Editor's note: This story was updated with comment from Michael King, the attorney for Faith Christian Academy.
A new public charter school is opening this fall at the site of Faith Christian Academy, a private parochial school that will no longer exist come the end of this year.
El Paso Classical Academy will open its doors this August. It is the first Classical Academy campus to open in West Texas.
Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath approved Premier High Schools' request to open El Paso Classical Academy last June.
Premier High Schools, like Classical Academies, are various school "brands" run by Responsive Education Solutions, a Texas-based charter chain that, according to its website, operates more than 70 tuition-free schools in Texas and Arkansas. There are two Premier High School campuses in El Paso, which opened in 2008 and 2015.
"We chose this location in response to community support for additional quality public school options and we look forward to our ongoing partnership with the families and residents of El Paso," said Jake Kurz, Responsive Education Solutions director of communications.
Want more education news like this? Click here to subscribe.
The last five years have seen a rapid expansion of public charter schools in the El Paso area. Harmony Public Schools opened a third campus in 2016 and will open its fourth this fall. IDEA Public Schools has opened three campuses since fall 2018, and will also open a fourth this fall, in addition to two more scheduled to open in the 2021-2022 school year.
Responsive Education Solutions is renting the school building, at 8960 Escobar Drive, from Abundant Living Faith Center.
The church started what is now Faith Christian Academy in the 1980s.
Elena Delman, principal of Faith Christian Academy, directed the El Paso Times to Michael King, an attorney representing the school, for comment. King said church leadership believed the charter school "presented the best opportunity for education for Faith Christian Academy students."
Responsive Education Solutions aims to enroll approximately 500 K-12 students at El Paso Classical Academy, Kurz said.
Its "classical academic program utilizes a well-defined liberal arts curriculum built around literature and history," and students take logic, Latin and ethics courses, Kurz said.
The new charter school is located within the Ysleta Independent School District's boundary.
More: El Paso area school boards oppose charter school expansion fueled by federal funds
In a statement, YISD Superintendent Xavier De La Torre said, "we don't worry about what charter schools do because our work is focused on our students and schools, and providing the strategic, deliberate and innovative support they need to achieve higher levels of performance and excellence."
Molly Smith may be reached at 915-546-6413; mksmith@elpasotimes.com; @smithmollyk on Twitter.
"open" - Google News
May 08, 2020 at 03:03AM
https://ift.tt/2Lmaxnv
Texas-based charter chain to open new school in August at El Paso parochial school site - El Paso Times
"open" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3bYShMr
https://ift.tt/3d2SYUY
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Texas-based charter chain to open new school in August at El Paso parochial school site - El Paso Times"
Post a Comment