At CLAS we believe in our students. And in the ability of public schools to serve them well.

In the current system, underserved students, who have been largely classified as at-risk or underperforming are presently educated in a sink or swim environment. CLAS believes in asking and answering the difficult questions about how to differentiate instruction and how to support the cultural and linguistic needs of diverse learners while working toward student academic achievement and personal success.

Graduates of CLAS, the leaders of the 21st century, will have a well-rooted culturally-based self-concept as autonomous, productive, lifetime learners, who are part of a larger interconnected community. The individual and cultural validation that students receive throughout their studies at CLAS provides the foundation for continued success in their academic and professional lives. Habits of mind are explicitly taught alongside habits of heart, leading students to challenge themselves through self-reflection and to grow as individuals.