California group that runs 30 charter schools shares in Oprah’s $6M public education gift

Calif. charter schools get $1M nod on ‘Oprah’

OAKLAND, Calif. — An Oakland nonprofit that operates 30 charter schools in California is being recognized with a $1 million donation from Oprah Winfrey’s Angel Foundation.

Aspire Public Schools was one of six public school reform groups honored with grants from the talk show host Monday.

The charter school network serves nearly 10,000 students in East Palo Alto, Modesto, Oakland, Stockton, Sacramento and Los Angeles.

The gift came during a show Winfrey devoted to a new documentary about public education called “Waiting for Superman.”

Summit Preparatory Charter High School in Redwood City, one of the schools featured in the film, also was singled out for praise on Monday’s “Oprah.”

The other charter networks that received grants are in Philadelphia, Chicago, Houston, Denver and New Orleans.