Project Overview

Education for Change (EFC) has been a fixture in the lower Fruitvale neighborhood since 2005. The schools EFC operates have been rooted in this neighborhood since as early as 1910, including Latitude High School 37.8.

EFC operated Epic Middle School at the site, which was under a sublease with Caltrans, the owner at that time. EFC purchased the abandoned adjacent lot in order to provide after school recreational space. They eventually purchased the Caltrans site as well. Starting in late 2020, PCSD supported the entitlement process and major rehabilitation of the existing buildings and site. The school site, now occupied by Latitude High School 37.8, boasts over 30,000 square feet of learning space for some of Oakland’s most impacted and deserving students and families.

Improvements to the site include seismic upgrades to current standards, ADA upgrades, acoustical treatments to enhance the learning environment, the addition of electric vehicle charging stations, and the reconfiguration of classrooms and spaces to accommodate open and collaborative learning environments. The site also has new, energy efficient, LED lighting and HVAC systems, both of which can be monitored and controlled by staff via smartphone. The installation of a new servery will facilitate their lunch program, which serves a majority of students who are eligible for the free- and reduced-price lunch program.