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Eastern Michigan University expands its charter school program

New schools include two in the Detroit Pubic School District and one in Willow Run School District

by Debra Johnson, Published October 30, 2012

YPSILANTI - The Eastern Michigan University Board of Regents approved and authorized the execution of a contract to charter a public school academy to Boggs Educational Center, Detroit Public Safety Academy and Global Tech Academy during its regular meeting Oct. 30.   

Eastern's Charter Schools Office will assist these new schools by providing oversight in the areas of legal compliance, financial health and fiscal management. The office will also monitor and assess the academic progress made by each school's students. 

Charter schools are required to meet U.S. Department of Education and Michigan Department of Education academic performance standards. In addition, Eastern's charter schools are required to meet specific performance standards that are set by Eastern's Charter Schools Office.

"These will be the first new charter schools that have been authorized at Eastern since 1999," said Malverne Winborne, director of the Charter School Program at Eastern. "My office, in conjunction with the executive leadership team and the Board of Regents, completed an extensive review process before selecting the three finalists."

The Charter Schools Office at Eastern was established in 1995 and began sponsoring charter schools in 1996. Currently, the department oversees eight public school academies located in the counties of Wayne, Oakland, Washtenaw and Genesee.

The three schools opening include:

• Boggs Education Center will be located within the Detroit Public School District and have a total of 304 students. The school has selected to implement a Place-Based Education Program, a nationally renowned and research-based model that immerses students in local heritage, cultures, landscapes, opportunities and experiences, using these as a foundation for the study of academic subjects. Boggs Education Center will offer grades K-3 initially and K-12 at capacity, and will be located at 1501 Canton St., Detroit, MI.

• Detroit Public Safety Academy, also located within the Detroit Public School District, will have 250 students upon opening, with a total of 500 students at capacity. The Academy's focus will be educating and training students who are interested in police and firefighter technology, specifically addressing under-represented populations in these careers. Local and state federal police agencies and municipal firefighters will assist with tutoring, mentoring and life skills development. The academy will provide school-to-university-to career readiness as well as teach the essential pillars of character education. It will offer grades 9 and 10 for the first year, and increase to grades 9-12 at capacity. The school will be located 1250 Rosa Parks Blvd., Detroit, MI.

• Global Tech Academy will be located in the Willow Run School District. The school will serve the community by providing a high quality education that includes a 21^st century after-school program. In addition, the school will meet the basic needs of students and families with a universal breakfast and lunch program. With Eastern's Office of Urban Education Educational Equity (OUEEE) as a partner, Global Tech Academy will become a professional development school for the preparation of urban teachers. The school will offer grades K-5 and a capacity of 250 students and will be located at 1715 Forest St., Ypsilanti, MI.

It is anticipated that these charter contracts will be effective July 1, 2013 and the schools will open for Fall 2013.

"Eastern Michigan University is very excited about adding these new public school academies to its portfolio of schools," said Winborne. "We see this as an ideal option for providing a quality education for the youth of Michigan."

For more information, go to the Charter Schools Office homepage.