By Jamar Younger
Charter school enrollment has been trending upward for the past 20 years, with charters now serving 17 percent of Arizona’s public school students, a 6 percent increase over FY16.
The trend is set to continue after the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools approved the applications of five new charter schools that are set to open next August. The Board approved the new schools during its regular meeting on Monday, Dec. 11.
These new charters will provide a range of options for students, from STEM curriculums to a dual language immersion program.
The schools will serve about 700 students total, many from low-income neighborhoods in the Phoenix area and Tucson. The Arizona Charter Schools Association provided support for these schools by reviewing their applications, conducting mock interviews and giving guidance throughout the process.
The schools include:
- Da Vinci Tree Academy will aim to provide a challenging, well-rounded learning environment for its students, with a focus on the STEM areas. Da Vinci Tree’s founder participated in the Association’s fellowship program for prospective charter school leaders. The school plans to open in August 2018, serving students in grades K-8 on Tucson’s East Side.
- Think Through Academy will target high-needs high school students, refugees and English language learners in northwest Phoenix, also providing a STEM-focused program. The school’s moniker is also part of its philosophy as it looks to teach its students to “Think Through” their education. Think Through Academy will open in August 2018.
- Edison School of Innovation will also emphasize a STEM-based curriculum while partnering with organizations and programs that will help the school advance those goals. The school will serve Glendale and Peoria students in grades K-8 when it opens in August 2018.
- New Horizon High School, Inc. plans to reach out to a significant number of low-income and academically challenged teens in the Tempe, Mesa and Phoenix areas beginning in August 2018. The school will operate under a different name, which will be announced in the near future. The school’s principal, Amanda Patrie, was the first charter school teacher to be named a finalist for Arizona Teacher of the Year.
- The French American Academy of Arizona will offer a dual language immersion program, with students concurrently studying English and French. The founders of the French American Academy previously operated a successful private school. The charter will open in August 2018 catering to grades 5-8.
