National Heritage Academies
Encyclopedia
National Heritage Academies, Inc. (NHA) is a for-profit charter school
Charter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...

 management organization headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...

. It was formed in 1995 by entrepreneur J.C. Huizenga.

As of 2010, National Heritage Academies is a collection of 67 charter schools in the eight states: Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, New York, North Carolina, Colorado, Georgia, and Louisiana. The nationwide network of schools are classified as free open enrollment
Open enrollment
Annual enrollment is a period of time, usually but not always occurring once per year, when employees of U.S. companies and organizations may make additions, changes or deletions to their elected fringe benefit options...

 K-8 college preparatory public schools mostly in under-resourced communities throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. There is a separate company, PrepNet (http://www.prepnetschools.com/), which operates a network of college preparatory high schools.

Operating principles

The schools operate on four pillars: academic excellence, moral focus, parental partnership and student responsibility.

To encourage academic excellence, teachers are held to very high standards. Three times a year, each student takes a computerized adaptive test published by the Northwest Evaluation Association. Students are generally tested in reading, language arts, and math. Some schools choose to also test in science. For example, 4th and 7th grade students at Windemere Park Charter Academy of Lansing, Michigan take the science test in the fall and spring. RIT scores are produced at the conclusion of each student's test. Teachers use these score to inform instruction, provide support based upon academic ability, and measure individual growth.

Definition

Charter schools are public schools run by independent entities sponsored by a state-approved organization such as a state board of education
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....

, a state university
State university system
A state university system in the United States is a group of public universities supported by an individual state, or a similar entity such as the District of Columbia. These systems constitute the majority of public-funded universities in the country...

, community college
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...

 or local school district
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...

. The voluntary enrollment structure is intended to make charter schools more accountable for student achievement. As a result, charter schools are granted some level of autonomy
Autonomy
Autonomy is a concept found in moral, political and bioethical philosophy. Within these contexts, it is the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision...

 and freedom from certain local and state regulations. Accordingly, charter schools may hire their own staff, develop their own curriculum
Curriculum
See also Syllabus.In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content, offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults...

and set their own educational programs and methods of operation under the oversight of the school board and authorizer/sponsor newest school from National Heritage Academies is East Arbor.

Resources

  • "Excel Charter School Gets Approval For Building," Grand Rapids Press, August 11, 1995, p. A12.
  • Franklin, Amy, "Federal Court Dismisses Lawsuit Against Charter School," Associated Press Newswires, September 27, 2000.
  • Golden, Daniel, "Common Prayer: Old-Time Religion Gets a Boost at a Chain of Charter Schools," Wall Street Journal, September 15, 1999, p. A1.
  • Kirkbride, Ron, "Banking Syndicate Raises $25 Million to Expand National Heritage Schools," Grand Rapids Press, July 12, 2002, p. A6.
  • Knape, Chris, "National Heritage Remains in Class of Its Own," Grand Rapids Press, August 13, 2003, p. A10.
  • Molinari, Deanne, "Peter Ruppert: Inside Track," Grand Rapids Business Journal, June 30, 1997, p. 5.
  • "National Heritage Makes Money Running Charter Schools," Associated Press Newswires, December 2, 2001.
  • Rent, Katy, "Going to the Head of the Class," Grand Rapids Business Journal, November 19, 2001, p. 3.
  • Riede, Paul, "State Oks Southside Charter School," Post-Standard (Syracuse), December 21, 2001, p. A1.
  • Schuetz, Kym, and Roland Wilkerson, "Charter School Sale Would Fund Expansion," Grand Rapids Press, October 9, 1998, p. A1.
  • Singhania, Lisa, "Companies See Profit in Charter Schools," Associated Press Newswires, April 28, 2000.
  • Weiker, Jim, "Charter Group Says It Has Funds To Grow," Grand Rapids Press, January 18, 2000, p. B1.
  • Wyatt, Edward, "Charter School to Raise Topic of Creationism," New York Times, February 18, 2000, p. 1.

External links



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