Charter Schools USA

Founded in 1997, Charter Schools USA (CSUSA) is one of the oldest and largest education management companies in the United States. Charter Schools USA (CSUSA) is the operator of 70 charter schools in seven states including 42 charter schools in Florida.[1] The schools serve more than 60,000 students. According to federal and state standardized tests, CSUSA as a district, scored an A. Due to the success of the program, AdvancEd awarded CSUSA the first Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) district accreditation for an education management company.[2] The company’s founder, Jonathan Hage, CEO of CSUSA, was selected as Floridian of the year by Florida Trend magazine in its January 2013 issue. CSUSA's motto is Putting Students First! in every decision that they make.[3]

CSUSA management-run schools are tuition-free. Student must wear uniforms and parental involvement is required. Teachers are paid for performance and teach a standard curriculum that includes music, art, sciences and customary classes. Charter Schools USA manages every aspect of the program from marketing for new students, teacher recruitment, curriculum development, equipment and book ordering to financial management and oversight. Charter Schools USA (CSUSA) has achieved high results with the students attending—particularly low-income and minority students. Hispanic and Black students, English Language Learners (ELL) and students who are economically disadvantaged—eligible for free or reduced lunch (FRL)—outperformed students in the State on average by 11 percentage points in reading, 7 percentage points in mathematics, and 6 percentage points in writing each year for the past 8 years.[4] Additionally,CSUSA shows higher performance than the State with White students and the Total population, outperforming the State on average by 6 percentage points in reading, 3 percentage points in mathematics, and 6 percentage points in writing.[5] In a recent article in the New York Times, between 2010–11 and 2011–12, the number of students in charter schools increased close to 13 percent, just over two million.[6]

Floridian of the Year

Florida Trend Magazine selected Jonathan Hage, founder and CEO of Charter Schools USA as the Floridian of the Year. Hage was chosen due to his experience in education policy work, and creation of the fastest-growing for-profit charter school management company in the nation.[7] “We designed things here that we thought would be innovative,” says Jonathan Hage, CEO of Fort Lauderdale-based Charter Schools USA, which built and manages the school.[8]

Hage is the eldest of three brothers, growing up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Both his mother and father taught music, and according to him were “the quintessential teachers.” [9] He went to several public and private schools,eventually enrolling at Nova High School. He attended Trevecca University but soon decided to return home and enroll in ROTC. After enlisting, and four years at the University of Colorado, he graduated with a degree in political science.

Hage worked for a variety of education companies, including the Heritage Foundation in Washington D.C and the Foundation for Florida Future, a public policy organization founded by Jeb Bush. According to Bush, Hage "was one of the most knowledgeable people on what was going on around the country.” After the state Legislature passed the law authorizing charter schools in 1996, Hage decided to start his own consulting firm and a year later started Charter Schools USA with less than $5,000.

Now Charter Schools USA generates revenue of $285 million, operating 70 schools across the country. CSUSA as a district scored an ‘A’ on Federal and State standardized tests.[10] Hage believes charter schools remain the best way to give parents a choice, “I believe charter schools will help save traditional public schools.”

Indianapolis Schools

Charter Schools USA, the Florida-based company was nominated by the state to turn over three failing schools in Indianapolis. This was the first-in-the-nation type project. The three schools managed by Charter Schools USA are Thomas Carr Howe Community High School, Emmerich Mannual High School, and Emma Donnan Middle School. The schools are now given over on a performance contract, which grants the operator, Charter Schools USA, four years to improve.[11]

The move by Charter Schools USA suggests the company expects to be managing Howe and Manual for the long term, even though its contract to do so runs for just five years. Because the state Legislature and State Board of education have yet to define the exit process for turn around schools, Charter Schools USA supposes to be operating for longer.

The turnaround process was first put into motion by a 1999 law, which said schools with student standardized test scores in the lowest category for five straight years could face intervention from the State Board of Education. Because of this law, Charter Schools USA decided to take over the three schools in Indianapolis with the hope of increasing enrollment. After visiting the three schools, Jeanne Allen, Founder and President of the Center for Education Reform had a few positive things to say. “The schools I visited this week are orderly. Educators are in command of their classes,” said Jeanne Allen, Founder and President of the Center for Education Reform. “Students are focused on their work, a stark contrast to the chaos and violence that plagued these schools before the takeover." [12]

Downtown Miami Charter School

Downtown Miami Charter School in Overtown, operated by Charter Schools USA was awarded an “A” school by the county in 2013 for the second year in a row. Downtown Miami Charter had a long history of being a failing school until CSUSA fully implemented its model. Due to the schools success, ABC televised a feature highlighting the school and it’s journey from failing to an “A.” “We believe that this is a place where every kid can learn,” said Jon Hage, founder of the charter school company. “Every student has amazing potential, and Overtown has amazing potential.[13] So this is an opportunity to show that these students can do anything.” The CSUSA program requires each of the 650 students to read 90 minutes a day and do the same amount of math. Mr. Hage also attributes the schools success to longer school days, Saturday sessions and individualized goals/objectives for each student.[14]

Controversies

Charter Schools USA was named in a lawsuit brought on by Principal Katherine Murphy of the Aventura City of Excellence School. Murphy sued the City Manager of Aventura and CSUSA for wrongful termination in 2006.[15] At the time of the termination and lawsuit, Murphy did not work for CSUSA but instead worked for the City. Judge Rosa Rodriguez reversed the Jury's verdict, finding in favor of Aventura and CSUSA.[16]

Florida

Georgia

Illinois

Indiana

Louisiana

Michigan

North Carolina

References

  1. ↑ Charter Schools USA website
  2. ↑ http://www.charterschoolsusa.com/about-charter-schools/#advantages
  3. ↑ http://americanschoolchoice.com/school-choice-leader-chosen-as-2012s-floridian-of-the-year/
  4. ↑ http://www.charterschoolsusa.com/about-performance-overview/
  5. ↑ http://www.charterschoolsusa.com/about-performance-overview/
  6. ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/14/us/charter-schools-growing-fast-new-report-finds.html
  7. ↑ http://www.floridatrend.com/article/15060/jonathan-hage
  8. ↑ http://www.floridatrend.com/article/15060/jonathan-hage
  9. ↑ http://www.floridatrend.com/article/15060/jonathan-hage
  10. ↑ http://www.charterschoolsusa.com/about-charter-schools/
  11. ↑ http://www.edreform.com/2012/12/indiana-turnaround-schools-model-for-us/
  12. ↑ http://www.charterschoolsusa.com/2012/12/indiana-turnaround-schools-model-for-u-s/
  13. ↑ http://www.local10.com/news/Downtown-Miami-Charter-School-helps-students-succeed/-/1717324/18213044/-/12f58f0z/-/index.html
  14. ↑ http://www.local10.com/news/Downtown-Miami-Charter-School-helps-students-succeed/-/1717324/18213044/-/12f58f0z/-/index.html
  15. ↑ http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/11/05/3082757/former-aventura-charter-school.html
  16. ↑ http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/11/07/3086441/judge-strikes-down-155-million.html

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