Latest news with #charterschool
CBS News
4 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
New charter school John Adams Academy sparks debate in Colorado's Sterling Ranch community
A fast-growing Colorado community will soon be home to two new schools that are set to open in the next two years. A tuition-free public K-12 charter school, John Adams Academy, has been approved to open in 2026 on 25 acres of land in Douglas County donated by Sterling Ranch LLC. The school will be located in Sterling Ranch, south of Waterton Road and adjacent to Ascent Village. John Adams Academy was approved by the Colorado Charter School Institute last month after being released to the state authorizer by the Douglas County School District. Some community members say that process didn't allow them to fully voice concerns over where their tax dollars were going. A DCSD public elementary school funded by a bond passed last year is set to open in Sterling Ranch in fall of 2027, to the relief of parents in the growing community who have been advocating for a neighborhood school. But now, John Adams Academy will open a year earlier in 2026, drawing strong opinions from community members. "This doesn't seem like it would align with our values as a family," said Tracy Meier, a mom of two in Solstice, a community next to Sterling Ranch that is a feeder to the incoming DCSD neighborhood school. "I think communities thrive with optionality," said Asa Dyer, Sterling Ranch father of a 17-month-old. John Adams Academy focuses on a classical "liberty-based" education, with a classical liberal arts curriculum. John Adams Academy has multiple campuses in California. "We definitely are very interested in that school," Dyer said. "I like the idea of having, really kind of classical fundamentals when it comes to education. I think it makes a lot of sense. And I think when you have little kids, you're really, focused on some of the basics and stuff like reading, writing, math." While Dyer is excited for the school to open near his home, some of his neighbors have concerns about the charter, which states its mission is "restoring America's heritage by developing servant leaders." "The concern really started based on their belief of restoring American heritage, which most people think America still has a heritage. They don't have to restore it," said Sterling Ranch resident Sheryl Pattek. While Pattek does not have young kids, she says education is an important part of the community, and she wants to ensure it is "fair and unbiased." "It talks a lot about, you know, the classical education. And getting back to the founding of America, and the love for America, things like that. It doesn't explicitly talk about, you know, religion and things like that, but there were kind of some underlying words that led me to believe that it was more based off of faith," said Meier. "John Adams Academy teaches history through original source documents and a classical liberal arts framework that emphasizes critical thinking, civic virtue, and the study of enduring ideas. While we celebrate the founding principles of the United States, our goal is to cultivate thoughtful, informed citizens, not to promote a political ideology," Kim Gilmartin, founding board member of John Adams Academy Douglas County, told CBS Colorado in a statement. Meier and Pattek would rather see the land and public school funding go to a different school. Meier worries the school may not be inclusive and would cater education plans to specific groups. "As a public charter school, JAA Douglas County will provide all required special education and support services in compliance with federal and state laws. We are committed to serving all students, including those with disabilities, English language learners, and academically diverse learners, through a Multi-Tiered System of Supports and a dedicated special education team," Gilmartin told CBS Colorado. Meier and Pattek say they are some of several community members who felt there was not enough transparency or community input in the approval process. "I do feel like there should have been public input from, all the people that have a ton of kids in the community," said Meier. Gilmartin said that during the approval process for the Douglas County campus, "the community had multiple opportunities to participate, including written feedback, public comment at several CSI board meetings, and a public community meeting on May 19." When CBS Colorado reached out, a DCSD spokesperson referred any questions about John Adams Academy to CSI. CSI did not respond to a request for comment. According to U.S. News & World Report, the John Adams Academy in Roseville, California, has a math proficiency score of 42% and reading proficiency score of 56%. That same report shows the Douglas County School District has a math proficiency score of 51% and reading proficiency score of 61%. Pattek questions "Why would you invest in a school that's not demonstrating the success of their curriculum?" Gilmartin says, "John Adams Academy's California schools consistently meet their academic growth targets and have earned the highest rating possible among charter schools in California." "Community schools kind of make the communities run. And with charter schools, I'm not against all charter schools, just this one in particular. It takes money from the public schools," said Meier. Because the school was released from DCSD and approved by the state authorizer, no district funding will go to John Adams Academy, but it will use state and federal tax dollars. Gilmartin says the school will be funded "primarily through public tax dollars. This includes state per-pupil revenue and mill levy equalization funds." They say the school will also get some federal funds and are applying for a federal Charter School Program grant. Sterling Ranch Development Company President Brock Smethills told CBS Colorado that, "Sterling Ranch Development Company supports school choice and strives to offer a variety of school options within our community. We trust parents to decide what is best for their children's education." According to Smethills, DCSD estimates Sterling Ranch will eventually need three elementary schools, one middle and one high school. But the district's 10-year capital plan only identifies the one elementary school already planned for Sterling Ranch, and a middle and high school campus. Smethills said "With the above understanding that it is unlikely that DSCD will have the resources to build additional elementary schools, we have decided to partner with qualified charters to offer school choice within the area." Regarding concern that the land donated to John Adams Academy was reserved for a DCSD school, Smethills said: "Sterling Ranch Development Company staff has discussed a variety of potential school sites throughout the master plan over the past ten-plus years with multiple DSCD superintendents and staff members. While this is one of the sites that could have been a future DCSD school, this land was never reserved nor donated to Douglas County for a DCSD school. Additionally, Sterling Ranch LLC has voluntarily paid DCSD approximately $5.5 million in voluntary Capital Mitigation Fees since 2015, which is far greater than the fair market value of all five of the school sites that Sterling Ranch would be required to donate to DCSD. Despite that, we have every intention of donating the land to DCSD for the Middle School & High School campus when DCSD has the appropriate resources to construct it." Dyer is excited for the education options the charter brings. "We want to be able to have the option based on what our kids' interests are and what their education style is and what best suits them," said Dyer. "Whether it's public or charter, I just think it's so awesome to live in a community that has both, like, that's a huge deal and huge value proposition for us to be here." Still, some families are disappointed that John Adams will be the first school to open in their neighborhood. "In general, we prefer to have public schools rather than a charter school that has a bias inherent in it," said Pattek. "John Adams Academy seems to be putting John Adams Academy at the center of everything they do, and not the kids or the community," said Meier. Once the charter contract for John Adams Academy is finalized, construction on the school is expected to begin in September. Right now the school is collecting expressions of interest from families. When the official application opens, which is expected to happen in October, families who have expressed interest will be notified. In February 2026, John Adams Academy will conduct a blind, random lottery if demand exceeds available seats, and the school plans to open to students in August of next year.
CBS News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
A new act for Miami's Olympia Theater? Charter schools unveil $50 million plan to preserve iconic venue
The historic Olympia Theater, a landmark once graced by legends like Ella Fitzgerald, Elvis Presley and Luciano Pavarotti, is at the heart of a controversial proposal that could transform the iconic space into an educational hub led by a charter school network. SLAM Miami, along with other local charter groups, including Mater Academy and Somerset, is spearheading an effort to take over the downtown venue. If approved, the City of Miami would eventually deed the property to SLAM, which plans to use the building behind the theater for classrooms and the theater itself for student performances and community events. "So, what we're proposing to do is actually to put programming for the school in the adjoining building, which is the 10-story facility," said Millie Sanchez, co-founder and chief administrative officer of SLAM Schools, during a Zoom meeting Monday night. "The building connects to the theater, and the goal is to re-energize the theater by supplementing the programming." Under the proposal, the school would use the neighboring building for academic purposes, while the theater remains a performance venue, hosting at least 180 days of community programming per year. "If we want people to care about and want this theater to live on for another 100 years, we need to educate," Sanchez said. "What better way than to bring arts programming into the building next door and have students intern and work with professionals in managing this beautiful space." Renovation costs for both the theater and the adjoining building are estimated at more than $50 million. Douglas Rodriguez, principal at Miami Tech and Mater Brickell Academy, said the initiative is backed by nonprofit groups with a history of managing public funding efficiently. "This collaboration is among nonprofit groups that have done this for decades," Rodriguez said. "Combined, we have over $200 million in grants—and we're not doing this at taxpayers' expense." Rodriguez also stressed the long-term value of involving students in cultural preservation. "You create that next generation of students who are going to be interested in preserving theater," he said. "We're only going to be here for a short time—and we need these kids for the next 100 years." Other proposals for the site have included converting it into a hotel or parking structure, but some residents expressed strong support for maintaining its original purpose. "I think it stays as a theater," said Oscar Orellana, a community member. "There's enough hotels and condos. Keeping it as a theater would be a perfect choice to preserve a little history." A final vote on the proposal is scheduled for Thursday, July 24. The Olympia Theater is located in Downtown Miami at 174 East Flagler Street.
CBS News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Miami's historic Olympia Theater faces transformation into educational hub
The historic Olympia Theater, a landmark once graced by legends like Ella Fitzgerald, Elvis Presley and Luciano Pavarotti, is at the heart of a controversial proposal that could transform the iconic space into an educational hub led by a charter school network. SLAM Miami, along with other local charter groups, including Mater Academy and Somerset, is spearheading an effort to take over the downtown venue. If approved, the City of Miami would eventually deed the property to SLAM, which plans to use the building behind the theater for classrooms and the theater itself for student performances and community events. "So, what we're proposing to do is actually to put programming for the school in the adjoining building, which is the 10-story facility," said Millie Sanchez, co-founder and chief administrative officer of SLAM Schools, during a Zoom meeting Monday night. "The building connects to the theater, and the goal is to re-energize the theater by supplementing the programming." Under the proposal, the school would use the neighboring building for academic purposes, while the theater remains a performance venue, hosting at least 180 days of community programming per year. "If we want people to care about and want this theater to live on for another 100 years, we need to educate," Sanchez said. "What better way than to bring arts programming into the building next door and have students intern and work with professionals in managing this beautiful space." Renovation costs for both the theater and the adjoining building are estimated at more than $50 million. Douglas Rodriguez, principal at Miami Tech and Mater Brickell Academy, said the initiative is backed by nonprofit groups with a history of managing public funding efficiently. "This collaboration is among nonprofit groups that have done this for decades," Rodriguez said. "Combined, we have over $200 million in grants—and we're not doing this at taxpayers' expense." Rodriguez also stressed the long-term value of involving students in cultural preservation. "You create that next generation of students who are going to be interested in preserving theater," he said. "We're only going to be here for a short time—and we need these kids for the next 100 years." Other proposals for the site have included converting it into a hotel or parking structure, but some residents expressed strong support for maintaining its original purpose. "I think it stays as a theater," said Oscar Orellana, a community member. "There's enough hotels and condos. Keeping it as a theater would be a perfect choice to preserve a little history." A final vote on the proposal is scheduled for Thursday, July 24. The Olympia Theater is located in Downtown Miami at 174 East Flagler Street.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Jackson-Madison superintendent offers alternative to charter school proposal
Jackson-Madison County School System Superintendent Marlon King recommends a proposed "school within a school" model for Jackson Museum School, rather than a standalone charter school. King proposed, in his report at the July 7 school board work session, that JMS could operate under the district's umbrella much like the Star Academy STEM school, for example. The charter school's application was initially denied by the school board, 8-1, with stipulations on April 30. Jackson Museum School, led by founder and CEO Jean Little, was granted 30 days to submit an amended application to be voted on a second time by the board at the upcoming July 10 meeting. If denied again, Little reserves the option to appeal the decision to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission, which has the power to uphold or overturn JMCSS's decision, if denied. More: Jackson-Madison County school board tables decision on museum charter school More: Jackson's newest K-6 charter school applicant: 'I see a need and I think I can meet it' Previously, in October 2023, the state charter commission overruled JMCSS's denial of American Classical Education's application, granting a path forward for Madison Classical Academy to be established in Jackson. At the July 7 work session, King noted that on June 3, ACE voluntarily terminated its agreement to open a charter school in Jackson-Madison County. Vivian Williams, deputy superintendent and JMCSS Charter Review Committee Chair, presented the committee's report at the work session. Ahead of her comments, King outlined his rationale about why he believes the board should consider a school-within-a-school model for JMS rather than approving the amended application for the proposed independent charter school. Charter schools is Tennessee are permitted to appoint its own board of education to operate as an independent body, but also must follow state academic standards. In his report of recommendation, King pointed to the "persistent gaps" in JMS's proposal, describing it as "the promise and perils of charter schools." "When I drive through this community, and you see children out, and you think that we're responsible for these children on the street having fun, we're responsible in the decisions that we make in our education system," King said. Little shared that she was unaware that King would be presenting his report to the board. "In response, I currently lack detailed information on what the 'school within a school' proposal would entail. However, my initial thought is that if our application and model are robust enough for such a partnership, they should also suffice for local authorization," Little said. Among the most pressing concerns addressed by King are JMS's lack of a facility, the absence of a transportation plan, starting base salaries for teachers of $50,000, minimal staff positions beyond classroom teachers, and a technology allocation of only $150 per device. Speaking to the lack of a designated facility for the future school, Little previously mentioned that despite having several options for a building, they cannot sign a lease until granted local authorization by the board to establish their school. "While I have no comment on the specific details of the concerns, I am always happy to provide clarification and answers to board members as they make their decision," Little said. "I aim to provide them with factual information to consider thoroughly." King suggested that, rather than the board approving JMS as a standalone school, establishing a partnership with JMS could look like something that already exists elsewhere in the school system. "My suggestion is, as we have done [with] everything else, putting guardrails and safeguards around the children, like we did with Star Academy," King said. "I think that we work with the museum school, but they become a school within a school, so you don't have to worry about a location, you don't have to worry about transportation." In September 2024, North Parkway Middle School launched a school-within-a-school model, welcoming the implementation of Star Academy into JMCSS. The program allows students who have fallen behind or learn best in non-traditional settings to be provided a STEM-centered curriculum to re-engage students to reach success. King used Star Academy as an example of what could potentially be a blueprint for Jackson Museum School to establish itself in the community. While emphasizing that the district supports having choices, he described the school-within-a-school model as JMCSS "having guardrails in place." "When we think about choices, we're not against choices, but it is our responsibility as the board and as the office of the superintendent, and we owe it to the taxpayers that we have to think about all that people don't realize we have to think about," King said. The district review committee is comprised of 10 members, ranging from JMCSS staff to community members. They are tasked with evaluating a charter school's application by the Tennessee Department of Education's rubric standards. On July 7, Williams says that in reviewing the amended application, several areas of concern still present themselves, despite meeting most of the criteria set by the state. In the academic plan and design section, she noted that the committee identified six areas that met or exceeded requirements and two that partially met. The committee found five areas that met or exceeded standards and two that were partially met in its operations plan and capacity section. In its financial plan and capacity section, one area met or exceeded standards, and one was partially met. "Although [after] a thorough and comprehensive review of the Jackson Museum School's charter amended application, we found that the application met most of the Tennessee Department of Education criteria outlined in the state's evaluation rubric, along with this criteria, in most areas, we still feel the application presents significant areas of concern," Williams said. The board will vote on a resolution to either approve or deny JMS's amended application at the next board meeting on July 10. During the April 30 board meeting, school board member Glen Gaugh, District 2, asked Little if she plans to submit an appeal if denied, to which she responded "yes." If Little appeals, the state charter commission has the ultimate authority to reverse or overrule the board's decision. However, she says she still remains hopeful that local authorization can be granted. Sarah Best is a reporter for The Jackson Sun. To support local journalism, subscribe to the Daily Briefing here. This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: Jackson superintendent King talks concerns over museum charter school
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Jackson-Madison school board denies museum school's charter application
The Jackson-Madison County School Board approved, 6-2, a resolution to deny Jackson Museum School's amended charter school application on July 10. Glen Gaugh, District 2, and Debbie Gaugh, District 3, were the opposing votes. The application was initially denied with stipulations in an 8-1 vote at the April 30 board meeting, giving the school's founder/CEO, Jean Little, 30 days to amend and resubmit the application. Vivian Williams, JMCSS Deputy Superintendent and Charter Review Committee Chair, shared at the July 7 work session that the application still "presents significant areas of concern" despite the application meeting most of the rubric standards set by the Tennessee Department of Education. More: Jackson-Madison superintendent offers alternative to charter school proposal More: Jackson's newest K-6 charter school applicant: 'I see a need and I think I can meet it' More: Jackson-Madison County school board tables decision on museum charter school "Based on the criteria from the state of Tennessee, we were able to evaluate based on those demands, and we did find some good points, and we found that they met or exceeded, as well as some partially met," Williams said. "Some of the things that were partially met were concerning. The deficiencies in those particular areas, in particular, the budget, which has been mentioned, in making a lot of assumptions about funding when you do not have the money, makes a difference." JMCSS Attorney Dale Thomas read the resolution to the board following public comment. Cited reasons for denial included an insufficient staffing plan, underfunded teacher salaries, an inadequate professional development plan, and concerns over the financial viability of the school's operations budget. Little said she still believes in bringing school choice to Jackson. "Obviously, we are disappointed in their vote, but we do still remain committed to our overall goal of bringing an innovative school choice like Jackson Museum School to West Tennessee, specifically to the families of Jackson, Tennessee," Little said. "I think all concerns are valid, and we're always open to the discussion about what's best for students. I do think that based on my experience, and even the comments that I made tonight, that I do have the experience to work with students, to lead a school, to turn around achievement scores, and I have worked with the most underserved populations in the 20 years that I've been a teacher." Just before the vote, board member Glen Gaugh voiced concern over voting to deny the school's amended application, referencing the new state law regarding local authorization. Senate Bill 1310, which went into effect on July 1, 2025, states that a local school board is allotted three separate denials of a charter school application in three years. If they reach three denials, any prospective charter school can bypass the local authorizer and apply directly to the Tennessee Public School Charter Commission. "With more charter applications promised in the future, I have no doubt there will be an application at some point that I just cannot vote to accept, and a program that would not be conducive to academics, learning, participation, or ideals of civic engagement, growth, or patriotism even, in our schools and in our community," Gaugh said. "This is not that charter school that I can say I'm willing to risk my no vote, or my disapproval of rather, and so in spite of all that concerns, this is one that I'm willing to take a chance on, so I'll be voting against the resolution to deny and hope that we can work together for this to succeed." In October 2023, the state charter school commission overturned the board's denial of American Classical Education's proposed charter school, prompting swift legal action by JMCSS, which was eventually dropped. School Board Chairman Harvey Walden, District 4, Position 1, addressed the implications of the law with the media following the meeting's conclusion. Speaking to whether JMCSS would find itself in a similar legal situation if the commission approves Jackson Museum School, Walden says he "doubts that very seriously." "I would imagine if the state approves them, they will be here in Jackson, Tennessee," Walden said. Walden added he doesn't believe the denial of ACE's application would count against the district because the law wasn't in effect at the time. Andrea Givens-Moore, District 6, Position 1, expressed strong disapproval of Jackson Museum School. The possibility of a charter school being established in the community would be a disservice, Givens-Moore says. She went on to allege that she had received "fraudulent" emails in support of the school, which she said she found to be "disturbing." "Taking a chance on our children is something that I am not welcoming at all for my community," Givens-Moore said. "There has been some emails that I received, and there were some family members that were added in these emails that were fraudulent, that were sent to me personally, and those people can be named as well. So I'm disturbed at those emails that were saying yes to this charter school, because those people did not send those emails, and there were over three that I can vouch for, and they can vouch for themselves." After the vote when asked about the accusation of fraudulent emails, Little shared the following statement. "I find that surprising, and I'm certainly willing to look into it although my confusion is based on the fact that the email platform that we used is generated from the email users," Little said. "So, if I send in an email, it automatically says that it is from me. I can not send in an email for someone else because it shows where it's generated from. I don't really see how that's possible, but I'm certainly always willing to look into a concern." On July 11, Little noted that the claims made by Givens-Moore were investigated and that no evidence of fraudulent behavior was found. She says the emails in question were sent using the Tennesseans for Student Success platform, which TSS offered its free support to JMS. Through the platform, 42 emails were sent to board members, while only five were generated from outside of Madison County, according to Little. Now that the charter school's amended application has been denied for a second time, Little has 10 days to appeal to the state charter commission. When asked if and when she still intends to appeal, Little said, "tomorrow." Former educators, Jackson Museum School proposed board members, county commissioners, and community leaders spoke during public comment ahead of the vote, expressing strong concerns, support, and some taking a neutral stance. Debbie Swacker asked the board to vote no on approving the Jackson Museum School. "I have always been a strong advocate for fully-funded public school systems and adamantly against any diversion of public funds into any charter school," Swacker said. "That said, the goals presented by the Jackson Museum School proposal are very appealing. Reconciling these conflicting points of view has been challenging for me. In the end, however, I don't think we should risk our students' education, hoping that the success rate for this one will be different and not lead to further inequities in our education system." Many of those who encouraged the board to vote for approval were JMS's proposed board members, like JMS Board Chairman Brent Bowker. "I implore you to be open to change," Bowker said. "Us being in Jackson, Tennessee, the Hub City, we've got BlueOval coming, we've got a lot of big things coming here, and a lot of [those] things are going to bring in new, diverse careers. We've got tech companies starting up here, a lot of different things. So having those options for those people is going to be big... I'm here, like I said, as proposed chair, to tell you that we will make this work. Believe in us, because we can do it, and we will." Earlier in the week at the July 7 work session, JMCSS Superintendent Marlon King asked the board to consider JMS as a school-within-a-school model, rather than approving it as a standalone charter school. He provided the example of Star Academy, which opened its school-within-a-school at North Parkway Middle School in September 2024. The STEM-centered curriculum caters to students who have fallen behind or don't learn as well in conventional classroom formats. Little previously noted that she was unaware that King would be proposing a school-within-a-school model to the board. "In response, I currently lack detailed information on what the 'school within a school' proposal would entail. However, my initial thought is that if our application and model are robust enough for such a partnership, they should also suffice for local authorization," she said. Sarah Best is a reporter for The Jackson Sun. To support local journalism, subscribe to the Daily Briefing here. This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: Jackson-Madison Co school board denies Jackson Museum charter school
