Arizona State University Creates Second K-12 Charter School

Arizona State University (ASU) recently opened the doors of its second K-12 charter school as part of an ongoing initiative http://universitypublicschools.asu.edu/news/overview.html to create a pipeline to higher education for disadvantaged students. Classes recently began for 550 students in Phoenix, aged pre-K through eighth-grade, through the University Public Schools initiative. High school grades will be added each year, and ASU plans to open two additional schools near the Tempe and West campuses.

The charter schools are authorized by the state Board of Education and are funded with tax dollars, but are allowed greater flexibility and are run by a governing board consisting of teachers, parents, and community members. The ASU charter school program is part of a growing trend of university-run charter schools that includes programs at the University of California (Davis, Berkeley, and San Diego), Stanford, and the University of Chicago.

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