Category: Association Blog

Charters at the Capitol

Post author By acs@@dmin
Post date January 15, 2016

Join us for our second annual Charters at the Capitol on Wednesday, March 2. This day of advocacy connects charter school leaders with lawmakers, showing the strength of Arizona’s robust charter school movement. With one of the highest percentages of students attending a public charter school, Arizona continues to lead the nation in charter school growth. Fully, about 30 percent of the state’s public schools are charter schools, and about 15 percent of our public students attend a charter.

We plan to set individual meetings with lawmakers throughout the morning, and then join together to attend the House Education Committee meeting in the afternoon. Sign up below and we will follow up to schedule appointments.

Have your voices heard at the Capitol!

Association Blog

Charter Association Commends Governor for Continued K-12 Support

Post author By acs@@dmin
Post date January 12, 2016

The Arizona Charter Schools Association released a statement today expressing support for the proposals outlined in Gov. Doug Ducey’s State of the State address.

“On behalf of the Arizona Charter Schools Association, I commend Governor Ducey for his continued commitment to Arizona schools and K-12 education.

Association Blog Charters Changing Lives

Arizona Charters Academically Exceeding in 2015

Post author By acs@@dmin
Post date January 8, 2016

Arizona is home to 556 charter schools serving 170,755 students, representing 30 percent of schools and 15 percent of students in the 2015-16 school year. Charter schools are public schools that are innovative while still being held accountable for improved student achievement. Arizona laws provide public charter schools more autonomy in exchange for greater accountability for improved student achievement.

NAEP

Recent data indicate that Arizona’s charter students outperformed nearly every other state on the 2015 National Assessment of Educational Progress. On eighth grade mathematics, for instance, Arizona charter students scored in a statistical dead heat with Massachusetts, the highest scoring of the 50 states.

Association Blog Charters Changing Lives

More Charter Seats Opening for Arizona Students

Post author By acs@@dmin
Post date December 16, 2015

Arizona has paved the way for nearly a dozen new charter schools as the state continues to meet the needs of Arizona students and families.

The 11 new schools, set to open in August 2016 and August 2017, were approved by the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools on Monday. Once built out, these schools have the capacity to serve an additional 9,000 students.

Association Blog

Classrooms First Council Seeks Extension

Post author By acs@@dmin
Post date December 8, 2015

The Classrooms First Initiative Council met Wednesday, Dec. 2 to unveil its final recommendations for reforming Arizona’s outdated school finance system to Governor Doug Ducey.

The Council shared 17 findings, including three additional recommendations, on what was needed to improve school finance.

Association Blog

Charter Schools Represent a Bright Spot in AzMERIT Scores

Post author By acs@@dmin
Post date November 30, 2015

Arizona’s charter students outperformed the state average of students passing the test in ELA and Math by 5-12 percentage points in every grade level.

The inaugural AzMERIT scores, released by the Arizona Department of Education on Monday evening, show the hard work and dedication of Arizona’s charter students, teachers and leaders.

“These data make it clear that Arizona’s charter schools are meeting their statutory mandate to improve student achievement and provide parental choice,” said Eileen Sigmund, President and CEO of the Arizona Charter Schools Association. “Our charter teachers, leaders and students should be proud of the work they’ve done.”

Association Blog

Phoenix Home Renovation Company Uses TV Show Premier to Help Underprivileged Students

Post author By acs@@dmin
Post date November 10, 2015

A Phoenix-based home renovation company, Rafterhouse, who recently premiered the pilot episode of their new HGTV show, decided to give back some of their good fortune to a local charter school.

Rafterhouse co-owners Austin King and Chris Liles, along with their wives, helped raise money and donations for Children’s First Academy, a South Phoenix charter school that serves homeless and underprivileged students.

The Kings and Liles raised nearly $5,000 for the school while collecting 90 pairs of shoes and almost 37,000 sheets of copy paper during a viewing party for the show, which premiered last month.

Association Blog In the News

Charter Schools Featured in Arizona Republic’s School Choice Series

Post author By acs@@dmin
Post date November 4, 2015

The Arizona Republic ran an extensive series on school choice this past weekend, highlighting Arizona’s expansive education options.

Many of our charter schools were featured prominently in the stories, which covered topics ranging from the state’s rich history of school choice to how families can pick the right school for their students, whether it’s an arts, academics, online or STEM school.

“We’ve created a robust school choice environment in Arizona,” said Eileen Sigmund, president of the Arizona Charter Schools Association.

Here are some of the highlights from the series:

Tags Arizona, charter schools, school choice

Association Blog Charters Changing Lives

2015 Charter Business Leader of the Year

Post author By acs@@dmin
Post date October 16, 2015

At her core, Melissa Holdaway is an entrepreneur.

As chief operating officer of Arizona Charter Academy, a K-12 school serving about 800 students in Surprise, Holdaway is always searching for new ways to broaden the experiences of her students.

Whether it’s community partnerships, grants for innovative programs or classroom sponsorships, Holdaway seeks out opportunities for students and allows her staff to dream big.

Because Holdaway’s innovation and the strong foundation she’s paved for Arizona Charter Academy, Holdaway is our 2015 Business Leader of the Year.

Association Blog Charters Changing Lives

2015 Charter Teacher of the Year – Katelyn Toci

Post author By acs@@dmin
Post date October 15, 2015

Kate Toci is widely regarded as one of the most innovative teachers at Imagine Camelback in Phoenix.

Toci’s use of technology in her classroom is almost unparalleled, with the various ways she’s used iPads, laptops, apps and Apple TV to teach online geography lessons, create scanner codes that allow students to check math problems and warn students when they’re getting too noisy.

But she is not merely enamored with the newest apps and gadgets.

For Toci, technology is a tool for tapping into her students’ natural curiosity, and using that inquisitiveness to increase classroom interaction, which will help them grow academically as they prepare for the next grade and beyond.

Her ability to leverage her love for technology with student academic needs is the reason Toci has been named the Arizona Charter School Association’s 2015 Charter Teacher of the Year.