Legacy Traditional Schools recently earned the No. 1 spot for the top 10 charter schools in Arizona, according to the 2021 edition of business opinion poll. Other schools making this year’s list include charter schools with a long history in Arizona like BASIS, Great Hearts and Benjamin Franklin.

ł˘±đ˛µ˛ął¦˛â’s back-to-basics approach, which includes student uniforms, clearly resonates with parents. The non-profit’s A-rated schools continue to expand statewide. Today, there are more than 20 schools serving about 23,000 students.  

It is one example of how far charters have come since their start in Arizona in 1994, providing a range of programs and niches where almost any student can find the right spot, said Jake Logan, president and CEO of the . 

“I think charters have done a really nice job of continuing to diversify so students can find the right fit. You have students that have interest in arts. You have students that are high academic achievers. You have schools across the board that are student centered,” Logan said.  

Other schools with names many Arizonans are familiar with like BASIS, Great Hearts and Benjamin Franklin also made the top 10 list in the 2021 Ranking Arizona poll. 

The annual ranking is considered the state’s biggest and most comprehensive business opinion poll. More than 1 million participants vote to give their recommendations on simple questions about topics based on the quality of products, services and with whom they would recommend doing business.

Here’s the list of Top 10 Charters in the 2021 Arizona Ranking poll:

1. Legacy Traditional Schools  A-rated charter public schools emphasize turning students into “lifelong learners and engaged citizens” with a well-rounded curriculum that emphasizes all areas of academic study. The schools incorporate arts, physical education, athletics and extracurricular activities in their programming. The student body reflects all income levels. In Arizona, Legacy has campuses throughout the Phoenix metro region, Tucson, Casa Grande and the city of Maricopa. The company also operates in Nevada. 

2. Sequoia Schools One of the first charter schools in Arizona, Charter School in Mesa operates three schools on one campus: Sequoia Elementary, Sequoia Secondary and Sequoia School for the Deaf. Sequoia promises to “do whatever it takes” to help pupils succeed including tutoring programs in keeping with its philosophy that “Every Child is Known.” Sequoia is a highly diverse campus with a significant number of students on free and reduced lunches. Sequoia Schools also operate 13 other schools across Arizona.

3. Academies of Math and Science (AMS) Another long standing charter school that started in 2000 with 30 students, now operates nine campuses across Phoenix metro and Tucson. Many are in underserved areas. The schools advertise a well-rounded curriculum emphasizing STEM while incorporating foreign language, music, and art. Geared to “highly motivated students,” the schools are college-focused. Among its offerings are advanced and accelerated instruction and free after-school tutoring in all subjects. 

4. Great Hearts Academies

5. Benjamin Franklin Charter School

6. Arizona School for the Arts

7. BASIS Charter Schools

8. American Leadership Academy

9. Leman Academy of Excellence, Marana Campus

10. Primavera Online High School and Middle School

To read more about these and other charter schools in Arizona, visit: .

About charter schools in Arizona 

Arizona was one of the first states to start open enrollment and charter schools in 1994. Today, more than 213,000 Arizona students are enrolled in charter schools, making up nearly 20 percent of the state’s public school enrollment, according to the Arizona Charter Schools Association. Arizona’s 573 public charter schools make up approximately 28 percent of the state’s total schools.

The post Legacy Traditional Schools takes top spot in Arizona top-10 charter school ranking appeared first on Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­.

A new national report card places Arizona as the top state in the nation for a friendly regulatory environment that encourages charter schools to grow and excel. As a result, Arizona has one of the most robust and diverse charter school systems in the country, according to the report. 

For families, that equates into more options to find a school that fits their children’s unique needs, said Jake Logan, president and CEO of the nonprofit . 

“This indicates what we already know in Arizona, that we have a really great environment for innovation and for charter schools to flourish,” Logan said. “There’s always tweaks and needed changes and reforms that we can and should discuss, but overall we have a really healthy charter school sector and I think they are serving students very well.”

Arizona ranked number one for its charter school laws in the 2020 report from the nonprofit in Washington, D.C., which advocates for school choice. 

It was the only state to receive an “A” grade in the The study researched and assessed charter school laws in all states, analyzing the impact of state law on charter schools, the robustness of the charter sector, the diversity of schools and charter school policy and regulation. 

Atmosphere that encourages innovation and teacher freedom 

Arizona received especially high scores for charter authorization, growth, and operational practices that promote school autonomy, freedom to innovate and teacher freedom. 

This environment has resulted in the state leading the country when it comes to school choice and different approaches to learning, Logan said. 

“It’s really neat to see the different paths the schools take when it comes to customizing the education experience for parents and for students here,” Logan said. “For example, you have schools that focus on the arts, you have schools that focus on agriculture, you have schools that emphasize dual language, schools that emphasize a classical education. 

“Being able to have a blend — your academics with something you’re interested in and passionate about — it really is a winning strategy when it comes to kids’ education.”

Arizona pioneer in school choice 

Arizona was the second state to allow public and private more than 25 years ago. 

Today, 20 percent of Arizona students are enrolled in charter schools. Many successful concepts were homegrown here including BASIS schools that offer rigorous academics, Great Hearts with a curriculum built on a classical liberal arts education, and the newer and growing Prenda Microschool model where students are taught in groups of 5 to 10 in homes and other locations. 

Arizona’s more than 550 public charter schools make up approximately 28 percent of the state’s total schools according to the Arizona Charter Schools Association. More than 213,000 Arizona students are enrolled in charter schools.

Arizona also was a pioneer in open enrollment, where students may apply for admission to any district school depending on available classroom space.

The state also provides even more choices for students through the (ESA) program, which is administered by the Arizona Department of Education to provide educational options for qualified Arizona students. By opting out of the public school system, parents can seek a range of alternative educational services, such as private school or home-based education. Students eligible for these services include students living on tribal lands, those with special needs, children of military families and those in failing schools.

Charter schools attractive to business and industry

Logan also believes that school choice has become a great recruiting tool for businesses looking to locate here. 

“Education is important for families, and for employees and businesses,” he said. “And having the maximum opportunity to choose between a district school or charter school or other choices is a really paramount to Arizona’s  economic development strategy.”To view the Center for Education’s national rankings and scorecard .

The post Arizona ranked top state for charter school innovation appeared first on Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­.

Federal lifelines from the federal CARES Act are not only aiding small businesses and individuals in Arizona to survive the pandemic, they are helping schools navigate new challenges, as well.

In total, Arizona will collect $1.8 billion from the CARES Act. Of that, education is receiving an estimated $626 million. 

That relief has been “critical” for keeping students educated and safe as schools statewide cope with the financial realities of COVID-19, said Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman.

“Schools have incurred significant costs including providing necessary technology for distance learning, purchasing additional PPE, and implementing new mitigation measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” Hoffman said. 

No state budget cuts to education 

As other states are facing cuts in education because of the costs related to COVID-19, Arizona is not. One reason is Gov. Doug Ducey and the state Legislature’s previous work to budget for a $1 billion rainy day fund, which has proven critical for safeguarding education during the health crisis. 

Arizona’s booming economy prior to the pandemic outbreak is also a factor, local said. Add in donations, in-kind contributions and grants from businesses, municipalities and philanthropic organizations, and Arizona schools are better prepared than much of the nation to weather the pandemic.    

“A well-resourced rainy day fund, a prudent and carefully planned strategy for Arizona’s CARES Act allocation, and a regulatory and tax environment that encourages job creation have positioned Arizona well,” said Garrick Taylor, executive vice president for the Arizona Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­ of Commerce and Industry. 

Biggest expense for education: transition to digital learning

When the pandemic struck in March, schools and colleges had to turn on a dime to provide remote learning for more than 1.5 million K-12 and college and university students.

That has proven to be a costly and exhausting endeavor for schools statewide, said Jake Logan, president and CEO of the Arizona Charter Schools Association. 

“Everything happened really fast when schools pivoted to that remote learning model to make sure learning was not disrupted,” he said. 

One major expense for charter and district schools has been ensuring that low-income students and students in rural and tribal areas have computers and an internet connection, Logan said. 

CARES Act funding and donations from the private and public sectors have helped those students stay connected, Logan said.  

“I’m really proud of the education community — and I include the governor and Superintendent Hoffman — because they have made students a priority and really worked hard to make sure learning wasn’t disrupted, considering the situation.” 

How Arizona is using CARES Act funds   

To date, approximately $1.4 billion of Arizona’s allocation of $1.8 billion in CARES Act funding has been obligated for a wide range of programs to assist residents, employees, businesses and schools. 

CARES Act programs directly benefiting schools include the Paycheck Protection Program, the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund and the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund.

In all, Arizona is projected to receive more than $626 million in funding for K-12 district and charter schools, colleges and universities. A total of $370 million comes from the Education Relief Fund to support K-12 schools districts and charter schools struggling with the added costs.

Other vital sectors in Arizona benefiting from CARES Act include:  

• Cities, towns and counties: $441 million
• Public assistance: $150 million  
• State public health and safety: $397 million 
• Arizona Department of Health Services: $64.4 million

Financial challenges ahead 

While Arizona is better off than much of the nation, education will continue to face additional costs from COVID-19, Superintendent Hoffman said. 

Hoffman and 28 organizations including the Arizona Association of School Business Officials, Arizona Charter Schools Association, Arizona Education Association, Arizona Rural Schools Association and Arizona School Administrators Association have asked the state’s congressional delegation for continued support for schools. 

“In the face of a global pandemic Arizona schools and educators continue to be a beacon of hope for our communities. In addition to providing vital nutrition services, schools are working overtime to meet the academic, social, and emotional needs of students,” Superintendent Hoffman said. “Schools will need ongoing resources in order to provide the critical support families in Arizona rely on.”

The post CARES Act and Arizona come together for schools in pandemic appeared first on Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­.