• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

17 CA Schools Awarded With 'Certified Charter School' Honor

Posted on: Wednesday, 23 April 2008, 12:00 CDT

The California Charter Schools Association today announced that 17 charter schools have been named 'Certified Charter Schools'. These Certified Charter Schools are part of a program that recognizes and validates charters that have demonstrated a commitment to quality standards established by California's charter school movement.

"We're delighted to recognize and honor these 17 new schools for their commitment to high quality," said Caprice Young, president and CEO of the California Charter Schools Association. "The charter schools that were awarded with this honor are paving the way for continued success and accountability in California's charter school movement."

More than 10 percent of all California charter schools are now certified. Along with the 73 Certified Charter Schools, there are currently 403 Candidates for Certification, for a total of 476 charter schools that are participating in the Certified Charter Schools Program. Currently, 70 percent of the state's charter schools are participating in the movement's quality efforts.

The Certified Charter Schools Program, enacted in May 2007, represents the first time in the nation that a state's charter school movement has defined standards for high quality and accountability and recognizes charter schools that have met those standards. The program includes a rigorous, independent review process by Association-approved third-party reviewing agencies that are aligned with the movement's Quality Standards. These reviewing agencies include the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), Cambridge Education's Charter Program Quality Review (CPQR) and the State Board of Education's Charter Renewal Review.

Upon successful completion of the third-party review, a school becomes a "Certified Charter School." A charter school involved in the program currently undergoing a third-party review is a "Candidate for Certification."

The 17 Certified Charter Schools Announced Today Include:

Alameda Community Learning Center, Alameda

Alianza Charter School, Watsonville

Archway Academy Charter School, Modesto

Bay Area Technology School (Bay Tech), Oakland

Camptonville Academy (C.O.R.E.), Nevada City

CORE Butte Charter School, Nevada City

Cypress Charter School, Santa Cruz

East Oakland Leadership Academy, Oakland

Eel River Charter School, Covelo

Environmental Charter High School, Lawndale

NEW Academy of Canoga Park, Canoga Park

Palisades Charter High School, Pacific Palisades

Six Rivers Charter School, Arcata

Summit Preparatory Charter High School, Redwood City

Temecula Preparatory School, Winchester

University Preparatory School, Redding

West Park Charter Academy, Fresno

To see which charter schools are participating in the Association's Certified Charter Schools Program, visit: www.myschool.org

About the California Charter Schools Association

The California Charter Schools Association is the membership and professional organization serving 687 charter public schools that serve an estimated 240,000 charter school students in the state of California. The Association's mission is to improve student achievement by supporting and expanding California's quality charter public school movement.

Source: Business Wire

More News in this Category