Varsity Girls Basketball
- Varsity Boys Soccer
- JV Boys Basketball
- Cheer
Spring:
- Track and field
- Varsity Boys Volleyball
- JV Boys Volleyball
- Softball
- Baseball
Enrollment Information
Applications for the 2025-26 school year are open for grades 9-12. You can submit your online application here.
Only applications that are received by the open enrollment deadline will be considered in the lottery. Applications received after the open enrollment deadline will be considered on a first-come-first-served basis. Lottery decisions will be sent to families via text and email.
To submit an application or inquire about your status, please log in to your SchoolMint account at kippnorcal.schoolmint.net/.
Questions? Contact the Director of School Operations Patty Santiago via phone 408.510.9176 or email at ksjc_info@kippnorcal.org.
What Makes KIPP Different?
With a focus on character and academics, our free public charter schools prepare students for success in college and opportunity in life.
Sense of Belonging
KIPP provides a positive, supportive, and anti-racist learning environment where all students are known, respected, and empowered.
- 100% of our schools prioritize social-emotional learning through a Multi-Tiered System of Supports; 100% of our schools have mental health counselors, which is available to all students irrespective of insurance status
Academic Excellence
KIPP fosters a culture of academic excellence and intellectual curiosity through individualized instruction that meets the learning needs of every student.
- KIPP Northern California high schools are ranked in the top 10% of public high schools in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report
- KIPP students gain significantly more learning— equivalent to 80 additional days in math and 70 additional days in reading compared to their peers in non-KIPP schools. *According to a Stanford University study
- 59% of KIPP students meet or exceed California State academic standards for English Language Arts (compared to 50% across the state)
- 47% of KIPP students meet or exceed California State academic standards for Math (compared to 39% across the state) *2021 results
- Award winning schools, for example: 11 California Distinguished School Awards, 2 National Blue Ribbon Awards, among others
Family & Community Partnerships
KIPP partners with families and local organizations in their communities to support healthy development for children.
- KIPP partners with community organizations including: El Concilio California, YMCA, Community Partnerships for Families of San Joaquin, Housing Authority of San Joaquin, Boys & Girls Club, College Track, Bayview Hunters’ Point Clinic, among many others
Developing Leaders of Color
KIPP creates a sense of belonging and fortifies the positive racial identity of emerging leaders of color at our schools.
- 71% of our executive team, 65% of our school principals, and 63% of our teachers identify as people of color
College and Career Guidance
KIPP works with high school students and 4,000 alumni each year on a path to college, career, and beyond.
- Over time, 94% of all KIPP Northern California high school students have matriculated to college and progressive pathways
- Our alumni graduate college at four times the rate of their peers
Becoming Anti-Racist
We embed anti-racism into the core of who we are and what we do.
- We seek to disrupt racial and socio-economic inequities in access and outcomes so that ALL of our students, families, and alumni thrive
- The pandemic has disproportionately affected the academic and socio-emotional progress of students like ours, especially Black students, students who qualify for specialized services, and multilingual learners
- To ensure we are designing for success at the margins, we are implementing a set of strategies to expand an equitable funding model for students who have an individualized education plan (IEP) and/or are multilingual learners, and schools with large populations of students in these groups