My children have been attending here since gradeschool up to highschool. They have truly thrived at this school. The environment is supportive, and the staff genuinely care about each student's well-being and growth. Over time, I've seen my kids develop not only academically but also in their individual talents and skills. The school offers a well-rounded experience that encourages creativity, critical thinking, and confidence. We are very grateful to be part of this community. read more

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Distinct and creative perspectives of artistic expression all the students have contributed greatly towards this project. Bravo teachers!!! read more

My two boys have been attending this school since TK, and now they are in fifth and second grade. To them and to us, this school feels like a close-knit family--warm, welcoming, and dedicated to excellence. The teachers and staff are amazing, always giving their best to support the students. Although the school is not large, every child receives attention and care, creating a safe and nurturing environment. My sons have always excelled academically and love learning, and we truly appreciate the unique qualities that make this school special. I feel so fortunate to be part of this community and hope the school continues to thrive! read more

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This school is by far the most socio-economicly diverse school in San Diego. Every group is represented at this school. A smaller school means the staff know every child individually and being across the street from the police station makes it one of the safest as well. read more

My children have been attending Urban for seven years . During these years , I have seen how my daughters have acquired great skills for their future; I am deeply grateful to the teachers who have been fundamental pieces in their journey. read more

Urban Discovery Academy - Elementary Schools Near Me - San Diego, California

Projects are always awesome! I look forward to visiting for exhibition night. Good job kids!

My daughter is in TK at UDA, and our experience has been wonderful so far. The teachers and staff are warm, friendly, and always willing to help, making us feel welcome from day one. The school's diversity among students and staff creates a vibrant, inclusive community that I deeply value. It's such a nurturing environment for my little one to learn and grow. I also love the school's smaller size--it feels more personal and less overwhelming, which has helped my daughter adjust and thrive. They're also great at listening to parents and addressing concerns quickly and thoughtfully. We're truly happy to be part of the UDA family! read more

My children have thrived at this school . One of them was a very shy one. He really didn't talk and I was a little worried, but he has since come out of his shell since attending. It's not just a school it feels like family. Very close knit and they care about each and every one of the families not just the children. read more

This is a learning community of dedicated staff who work hard to support each and every student. Students and their families are valued as everyone works together to create a positive atmosphere. read more

Recently completed our first school year (TK) and so far our family have agreed that we will be returning in the fall of 2024. We found the classroom environment to be fun, positive, project/STEAM-based which has contributed to our child'e growth in not only academics but socially and emotionally. All staff members seemed genuinely interested in the well-being of our son. That's appreciated and I felt less stress about sending him to Urban Discovery Academy. Most importantly our son loves his school and feels confident in his attendance. read more

I have two kiddos grades 5th and 7th. Attending the elementary and middle school. They have been attending UDA for over 5 years now and we are extremely pleased. The new principle Mr. Dyste gave me chills and watery eyes when he introduced himself and the vision he had for the future of both campuses the beginning of this year. What made me never question another school has been the friendships and overall community my kids have experience the past years. Now that mixed with the changes and improvements the current staff has made it truly has cultivated an amazing learning and continuously growing establishment. This is my first year being on the parent volunteer networking group and I love this group of parents! I entered the first meeting super nervous but with this personable group of people after 20 minutes we all felt very comfortable. Lauren, the head of the PVN is so cool , full of creative and clever ideas. The school events are so epic and it's because of her and the team on the PVN. The school is small, but that is what we wanted. It guarantees Mr. Dyste, Mr. Tony, Mrs. Martinez and Mr. Kevin a close eye on all of the teachers and students. It has always been a 5 star school but it's definitely exceeding 6 on its way to 7!!! read more

I almost took my daughter out of UDA High school. However I knew changing schools would be difficult. The teachers have always been great but I was hopeful that with a change of administrators this year, there would be a difference. Four months into this school year, it is like a whole new school experience for us. My daughter is happy and thriving, she has been able to take advantage of new opportunities that have been presented to her. There is just a different vibe at the school. I am thankful to her teachers that have always been a great support system for her. I look forward to my youngest son attending UDA High school. read more

My kids have been attending UDA for 4 years and it has completely changed our families lives. The teachers are hard working, committed and truly care about the families. Principal Dyste is available 24/7 and his passion shines through in everything he does. What really separates this school is the community of parents who go above and beyond to make fall festival, book fair and everything else great! I will be sending my future children to this school and recommending it to all my neighbors! read more

This is an incredible charter school in downtown San Diego. The staff and team are top notch and truly care about every student. The arts and project based learning is stellar this year! Middle school and high school are starting to attend regular field trips and be integral parts of the community! In this school, kids are not just a number, but truly considered part of the family. The curriculum is crafted carefully for each learning style read more

Beware and do your research before enrolling your child to this school. Ask for teachers credentials, ask questions about PE and Health and Safety. This is a private owned school that has no interest in educating your child. Their school standards are not monitored or regulated by the district. It's has no standards of education and in my opinion is unsafe. Please do your research. And contact the district for a list of disciplinary action against this school. read more

The urban schools are awful. I went to the one for 8th grade in person just for ONE day, kids were swearing and screaming and talked over teachers, they were on their phones 24/7 and were overall very disrespectful. The teachers obviously didn't care at all and let students trample on them. Didn't feel safe there and was uncomfortable all day, lucky to say I never went back after that mess. read more

School staff and teachers are amazing! Great atmosphere. Most importantly the students were happy and proud of their school.

Our two daughters currently attend UDA and have since they were both in TK. They are now in 4th and 2nd grade and are thriving both educationally and socially. When my wife and I were faced with picking a school, we had no idea how to pick a "good" school. Our neighbors at that time had their son attending the school and had nothing but great things to say. We went to the open house and were so impressed that the current students actually lead the tours for prospective new students and parents. The school is located downtown right across from the police station, and is in a great building with vibrant art on the walls. The school has a great welcoming feel. The staff at this school on every level is wonderful! They care about their students and it shows in everything they do. From what I have seen from teachers and supporting staff, all students are able to get the individual attention they may need. We have been at the school pre, during and post Covid and I can they still have their same core values. If you are considering schools in the downtown area, I would highly suggest visiting UDA. read more

After 3 years of my daughter attending there we will not be returning this year. Staff is a revolving door. Education is horrible. My daughter is in the 4th grade now and is struggling with basic spelling yet she constantly was graded above average on her report cards. She learned more in 1st grade there than the last 2 years. The teachers rely on apps to teach the kids. Very non hands on. Penmanship suffers, common basic spelling suffers etc. Art programs are great but the main meat of their education is lacking incredibly. ALSO, my daughter was bullied SO so much throughout the last school year. Staff did little to nothing. They went as far as to tell my daughter the student bullying her has a rough home life making her feel guilty for complaining. This past school year really pulled my daughter back emotionally, and educationally. We still have a lot of healing to do and catching up education wise. She's started the school year elsewhere already and we are excited to experience the new changes. Staff at UDA does not take responsibility and will not accept bullying complaints. Staff is also very lax on education. Hands on is great but what about spelling and penmanship and vocabulary??? It's not about the money guys, it's supposed to be about the kids. read more

This school has mixed reviews. Our experience was the same. After our children attended for 5 years we made the decision to pull them out. This school isn't very old, and the original staff that founded the school years ago was a top notch collection of motivated individuals looking to make their mark. They built an amazing school which culminated in this new downtown facility. Looking back it's clear that the downtown facility was (ironically) the beginning of the end. Two major things have happened: 1) The downtown facility costs more money (it's new - it has loans of course) and class size has been pumped way up to bring in the money. 2) The awesome folks that founded this school are more or less gone. The school is filled with high turnover and very young teachers and staff, and it shows. The pay for the teachers is about $23k less than the state average in an expensive city, so as you can imagine they are having a bit of trouble attracting the best and the brightest. It pains me to give the school a poor review, as our start with the school (years ago) was amazing, and we have many fond memories. But the last couple years have been surprisingly painful. I feel like my kids didn't learn a lot form their inexperienced and very young teachers (despite my kids' good grades). One of my kid's has two teachers in a row that had all kinds of trouble keeping their class going and motivated, and my child has suffered from the two years of minimal learning. I regret we didn't pull the kids out sooner - I guess we hung on as we initially thought the school would climb back up to its former standards. At the time of this review GreatSchools gives the school a "6" and that is probably about right. However, if you enroll your child it's a gamble as to whether they will get a good/great teacher or whether they will suffer under a very new or poor teacher. A couple side notes: The art program has been extremely good - art and performing arts teachers were top notch in 2017 - but they only account for one class in one trimester. The downtown facility is nice, but the parking situation is consistent with the rest of downtown. The children have minimal outdoor space, which is also consistent with the area. Also, because it's a charter, the students are sprinkled all around a number of neighborhoods - which is both cool and interesting and at the same time makes it harder to bond and meet other families who are commuting in. read more

I LOVE this school and I feel so grateful that both of my girls were lucky enough to be selected to attend this wonderful place. This is our third year at UDA and it's getting better and better each year. The new location is gorgeous and there are a unique variety of electives, extra curricular activities and sports. One of my daughters is in a Crossfit class and the students work out at the gym across the street. My other daughter is in a social media tech class and she loves it. Their close proximity to the central library offers a host of resources to use alongside their school work. One of my daughters has an IEP and the other one doesn't. This has given me the chance to see how both types of students are treated and I'm happy with both pathways. They are both doing great in school and UDA is really serious about helping students who happen to have learning challenges. They regularly review the IEP and change accomodations as needed. Due to this, my daughter has done much better in school than she ever has...all without the help of medication. The school feels very personal and family oriented. All of the administrative staff know my kids by name and there is a sense of togetherness. No school is perfect and I'm sure there are a few kinks at this school, but they have done a very good job at modifying things and attempting to stay as transparent as possible with the parents. I'll be sad when it's time for my kids to leave this school and go to high school. From the sports to the programs to the field trips...I can't say enough about this school. Keep up the great work, UDA!!! read more

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Urban Discovery Academy has far exceeded my hopes and expectations. My son loves school, adores his teacher and has many friends! Although I hadn't even taught him the alphabet before kindergarten started, he is reading and writing stories like a pro now! I appreciate his kindergarten teacher's (Mrs.Romero Evan) dedication and her sweetness is beyond measure. The entire staff is warm and has become our "school family." Love, The Holm Family(Grant, Tiffany, Hudson, Cruz and baby Grant) read more

Urban Discovery Academy - Beautiful Urban Discovery Academy - Elementary Schools Near Me - San Diego, California

Do not send your children here. Regretfully I did. I had read fake positive reviews and allowed my children to be tormented by a failed system of lies and unqualified untrained so called teachers. My son has irrevocable damage. The administrator is a ex construction worker who verbally attacked me after school. He has zero qualifications as a school official the teachers are teachers aids they do not have a teaching certificate they are aids! I know because I investigated their qualifications. I reported this school to the district, please review the paper trail of complaints this school has. There is a several complaints. My son witnessed his teacher vaping, bizarre behavior was reported ; eating a whole chicken off desk from his Bizarre trips other children were Witness to this behavior, physical fights took place in this class while the teacher watched and did nothing! We held a board meeting discussed in great detail my son was interrogated for hours I allowed them too because I thought it help rectify this and have this teacher be reprimanded and held accountable. .NOTHING was done! The teacher and staff retaliated against my 10 year old son! my son was bullied neglected in a hallway and abused! We hired Lawyer who investigated my sons file nothing was recorded nothing! They removed and destroyed evidence of our meeting and complaints. This horrible school needs to be shut down! Do not send your children here! My son has irrevocable damage from the abuse. read more

I wouldn't send my kids to UDA if I were you! My son was there for just 5 months and we were very unhappy. There are 30 kids in the classroom with just one teacher! The bullying is terrible! My son was constantly complaining of bullying! Lots of entitled children who think they can do whatever they want... Just like our president! And the new high school isn't much better either! The staff doesn't seem to be experienced enough and no willingness to learn how to motivate the students! read more

My sentiments echo those of several other parents, so I will keep my review brief. My child attended for one year and I have made the decision to place him elsewhere. UDA has a difficult situation, how much money they receive is linked to how many students they have based on Average Daily Attendance, but they also receive less money than a standard public school, thus suspending or expelling students runs counter to one of their income streams. With no form of punishment in place, kids quickly learn they can get away with most anything. Bullying is a legitimate concern and when I requested to have my child transferred to a different class or the children that they did not get along with moved, I was presented with a behavior program for my child that never fully materialized. The final nail in the coffin was the cancellation of the STAR program in favor of their own at the end of the year as a way to add another revenue stream. This was the experience I had, I cannot attest to how the school "used to be" only how it was during the 2018-2019 school year. As a note, the traffic pattern to pick up and drop off children is awful, they need a traffic cop during peak hours or at the very least a crossing guard because the current situation is frustrating and unsafe. read more

We had such high expectations for UDA . It took several years to get in under the lottery . My child started at uda 4 years ago in 4th grade . Now on the cusp of 8th grade we switched schools today . The experienced and wonderful teachers my child had in primary school are gone along with most of the staff of previous years . This past year the school hired only four core teachers for 7th AND 8th grade ( one for each social science , science , math and English ) . The school seems to have grown very administration heavy with a lot of front office staff with a lot of titles and a few overworked , largely inexperienced teachers with heavy loads and little control . Middle school grades were taught together. I feel the result was a less specific , less effective classroom . The result was my child having 8th grade us history as a 7th grader . When I asked why - a staff member told me it was for "retention ". It was a confession of sorts . The school ,losing students , is attempting to make it difficult to transfer as the sequence of classes is irregular enough that it raises questions from schools like the one we are now attending where my eighth grader will be sitting in 7th grade history next year . Additionally my child complained non stop about out of control classmates and boredom - in a project based school that should not be happening . The school has a bullying problem they largely ignore. We know multiple families who have left because of the lack of response. Our situation was a bit different - the school sent the police to our home late at night after an incident with my child getting so tormented by students and one of the endless subs the kids had this year who refused to intervene in the bullying .I was called but told that I don't need to come get my child - everything was ok . The purpose of the visit by the police later that night - seemingly to scare us into seeking counseling for my child by shifting the responsibility on to us than address the issues at school . There were a few teachers I did have decent communication with but I didn't feel that most teachers were communicating enough when my child was falling behind . I would get timely responses to my emails but never felt I was getting the information I needed which was the big picture of what was happening and what was due . My child is not disengaged as a student usually but last year she was profoundly distracted by the chaos around her and often struggling with organization and boredom . I often despite my best effort could not figure out what was due or Missing until things were late . Rarely did anyone contact me to tell me there was classwork my child needed to complete for example. As a teacher there is not a chance I would have not called home should my students not gotten crucial assignments in. And I definitely would not have ever let a student's parents come to exhibition night and find out that the child didn't have the project as no one bothered to follow up on missing work. It happened to us several times . This was after meetings where I thought protocols were discussed and set up for helping my child stay organized and engaged . I choose not to get involved in volunteering. I tried . As a veteran educator with a rich background - I figured I might be of use to the school and offered to talk about our experience living and building a school in South Sudan when my child was reading a book about the country or the days of the dead my area of expertise . However I never felt welcome . I found the school much more interested in catering to its donor families who attended the annual gala . We were not the only parents to say this . Lastly I was extraordinarily sad to see the school dismiss the excellent independent after School, STAR program in favor of their own at the end of the year -a way to make money . My child loved afterschool and felt safer with her teachers there than anywhere else on campus . This school seems to have become a business along the line somewhere and it is not doing the right thing for students in our opinion. read more

The school is ok I guess. I've been a student here since 2nd grade, and I've kinda had mixed experiences throughout the years. I've always had great teachers, but I haven't learned how to correctly do division and some other stuff because of teachers not explaining enough :/. i was going to give this place 3 stars, but I lowered it to 2 stars because the staff do almost nothing for bullying. they'll talk to the kids a few times, but never take any actual action against it. i came to this school to escape bullying, and I haven't really been bullied other than the thots in my class bothering me by just existing. also, they don't really teach spelling. I personally have great spelling because I roleplay online and write a lot, but other kids? nothing is done. i get that we're in middle school, but holy heck, alot of kids have bad spelling in my class. going back to the bullying topic, some of my 7th grade friends have/are leaving because of bullying!!!!!! please do something to fix how you deal with bullying because I'm slowly losing all of my friends :,). uhhh anyways,, if you find out who wrote this review please don't come after me because other than all this stuff I enjoy being here, since my teachers are really fun read more

Barely education, where the their homework assignments if you going to call this a private school in San Diego downtown why just give them homework to learn better I'm sick and tired of my nephews and niece playing video games not doing home work, whatever what way y'all teaching these kids and there's always some kids up to 8th grade fighting there you call this a private school it doesn't act like a private school y'all could do better than that, Make our community bad in San Diego down town calling this school district a private school it don't look like it when it comes to a lot kids hide their actions if being disrespectful. It don't make scenes you don't give them homework at all they come with no work sheet and nothing just empty folder with no homework I just want the kids have better education here not just giving them no homework how they going to pursue their dreams and going to college without them getting home work that's more depressing seeing this school. read more

My son has been going to UDA since the 4th grade. He is in 8th grade this year. We were very happy with the school up until this year. The entire administration is different this year, and has introduced some very strict rules for the school. (I think it's interesting that the teachers do not have to adhere to the same dress code rules as the students. I've seen teachers wearing leggings/jeggings many times, yet the students cannot wear these.) My child, who is a good student, has had detention no less than 6 times in the past few months. When I discuss the behavior that incurred the detention (which they like to call "Community Service") with the Vice President (Dr. Megan Murray), she has already made up her mind about how the student has behaved, and what punishment ensues. She will not listen to my son's side of the story with any true regard, and she interrupts him when he tries to clarify his statements. There is no negotiation whatsoever. It's a very draconian system. For example, before PE class one day, my son needed to use the restroom. By the time he was finished, the class had already left the school grounds for the park across the street. The rest of the class was about half a block ahead of my son, walking with the PE teacher (coach Farren). My son left the school grounds in order to catch up with the rest of the class. For this he got a detention, because he "left school grounds without a supervising teacher." The proper protocol was for my son to have gone to the office and asked for an adult at the school to walk him to his class. This seemed illogical and inefficient use of school time to me, until the VP told me that the school was liable if anything happened to my son. They told me they were doing it to keep my son safe. Really? My 13-year old son can't walk 1/2 a block without a teacher because he might be in danger? That same child took a trans-Pacific flight by himself a month after this incident. One other aspect I would like to stress about this school is that, although they SAY they want your child to behave like an adult and be responsible, etc, (which is wonderful), when my child voices his opinion and the teacher doesn't LIKE it, the teacher makes it clear that they don't REALLY want that kind of behavior. My son can be opinionated at times, but I feel that teachers should foster the idea of speaking your mind. I have to say that I am extremely disappointed with UDA this year. The new administration is no where near as compassionate and progressive as Ms. Kelly was. It's disconcerting to me that the administration seems to relish enforcing the LETTER of the law and not the SPIRIT of the law at UDA. From my perspective, they care more about the school than they do the students. I'm glad this is my son's last year at this school. read more

I really was hopeful that moving my son to this school would be positive. It is a beautiful school but about 3 weeks into the school year his 2nd grade teacher went on leave then finally never came back. Classroom was always out of control with a revolving door of hands off substitutes. I literally came in one day and a substitute had told my son "if he didn't know who took all his school supplies from his desk that she could not help him" and he was going to miss out on taking the test because he had no pencil or crayons. She was sitting on her cell phone....Constant bullying issues and my son has never had those problems before...My son was bored in class often, the kids are not challenged academically. I honestly think this contributes to the bullying issue, too little stimulation leaves kids bored and unruly. I actually pulled him out as of Christmas break to stop him from falling further behind! The after school program is also trying to charge me thru Feb even though he hasn't attended that school since Dec 19....lol go figure read more

Amazing school, with Remarkable teachers and Wonderful staff. We had heard a ton of good things from our friends whose children had attended there & we're finding out it's all true. This is our first year and all is super positive. From scholastic to social to parents - it's all good, no complaints. Highly recommended charter school - hope you can get it, wait list every year gets pretty long! read more

Love Love Love Love this school. This school was the best decision that I made for my kids. One of my kids has an IEP and is doing great because of the support that he gets from UDA. read more

Poor communication with a prospect family. Not sure what it's like once your in. :( Not impressed. My child will not be going there. Gave 1 star because I had too. read more

It will be the third year my kids have attended UDA. My youngest starts kindergarden this year and is SOOOOOOO excited to finally join his sibblings there. He already knows most of the teachers and the staff. They are like family to us. Not only do they give kids the best education around, but they truly care about their families. Its a loving enviorment that helps kids learn. The teachers are soooo passionate about their work and kids. They pour they're hearts into their students. Even now that my kids have gone to a new grade, they're previous teachers always stay in contact and check up on them. I couldn't ask for a better school for my family. read more

We love UDA! Incredible school with amazing staff and innovative programming.

Really love this sweet school. My daughter has seriously thrived since she started in 1st grade. She is excited to go to school EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Moving to UDA from another school was the best decision we have made. The teachers are some of the very brightest and they- along with the fabulous staff- truly love the children. I have been very impressed with the quick action on any type of bullying and the importance placed on respect, inclusion and acceptance is amazing. I can't really compare UDA to other schools academically but i know for us- it's a perfect balance of learning and fun. I feel she is being challenged while also developing an amazing joy of learning. The focus on a Project Based Learning curriculum continues to expand and I feel will only continue to get better each year (and will continue into our new High School!). I have found in other schools, communication with the parents is deeply lacking- at the expense and the well being of the kids. The communication from the top down at UDA is stellar. I really do feel I always know what is happening in every aspect of the school. My only gripe is the lack of outdoor space in our new facility (which is stunning). I don't feel like the kids have enough space to run around and get all that energy out and it's taken its toll on P.E. I know my kiddo misses having a traditional playground, as well. But I reserve hope that this space will be available in the near future :) Luckily, their daily breaks, walking field trips and community adventures keeps that longing pretty minimal. Overall, we could not be happier with the community, the education and the staff here. read more