Concept Schools

Concept Schools is a nonprofit management and consulting organization based in Chicago supporting the development of urban science-focused charter schools in the Midwestern United States.

The group currently manages 30 tuition-free science, technology and math-focused schools in 7 Midwest states. Serving about 13.000 students, Concept-managed schools are located in urban areas in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Missouri.[1] Out of 9500 students, 82% are minority and 81% come from economically disadvantaged families. 8% of the students have special education services and 5% are English language learners.

The first two Horizon Science Academies opened in Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio in 1999, both of which went on to receive the National Blue Ribbon Award from the U.S. Department of Education.[2] The network began expansion in 2002. As of 2016, it includes schools in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, Minnesota and Michigan.

Concept-managed schools are dedicated to preparing students for college. Concept Schools offer students an individually-focused learning plan that guides them towards graduation and acceptance into colleges and universities.

In a research study released in January 2013 by CREDO of Stanford University, Concept Schools was named among the highest-performing charter support organizations in 25 states.

Concept Schools offer extracurricular activities including clubs, sports, music, dance, robotics clubs, math competitions, and Ivy League Mentorship Program.

Concept Schools organize network-wide, nationwide, and international events such as Spelling Bee, Consef Science Fair, ConcepTalks, Robocon, STEMCON, MathCON.

Chicago Math & Science Academy graduates achieved the highest college persistence rate of all non-selective public schools in the city of Chicago in 2014-2015 among 2012 graduates.

In 2008, HSA Cleveland High School student Edward Capps won the gold medal in the International Environmental Project Olympiad in Azerbaijan.

Chicago Math & Science Academy and Indiana Math and Science Academy were awarded U.S. News & World Report’s Bronze Medal for making their list of the Best High Schools in the U.S. in 2015.

HSA Cleveland High School made the “America’s Best High Schools” list by U.S. News & World Report twice, in 2008 and 2010. The Report analyzed almost 19,000 public schools in the United States to develop the list.

In 2009 and 2012 respectively, HSA Cleveland High School and HSA Columbus High School received the National Blue Ribbon School Award, a prestigious award given to successful schools by the U.S. Department of Education. Horizon was one of the 10 charter schools nationwide and the only charter school from Ohio, out of 350, to receive the award.

Noble Academy Cleveland was rated “Excellent with Distinction” by the Ohio Department of Education in 2010. Noble was the only charter school to receive this rating out of 350 charter schools.

Four of the Horizon Science Academies in Ohio were rated “Excellent” by the Ohio Department of Education in 2011. These schools were HSA Columbus High, HSA Cleveland High, HSA Cleveland Middle, Noble Academy Cleveland.

The first charter school student to compete at the INTEL International Science Fair was an HSA Cleveland High School student.

Indiana Math and Science Academy is one of the only four charter schools in Indianapolis to show “Exemplary” progress three years in a row since 2008 by the Indiana Department of Education.

HSA McKinley Park Hawks on the Horizon are the 2014 FIRST Robotics Competition Midwest Regional Champions.

HSA Cleveland Middle School was featured in a report, “Needles in a Haystack,” by the Thomas Fordham Institute in 2010. The report identified eight outlier schools that “showed significant achievement for disadvantaged youngsters from depressed inner-city communities.”

After their second place win at the Greater Cleveland Scholastic Chess League Competition, the HSA Cleveland High School team claimed first place at the 2011 State of Ohio Chess Tournament out of 400 teams.

Concept schools have experienced some legal troubles in 2014. Schools in 3 states have been raided by the FBI. In total, 19 search warrants were executed by the FBI on June 4, 2014. Nothing was founded and no further action has been taken.[3]

Schools operated

Controversy

The Concept Schools have known links to the Gulen Movement.[4]

Concept was banned from opening a school in Chicago's South Side Chatham neighborhood after it was determined that the site they planned to use was in deplorable condition. Building inspectors sited the leaky roof, mold, and asbestos laden floor tiles as unsuitable for children.

“Mold is visibly evident throughout many of the classrooms. The mold and mildew is so bad, that a handful of the classrooms cannot be accessed due to the noxious, overwhelming, suffocating scent,” an inspector wrote for CPS officials in July 2014.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Concept Schools Member Schools
  2. ↑ story of Concept Schools
  3. ↑ http://politics.suntimes.com/article/chicago/fbi-raids-concept-schools-illinois-2-other-states/tue-06102014-557pm
  4. ↑ http://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-charter-schools-tied-to-powerful-turkish-imam/
  5. ↑ http://politics.suntimes.com/article/chicago/leaky-roof-mold-asbestos-found-concept-schools%E2%80%99-chatham-site/sun-08242014-823pm

External links

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