Growing Children Charter School opened its doors in August 2002. It is an innovative neighborhood-based K-8th grade school that serves educationally disadvantaged youngsters in “Deep East Oakland.” Growing Children is committed to education equity. Its mission is to provide a rich education for those children who are low-income, immigrant, language-minority, and children of color in East Oakland, so they will become self-motivated, competent, life-long learners. In its dual-language immersion program, students learn to speak, read, and write in both English and Spanish. Their articulateness will give them the confidence and competence they need to achieve academically, culturally, socially, economically, and politically. In this way, Growing Children aims to close the opportunity gap.