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City High School
City High School, nominated by an anonymous organization, is a high school in Tucson, Arizona that describes itself as a public charter school serving learners from a primarily urban area.
Location Tucson, Arizona
Governance Public charter school
Grades High
Students 178
Locale urban
Principal Jessica Melrose
Demographics
Percentage of students*
19%
Students with Disabilities
50%
Free/Reduced Lunch
5%
English Learners
White 55%
Hispanic/Latino 26%
Black/African American 4%
2+ Races 11%
American Indian 2%
Asian 1%
Hawaiian National 1%
Why City High School was nominated
City High School is a purposely small school whose mission is to be a community of learns in which all members use their minds well and care about one another and engages with challenging academics and the unique resources of their city and region in order to become active citizens and responsible stewards of our world. Their ambitious academic framework includes project-based learning, personalized, competency based learning, social emotional learning, universal design learning, culturally responsive practices and literacy integration. Learning how to implement these pedagogies is an ongoing learning process that includes the use of critical friends groups, personalized, professional learning plans, embedded professional development and a presentation of learning by the adults that mirror the demonstrations of learning we ask of our students. City students demonstrate academic competencies and portrait of a graduate attributes through their classwork, interdisciplinary projects, community experiences/internships and advisory work. Their public exhibitions of learning include student-led conferences, end-of-unit exhibitions (individually by class and collaboratively the school's participation in the annual Pennington Street Fair) and end of year Gateways that include a portfolio presentation. City High School's commitment to place-based learning and community justice/equity work is threaded throughout coursework, in whole school meetings, and in student generated clubs and activities. For example, we are known in Tucson for being a welcoming safe haven for LGBTQ students and families.
Student experience design
* Inclusive, caring, supportive * Engaging, relevant * Connect to local and global social & environmental justice issues
Core Practices
| Core Practices | Length of Use |
|---|---|
|
Competency/mastery-based Education |
5+ years
|
|
Grading Policies Focus On Mastery |
5+ years
|
|
All Courses Designed For Inclusion |
5+ years
|
|
Project-based Learning |
5+ years
|
|
Restorative Practices |
5+ years
|
All Practices
Advancement On Mastery
Student Advisories
Anti-racist Practices
Assessments For Career Readiness
Assessments For Social-emotional Skills
Career Prep And Work-based Learning
Co-leadership
Community And Business Partnerships
Family And Community Support Services
Competency Framework
Culturally Responsive Practices
Early College High School
Hiring For Equity And Inclusion Values
Interdisciplinary
Mental Health Services
1:1 Mentoring
Multi-tiered System Of Support (MTSS) In Academics
Multi-age Classrooms
Multiple Opportunities To Demonstrate Mastery
Performance Based Assessment
Place-based Learning
SEL Curriculum
SEL Integration School-wide
Social Justice Focus
Student-led Conferences
Trauma-informed Practices
Universal Design For Learning
key reasons for innovating
Increase student agency
Date Updated: April 2025
*Canopy profile data is self-reported or sourced from NCES data, then verified by school leaders.