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- EIN 26-0825700
- (408) 836-8058
- 4848 San Felipe Rd #150-213 San Jose CA 95135 USA
- http://www.valdesmath.org/
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Nonprofit Overview
Mission: In recent years it has become increasingly difficult for schools and teachers to provide the kind of quality education that is needed to help all students succeed academically. Since its inception in 1989, the Jose Valdes Summer Math Institute has aimed to close the achievement gap in mathematics, provide students with the necessary skills to succeed in algebra, and ideally pass calculus by the time they finish high school. But recent cutbacks have impeded both the growth of the Valdes Math Institute and the ability of the Institute to offer assistance to students of lower income families. The Jose Valdes Math Foundation was founded in 2007 to help the Jose Valdes Math Institute reach its goals. By collecting both monetary donations as well as donations of services, the Jose Valdes Math Foundation intends to support the Jose Valdes Math Institute by providing much-needed funding and man-power to provide essential services no longer supported by our local school districts. These include classroom supplies and textbooks, teacher and program assistant (PA, ie teacher assistant) professional development, year-round after-school tutoring, and summer transportation to college sites, as well as to provide ongoing office assistance for application processing and data collection/analysis.
Results: The Jose Valdes Math Institute aims to close the pervasive achievement gap in mathematics and give more Silicon Valley students the knowledge base, skills, and confidence to succeed in math and science so that they can be more competitive in the global workforce. During the late 1990’s, statistics show that over 95% of participants gained at least one grade level in math skills, 48% gained at least two, and 21% gained three or more grade levels each summer. Percentages are similar today. although due to dwindling monetary support, the number of students served has been reduced to less than half that amount. In yet another disappointing blow, in 2007 students were for the first time asked to pay a fee to help cover program costs, and this fee is only expected to increase. As a result, a great majority of the students who the Valdes Institute was initially developed to assist can no longer afford to attend. Recent student GPA and graduation data indicate that students who participate in the Valdes Math Institute far outperform their peers in high school. According to survey data collected from 17,890 ESUHSD students in February 2008, 1299 of them had completed at least one summer of the Valdes Math Institute. Valdes students had an average GPA of 2.74 compared to 2.33 for non-Valdes students. Of Valdes students, 83.4% had GPA’s above 2.0, compared to 61.7% of non-Valdes students. In addition, 83.3% of Valdes participants were on-track to graduate, versus only 63.8% of those who did not participate in Valdes.
Target demographics: Middle and High School students from the Silicon Valley area, particularly low-income and under-represented students
Direct beneficiaries per year: In its prime during the 1990’s when it was heavily funded by ESUHSD, feeder districts (Franklin McKinley, Alum Rock, Berryesa, Evergreen, and Oak Grove) as well as corporate grants, the Jose Valdes Math Institute served over 1200 students each summer, free of charge. Due to dwindling monetary support, the number of students served has been reduced to less than half that amount.
Geographic areas served: San Jose/Silicon Valley, California
Programs: Expenses associated with program services represent cost of the institute, tutoring cost and teacher training