Hillsdale plans for charter school
Still seeking location, group of parents; funds already donated
Liz Essley
Issue date: 11/5/09 Section: News
"It's a local school with local leadership. We're providing them with the ammunition they need and the support, and we're able to provide teachers and perhaps leadership," he said.
All three administrators expected future Hillsdale graduates to teach at the school and eventually, charter school graduates to attend the college.
The public education system will supply most of the funding for the school. A college donor, the Barney Family Foundation, has already contributed the entirety of Hillsdale's contribution, Bobb said. That money may supplement the headmaster's salary, aid teachers' education through the expansion of the Center for Teacher Excellence and help fund the annual Classical School Fair held at the college.
The money may also fund some undergraduate scholarships designed for students intending to teach at the charter school, Bobb said.
Bobb said the school would probably be named Hillsdale Civic Academy and that it would probably not enroll its first students for at least two more years.
If the school takes off, as Fennell expected it would, administrators plan to initiate the creation of more.
"Who knows? Maybe 10 years from now there could be many of these schools," Fennell said.
Fennell said the initiative's overall goal was to "increase influence in the public school arena of the things we believe in."
"It's part of the Hillsdale College outreach," Calvert said. "Number one, we want to reform American education."
All three administrators expected future Hillsdale graduates to teach at the school and eventually, charter school graduates to attend the college.
The public education system will supply most of the funding for the school. A college donor, the Barney Family Foundation, has already contributed the entirety of Hillsdale's contribution, Bobb said. That money may supplement the headmaster's salary, aid teachers' education through the expansion of the Center for Teacher Excellence and help fund the annual Classical School Fair held at the college.
The money may also fund some undergraduate scholarships designed for students intending to teach at the charter school, Bobb said.
Bobb said the school would probably be named Hillsdale Civic Academy and that it would probably not enroll its first students for at least two more years.
If the school takes off, as Fennell expected it would, administrators plan to initiate the creation of more.
"Who knows? Maybe 10 years from now there could be many of these schools," Fennell said.
Fennell said the initiative's overall goal was to "increase influence in the public school arena of the things we believe in."
"It's part of the Hillsdale College outreach," Calvert said. "Number one, we want to reform American education."
Viewing Comments 1 - 7 of 8
Frank Kellam
posted 11/19/09 @ 12:01 AM EST
Will this be a first for Hillsdale: the use of tax dollars -- stolen money -- for education?
What am I missing here, in my oonsternation?
Grouchy Alumnus
posted 11/20/09 @ 9:30 PM EST
Frank: Hillsdale was founded in 1844. The school did not officially reject federal funding until the 1980s. In other news, installing a competitive charter into a system dominated by govt oligopoly will not steal tax revenue, but rather divert it to more effective education. (Continued…)
Cathy Cuthbert
posted 11/21/09 @ 4:32 AM EST
How very disappointing to see this announcement. Please explain how a college that supposedly prides itself on shunning government money to remain independent could choose to establish a public school. (Continued…)
michigander
posted 12/03/09 @ 9:24 PM EST
Three words: big government conservatism.
Bob
posted 12/07/09 @ 12:38 AM EST
Scratching my head here. A number of charter schools, including a local one called Hillsdale Prepratory school, already use parts or all of the Academy model. (Continued…)
Luke
posted 12/19/09 @ 10:44 PM EST
I would love to see a charter school modeled after Hillsdale Academy in the South Jersey/ Delaware Valley Philadelphia, PA/ Camden, NJ area. Are there any in this area or planned in the near future?
Kyle
posted 1/21/10 @ 4:07 PM EST
Well, there are a variety of charter schools, many of them focused on Math and Hard Sciences, as if that is all young people need to know. If Hillsdale remains true to their Classical Liberal Arts curriculum, not only will they assist young people in developing their three primary faculties of the intellect, memory and will, but they will also prevent more persons from being de-humanized by overly pragmatic educators. (Continued…)
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