- Cal Prep was co-founded by Aspire Public Schools and UC Berkeley in 2005.
- College for Certain
- The goal of Cal Prep is to serve groups that are not often represented on college campuses and higher education.
- Originally Cal Prep was in Oakland, CA sharing a site with Berkley Maynard Academy (BMA) and served grades 6-8. After three years, Cal Prep moved to Berkeley, CA and transitioned, overtime, to a high school. In 2015, Cal Prep was able to open a new facility in Hilltop and served grades 6-12 (started in fall of 2016).
- Cal Prep is a college prep school that offers college readiness to all students. All students should graduate from Cal Prep with the ability to be successful in college or a career out of high school
- Dedicated, well trained staff
- Investment in the community
- Focus on student growth
- Focus on Socioemotional Learning through the RULER curriculum
- Supporting African American families and students
- Transportation to school from other parts of the East Bay
- Language barriers between staff and families