Pair of charter schools in Arkansas honored

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

LISA Academy in Little Rock and Academic Center of Excellence in Cabot are among 53 schools named as the nation’s best charter schools, a nonprofit group announced last week.

The Center for Education Reform honored the 53 charter schools as part of its National Charter School of the Year program in Washington , D.C. , on Wednesday. The schools were chosen from nearly 4,000 charter schools nationwide for achievement, innovation and accountability. The schools are in 24 states.

The selection process began in fall 2006, with schools asked to respond to the Center for Education Reform’s annual survey. A small percentage of survey respondents were invited to submit detailed information for consideration.

Evaluation of the schools covered four themes: achievement; planning and execution; satisfaction; and policies and programs. Each theme included additional criteria such as improvement over time; percentage of at-risk students served; meeting mission and goals; and parent involvement.

LISA Academy is an open enrollment charter school run by a nonprofit group. The Center for Education Reform cited the Academy’s curriculum for using college preparatory mathematics and the foundational approaches in science teaching, both designated as “Exemplary” programs by the U.S. Department of Education. 

Academic Center is a conversion charter school run by the Cabot School District . The Center for Education Reform said the school’s math proficiency score was raised in eighth grade mathematics, from 17 percent proficient in 2004-2005, to 62 percent proficient in 2005-2006.

The Center for Education Reform is a nonprofit group based in Washington D.C. and advocates charter schools and public school choice.

Charter schools are publicly funded schools run according to the terms of a contract or charter with the state. The schools are exempted from some rules and laws that dictate the operations of traditional public schools and can be somewhat experimental in their approach to instruction. In return for the exemptions, charter schools are held to certain performance goals.