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Advanced Learning Academy

Advanced Learning Academy, nominated by an anonymous organization, is an elementary/middle/high school in San Antonio, Texas, that describes itself as a public district school serving learners from a primarily urban area.

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Location San Antonio, Texas

Governance Public District School

Grades Pre-Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle, High

Students 1076

Locale Urban

Principal at ALA Tech (4th-12th Grade) Stephanie Cash

Demographics

Percentage of students*

5%

English Learners

47%

Free/Reduced Lunch

19%

Students with Disabilities

African American or Black 4%

American Indian/Alaska Native —

Asian —

Hawaiian or Pacific Islander —

Hispanic or Latino 74%

White 19%

2+ Races —

Why Advanced Learning Academy was nominated

Advanced Learning Academy (ALA) is committed to providing 21st-century opportunities within a caring and open community that fosters deep thinking, problem-solving, creative design, and real-world application of learning. Students develop deep content knowledge and cutting-edge learning skills to prepare them for any and all futures they can envision. The curriculum at ALA relies heavily on Project-Based Learning, which is an approach to education that emphasizes learning through creating. Projects aren’t just replacements for tests, they’re real-world creations that start their development at the very beginning of a new unit of content. ALA is built around four commitments in service of its bold vision for a transformative educational model: deep learning, individuality, flexible design, and connection.

Student experience design

Advanced Learning Academy (ALA) lifts the ceiling on learning for all members of the educational community. ALA provides 21st-century opportunities within a caring and open community and fosters a depth of thinking, problem-solving, creative design, and real-world applications. Students develop deep content knowledge and cutting-edge learning skills to prepare them for any and all futures they can envision. The curriculum at ALA relies heavily on Project-Based Learning, which is an approach to education that emphasizes learning through creating. Projects aren’t just replacements for tests, they’re real-world creations that start their development at the very beginning of a new unit of content. ALA is built around four commitments in service of its bold vision for a transformative educational model: deep learning, individuality, flexible design, and connection.

Core Practices

Core Practices Length of Use

Community And Workforce Partnerships
5+ years

Grading Policies Focus On Mastery
5+ years

Project-based Learning
5+ years

Restorative Practices
5+ years

SEL Curriculum
5+ years

All Practices

Advancement On Mastery

Student Advisories

AI For Learning Materials

AI For Teacher Productivity

Blended Learning

Co-leadership

Flexible Staffing & Alternative Teaching Roles

Industry-recognized Credentials

Individual Learning Paths

Mental Health Services

1:1 Mentoring

Multi-tiered System Of Support (MTSS) In Academics

Multi-age Classrooms

Peer To Peer Support

Performance Based Assessment

High Quality Instructional Materials

Student-led Conferences

Students Access Their Own Data

Student-led Goal Setting

Self-paced Learning

Students Develop Projects

Tutoring

key reasons for innovating

Demonstrate what’s possible for other schools

Increase student agency

Increase teacher agency

Date Updated: 4/1/2025

*Canopy profile data is self-reported or sourced from NCES data, then verified by school leaders.