Guide to East Bay Charter Schools

Thank you to our sponsors: AIMS K-12 College Prep Charter School and East Bay Innovation Academy. 

East Bay charter schools are free public schools that range in focus from the language arts to social justice-focused or technology. Find out more about tours and visitations to learn more about the various options. Happy visiting, and hope you find just the right school for your family.

{Our 2025-26 guide sponsors}     

Featured East Bay Charter Schools

Learn More about East Bay & California Charter Schools

Find a list of charter schools by location: Oakland, Hayward, Richmond, Alameda, Emeryville, San Leandro, and El Cerrito | Find the map of California Charter Schools | Learn more information about charters by county

East Bay Charter Elementary, Middle Schools, & High Schools

Oakland, CA Charter Schools

The Office of Charter Schools (OCS) is a department within Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) that authorizes and oversees 28 independently run public charter schools in Oakland. Other Oakland-based charter schools are authorized by other entities. We have listed them below. Website to learn more >>

Oakland Charter Schools include:
Achieve Academy (TK-5)
Alternatives in Action High School (9-12)
AIMS College Prep Charter District (K-12)
ARISE High School (9-12)
ASCEND Charter School (TK-8)
Aspire Berkley Maynard Academy (TK-8)
Aspire College Academy (TK-5)
Aspire Golden State College Prep Academy (6-12)
Aspire Lionel Wilson College Prep Academy (6-12)
Aspire Monarch Academy (TK-5)
Aspire Triumph Technology Academy (TK-5)
Aurum Preparatory Academy (6-8)
-Bay Area Technology School (6-12)
Community School for Creative Education (K-8)
Cox Academy (TK-5)
​​Downtown Charter Academy – Amethod Public Schools (AMPS) (6-8)
East Bay Innovation Academy (EBIA), (6-12)
Envision Academy for Arts & Technology (6-12)
Francophone Charter School of Oakland (TK-8)
KIPP Bridge Academy (TK-8)
Latitude 37.8 High School (9-12)
Lazear Charter Academy (TK-8)
Learning Without Limits Charter School (K-5)
Lighthouse Community Charter (K-8)
Lighthouse Community Charter High (9-12)
Lodestar: A Lighthouse Community Charter (K-12)
LPS Oakland R & D (9-12)
Oakland Charter Academy – AMPS (6-8)
Oakland Charter High School – AMPS (9-12) in renewal process, not yet approved.
Oakland Military Institute College Prep Academy (6-12)
Oakland School for the Arts (6-12)
Oakland Unity High School (9-12)
Oakland Unity Middle School (6-8)
xUrban Montessori Charter School (TK-8)
Yu Ming Charter School (K-8)

Notable: North Oakland Community Charter School (NOCCS) charter was revoked in the summer of 2024..

Richmond, CA Charter Schools

West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) administers the charter schools in Richmond, Pinole, and El Cerrito. Website to learn more >>

Richmond Charter Schools include:
Aspire Richmond College Preparatory Academy (6-12)
Aspire Richmond Technology Academy (K-5)
Benito Juarez Elementary AMPS (BJE) (TK-5)
Caliber: Beta Academy (K-8)
John Henry High School AMPS (9-12)
Leadership Public Schools: Richmond (9-12)
Making Waves Academy (5-12)
Manzanita Middle (6-8)
xRichmond Charter Academy (6-8)
Richmond College Prep (PK-8)
Summit Tamalpais (7-12)
Voices West Contra Costa (TK-7, expanding to 8th over time)

Hayward, CA Charter Schools

Charter Schools with their addresses in Hayward, San Lorenzo, or Castro Valley, CA:

Hayward Collegiate Charter (TK-6)
Hayward Twin Oaks Montessori School (1-12)
Impact Academy of Arts & Technology (6-12)
Knowledge Enlightens You (KEY) Academy (K-8)
Leadership Public Schools – Hayward (9-12)
Opportunity Academy (10-12)

Alameda, CA Charter Schools

Alameda Charter Schools include:

Academy of Alameda Elementary (K-5)
Academy of Alameda Middle School (6-8)
Alameda Community Learning Center (6-12)
Nea Community Learning Center (K-12)

El Cerrito, CA Charter Schools

Invictus Academy (7-12)
Summit K2 (7-12)

Emeryville, CA Charter School

Hickman Community Charter (TK-8)

San Leandro/San Lorenzo, CA Charter School

KIPP Summit Academy (5-8)
KIPP King Collegiate (9-12)

Berkeley, CA Charter Schools

Berkeley Unified School District is not operating any charter schools in the district at this time.

Further Links for Charter School Research

Parents and educators can start their own charter schools to fill a need they believe is unmet. The process involves drafting a petition, a budget, managing a facility, and hiring personnel. Teachers must be credentialed and accountability is overseen by parents, authorizers, and the state.

California Charter Schools round-up with statistical reports, filter by county or search by school name. Website.

Charter schools are open to all students, not limited by geography. That is, Oakland charter schools are open to Berkeley residents and vice versa. When more applicants than spaces are available, a lottery system will grant admission.

Charter schools are public, tuition-free schools accountable to state and federal public education laws with extensive oversight by a local charter authorizer, which is often the local school board. There are dozens of charter schools, right here in the 510. Oakland and Berkeley area charter schools offer many choices for in-person and remote learning.

The California Charter Schools Association website reads

Charter schools offer a different approach to public school – one as unique as California’s students. Charter schools put students first and offer the personal attention, creativity, and passionate teaching that students need to learn. Public, free, and open to all, charter schools are a vital part of public education in California.

East Bay charter schools are all different. To see a complete list of charter schools in the East Bay or play with an interactive map to find one nearest your home, visit the California Charter Schools Association online.

This is a (non-interactive) map of charter school locations in our area. Click to dig in.

Note: Cities in our consideration set include: Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Castro Valley, El Cerrito, Fremont, Hayward, Newark, Oakland, Piedmont, Richmond, and San Leandro. You may find a school just over a city border works well for your family.

Thank you again to our sponsors: AIMS College Prep Charter School and East Bay Innovation Academy. 

See also the 510families Private School Guide and Preschool Guide for other great schools around the East Bay Area.

[Photos used with permission]