Toward a theory of critical care in urban small school reform: examining structures and pedagogies of caring in two Latino community‐based schools 1

Using in‐depth interviewing, participant observations, and the collection of historical and curricular documents, this article describes two Latino community‐based small high schools—the Dr Pedro Albizu Campos High School (PACHS) and El Puente Academy for Peace and Justice (El Puente). The authors focus on ways in which these two schools create a culture of high academic expectations for their students, value high‐quality interpersonal relationships between students and teachers, and privilege the funds of knowledge that students and their respective communities bring to school. The authors advance a theory of critical care that embodies this important combination, which is crucial if small high schools created for and by communities of color are to succeed. Finally, the implications for a theory of critical care and its impact are discussed within the framework of small urban high school reform.