Grand Valley State University's Office of Charter Schools will
recommend that the Board of Trustees renew the contracts of seven
university-chartered public school academies (PSAs). The contracts of
two PSAs will expire this summer and are not being recommended for renewal.
The PSAs recommended for renewal are William C. Abney Academy in
Grand Rapids; Crossroads Charter Academy in Big Rapids; Oakland
Academy in Portage; Paragon Charter Academy in Jackson; Warrendale
Charter Academy in Detroit; West Michigan Academy of Arts and
Academics in Spring Lake; Byron Center Charter School in Byron Center;
and, Arbor Academy in Battle Creek. GVSU Board action on these
renewals is expected at the Board’s next meeting on February 29, 2008.
The PSAs whose contracts are set to expire are Tri-Valley
Academy in Muskegon Heights, on June 30, 2008; and, Kalamazoo
Advantage Academy in Kalamazoo, on August 5, 2008.
“The Charter School office is grateful to the leadership of
Tri-Valley and Kalamazoo Advantage, who have worked diligently to
serve their students,” said its director, Dr. Ed Richardson.” “But the
student achievement results do not warrant the continued operation of
these schools.”
“I feel particular sadness about Tri-Valley,” Richardson said.
“It has operated for 12 years and was the first PSA chartered by Grand
Valley. My office has done its best in helping TVA in meeting its
challenges, but the improvements we have long sought in academic
performance have not occurred.”
The Grand Valley Charter School office will provide an orderly
transition to Tri-Valley and Kalamazoo Advantage in the event either
school reaches an agreement with a different charter authorizer.
- For performance data on Kalamazoo Advantage Academy, click here
- For performance data on Tri-Valley Academy, click here
- For a school information snapshot, click here
