COVID Action Series - The Center for Education Reform

LOUISIANA KEY ACADEMY

A charter school serving Dyslexic kids in Baton Rouge, Louisiana was the first to hope in the state, around July 9, a month before school would have even started. They not only grew during that time and since but successfully educated students.

THE DISCOVERY CENTER

A science museum in Springfield, MO not only opened to provide emergency childcare & education free to the children of first respondersduring COVID-19 when the public schools stayed shut, opened and licensed two more facilities during the pandemic and started a preK-8 school.

FRIENDSHIP PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS

While Washington, DC District employees were told to stay home and not engage in any education, every Friendship employee engaged to help students and opened back up a year before traditional public schools.

CARE ELEMENTARY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

After it became apparent that internet connectivity and home environments were problematic for students CARE, in Miami, FL, pivoted to bring students back to school spreading them out across every foot of space, despite much of Miami-Dade County being closed.

THE HIGH SCHOOL FOR RECORDING ARTS

This public charter school in Minneapolis, MN developed ”At-Home Deeper Learning Kits” that included in-home recording studio setups and permitted teachers to be online with students for however many hours was necessary to support them.

BLACK FAMILY MICROSCHOOLS ESTABLISHED

Detroit, MI (Engaged Detroit) and in Phoenix, AZ (Black Mother’s Forum) are examples of two groups that created their own learning hubs for students not being educated in their communities and continue to do so to this day.

PARTNERSHIP SCHOOLS

Within five days of the shut-down this NYC group of Catholic schools adapted to meet the needs of their community and opened school on time in the fall, both in person and remotely for families who wanted it with full teacher support. They even expanded and opened two schools in Cleveland, Ohio in the midst of the pandemic.

BOSTON AND LOS ANGELES CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

Similarly reopened in September of 2020 to serve tens of thousands of students who were not being served by the local district along with their prior families, and were never reimbursed for doing so. Despite their being opened, the districts in those cities were forced to stay closed by AFT-influenced CDC and state guidance.

CHARTER SCHOOLS USA

One of several charter networks that reopened dozens of its schools in Florida and other states, using the Owl technology in its classrooms to deliver instruction to students more comfortable staying home.

ACADEMICA SCHOOLS

Provided both remote and in-person students the ability to interact with each other and their teachers to manage, track and communicate with the students in a live, responsive format. The innovation team at Academica offered at least four hours of remote live instruction per day.

ZETA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Reopened in New York City, NY offering in-person instruction to over 50% full-time over 5 days a week without losing a single instructional day. The union tried to shut them down.