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Our History
Charters and the Modern Student

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​In the early 1990s, California authorized the development and operation of charter school across the state, marking the start of a fundamental shift in education. This new charter model, spearheaded by the late State Senator Gary Hart, shifted learning practices from standard schooling to more targeted curriculums that would better complement the needs of a modern student. Simply, charter schools provided a fresh alternative to the traditional public school model.   

Inner City Education Foundation (operating as “ICEF Public Schools”) was founded in 1999 as a not-for-profit public-benefit corporation to provide better educational opportunities to children residing in the historically underserved and low-income communities of Los Angeles. In particular, ICEF Public Schools focused on increasing academic achievement levels of “inner city” students and schools by advancing successful teaching methods and cultivating close-knit learning communities.

By 2020, there were almost 1300 charter schools across California - including three ranked in the state’s Top 10 - providing innovative and creative instruction to almost 700,000 students. Today, ICEF operates seven charter schools – six within the Los Angeles Unified School District and one within the Inglewood Unified School District - welcoming a diverse student population (65% Black / 35% Latino) from culturally rich families in search of enhanced educational opportunities.  ICEF aims to prepare students of all academic aptitudes to function successfully in all forms of career and professional endeavors and is known for its exceptional programs, collectively recognized in educational circles for academic success and higher education achievement.

"Education is the key to unlocking the world, a passport to freedom."

- OPRAH WINFREY