Jaime Escalante, A man who entered a school to teach the subject of computer science, ended up teaching math at James A. Garfield High School in East Los Angeles in the early 1980s. Numerous Latino students from working-class families attended the school, and their academic performance is below grade level. Upon his return from his first day, he finds that the recorder equipment was stolen from his car.
Escalante plays on the children's sense of humor as he shows them how to multiply numbers with their fingers. Latecomers Angel and another mobster pose questions about Escalante's legitimacy. Gangsters threaten Escalante after class. He puts an end to the mobster’s gang brawl after school. Then he describes himself as a "one-man gang" who operates solely in the classroom. Escalante informs the kids that he has chosen to instruct them in algebra.
Escalante discovers at a conference that the school's accreditation is in jeopardy because of low test scores. According to Escalante, kids will perform at the level demanded of them. Every morning, a new student is added to the class, and Escalante administers a quiz to the students.
Angel’s friend calls him to come out, he hesitantly leaves the classroom, and Escalante notices. Later, Angel regrets his mistake and says he can’t haul those homies like that when they call and doesn’t want to portray himself as intelligent in front of them. Also, he asks Escalante for books to learn. As a result, Escalante offers him three books to keep
One in his locker, one at home, and one at school; hence, no one notices Angel transporting books.
One of Escalante's students, Anita, decides not to go to school, and her father forces her to work as a waitress and temporarily manage their hotel. Escalante tries to convince her father to let her continue her schooling, but he is unsuccessful. The school's head of faculty examines Escalante's class the following day, and he is pleased to see that his students are adept at math. Anita returned to the class that day.
Escalante informs the other academics of his desire to instruct the students in calculus. He has seen the untapped potential of his class and wants to change the atmosphere at the school to help the kids succeed academically. Since the students have not met the qualifications, other professors make fun of Escalante. Students, according to Escalante, can take necessary classes throughout the summer. By the conclusion of their senior year, he wants every student to have taken Advanced Placement Calculus.
Over the summer, the students register for the necessary courses. Escalante instructs the students despite the lack of air conditioning, providing oranges and encouraging them to pay attention so they can earn better careers and go on vacation. He gives the students contracts in the autumn, which the parents must sign. To prepare for the AP Calculus exam, they must attend class on Saturdays, show up an hour early, and remain until five o'clock.
One of the students, Pancho, Says that he is not ready to attend those classes as his uncle has offered him a job where he can get a better payoff. Escalante takes him on a ride and teaches him that all he can see are the twists but not the road ahead. He begins going to class.
Elizabeth gets irritated when she sits inside the class and sees other students coming to school late at school’s regular time. Escalante helps her in her hard times. He bases his lessons on “ganas", translated as "desire," and refers to a philosophy. Angel comes late to class, and Escalante asks him to go out. Escalante is not ready to listen to any of his reasons. Angel gets pissed off and leaves the classroom. Later on Christmas Eve, Angel brings his grandma to Kimo’s home, and she explains that Angel got late to class just because he was taking her to the hospital.
Escalante instructs students in an ESL class two weeks before the pupils' exam. He stumbles down the corridor, falls, and clutches at his torso in agony. A substitute teacher is hired for the pupils while Escalante is recovering in the hospital, but the substitute teacher teaches music. Escalante leaves the hospital shortly after and enters the classroom to resume teaching. Then his students took their exams. The students go to the beach to celebrate after the test. All 18 students have passed their exams. Escalante receives a certificate of appreciation at a gathering to congratulate the students.
The Educational Testing Service ( E.T.S. )questions the students' exam results, much to Escalante's and the student's dismay. Based on the unusual agreement of incorrect E.T.S. doubts the scores of cell students at Garfield with such results. E.T.S. thinks they have cheated because they all had the same wrong answers. E.T.S. asks those students to agree that they have cheated, and the students deny something that they never did. The next day, Escalante discovers an anonymous resignation letter in his school mail; also, his automobile is stolen from the school's parking lot.
Escalante has to walk home that evening. He confides to his wife that he is sorry he taught the pupils calculus since, despite their success, nothing has changed for them. He is appalled by this. The male students of the class arrive at Escalante's home with a car they have patched up for him as a gift.
Escalante meets with the Educational Testing Service investigators, debates with them, and then offers to have the kids retake the exam. All the pupils succeed despite having only one day to prepare, and Escalante requests that the initial scores be submitted again. The students came up with the same results. In 1984, Garfield H.S. had 63 students pass the A.P. calculus exam.
