Grass Valley Charter

225 S. Auburn St.
Grass Valley, CA 95945

www.gvsd.us

Charter School 535 Students

Elementary School K - 8th

School Overview

Grass Valley Charter School (GVCS) is a tuition-free public charter school serving grades K–8 in Grass Valley, California. The school is widely recognized for its commitment to the "Expeditionary Learning" (EL) model, which emphasizes high academic achievement through hands-on, inquiry-based projects. Rather than relying solely on traditional textbooks, students engage in long-term "expeditions" that connect curriculum to real-world issues, often involving community field trips, expert guest speakers, and public exhibitions of their work.

Central to the school's philosophy is a focus on "character, scholarship, and craftsmanship." The community-centered culture fosters an environment where students are encouraged to take ownership of their education, collaborate with peers, and develop a sense of responsibility toward their environment and society. By prioritizing social-emotional learning alongside rigorous academics, Grass Valley Charter aims to produce well-rounded, critical thinkers who are prepared for the challenges of high school and beyond.

535

Total Students

22.0

Full-Time Teachers

24.3

Student/Teacher Ratio

33.8%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Grass Valley Charter
Demographic	Student Count
White	436
Hispanic	47
Black	3
Asian	11
Two or More	36
American Indian	2

White
436 (81.5 %)
Hispanic
47 (8.8 %)
Two or More
36 (6.7 %)
Asian
11 (2.1 %)
Black
3 (0.6 %)
American Indian
2 (0.4 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Charter School
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	N/A
District:	Grass Valley Elementary
Phone:	(530)273-8723
Website:	http://www.gvsd.us
Grade Range:	K - 8th
Total Students:	535
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	22.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	24.3
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	176
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	5

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Kindergarten 81

Grade 1 56

Grade 2 55

Grade 3 63

Grade 4 58

Grade 5 53

Grade 6 58

Grade 7 55

Grade 8 56