A Note From Eileen
Arizona charter schools are the foundation of school choice in our state. With over 556 charter schools serving over 170,000 students, our growing movement is supporting Arizona families and providing students with a quality education.
But don’t take my word for it.
Arizona charter students outperformed nearly every other state on the 2015 National Assessment of Educational Progress. On eighth grade mathematics, for instance, Arizona charter students scored in a statistical dead heat with Massachusetts, the highest scoring of the 50 states.
In the rolling hills of northern Arizona, STAR School, which straddles the edge of the Navajo reservation, is beating the odds. The K-8 charter school strives to interweave its academic focus with traditional Navajo values. And it’s working. About 80 percent of former STAR students graduate from high school in four years, while 70 percent of the students attend college within a year of graduating.
Another charter, 350 miles south of STAR and only 20 miles from the border with Mexico, stands as a pillar of excellence in the Yuma community. Desert View Academy, a K-5 charter school, has always ranked among the top schools in the state.
In Phoenix, the first Autism-focused public school is expanding to serve more students. Arizona Autism Charter School plans to serve grades K-8 this fall, reaching even more students on its huge waitlist. Parent Michael Galola, who has two sons at Arizona Autism, says this about the innovative charter school: “I believe each student, including my sons, will be much better than where they started. It’s not just hope that they will improve, but they are improving.”
Throughout the state, Arizona charter schools are changing lives. In celebration of National Charter Schools Week, we have are sharing these stories of success and honoring those working every day to educate the next generation of Arizonans.
Be sure to stay up-to-date with our Charters Changing Lives campaign on our website, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter to continue to learn more about the success of Arizona’s charter students, teachers and leaders.
Sincerely,
Eileen B. Sigmund
President and CEO
Arizona Charter Schools Association
*This letter was originally published in the Arizona Charter Schools Association’s monthly e-newsletter. Stay up-to-date on Arizona charter school news and issues by signing up below.
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