Nea Community Learning Center

1900 3rd Street

School District

Alameda Unified
Grade

TK-12
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:19
Type

charter

School Map for Alameda Unified School District

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on June 03, 2024

My 6yo and 8yo love NEA and their teachers. They are both progressing very well. So far so good with K through 2nd!
Submitted by student on May 19, 2021

Nea, hollistically, is a great school for those who aren't looking for a very traditional American public school. As a K-12 school, you have a lot of diversity and as a person of color, it's very refreshing. There are a lot of opportunities for the elementary, middle, and high school students to interact. I went to Nea for high school only, and I have more to say about that experience. If you are a high-schooler who is self-disciplined and motivated to find extracurricular activities outside of the school, then this is a great place for you. If you are a student who wants to find a school that doesn't make you work for clubs, extracurricular activities, sports, competitions, programs, then you could find a better place. However, that's the traditional approach to high school and Nea compensates in so many other ways. Another con about this school is the size. It's small and things(like drama) go around quickly. The college counselling is okay. It will only prepare your students for UCs and CSUs, but it should encourage students to shoot for private universities and reach schools as well because it's well-rounded that way. Now, enough about that, here's why I love Nea. You get to take a bunch of community college classes and it looks great on high school transcripts. Not only that, but there is so much flexibility around Nea's schedule that you can commit a lot of your extra time doing programs outside of the school. We have free periods called Tree and I looove Tree. It's basically a study period, but it's your time to be productive on anything you want. Key-word: productive. Because of Nea, I used my free time to take many college classes and join programs that allowed me to nurture who I've become. Consequently, I've learned a lot of life-skills at this school like how to balance a college-level schedule that's not 1st period through 6th like traditional high schools, and how to connect with your teachers at a deeper and personal level. The teachers here are amazing(shout-out to Ms. Rickard and Ms. Heather!), and students feel like they have someone who cares about them at Nea and that's why its small size is good too. Nea is a project-based school so there are less essays than the traditional school! Anyways, if you're child is ready to facilitate their educational journey, enroll them at Nea. Since this school gave me so much freedom, I was able to explore myself beyond as a student and now I'm going to a world-elite university!
Submitted by parent on March 21, 2020

The. Best. Ever! We absolutely love NEA and are so inspired by its unique project-oriented approach where learners get to actively explore their interests and passions and are encouraged to develop into socially responsible young people. I also loved the music and art program ... and how the school worked to have interesting after school enrichment classes available on the NEA campus. It always felt good to be on campus and there was a wonderful balance of fun and academics.
Submitted by parent on February 04, 2020

Excellent. I'm very happy we chose Nea when our first was in Kindergarten. We've been heavily involved in the school and have seen some of the bad and the good. Its an amazing community that really helps make children into lifelong learners and good people.
Submitted by parent on March 20, 2019

One of the best starts to start teaching in the US
Submitted by teacher on March 13, 2019

I can't say enough great things about this school. I love the families and the overall community at Nea. It feels like family. My daughter feels safe, loves her teachers, friends, and learning. She comes home saying things like, "I had a great day, I worked to problem-solve with my tablemates." and "My teacher said I had a great day because I was really accountable." (first grade)Also, the 9 Nea Principles are the core of the school and you can see them posted throughout. The class and school focus on one principal a month. It feels like my daughter's teachers really know her and care to help her be the best student she can be. The principal (lead facilitator) is VERY good. She holds morning coffee talks monthly where parents can come check in, gather information, or just chat and ask questions. She is very approachable and kind. She is also always looking on ways to make the school better whether it's internally (creating teacher wishlists) or externally (campus beautification). I feel very fortunate to have found this hidden gem in Alameda.
Submitted by parent on October 29, 2018

Horrible. When I was first introduced the staff were my friends, but as we begin to disagree they stopped speaking. They started looking away as I dropped my kids off each day. Looking down, and avoiding me — all because I am bringing issues which we disagree on to the public forum.
Submitted by parent on October 19, 2018

Wonderful. We are new K family and we already feel apart of the community
Submitted by student on April 17, 2017

Some of my friends did not want to come but I decided to even though they did not want to. I am so glad that I did. I have had a great year and love this school!
Submitted by principal on February 23, 2016

Nea Community Learning Center is a tuition-free public charter school that provides a child-centered and empowering educational experience for over 500 learners in grades K - 12.Founded in 2009, Nea emphasizes experiential learning with a project-based curriculum, a focus on the arts, multi-age collaboration and mentorship, technology immersion, and a democratic governance model that encourages community participation from elementary through high school.Nea also offers a Career and Technical Education (CTE) program, with high school and college credit given in Industrial Technology, Business Services & Technology, and Health & Services.Nea’s graduation requirements exceed the University of California A-G requirements. Graduates must complete at least one college course, a career-oriented internship, a community-oriented senior project, and a senior portfolio.
Submitted by parent on October 15, 2015

We arrived at Nea from a very traditional school and couldn't be happier. My kids are thriving and challenged, and feel that they have some control over what happens at school. The teachers and administrators have been incredibly supportive, and you can tell that they are committed to providing an excellent education that works for all types of learners. There are some definite difference between the way things feel at the upper and lower schools, and I think that the reviews reflect this. The lower school (K-5) is fabulous, and I think the upper school is really working to improve.
Submitted by parent on June 13, 2015

My daughter had a fabulous year at Nea! I highly recommend Nea for its innovative Project Based Learning curriculum and its bright, hard working, loving staff. My daughter feels safe and happy at Nea and her confidence has grown under the thoughtful direction of her teachers. Each classroom has its own website that the teachers meticulously update each week making communication is easy and welcomed. Another benefit is that Nea is a small school. Not only do my daughter's teachers know and support her but the entire staff look out for her, as they do with each student. If you are interested in a warm, loving environment with cutting edge curriculum taught by highly skilled teachers, Nea is the place for you.
Submitted by other on June 12, 2015

My family and I moved up to Alameda three years ago. I'm was happy to find Nea for a few reasons. I have found that the Nea staff is dedicated to their students. They go above and beyond to provide the best learning experiences for their students. Secondly, I've observed the skills of the teachers that have made me confidence that my child is receiving instruction from teachers that are truly gifted at facilitating learning. Last, the administrative staff is cohesive, and they work seamlessly towards providing support to the teachers, students, and the families of the Nea community. I highly recommend Nea to anyone who cares about their child's education!
Submitted by parent on June 07, 2015

We are a CG family and figured we'd give this school a try since the one my kids are zoned for had less than stellar ratings. From day one, we noticed how unorganized the school is. From the classes to the office, everything is just chaotic. The turnover rate for teachers is ridiculously high. Bullying has been a huge issue and the school's lack of response or care is less than impressive. Having a child with special needs and an IEP, we also struggled with maintaining the standards of his IEP. He went through Paras like people change socks. One of the Paras even went as far as to curse at and belittle my child. Even though the teacher was aware of tension between my son and the Para, she self admittedly did nothing to see why. The campus is completely open to the public with a big gate that says it's supposed to be locked during the day is never closed. There have been numerous lock downs for a variety of reasons. I am not the only family who has had issues and am also not the only family who will not be returning next year. As much as we wanted to like it, that just didn't happen.
Submitted by other on June 01, 2015

This is my third year at NEA. The time that I have spent enrolled in this school has been very disappointing. The current facilitators aren't horrible, but they also aren't great. A few of them are very unprofessional and get away with it. That won't be a problem though for anyone who hasn't enrolled yet that is planning to because most of the facilitators will most likely be fired or just leave due to whatever lead to their decision making. This school lacks communication and in my opinion does not meet their standards that they claim to have for us learners. One of the many bad experiences I've had at Nea is when I was being bullied in tree and wrote the person up for JC (a process in which "The learner-run peer disciplinary council meets weekly to consider issues related to infringement of rules outlined in the Nea planner") but instead of the situation being taken care of and resolved, the whole thing was forgotten. Sadly, as far as I know I am graduating from this place that is surprisingly still a school. Honestly very ashamed of that in every way. If you're a parent and are looking for an actual high school for your child, I advise you to not get your child stuck in this place. Of course every parent and child is in different need, and I respect that, but as for me and probably others, being here for as long as I have has only ruined my academic career.
Submitted by student on May 21, 2015

Im a student in the upper school. The lower school was great and the upper school sucks. Tree is a 2 hour waste, it's so loud that I can't do my work even with headphones on. Self-guided means nothing to me, I'm here to learn so I can go to college. Students who are rude to teachers are allowed to go play with the young kid and so who wouldn't be rude if they're already rude anyway? Yeah...lets get out of class! The students have the upper hand and its not good for teachers and for me.
Submitted by parent on January 11, 2015

We have been at Nea from its beginning in 2008. Our son will enter 6th grade at Nea next year. Nea has always been a strong school in our opinion. It has a very ambitious vision, which appealed to us from the start: create a project based learning environment where students are nurtured within a caring and supportive community. There is no denying that Nea has gone through some traumatic changes. But this year has also shown that school has turned around in the best possible ways: teachers are enthusiastic to work at Nea; strong curriculum, organization and quality teaching is a high priority. Class sizes are small, even in middle school, so all teachers know the children very well and students feel like they have a real voice. The parent community is diverse, very involved and comes together through a common philosophy. But most importantly, the children I see at Nea are both emotionally and academically smart, and grow into well rounded young adults. I am happy to know that my child will be around them for a few years yet, at a moment where good peer relations are critical.
Submitted by parent on November 23, 2014

My learners are in the Lower Village, and we have been at the school since its second year. Their facilitators have been excellent every year, and the model ensures facilitators can be collaborative and creative. The administration is hardworking, organized and committed to excellence from themselves, facilitators and learners. My learners have friends who are creative, engaged kids with interests beyond the usual -- a reflection of the diverse and creative parent community. There's a theme here... If traditional school is not for you or your family, look into Nea.
Submitted by parent on October 13, 2014

We have two children that go to Nea, both very different learners, and are happy on both fronts. Our older child uses special education services and we couldn't be happier with the willingness of the school to accommodate her. When going through the IEP process, we were warned by parents in other school to be ready to fight tooth and nail for services from the school. We had the complete opposite experience. The special education department worked with her classroom teachers and everyone is willing to accommodate her in any way possible. Alternatively, our youngest has an easier time with learning and is very self-motivated. The students are given opportunities to think about and improve upon projects, sometimes revising a project several times to see how they can make it even better. Both our children enjoy school and love their teachers.
Submitted by parent on October 06, 2014

My two children have been going to Nea since it began, and I'm delighted with how responsive they are to my children's very different learning styles and needs. Having two children with diagnosed learning differences (ADHD, ADD, sequential processing), and how inclusive, flexible and creative the teaching and paraprofessional staff are with them is amazing. I love that my intelligent, playful, artistic, and imaginative children's abilities are not only recognized, but welcomed and encouraged. My son loves his robotics class, and didn't want to miss school just so he wouldn't miss that class. My daughter adores writing, now, she didn't before, she hated it, and the forward thinking facilitators have taken what used to be a closed spigot, and changed it to a deluge, to the point that she has created her own blog! The school encourages the learners to be forward thinking, democratic, care for the planet, and technologically savvy. I know my children will be able to speak up for themselves in a thoughtful and collaborative way. I believe they will be intelligent, thoughtful, compassionate and contributing global citizens who strive to always learn more. What more could I ask? Not much!