In the summer of 2023, after a decision that the San Mateo County Community School, Gateway, would remain open, the County Office of Education (COE) engaged in a process to identify challenges in the current program and begin a redesign process. This report serves as a complement to that process and provides specific recommendations for a new program design for the County Community School, aligned with the COE’s vision and goals.

The conclusion of our research is that there is an incredible opportunity in San Mateo County to redesign the county community school as a flexible, COE-run Middle College program, housed at the College of San Mateo (CSM) in collaboration with CSM and Project Change. As our report details, this alternative model addresses the huge challenge currently faced by Gateway of trying to provide diverse programming for a very small number of students because the model would allow the students to take advantage of many programs and resources at CSM, from technical classes to English language support to student affinity groups. The model also addresses a second, equally important concern—the need for a program that inspires students to make changes in their lives and helps them to see an alternative future. A program housed at CSM would do both in the most literal way—by allowing students to be in the physical space of a positive educational future, and, through Project Change, provide the mentorship and role models that are so critical to being able to imagine that future.

The College of San Mateo is home to Project Change, the oldest community college program in the state that supports formally justice involved students. Project Change is now being replicated throughout the state through the Rising Scholars program. At CSM, the program is well established and well-resourced, as detailed in Section IIF. The college itself also has an incredible diversity of resources. (Project Change and CSM programs are further detailed in Appendix C.) These resources present a unique opportunity to provide a much more extensive, robust and individualized program for students at Gateway without expending significant additional resources.

Our report contains some recommendations that can and should be implemented prior to a move to CSM. However, we conclude that a move is necessary to fully realize true change at Gateway. That is not only because of the tremendous resources that a move to CSM unlocks, but also because of how the experience that being physically present on a college campus could impact Gateway students. This was a consistent theme in our discussions with the Student Leadership Cohort, students who have been in the juvenile justice system but are now in college. The experience of being physically present on a college campus and having access to the role models that are on those campuses is transformative.

The full report contains 1) a summary of our key findings and proposed program plan; 2) a summary of our research and recommendations, organized by theme from the National Equity Project Report and 3) a detailed program plan for a reimagined COE program housed at CSM.