Jaime Escalante

Jaime Escalante - Teacher, Birthday and Facts

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Jaime Escalante Biography Stories 

Jaime Escalante's Personal Details

Jaime Escalante was a celebrated Bolivian teacher and one of the most famous educators in America during 1980s and 1990s

InformationDetail
BirthdayDecember 31, 1930
Died onMarch 30, 2010
NationalityAmerican
FamousMiscellaneous, Educators, Teacher
SpousesFabiola Tapia
Known asJaime Alfonso Escalante Gutierrez
ChildrensFernando, Jaime Jr.
Universities
  • California State University
  • Los Angeles
  • Pasadena City College
Birth PlaceLa Paz
Born CountryBolivia
GenderMale
FatherZenobio Escalante
MotherSara Escalante
Sun SignCapricorn
Born inLa Paz
Famous asTeacher
Died at Age79

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Jaime Escalante's photo

Who is Jaime Escalante?

Jaime Alfonso Escalante Gutiérrez was a celebrated Bolivian teacher and one of the most famous educators in America during 1980s and 1990s. He began teaching mathematics to troubled students in a Los Angeles school and became famous for leading many of them to pass the advanced placement calculus test. Born to teacher parents, he realized that his true passion was teaching and following in their footsteps, he became an educator as well. Later, he left Bolivia in search of a better life but upon arriving in America, he learned that his teaching credentials were not sufficient to teach there. So he earned another bachelor's degree plus an American teaching certificate in order to become an educator. As a teacher, he strove to bring his kids to their full potential, working with them to help them understand mathematics. He is best remembered as the mathematics teacher at Garfield High School who led a group of students to excel at complex subjects such as advanced algebra, trigonometry, and calculus. A group of his students passed the advance placement exam in calculus for the first time in the history of the school—one of his greatest achievements as a teacher. He saw the potential in his students that other teachers had failed to see before, and pushed them to amazing heights.

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Childhood & Early Life

He was born on December 31, 1930 in La Paz, Bolivia, to Zenobio Escalante, and his wife, Sara Escalante, both of them elementary teachers. He had three siblings: two sisters and one brother.

He received his early education from San Calixto, a prestigious Jesuit high school where he developed a keen interest in mathematics and engineering.

Later he attended a college at Normal Superior in order to become a school teacher. In 1960s, he left Bolivia to seek a better life in the United States and obtained an Associate of Arts degree from the Pasadena City College in 1969.

He got enrolled at the California State University, Los Angeles, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1972. Eventually he obtained his teaching credentials from the California State University and the Florida State University.

Career

After obtaining his teaching credentials, he was appointed as a teacher at the Garfield High School in East Los Angeles, California, in 1974. He found himself in a challenging situation, teaching mathematics to troubled students in a rundown school known for violence and drugs.

Instead of gearing his classes to poorly performing students, he offered to teach them advanced placement calculus and started an advanced mathematics program with a handful of students.

In 1982, he came into national spotlight when his largest class till then, consisting of 18 students, took and passed an advanced placement test in calculus. However, the students were accused of cheating in the test to which he responded furiously.

He believed the scores had been challenged because they came from Hispanic students at a poor high school. The students were later vindicated when some of them agreed to retake the test and passed a second time.

Over the next few years his calculus program continued to grow but he received threats and hate mail from various individuals. By 1990, he lost the chairmanship of the mathematics department. The following year, he left Garfield and got himself a job at the Hiram W. Johnson High School in Sacramento, California.

But at the new job he did not seem to find the same level of success he had at his previous post and therefore, he took retirement from teaching in 1998.

In 2001, after many years of preparing teenagers for the advanced placement calculus exam, he returned to his native Bolivia and taught at ‘Universidad Privada del Valle’.

Awards & Achievements

In 1988, he was awarded the ‘Presidential Medal for Excellence in Education’ by the then President Ronald Reagan.

In 1998, he received the ‘Free Spirit Award’ from the Freedom Forum, and also won the ‘Andrés Bello Prize’ by the Organization of American States.

In 1999, he was inducted into the ‘National Teachers Hall of Fame’.

In 2002, he became a member of the ‘President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans’.

In 2005, he was presented with ‘The Highest Office Award’ by the Center for Youth Citizenship. The same year, he was conferred with the title of ‘Best teacher in North America’ by the Freedom Forum.

He has also received several honorary degrees from prestigious universities around the world such as the University of Massachusetts, California State University, Concordia University, University of Northern Colorado, and Wittenberg University.

Personal Life & Legacy

While at Normal Superior, he met Fabiola Tapia, and the couple married on November 25, 1954. They were blessed with two sons; Jaime Jr., born in 1955, and Fernando, born in 1969.

He died on March 30, 2010, in Roseville, CA, at the age of 79, after suffering from bladder cancer. He was buried at Rose Hills Memorial Park, Whittier Lakeside Gardens.

The 1988 Hollywood film, ‘Stand and Deliver’, is inspired from his life and times as a teacher, and how he changed the lives of his students.

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Jaime Escalante biography timelines

  • // 31st Dec 1930
    He was born on December 31, 1930 in La Paz, Bolivia, to Zenobio Escalante, and his wife, Sara Escalante, both of them elementary teachers. He had three siblings: two sisters and one brother.
  • // 1954
    While at Normal Superior, he met Fabiola Tapia, and the couple married on November 25, 1954. They were blessed with two sons; Jaime Jr., born in 1955, and Fernando, born in 1969.
  • // 1969
    Later he attended a college at Normal Superior in order to become a school teacher. In 1960s, he left Bolivia to seek a better life in the United States and obtained an Associate of Arts degree from the Pasadena City College in 1969.
  • // 1972
    He got enrolled at the California State University, Los Angeles, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1972. Eventually he obtained his teaching credentials from the California State University and the Florida State University.
  • // 1974
    After obtaining his teaching credentials, he was appointed as a teacher at the Garfield High School in East Los Angeles, California, in 1974. He found himself in a challenging situation, teaching mathematics to troubled students in a rundown school known for violence and drugs.
  • // 1982
    In 1982, he came into national spotlight when his largest class till then, consisting of 18 students, took and passed an advanced placement test in calculus. However, the students were accused of cheating in the test to which he responded furiously.
  • // 1988
    In 1988, he was awarded the ‘Presidential Medal for Excellence in Education’ by the then President Ronald Reagan.
  • // 1990
    Over the next few years his calculus program continued to grow but he received threats and hate mail from various individuals. By 1990, he lost the chairmanship of the mathematics department. The following year, he left Garfield and got himself a job at the Hiram W. Johnson High School in Sacramento, California.
  • // 1998
    But at the new job he did not seem to find the same level of success he had at his previous post and therefore, he took retirement from teaching in 1998.
  • // 1998
    In 1998, he received the ‘Free Spirit Award’ from the Freedom Forum, and also won the ‘Andrés Bello Prize’ by the Organization of American States.
  • // 1999
    In 1999, he was inducted into the ‘National Teachers Hall of Fame’.
  • // 2001
    In 2001, after many years of preparing teenagers for the advanced placement calculus exam, he returned to his native Bolivia and taught at ‘Universidad Privada del Valle’.
  • // 2002
    In 2002, he became a member of the ‘President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans’.
  • // 2005
    In 2005, he was presented with ‘The Highest Office Award’ by the Center for Youth Citizenship. The same year, he was conferred with the title of ‘Best teacher in North America’ by the Freedom Forum.
  • // 30th Mar 2010
    He died on March 30, 2010, in Roseville, CA, at the age of 79, after suffering from bladder cancer. He was buried at Rose Hills Memorial Park, Whittier Lakeside Gardens.

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Jaime Escalante's FAQ

  • What is Jaime Escalante birthday?

    Jaime Escalante was born at 1930-12-31

  • When was Jaime Escalante died?

    Jaime Escalante was died at 2010-03-30

  • Where was Jaime Escalante died?

    Jaime Escalante was died in Roseville

  • Which age was Jaime Escalante died?

    Jaime Escalante was died at age 79

  • Where is Jaime Escalante's birth place?

    Jaime Escalante was born in La Paz

  • What is Jaime Escalante nationalities?

    Jaime Escalante's nationalities is American

  • Who is Jaime Escalante spouses?

    Jaime Escalante's spouses is Fabiola Tapia

  • Who is Jaime Escalante childrens?

    Jaime Escalante's childrens is Fernando, Jaime Jr.

  • What was Jaime Escalante universities?

    Jaime Escalante studied at California State University, Los Angeles, Pasadena City College

  • Who is Jaime Escalante's father?

    Jaime Escalante's father is Zenobio Escalante

  • Who is Jaime Escalante's mother?

    Jaime Escalante's mother is Sara Escalante

  • What is Jaime Escalante's sun sign?

    Jaime Escalante is Capricorn

  • How famous is Jaime Escalante?

    Jaime Escalante is famouse as Teacher