Why OTA?
Why Old Town Academy?
Old Town Academy is a K-8 charter school that prepares the leaders, innovators, and problem solvers of tomorrow through rigorous Core Knowledge academics, hands on Project-Based Learning, and character building education. Our results are not a matter of opinion. Independent reviewers rank OTA among the top 10% of public schools in California, and our students prove it every year.
Recognized Among the Best
- Ranked #3 Best K-8 Charter School of 39 in San Diego
- Ranked #51 Best K-8 Charter School in America, out of 8,150
- Ranked #103 Best Public K-8 in America (Niche.com)
- Ranked #113 Best Charter Middle School in America
- Top 10% of California public schools by overall ranking
- 9 out of 10 rating for supporting strong academic outcomes
Academics That Outperform
On the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress, OTA students score well above the state average, year after year.
- 11.79% above the state average in English Language Arts
- 18.43% above the state average in Mathematics
- Top 20% of California public schools in ELA and Math
- Top 10% in California in Science
- Top 20% overall academically
Students Grow Here
The state does not only measure where students land. It measures how far they climb, and OTA earns its strongest marks for growth on the California School Dashboard.
- Science: Blue, the highest performance level the state awards
- English Language Arts growth: Accelerated
- Mathematics growth: Exceptional
More Results for Less
Top 10% outcomes do not require a top 10% budget. OTA spends $12,251 per student, compared to the California median of $18,396. That is $6,145 less per student, and we reinvest the difference where families feel it most: smaller classes, enrichment, and personalized support.
What Makes OTA Different
At Old Town Academy, the focus is on Core Knowledge, Project-Based Learning, and Digital Literacy. Students apply what they learn to real, hands on work, and technology becomes a tool for creating rather than just consuming. Robotics and Music round out the coursework, alongside an extensive enrichment program that ranges from chess and violin to soccer and STEM.
Just as important is who our students become. OTA is a uniform school built on 11 Guiding Principles: communication, collaboration, curiosity, courage, responsibility, reflection, persistence, integrity, compassion, transparency, and accountability, expected of every student, family, and staff member. With classes capped at 30 students, every child is known and no one gets lost.
A Community That Serves
OTA is one of only 202 Purple Star Schools in California, recognized by the state for the way we welcome and support military families. Thirty military families call OTA home, and in the 2025 to 2026 school year we are partnering with the Veteran's Aspire Center on four shared events. Ours is an involved family community that both fosters, and is supported by, the school.
Old Town Academy at a Glance
- Grades: K-8
- Enrollment: 212 students
- Capacity: 270 students
- Maximum class size: 30 students
- Per student spending: $12,251
- Socioeconomically disadvantaged: 29%
- English learners: 8%
- Charter authorizer: San Diego Unified School District
We are the leaders of tomorrow, with the skills to be collaborators, communicators, critical thinkers, and problem solvers. Come see it for yourself.