Who We Are

Education for a bright future

Our Mission

As a leader in Mandarin Immersion education, we nurture our inclusive and diverse community to become empowered, engaged, and outstanding global citizens.

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our Strategy House

Our Values

Our core values help us achieve our mission and guide our school community.

Integrity

光明磊落,品质高尚

Having a strong moral character
“We are honest, authentic, trustworthy, and accountable.”

Perseverance

勤勉而行,奋勇而进

Striving with diligence and courage
“We dream big, work hard, and never give up.”

Empathy

彼此关爱,真诚理解

Caring with deep understanding
“We connect to each others’ perspectives, feelings, and experiences.”

Wisdom

博学自省,不断成长

Learning and reflecting to grow
“We explore the world with curiosity and deepen our learning with self-awareness and critical thinking.”

Yu Ming Graduate Profile

Yu Ming envisions self-awareness, global awareness, problem-solving, and effective communication to be skill areas developed by every graduate. Beyond mastering content, Yu Ming students learn to do the following:

KNOW themselves deeply through constantly reflecting on new knowledge and experiences

CONNECT with people around them by fostering and nourishing positive relationships

DO service for the greater good after coming to their own conclusions on real-world solutions

COMMUNICATE using language to have powerful impact on a diverse range of audiences via multiple modalities.

Our History

2010

Yu Ming is founded. Yu Ming, California’s first Mandarin Immersion public charter school is founded by a diverse group of families.

2011

Yu Ming opens with 100 Kindergarten and 1st grade students. Yu Ming opens in Oakland Chinatown.

2014

Yu Ming students perform at the top.  Yu Ming achieves a California Academic Performance Index (API) score of 944 (out of 1000) in its first year of state testing

2015

Yu Ming’s Charter is renewed. Yu Ming’s charter renewal is unanimously approved by the Alameda County Office of Education

2016

Middle School grades are open. Yu Ming launches an innovative Middle School model built on personalized, project-based, social emotional learning, and bilingual education.

2017

Yu Ming continues to outperform most schools in the city, county, and state. Yu Ming achieves the highest possible rating in the new California School Dashboard

2018

The first graduating class starts their 8th grade year. Yu Ming fully expands to K-8 with the first graduating class of 8th graders

2019

Yu Ming receives local, state and national recognition. The school is recognized as a 2019 National Blue Ribbon School and a 2020 California Distinguished School. Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf issues a mayoral proclamation naming Monday, November 18, 2019 “Yu Ming Charter School Day” in Oakland. The lower school’s playground is rebuilt and beautified thanks to a partnership with Blue Shield of California and KaBOOM!

2021

Yu Ming receives top rating from US News. Yu Ming is recognized as one of the top charter schools in the state of California. US News and World Reports Scorecard.

2022

Yu Ming gets national spotlight in a New Yorker feature article showcasing our inclusive approach to public education and track record for closing the opportunity gap. We are featured in two research studies demonstrating that high quality Mandarin Immersion programs like Yu Ming promote social justice and educational equity.

2023

Yu Ming receives a second time the California Distinguished School award.