Cristo Rey Richmond High School, Inc.

Our vision is centered on strengthening the competence, confidence, and aspiration of students from families of limited economic means and empowering them to build fulfilling lives that advance the common good.

By providing students an extraordinary college preparatory education and a unique four year, integrated corporate work study experience, we seek to transform Richmond, one student, at a time.

From freshman year, Cristo Rey schools establish a culture of high expectations by blending rigorous academic preparation, significant professional work experience through the Corporate Work Study Program, Catholic educational values, and support for students to and through college. This unique educational model has a powerful formational impact on students—demystifying the world outside their neighborhoods, developing valuable workplace readiness skills, introducing them to inspirational role models and supportive mentors, and building the competence, confidence, and aspiration so important to college and career success.

On average, Cristo Rey students arrive in ninth grade two grade levels behind academically because, through no fault of their own, they have not had the benefit of access to quality instruction in grades K-8. To ensure Cristo Rey students graduate from high school prepared for college, our school must routinely target six years of learning gains during four years of high school. Cristo Rey schools utilize a proprietary, standards-based, college preparatory curriculum—aligned to the Common Core State Standards, the ACT College and Career Readiness Standards, and the SAT—that emphasizes lifelong learning behaviors and critical thinking skills to ensure appropriate rigor and empower student success.

Through the Cristo Rey Network’s innovative Corporate Work Study Program, Cristo Rey schools are a national leader in building a pipeline of diverse, 21st-century talent and preparing underserved youth for the demands of the growing knowledge-based economy. A team of four students shares one entry-level job at a professional organization, allowing students to earn the majority of their high school tuition while gaining real-world work experience.

The Cristo Rey Network® is the only network of high schools in the country that integrate four years of rigorous college preparatory academics with four years of professional work experience through the Corporate Work Study Program. Comprised of 37 Catholic, college- and career-preparatory schools that today serve 12,000 students across 24 states and collectively claim 18,000 graduates, the Cristo Rey Network delivers a powerful and innovative approach to inner-city education that equips students from families of limited economic means with the knowledge, character, and skills to transform their lives.

While Cristo Rey® schools are locally owned and operated, the Cristo Rey Network national office protects the integrity of the movement and advances school excellence and innovation by
-Surfacing, scaling, and standardizing effective practices across all schools through professional development offerings, convenings, and consultation in academics, college enrollment and completion, Corporate Work Study Program, performance measurement, and governance;
-Facilitating new school growth through development and implementation of a national growth plan and support for new schools;
-Supporting mission accountability – as defined by the Mission Effectiveness Standards –through school evaluations and data analysis; and
-Stewarding national branding, visibility, and fundraising.

Successful launch of school and opening in Fall 2019
FY20: 95% of CWSP jobs paid or funded, all students employed in a local company, 100 students in the inaugural class at program start, successful transition of learning format to synchronous digital daily instruction due to COVID-19 closure in 3rd Quarter.

Next: welcome new class of freshmen students, safely reopen school within COVID-19 guidelines
Launch Capital Campaign to renovate and enhance existing campus.