National Heritage Academies Explained

National Heritage Academies, Inc.
Industry:	Education management organization
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Successors:	-->
Founders:	-->
Hq Location:	Grand Rapids, Michigan
Areas Served:	-->
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Owners:	-->

National Heritage Academies, Inc. (NHA) is a for-profit education management organization headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan.^[1] As of the 2019-20 school year, NHA operates 88 charter schools in nine states: Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, New York, North Carolina, Colorado, Georgia, Louisiana, and Wisconsin. NHA is the largest charter school operator in Michigan and one of the largest charter school operators in the United States.^[2] NHA schools are prominent among charter institutions for employing the brick and mortar or traditional school concept.^[3] It has been accused of profiting from tax-payers money and is in the process of selling over two-thirds of its schools, financed by taxes to a new corporation which will become its real estate arm.^[4]

History

NHA was formed in 1995 by entrepreneur J. C. Huizenga.^[5]

Operations

In 2015, National Heritage Academies managed charter schools enrolled over 58,000 students on a vendor operated school basis.^[6]

NHA managed charter schools are publicly funded and charge no tuition. They are authorized by state-approved institutions such as universities and school boards, and therefore have no geographic boundaries. The schools focus on college preparedness and generally serve students from kindergarten through eighth grade, with some schools also offering pre-kindergarten.

Unlike most charter school companies in Michigan, NHA purchases the school buildings, including those that were built from public money.^[7]

Academics

According to a 2017 study by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes, students in NHA schools were found to show improved spring-to-spring academic growth in the subjects of reading and math, compared with their traditional public school peers.^[8]

NHA schools use the NWEA test as a measure of student performance. The Northwest Evaluation Association has instituted an assessment process for both mathematics and reading. This computerized assessment is administered to provide data on students' growth in the fields of math and reading.^[9]

All Schools

Colorado

• Foundations Academy
• Landmark Academy at Reunion
• Mountain View Academy
• Sky Ranch Academy

Georgia

• Atlanta Heights Charter School

Indiana

• Andrew J. Brown Academy
• Aspire Charter Academy

Louisiana

• Advantage Charter Academy
• Inspire Charter Academy
• Willow Charter Academy

Michigan

• Achieve Charter Academy
• Burton Glen Charter Academy
• Canton Charter Academy - Central Michigan University is the charter overseer.^[10]
• Chandler Woods Charter Academy
• Cross Creek Charter Academy
• Detroit Enterprise Academy
• Detroit Merit Charter Academy
• Detroit Premier Academy
• Eagle Crest Charter Academy - Central Michigan University is the charter overseer^[11]
• East Arbor Charter Academy
• Endeavor Charter Academy
• Excel Charter Academy
• Flagship Academy
• Fortis Academy
• Grand River Preparatory High School
• Great Oaks Academy
• Hamtramck Academy
• Keystone Academy
• Knapp Charter Academy
• Lansing Charter Academy
• Laurus Academy
• Legacy Charter Academy
• Linden Charter Academy - Central Michigan University is the charter overseer^[12]
• Metro Charter Academy
• North Saginaw Charter Academy - Central Michigan University is the charter overseer^[13]
• Oakside Scholars Charter Academy
• Paragon Charter Academy
• Paramount Charter Academy
• Pembroke Academy - Central Michigan University is the charter overseer^[14]
• Plymouth Scholars Charter Academy
• Prevail Academy
• Quest Charter Academy - Central Michigan University is the charter overseer^[15]
• Reach Academy
• Regent Park Scholars
• Ridge Park Charter Academy
• River City Scholars
• South Arbor Charter Academy - Central Michigan University is the charter overseer^[16]
• South Canton Scholars Charter Academy
• South Pointe Scholars Charter Academy
• Taylor Exemplar Academy
• Timberland Charter Academy
• Triumph Academy
• Vanderbilt Charter Academy
• Vanguard Charter Academy
• Vista Charter Academy
• Walker Charter Academy
• Walton Charter Academy
• Warrendale Charter Academy
• Westfield Charter Academy
• Wellspring Preparatory High School
• Windemere Park Charter Academy

New York

• Brooklyn Dreams Charter School
• Brooklyn Excelsior Charter School
• Brooklyn Scholars Charter School
• Buffalo United Charter School
• Riverton Street Charter School
• Southside Academy Charter School

North Carolina

• Forsyth Academy
• Gate City Charter Academy
• Greensboro Academy
• Johnston Charter Academy
• Matthews Charter Academy
• Peak Charter Academy
• Phoenix Academy
• PreEminent Charter School
• Queens Grant Community School
• Research Triangle Charter Academy
• Rolesville Charter Academy
• Summerfield Charter Academy
• Wake Forest Charter Academy
• Winterville Charter Academy
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Ohio

• Alliance Academy of Cincinnati
• Apex Academy
• Bennett Venture Academy
• Emerson Academy
• North Dayton School of Discovery
• Orion Academy
• Pathway School of Discovery
• Pinnacle Academy
• Stambaugh Charter Academy
• Winterfield Venture Academy
• Suckseringes Lurching Academy

Wisconsin

• Milwaukee Scholars

Resources

• "Excel Charter School Gets Approval For Building," Grand Rapids Press, August 11, 1995, p. A12.
• Franklin, Amy, "Federal Court Dismisses Lawsuit Against Charter School," Associated Press Newswires, September 27, 2000.
• Golden, Daniel, "Common Prayer: Old-Time Religion Gets a Boost at a Chain of Charter Schools," Wall Street Journal, September 15, 1999, p. A1.
• Kirkbride, Ron, "Banking Syndicate Raises $25 Million to Expand National Heritage Schools," Grand Rapids Press, July 12, 2002, p. A6.
• Knape, Chris, "National Heritage Remains in Class of Its Own," Grand Rapids Press, August 13, 2003, p. A10.
• Molinari, Deanne, "Peter Ruppert: Inside Track," Grand Rapids Business Journal, June 30, 1997, p. 5.
• "National Heritage Makes Money Running Charter Schools," Associated Press Newswires, December 2, 2001.
• Rent, Katy, "Going to the Head of the Class," Grand Rapids Business Journal, November 19, 2001, p. 3.
• Riede, Paul, "State Oks Southside Charter School," Post-Standard (Syracuse), December 21, 2001, p. A1.
• Schuetz, Kym, and Roland Wilkerson, "Charter School Sale Would Fund Expansion," Grand Rapids Press, October 9, 1998, p. A1.
• Singhania, Lisa, "Companies See Profit in Charter Schools," Associated Press Newswires, April 28, 2000.
• Weiker, Jim, "Charter Group Says It Has Funds To Grow," Grand Rapids Press, January 18, 2000, p. B1.
• Wyatt, Edward, "Charter School to Raise Topic of Creationism," New York Times, February 18, 2000, p. 1.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Home page. National Heritage Academies. 2011-11-27. Find Us 3850 Broadmoor Ave SE, Suite 201 Grand Rapids, MI 49512.
2. "Public money for schools buys private property" (Archive). Detroit Free Press. December 14, 2014. Retrieved on September 1, 2015.
3. News: The Peninsula - University of Michigan study finds NHA charter school organization delivering substantial student gains. 2018-04-09. The Peninsula. 2018-05-23. en-US.
4. News: Strauss . Valerie . Perspective Charter schools are publicly funded — but there's big money in selling them . 4 November 2021 . Washington Post . 14 September 2021.
5. Web site: Moroney. Kyle. National Heritage founder J.C. Huizenga talks about charter chain's 20th anniversary. mLIVE. 12 September 2015 . 8 January 2018.
6. Web site: Woodworth. James L. Charter Management Organizations 2017. Center for Research on Education Outcomes. 23 January 2018. 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20180117200122/http://credo.stanford.edu/pdfs/CMO%20FINAL.pdf. 17 January 2018. dead.
7. Web site: Dixon. Jennifer. Public money for schools buys private property. Detroit Free Press. 2014-12-14. 2020-12-04.
8. Web site: Michigan's Largest Charter School Operator Shows Phenomenal Student Achievement in New CREDO Study. 2017-11-19.
9. Web site: NWEA Assessment System / Home. www.a2schools.org. en. 2018-05-23.
10. Web site: Centre for Charter Schools - Central Michigan University . February 15, 2024.
11. Web site: Centre for Charter Schools - Central Michigan University . February 15, 2024.
12. Web site: Centre for Charter Schools - Central Michigan University . February 15, 2024.
13. Web site: Centre for Charter Schools - Central Michigan University . February 15, 2024.
14. Web site: Centre for Charter Schools - Central Michigan University . February 15, 2024.
15. Web site: Centre for Charter Schools - Central Michigan University . February 15, 2024.
16. Web site: Centre for Charter Schools - Central Michigan University . February 15, 2024.