Cristo Rey Orange County High School

Cristo Rey Orange County High School is a Catholic learning community that educates young people of limited economic means to become men and women of faith, purpose, and service. Through a rigorous college preparatory curriculum, integrated with a relevant work study experience, students graduate ready to succeed in college and in life.

Cristo Rey Orange County High School is located in Santa Ana, CA, and is part of the national Cristo Rey Network. Cristo Rey schools use a rigorous academic model, supported by best practices in instruction and assessment, to prepare students with a broad range of intellectual abilities for college and life. Further, Cristo Rey schools employ an innovative Corporate Work Study Program that provides students with real world work experiences. In this unique model, every student works an average of five days a month to fund the majority of the cost of his or her education while gaining job experience, growing in self-confidence, and realizing the relevance of this education. Students work in various corporate and business settings including law firms, banks, hospitals, universities, and with other professional organizations. Cristo Rey opened its doors to its inaugural freshmen class in the fall of 2023 as the 39th Cristo Rey school nationally.

Cristo Rey exclusively serves students with limited economic resources, generally those eligible for the free-reduced lunch program. The school seeks to expand access to a faith-based, Catholic education for students who would otherwise be unable to afford one. There is no admissions test, but an application and interview process that prioritize students with grit, resilience, and goals. Our model of high expectations and high support empowers students to succeed by bridging the opportunity gap and customizing personal and professional development for each student.

Cristo Rey students graduate with four years of real-world work experience. Many enter high school 1-2 years behind grade level. Nationally, 99% of Cristo Rey graduates are accepted to college and 87% of graduates enroll in college, which is the same rate as students from the highest income quartile. They are 2.5x more likely to graduate from college than their socio-economic peers.

During our first school year, Cristo Rey served an inaugural freshman class of 69students, partnered with 29 Corporate Work Study partners to employ all our students, and raised $6M+ to fund operations and capital needs for our first school year.

During the 2026-27 School Year, we will:
Establish Our Permanent Campus: Move into our permanent campus facility in August, enabling us to serve up to 500 students.
Expand Our Corporate Work Study Program: Grow our Corporate Work Study partnerships to serve more than 100 additional students by August. These corporate partners invest in a proven national model while developing the next generation of Orange County’s workforce and leaders.
Provide Life-Changing Scholarships: Ensure a scholarship for more than 100 freshmen by the first day of school. Scholarships bridge the gap between students’ Corporate Work Study earnings, family contributions, and the full cost of our rigorous, college-preparatory education—making opportunity accessible regardless of financial circumstances.

Orange County, CA, focused primarily on Santa Ana, Anaheim, Garden Grove.

As a school without the traditional bases of support in parents and alumni, we rely on generous new friends to provide the financial support, corporate connections, and expertise to thrive. We welcome your interest and questions as we work to empower students to succeed on their paths to college, career, and heaven.

We're set to welcome a new class each year, with a goal of growing to 400 - 500 students at full enrollment completing a high school of 9th - 12th graders. Our mission goes beyond high school graduation -- we're committed to seeing our students through college completion, breaking the cycle of poverty through education and opportunity.