Today, we are excited to profile the extraordinary Jonathan Tiongco, founding principal and executive director for the Alliance Marine – Innovation & Technology 6-12 Complex (Alliance MIT) in Sun Valley, CA.
Jonathan Tiongco grew up in Los Angeles, the son of Filipino immigrants and a graduate of LA County Public Schools.
“I didn’t know that I went to low-income schools. I didn’t know that we were historically low-income and low-performing. I just knew that I was at the top,” said Jonathan. “I was one of the top students in my classes. And so, I was very fortunate to have a really successful K-12 experience.”
In his family, there was only one dream: college. When he was accepted to UCLA, it felt like destiny was fulfilled.
“I got into my dream school. It was like the college that all of my family would’ve wanted me to attend. That was the university that I knew about since age three because my uncles were huge fans of their sports programs,” said Jonathan.
Jonathan arrived on campus unprepared.
“That was the only university that I knew that I was supposed to go to. But when I got to college, it was a complete culture shock. I didn’t know how unprepared I was. It was my first real taste of failure, and I remember really struggling in my classes, feeling like it was super cutthroat,” said Jonathan.
“UCLA is when I started tasting a lot of failure, a lot of struggles with living and navigating on my own,” said Jonathan, who learned later that, like his high school graduating class, many didn’t make it to graduation. In his second year of college, he considered dropping out.
A Month of Truth at Summer Camp
Everything changed during a summer camp for underserved youth where Jonathan volunteered as a counselor for a nonprofit camp run by UCLA students.
At the end of the program, the kids burst into tears, telling Jonathan and his co-counselor they were the best counselors they’d ever had, and that they loved them.
“I just reflected on that whole week, I was working to motivate and get kids excited about school, about college, et cetera,” he said. “And all I thought, man, you’re a freaking hypocrite.”
That moment broke him open.
“It hit me — I need to recommit to doing school right,” said Jonathan.
“You’re asking these boys to give their all, not to give up, to work hard, to study, and I was thinking about dropping out,” said Jonathan. “It was at that moment that I was like, you know what, I need to recommit to doing school right. I can’t expect to motivate others unless I can motivate myself and do better.”
A Surprising Entry into Charter Schools
After graduating from college, Jonathan knew that he wanted to pursue an education career like many in his family before. He stacked jobs in nonprofit work, substitute teaching, and credentialing coursework. He wanted to make an impact.
“I wanted to specifically work in educational settings where I would serve communities like where I grew up,” said Jonathan.
When he was ready to teach full-time, LAUSD wasn’t hiring. He found a job at a small charter school, which he admittedly knew nothing about. The school was in turnaround under heavy scrutiny. In his first year of teaching, his sixth-grade English and history class became the centerpiece of the oversight visit.
“I was chosen as a key example of the transformation that the school was having and my class was highlighted for a significant portion of the oversight visit,” said Jonathan.
Jonathan remembers talk to one of the coordinators after the oversight visit and having a really long handshake afterward. This wasn’t just a routine handshake; it carried deeper meaning. Later, his principal and executive director explained to him that she was trying to “absorb Jonathan’s energy.”
“Your energy represents the passing of a baton,” they told him.
Building a School from Zero
In 2013, Jonathan joined Alliance College-Ready Public Schools as the Director of BLAST Implementation. He oversaw Alliance’s portfolio of blended learning schools, which included blended learning pilots, full-school conversions, and a Next Generation Learning Challenges grantee school. (Read more about Alliance’s founding board member and past Chairman Frank Baxter). Jonathan’s defining professional challenge and triumph then came in 2015, when he was asked to start a new school complex from the ground up in just two months.
Those two summer months were brutal. He remembers the relentless LA heat, the grind, and the uncertainty.
It was one of the hottest summers on record. Jonathan and his team handed out flyers door-to-door, in hospital waiting rooms, anywhere they could.
“I was selling this school that didn’t have a location. When families would ask me ‘Where’s your school going to be?’ my answer was, ‘We weren’t sure.'”
Still, there were families that trusted him. On the first day, 30 students walked through the doors.
“I was proud of every one of those 30 kids,” said Jonathan. “Those 30 families took a chance on us.”
The school moved five times in its first 18 months, and the families followed and grew with him. Today, Alliance Marine – Innovation & Technology 6–12 Complex is the largest non-conversion startup charter in Los Angeles. What started with zero kids is now 1,100.
In 2020, Jonathan was named Alliance College-Ready Public Schools Principal of the Year in recognition of his outstanding leadership. Under his guidance, Alliance MIT has become the fastest-growing and highest-performing school in its region of LAUSD.
Empowerment of Communities
Jonathan’s early mentors in the charter movement, “the godmothers and godfathers of charter schools,” taught him that great schools must also be strong advocates.
“Our work is advocacy… especially charter schools in LA,” he said. “A lot of it’s politics… advocating for the needs of your students, the needs of your families.” Jonathan rejects the idea that advocacy is optional. “We’ve got to do it. Our work is advocacy,” he said.
Jonathan believes advocacy must be rooted in empowerment, especially in communities of color.
“I’m a Filipino leader in a predominantly black and brown community,” said Jonathan. “I want to hear from my families… and how can I support you in advocating?”
At Alliance MIT, his team brings families with them when it’s time to speak up. Advocacy is built into daily school life. Families are often transported to advocacy opportunities in Sacramento. The school hosts almost daily parent workshops on advocacy, ESL, mental health, and more. Some families are even pursuing basically free bachelor’s and master’s degrees through a partnership with a Florida-based university.
“I think it’s more important that I support my students and my families to have the tools to really speak and advocate for themselves,” he said.
Jonathan is deeply proud of what charter schools deliver.
“Some of the best schools in America are charter schools,” Jonathan said. What frustrates him is how often the narrative fails to reflect the truth. “Charter schools should not be a partisan issue. It should be about kids.”
Educating for Democracy
“I remembered one of the first questions that was asked of me in my interview for my first year of teaching was, ‘What are your thoughts on an uneducated democracy?’” said Jonathan. “And for me, it is unacceptable. We need an educated democracy, one that empowers and uplifts our communities’ voices and improves the lives of our citizens.”
This idea continues to guide him. He also recognizes the significance of being a Filipino leader in a predominantly black and brown community.
“I recognize that I don’t look like the community, and I don’t look like the typical person in a position of power like this.” And that is precisely why he leans into empowerment.
Jonathan always said he was going to build a school good enough for his children. His daughter is finishing up eighth grade at the middle school this year.
“Our goal is to create a school where you can have a comprehensive high school experience within a more intimate setting where the kids and the staff members all know your name,” said Jonathan. “I’m just really proud of what we’ve built together.