Private institutions appearing more and more around state
By Christine Laughren, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: March 27, 2008
The number of public school academies being established across the nation continues to increase as student population in the schools increases.
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According to a recent study by the Center for Educational Reform, a non-profit charter school advocacy group, charter schools have experienced "enormous annual growth."
The study shows the number of charter schools increased by 11 percent in 2007, from the previous school year.
"States with strong charter school laws, such as California, Minnesota, Ohio, Arizona and Michigan have experienced some of the largest growth," the report states.
Dr. Wayne Millette, director of New Beginnings Academy in Ypsilanti, said his school has seen growth every year since it opened in 1999. Millette said this year's pupil count marks the highest the school has ever seen.
Belleville's Keystone Academy also has seen a significant increase in pupil count.
Keystone Academy, also authorized by Bay Mills Community College, opened in the 2003-04 school year with approximately 350 students and nearly doubled its numbers in the 2006-07 school year.
Millette said parents are voting with their feet and choosing to bring their children to charter schools because they like having a choice and they like what they see.
"If we don't do what we say we are going to do and if we aren't offering a choice that the other schools aren't offering then we should close, and I will be the first to say it," he said. "The end result is not to damage the (public school system), but it's giving parents a choice."
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