Ace Inspire Academy, San Jose CA

Original Research by School Decision on Ace Inspire Academy

ACE Inspire Academy is a charter middle school serving grades five through eight in San Jose. The school's most immediate shift for families is the elimination of its lottery admissions process: beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, any family completing the enrollment process is guaranteed a seat, removing the uncertainty that previously surrounded admissions.

The student body is predominantly Hispanic and economically challenged. The vast majority qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Enrollment is small, with roughly the size of a traditional middle school across the four grade bands. The school receives Proposition 28 funding for dedicated arts and music programming, a state-backed enrichment commitment.

On state assessments, the school's proficiency results are low across all tested subjects and grade levels. In English language arts, proficiency ranges from the lowest to mid-teens across the grade band, with eighth grade performing highest. Mathematics shows similarly low proficiency in the lower grades and a slight uptick in the higher ones. Science proficiency, tested in grades five and eight, is also low. When all tested subjects and grades are combined into an overall measure, the school's proficiency index sits in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Santa Clara County.

The specifics matter for a parent considering this school. The data comes from the 2024-25 school year and represents the school's most recent and only reported year; no prior-year comparisons are available. The school is small, which shapes both experience and constraint. It occupies a neighborhood setting in San Jose's East Julian corridor, an area of mixed residential and commercial use with strong Hispanic presence and working-class character. Housing costs in the zip code are above state and national benchmarks, though rents have been rising modestly and home values have edged down slightly.

The school's mission centers on middle grades, where students often need clear pathways and consistent academic support. ACE's documented strength in arts and music funding suggests an attempt to broaden the learning environment beyond core academics, which can matter for engagement in the middle years. The shift to open enrollment means families no longer face a gatekeeping barrier and can plan with certainty.

Parents evaluating this school should understand that the low test proficiency is a real signal of academic challenge. The school serves a student population with substantial economic need and likely includes students working to catch up academically. A parent may want to look into further conversation with the school about the instructional approach to reading, math, and science, and about how the school structures support for students who enter below grade level. The school's size and charter status mean it operates with its own governance and hiring; understanding the leadership team and staff stability would be relevant to a family considering enrollment.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 57%

School 7% · district not reported

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 40 pts below county median

Grade 631%

School 31% · district not reported

even with state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 79%

School 9% · district not reported

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 36 pts below county median

Grade 822%

School 22% · district not reported

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 17 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 514%

School 14% · district not reported

▼ 31 pts below state median · ▼ 43 pts below county median

Grade 611%

School 11% · district not reported

▼ 33 pts below state median · ▼ 47 pts below county median

Grade 717%

School 17% · district not reported

▼ 29 pts below state median · ▼ 40 pts below county median

Grade 825%

School 25% · district not reported

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 28 pts below county median

Science

Grade 57%

School 7% · district not reported

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 36 pts below county median

Grade 813%

School 13% · district not reported

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

This schoolDistrict average, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.