The Charter Schools USA Advantage
Charter Schools USA is one of nation's largest providers of charter school management services in the United States and a leader in the development and design of charter schools. As its mission states, "CSUSA creates and operates high quality schools with an unwavering dedication to student achievement, unyielding commitment to ethical and sound business practices, and providing a choice for communities, parents, students and professionals that fosters educational excellence in America." Charter Schools USA is the only SACS Accredited charter school management company in the country.
Charter Schools USA currently operates a network of 31 schools on 27 campuses and serves over 25,000 students. Schools are located in a variety of settings including urban, suburban, rural and commercial centers. The CSUSA network exemplifies expertise including: all phases of charter school design, planning, development, financing, construction, operations and curricula. CSUSA successfully manages private and municipal charters for grades pre-kindergarten through twelve and contracts with, among others, corporations, municipalities, government agencies, developers, and nonprofit organizations.
Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum
With the CSUSA Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum at its core, the Charter Schools USA Educational Model provides the process for improving student learning and academic achievement. Our Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum is aligned to specific state standards and grade-level expectations and is the framework of what is taught at each grade level. Timely and specific feedback based upon formative assessments of student performance on grade level expectations is given to establish individualized goals for all students and to modify instruction to meet students' learning needs.
Community Centered Academic Programming
Each Charter Schools USA school is an integrated part of the surrounding community and reliant upon strategic partnerships with community organizations, businesses and individuals to drive student success. Each school should serve as the anchor of the surrounding community by facilitating resources and initiatives that meet the unique needs of students, families, and the community and capitalize on the assets and resources of the local community to enhance the student learning environment . This innovative strategy for incorporating the community and its assets into the design and development of programming is the Community of Character framework. This framework integrates community partners in learning and lifelong activities that make it a model for academic achievement, data-driven instruction, youth development, postsecondary/workforce preparation and community collaboration while allowing the school to become a center of community support, civic participation, and community engagement.
The Community of Character framework integrates a focus on academic rigor, citizenship, and experiential learning where teachers and students apply STRIVE 65 (character education programming) in a real community environment within the school and provide opportunities for interaction with external partners throughout the school and across the community. Small learning partnership environments are created in areas such as community service, investors and entrepreneurship, scientific learning, media and the news, cultural awareness and the arts, student government, and a host of others designed to capitalize on community partnerships and providing students with experiential learning opportunities geared toward academic and postsecondary success.
Character Education
Character education develops students socially, ethically and academically. Charter Schools USA's Character Education or STRIVE (Schools/Students Taking Responsibility for Important Values of Excellence) is at the core of each CSUSA school's curriculum. Our goal is to not only develop good students, but also good citizens. As a part of this effort each CSUSA school is an integrated part of the neighborhood that surrounds it. Our schools rely on partnerships with community organizations and local businesses to drive their innovative character-based educational programs.
Parental Involvement
We know that children enjoy greater success in school when the adults they admire most take an interest in their education. Our students' parents are required to commit to volunteer hours each year for the school. These hours foster closer relationships and ensure a more secure learning environment.
Foreign Language in Grades K-8
CSUSA students are encouraged to learn new languages. Our early foreign language curriculum includes lessons that promote multisensory learning through integrated technology such as music and video. Age appropriate games and culturally relevant activities designed to take our elementary students beyond the classroom and into the real world.