Court Schools

Hillcrest School is part of SMCOE's Court and Community School Program and is located in the San Mateo Youth Services Center, a secure facility providing temporary care for youth who have been detained and are awaiting a hearing or a court-ordered placement. The average stay at Hillcrest is approximately 35 days.

Hillcrest School's special education staff includes a Resource Specialist, a learning center teacher and support from our school psychologist and speech-language pathologist. English learners receive specialized services and support. Instructional assistants are assigned to classes throughout the school. The curriculum is aligned to Common Core State standards and individualized so that students may progress towards a high school diploma. Hillcrest School can serve a maximum capacity of 180 students. The maximum enrollment is 20 students in a classroom with a teacher and access to Group Supervisors and paraeducators.

Margaret J. Kemp Girls Camp is also housed at the San Mateo Youth Services Center. Girls in the program attend classes at Margaret J. Kemp School in San Mateo. Kemp School is designed to serve the specific needs of girls, by providing a therapeutic environment to support the girls’ social and emotional needs while also supporting their academic growth. Students in our program develop strong educational habits such as regular school attendance, study skills and assignment completion.

Students work with teachers at Kemp School in a ratio of no more than fifteen students to one teacher. Teachers are highly qualified to teach in their subject area and specialists provide additional services in the area of English language development, special education and High School Equivalency (HSE) preparation. All teachers are aware of and are implementing a curriculum that is consistent with Common Core Standards and students are using San Mateo County Board of Education adopted curriculum. There is an active effort to assure that students have a smooth transition between county programs and back to district programs. Due to the inherent transiency of the students in the Kemp School program, consistency, collaboration and fluidity of movement between programs is essential.

Students are enrolled in middle school or high school courses and earn credits to support their educational goals. Individual student learning plans are developed upon enrollment, to assist students in achieving their identified educational goal which may include returning to a district school, earning a high school diploma, or obtaining a High School Equivalency (HSE) or California High School Proficiency (CHSPE) certificate.

In all court schools, student attendance will be monitored. Students will also participate in pre and post testing in the areas of math and language arts. Credits earned and recovered will be tallied as will the passage rates of the California High School Exam and HSE. Overall GPA, annual CELDT and STAR testing scores will be reviewed. The number of diplomas earned as well as college entrance information will be recorded. Information gathered from these sources will be used to inform and build the annual LEA Plan and School Plan for Student Achievement.

Because many entering students often function below grade level due to previous poor attendance and/or a lack of acquired skills, the educational program works to address the specific needs of each student so that academic progress can be made during his/her stay in the program. Our curriculum is California State Contents Standards-based, using textbooks adopted by local high school districts. High School Equivalency (HSE) preparation is provided for all eligible students.

Best Practices 

The Court Schools Program implements best practices for alternative education environments and provides a positive educational option for students that encourages and supports self-actualization. Our staff prides itself on student engagement. Students and staff thrive when positively engaged in the work they are doing. Our program strength lies in the relationships and rapport that staff builds with the students. We encourage students to be successful, take risks, and build positive relationships with adults and their peers on campus. The Court Schools Program provides students with a culture of caring and respect. Students come to us with a variety of needs, and we design our programming to support these needs. We hold ourselves to the same standards to which we hold students and model for them appropriate, positive behaviors. We work together to support each other through collaboration and sharing of resources, information, curriculum, and best practices. Our administration encourages risk-taking, innovation, and experimentation to discover ways to best support our student population. One of the program's goals is to foster an environment where students find value and invest in their education, not just be consumers of it. We strive to make learning relevant, and we rely on our positive relationships with students to achieve positive changes in their attitudes about education.

Highlights of the educational program include:

• Transcript analysis leading to appropriate course placement for credit toward a high school diploma
• Specialized services for English Learners and students with an Individual Education Plan (IEP)
• Credit recovery program
• On-line learning program
• HSE tutoring and testing for students who qualify
• Career Technical Education Business course option
• Workability and Work Experience Education options
• Community College connections
• Partnership with community-based organizations to provide services to support students’ well-being

Positive Academic Experiences

Students will:

• Think critically and problem solve in all subjects,
• Increase verbal and written communications skills,
• Develop technological competencies for the 21st century. 

Personal Growth and Development

Students will:

• Respect self, others, and the environment,
• Learn to be responsible members of the community,
• Take ownership of actions and choices, and cultivate new habits for success.

Successful Futures

Students will:

• Practice and develop professional and social norms,
• Explore career pathways and build employment skills,
• Make realistic plans for both career and post-secondary educational opportunities

Highlights of the educational program include:

• Transcript analysis leading to appropriate course placement for credit toward a high school diploma
• Specialized services for English Learners and students with an Individual Education Plan (IEP)
• Credit recovery program
• Online learning program
• HSE tutoring and testing for students who qualify
• Career Technical Education Business course option
• Workability and Work Experience Education options
• Community College connections
• Partnership with community-based organizations to provide services to support students’ well-being

Project Change provides wrap-around student support services, direct access to postsecondary education, and in-person college instruction for students in the juvenile justice system. The project connects students to resources and programs at the College of San Mateo, including a college readiness summer bridge program, social and academic support services, and career and technical education programs. Students have access to a variety of resources on campus to enhance success. A network of faculty and staff support students as they navigate their first year in college.

Acknowledge Alliance, formerly Cleo Eulau Center, works closely with educators and school communities to help them better understand and address the social and emotional wellness of their students. They recognize that there are many factors outside of the classroom that affect student performance inside the classroom. Acknowledge Alliance currently serves 250 educators and 3000 students at 11 local schools in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. 

Each One Reach One (EORO) began in 1997, as an advocacy organization to divert incarcerated youth and youth on probation from a life in prison. EORO believes that young people have the right to learn from the choices that landed them in a lock-down facility, and when given the opportunity and encouragement that they will take personal responsibility for building a better future for themselves. Over the past fifteen years, the organization has evolved into a unique non-profit that organizes the community to participate in diversion programs serving detained youth. 

El Centro de Libertad was created in April 1994 to meet the needs of low income Spanish and English speaking members of the community who have problems with substance abuse, alcoholism and other related problems. Staff works closely with clients to help them overcome their personal barriers to treatment. Many have learned how to live meaningful and successful lives free of addiction.

Fresh Lifelines for Youth (FLY) helps teens in trouble learn to make healthy decisions. FLY provides at-risk and disadvantaged youth with vital information regarding the decisions they make in their lives. They provide well-trained mentors who listen. And FLY gives its graduates the opportunity to advance to a leadership program where they use their knowledge and skills to give back to their communities. One of FLY's year-long programs has a striking 85% success rate. All at one tenth the cost of incarceration. 

Pupils enrolled in county community schools shall be assigned to classes or programs deemed most appropriate for reinforcing or reestablishing educational development. Such classes or programs may include, but need not be limited to, basic educational skill development, on-the-job training, school credit recovery assistance, tutorial assistance, and individual guidance activities. An individually planned educational program based upon an educational assessment shall be prescribed for each pupil. The course of study of a county community school shall be adopted by the county board of education and shall enable each pupil to continue academic work leading to the completing of a regular high school program.

The school program shall comply with the State Education Code and County Board of Education policies and provide for an annual evaluation of the educational program offerings. Students are provided a quality educational program that includes instructional strategies designed to respond to the different learning styles and abilities of students. The course of study shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

• English/Language Arts
• Social Sciences
• Physical Education
• Science
• Health
• Mathematics
• Fine Arts/Foreign Language
• Electives (including Career Education)