Four Inland Charter Schools Among Record 103 Opened Statewide

By Jamie Ayala, The Press-Enterprise, Riverside, Calif.

Nov. 1–A record 103 charter schools, including four in the Inland area, opened this school year across California, according to an announcement Wednesday by the California Charter Schools Association.

Eighty-nine of the schools opened their doors for the first time.

Because of a change in state law, the other 14 schools opened with new charters. Charter schools across the state now number 686.

A charter school is public-funded, but has more flexibility in operations than a traditional school. Charter schools are also subject to federal legislation passed in 2002 that calls for progressive academic achievement and accountability. Those that do not perform in the top 70 percent of all public schools face nonrenewal of their charter.

New charter schools in the Inland area are the Hemet Academy of Applied Academics and Technology in Hemet, Nova Meridian Academy in Colton, Casa Ramona Academy for Technology in San Bernardino and Inland Leaders in Yucaipa.

“The main reason why the charter-school movement is growing is because parents are demanding that we open new charter schools,” said Caprice Young, president and CEO of the California Charter Schools Association.

“They are starting to realize, ‘Hey, I can have a personalized, small academy with a rigorous program, too, if I want one.’ “

She said the demand is measured by long student-waiting lists at current charter schools. More than 50 percent of all California charter schools have waiting lists.

This year, 20 charter schools closed, according to the association.

Among them are the Gorman Learning Center in Redlands and Rehoboth Charter Academy in Riverside.

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