MOST CHARTERS EXCEL, FOUR APPROACH ALERT
(October 1, 2011) Most Arkansas
charters1 meet or exceed standards
in a state report that assigns a numerical grade to K-12 public schools but
four are named as “approaching the standards alert” set by PA 35 of 2003.
Fifteen charters exceed standards (levels
5 or 4) and another seven meet standards (level 3). Four received the highest designation--“schools
of excellence:” E-STEM Public Charter
Elementary School, Haas Hall Academy, LISA Academy North, and Vilonia Academy of Service
and Technology.
Eleven charters exceed standards: Academic Center
for Excellence (Cabot), Academics Plus (Maumelle), Arkansas Virtual Academy
(Little Rock), Benton County School of the Arts (Rogers), E-STEM Public Charter
Middle School and High School, KIPP Delta College Prep (Helena), Imboden Area Charter School, LISA Academy North-Middle
School and High School, and Mountain Home High Career Academy. Seven charters
meet standards: Academic Center of Excellence (Osceola), Covenant Keepers
Charter, Lincoln Academic Center of Excellence, LISA Academy High, Little Rock Preparatory Academy, and Osceola
Communication, Arts and Business Charter.
Report: Four Charters
Approach ‘Alert’ Status
The report prepared by Univ. of Arkansas researchers
did not name any charter as “in need of immediate improvement” (level 1). But
four charters were identified as (level 2) schools “approaching the standards (alert).”
They are Badger Academy (Beebe), Blytheville Charter
School and ALC, Covenant Keepers College Preparatory Charter School, and Dreamland
Academy (Little Rock).
1 Arkansas has two types of charters:
conversion and open-enrollment schools.
The state Department of Education defines a conversion
school as “a public school converted to a public charter school“ that “can only
draw students from within the school district's boundaries.” Open-enrollment charters are “run by a
governmental entity, an institution of higher learning or a tax-exempt non-sectarian
organization.” They “can draw students
from across district boundaries.” A complete list of Arkansas charters can be accessed at the department’s
site: http://arkansased.org/about/schools/charters.html