Bridget Casas

National Heritage Academies (“NHA”) is a group of over 60 charter schools with over 38,000 students located in 8 states all over the country. The vast majority of these schools attract students from urban areas and many of these schools have over 50% of their students qualifying for free and reduced lunch.

Since most of the students come to an NHA school several years behind grade level in every subject, NHA implemented a number of educational principles in its schools to help students progress faster. In 2005, a significant number of NHA students were entering the schools below grade level in reading, math, and language arts: 15 schools had over 50% below grade level and 31 schools had over 25% below grade level.

Although the NHA schools were averaging 1.25 years of academic growth each year, that wasn’t enough to catch kids up to grade level quickly enough. Read More : - http://www.house.mi.gov/SessionDocs/2011-2012/Testimony/Committee5-11-2-2011-2.pdf