Author: Comms Staff

Summer Staff Planning Tips for Arizona Charter Schools

Post author By Comms Staff
Post date May 17, 2019

By Tyler McCord
Arizona School Partnerships, Swing Education

Like many states across the country, Arizona is facing both a teacher shortage and a substitute teacher shortage.

Our team at Swing Education has seen the impact of these staffing shortages firsthand: Several individuals on our staff came to Swing from charter schools, and we have daily conversations with current charter leaders about challenges posed by these shortages.

While there’s no single silver bullet solution to eliminating shortage-related issues like combined classes, teachers giving up prep periods, and administrators covering for absent teachers, there are steps schools can take to mitigate their effects. And the summer is a great time to make significant progress.

Association Blog

New Charter Schools Answer the Call for More Educational Choice

Post author By Comms Staff
Post date December 14, 2018

By Jamar Younger

As we approach the 25th anniversary of public charter schools in Arizona, charter school enrollment continues to surge with almost 200,000 students now attending the state’s charter schools.

This growth, along with the increasing prevalence of open enrollment, signals that parents are demanding more and varied choices for their students.

The State Board for Charter Schools on Monday added even more choices for families by approving charters for 10 new schools that plan to open for the 2019-20 school year.

These new public charter schools will add 3,187 new seats for Arizona students and families who are seeking more diverse educational options. As part of our strategic efforts to increase access to quality charter schools, the Arizona Charter Schools Association contributed to the creation of more than 2,600 of these seats by providing support to these new schools through consulting, charter application reviews, mock interviews and other workshops.

These new charters will be spread throughout the Phoenix Valley, situated in areas such as Maricopa, Apache Junction, Phoenix’s Maryvale neighborhood and Goodyear.

Tags accountability, Apache Junction, Arizona, Central Phoenix, Charter, charter schools, East Valley, Education, Goodyear, K-12, Maricopa, North Phoenix, Phoenix, public schools, school choice, South Phoenix, West Valley

Association Blog Charters Changing Lives

Parents Bring Charter School Dream to Fruition

Post author By Comms Staff
Post date March 22, 2018

By Jamar Younger

The vision for Adams Traditional Academy began at a kitchen table with a group of parents who wanted to incorporate some of their own ideas into starting a charter school.

The parents drew from their wide array of backgrounds and their belief in traditional education to set the foundation for the public charter school’s approach and philosophy.

These parents believed that students could accomplish the extraordinary if they mastered the basics.

That means if the school integrated phonics, civics, history, cursive writing and Latin with art and science, it could spark their creativity.

Nearly a decade later, Adams Traditional, has grown into an A-rated K-8 school and one of the top public schools in the state.

Press Releases

Charter Association Supports Safe Schools

Post author By Comms Staff
Post date March 20, 2018

Statement from Arizona Charter Schools Association President and CEO Eileen Sigmund:

“Every Arizona student has a right to feel safe in school. That’s why we commend Governor Doug Ducey for his leadership in tackling this difficult but urgent issue.

“The Governor’s school-safety plan would increase investments in mental and behavioral-health resources; create a central tip line for potential threats; improve background checks; increase law enforcement presence on school grounds; and create a new tool to help keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous or disturbed individuals.

“We look forward to learning more details as this package of legislation is introduced, but the Governor’s plan represents a thoughtful, significant step forward to improve school safety.

“On behalf of the approximately 550 public charter schools serving 185,000 students across Arizona, the Arizona Charter Schools Association stands ready to work with Governor Ducey, members of his staff and legislators to address this important issue.”