Friends of Education Not Renewing Charter at STRIDE Academy
WAYZATA, Minn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Friends of Education, a charter school authorizer in Minnesota,
announced today that it is not renewing the charter at STRIDE Academy in
St. Cloud for failure to improve student learning and achievement. The
nonrenewal is effective June 30, 2017.
Elizabeth Topoluk, Executive Director at Friends of Education, said “The
nonrenewal is unfortunate but necessary. Minnesota law requires that the
most important factor we consider in renewing a charter contract is
whether the school has improved pupil learning and student achievement.
STRIDE Academy has been in academic decline for four years in multiple
measures: proficiency, individual student growth, achievement gap
reduction and state ratings. We believe the students will be better
served in other schools.”
STRIDE Academy, founded in 2005 and located at 3241 Oakham Lane in St.
Cloud, is a public charter school managed by an independent school
board. The role of Friends of Education as an authorizer is to monitor
and evaluate the academic, operational and financial performance of the
academy. Friends of Education does not manage or operate STRIDE Academy.
STRIDE Academy’s Multiple Measurement Rating, which is the state’s
overall assessment of the school’s academic performance, has declined by
more than sixty points from 87.16 in 2012 to 22.54 in 2016. STRIDE
Academy enrolls 680 students.
About Friends of Education
Friends of Education is a
nonprofit corporation dedicated to improving K-12 education in Minnesota
since 1999. The organization authorizes 13 charter schools serving more
than 9,000 students. Friends of Education achieved the highest Exemplary
rating of charter school authorizer performance from the Minnesota
Department of Education and is the only authorizer in the state to
achieve the highest rating. To learn more about Friends of Education,
visit improvek-12education.org.
Contacts
Friends of Education
Elizabeth Topoluk, 952-745-2717
info@improveK-12education.org
