charter school fundingCharter School Capital Funding Helps T-Squared Honors Academy Overcome Challenges

About T-Squared Honors Academy

T-Squared Honors AcademyEstablished in 2014, T-Squared Honors Academy is currently enrolling students in grades seven through twelve. The school focuses on four key pillars: intelligence; broad sympathy; knowledge of the world that was and is; and the relation of men to the world. Their mission is to utilize a rigorous, innovative academic curriculum to infuse a passion for people, intrinsic motivation, and self-discipline in their students. They aspire for each of their students to be challenged, develop strong character values, and to serve publicly and lead the world in social reforms.

The Challenges

  • In Ohio in 2014, there was a period where charter school fund distribution was being delayed­, creating a challenging situation for charter
    schools to operate effectively
  • As the state funding payments came through, both the timing and funding amounts were irregular and unpredictable
  • Without consistent and stable funding, T-Squared lacked the ability to provide job security for their staff, would have been forced to make operational reductions, and their future was uncertain

The Solution

  • Charter School Capital purchased Ohio state aid payments owed to T-Squared Honors Academy and then provided consistent funding to the school in advance of the state payment distribution dates
  • Charter School Capital supplied the working capital needed for T-Squared to be able to make payroll for their staff and purchase necessary academic materials like laptops and new books
  • Charter School Capital’s online Client Portal has made the documentation process much faster, easier, and more transparent for school leadershipWe’re so grateful to Charter School Capital.

Whenever we have questions or are confused about something, our account manager, Michelle, is very patient in explaining things to us. Anytime I need her, she is available or will call us right back. She’s made the process so easy and understandable.
Dr. India Ford, Superintendent,
T-Squared Honors Academy

The Result

T-Squared Honors AcademyThe funding provided by Charter School Capital provided T-Squared Honors Academy the financial predictability they needed for operational stability. It is currently the top-performing charter school in the area and they’re setting their sites on becoming one of the best charter schools in Ohio—and then the nation. Since 2014, they’ve more than doubled their enrollment, exceeded academically, and are now nearing their goal of financial stability and independence. The next milestone for them will be to move into their very own high school building. With their leaders’ dedication and commitment, we know it will happen.


Charter School Capital logoAt Charter School Capital, our team works with you to determine working capital funding and facilities options based on your school’s needs. If you are trying to meet operational expenses, expand, acquire or renovate your school building, add an athletic department, enhance school safety/security, or buy new technology, complete the online application below and we’ll contact you to set up a meeting.


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charter school honor

Charter School Students Get Recognized by the National Honor Society

At Charter School Capital, a big part of our mission is to further the charter school movement and celebrating the achievements of charter school students, so we are thrilled to be sharing this incredibly inspirational story of success!
We recently had the honor of speaking with Debra Sellers, from Cincinnati College Preparatory Academy (CCPA), and learned how she persevered to get CCPA’s deserving charter school students acknowledged by the National Honor Society (NHS).
More than just an honor roll, NHS serves to recognize students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, service, leadership, and character. Sellers knew that CCPA’s hard-working and dedicated public charter school scholars deserved recognition the same way their traditional public-school counterparts have since 1921. But it wasn’t going to be easy.

About Debra Sellers

Debra came to CCPA in 2014 as an online instructor, facilitating online courses. For the past two years, she has been serving in the capacity of the guidance counselor. She’s been a guidance counselor and career access coordinator for schools ever since 2002. Prior to her work at CCPA, she was working for Cincinnati Public Schools. Her broad and impressive background includes an undergraduate degree in Human Resources (HR) Training and Development, a Master’s Degree in Social Work with an emphasis in mental health, and a long-running professional career in education.
Sellers is currently CCPA’s Guidance and Career Counselor, but I wanted to better understand how her diverse background and training led to this particular role and why getting NHS recognition for her students would be so important to her.
“I thought, how am I helping? … With HR, I trained in development. You train, and you develop students to transition into the workforce or college. That allowed me to be able to use my experience in that area helping them with resumes, interviewing, assessing what the needs were over the years, and just being able to give them some guidance in that area.
Then, when I thought about grad school, I would have gone for guidance counselor. But, I also have this double life. I work in a residential treatment facility. So, I’ve work in chemical dependency treatment prevention for the past seventeen years. So, I ended up getting a master’s in social work because it was a broad degree that could land me kind of anywhere. Because with social work you are a counselor, you are helping people. You are meeting their needs and trying to get them connected to community-based organizations, helping them to think about basic things like food, clothing, and shelter.
I kind of put those two together, but my resources together, which has been very beneficial to me as I am working with high school students making their transition to the larger picture called life.”

In hot pursuit of National Honor Society Recognition

charter school studentsComing from her experience with previous schools, she knew that student performance recognition was very important for motivating students towards academic success. Recognition, however, was only one piece of the puzzle. Practically speaking, and from her HR background perspective, she knew that recognition from an organization such as the National Honor Society looks really good on a college resume.
She made the first request to the NHS for CCPA in 2014, but at that time, they were not accepting charter schools—only traditional public schools. The frustrating result was that she wasn’t able to get CCPA students recognized. For the past nearly four years, Sellers was unapologetically tenacious, refusing to give up.

“I knew it would be a really nice motivational piece to encourage students to excel academically because I know it looks good on a resume, and it looks good on a college application. It just, it helps to boost morale, self-esteem, and just encouraging the students to continue what they had already been doing—achieving academically.”

“Every year I would call and then they kept saying, ‘You have to go online.’ And I did, and it just wouldn’t go through. I started in 2014. I just kept trying.
In 2017, I called the National Honor Society (again) and told them what I was trying to do and what had been my issue over the last several years. They were like, ‘Well, just go ahead and re-submit your application again this year.’ Then, when it was approved they simply said, ‘Okay, now you just have to pay your charter membership.’ I was like, ‘Oh my God. Oh my God. We’re going have a National Honor Society!’”
With a chuckle, she goes on to share that she was equally excited when that they said, “You’re going to be billed.” And, from her enthusiastic recounting of that moment, I can safely say I don’t think anyone has ever been more excited to get a bill … ever.
“When they finally opened to us, I was like, ‘Oh yes! We have to do this!’”
I asked her what she thought changed – finally in 2017 – to make the NHS want to recognize charter school students. “Well, I don’t think they recognized charter schools, period. You had to go to a more traditional high school. I think that they looked at the fact that they are accredited, each state recognizes them, and that there’s a growing number of public charter schools nationwide.”

This was a big deal

Cincinnati College Preparatory AcademyBecoming a member of the National Honor Society is – as the name perhaps already implies – a tremendous honor for students. One that’s been experienced by high school scholars at traditional public schools around the country for decades. For this, CCPA’s first year having their charter school students recognized, Sellers wanted to make sure it had all the pomp and circumstance that the CCPA honorees, their proud families, and school community deserved.
”We just really wanted it to be something that the students knew this was a big deal. We put together a formal ceremony. We had all the candles, the pinning, we did the oath, we had a guest speaker (a TV personality from the local station), we held the ceremony in the evening, we had 33 students, and they all signed a book. It was really a nice ceremony.”
But, for even more impact on the students, Sellers kept the induction into the NHS as well as all of the planning for this huge event a secret from the honorees.
“I didn’t tell them. I kept wandering around the school and asking them random things. I gave certain kids cards and asked them for their addresses. I never told them what it was, and they had no idea until they received the letter at home. I wanted it to be a surprise for them to know that they were being recognized. After receiving their letters, they excitedly came back and asked, ‘What is this? What is this?’ So, I gave them a little background of what it was. The following Monday their names were on the school marquee in the atrium so the whole student body could see who the National Honor Society inductees were.”

Just the beginning

Cincinnati College Preparatory AcademyAn impressive 33 tenth, eleventh, and twelfth graders out of CCPAs 182 students were recognized this March. The graduating seniors were specially recognized with stoles that included their new National Honor Society patch.
Sellers shares,“I wanted them to know that this is an honor and it says something about you … you and the work that you have done during your high school years, and this is a way of being recognized—and it’s by a reputable organization, the National Honor Society.”
Sellers is not stopping here and is dedicated to continuing her progress ¬– and not just for the CCPA students. Although students cannot become members of NHS until high school, she’s getting a jumpstart on middle-school-aged students in her area to begin thinking about the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS). “If I have my wish, we’re going down to junior high. They have one that’s for sixth, seventh, eighth graders. I’m trying to get them on board. That’s my goal this year. If you get them to really be thinking about the bigger picture, if you say, ‘I want to become an engineer,’ you don’t start that in your senior year. You start that back there. It’s a process.”
We are always honored to share the amazing work that charter school leaders are doing across the country to make a difference and help forward charter school movement. Debra Sellers is a prime example of the commitment, dedication, and outstanding work charter leaders are doing—and that deserves our recognition. We thank her for taking the time to speak with us and for paving the way for other charter schools to motivate and honor their students’ achievements in the same way.


Since the company’s inception in 2007, Charter School Capital has been committed to the success of charter schools. We provide growth capital and facilities financing to charter schools nationwide. Our depth of experience working with charter school leaders and our knowledge of how to address charter school financial and operational needs have allowed us to provide over $1.6 billion in support of 600 charter schools that educate 800,000 students across the country. For more information on how we can support your charter school, contact us. We’d love to work with you!

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Charter School ECOT
Halfway through the academic year, one of the nation’s largest online charter schools, Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow (ECOT), is closing abruptly, leaving families of the roughly 12,000 Ohio students scrambling to find other schooling options. According to one Marietta Times article, “ECOT students would have to be accepted by their local public school districts, some of which already started preparing for that scenario.”
We can imagine that many students, families, and schools might be in panic-mode as they struggle to figure out what to do in light of the sudden ECOT school closure. Getting students, their transcripts, and other records transferred quickly and efficiently is just one of the challenges being faced. As area schools scramble to help, they may be wondering how they’ll be able to fund this unexpected growth and the costs associated with increased enrollment. This is where Charter School Capital can help. Whether your school is taking on many new students or just a few, we can help fill any funding gap so you can get back to your focus—educating kids.

In order to make sure other charter schools are able to re-home these students, we’re offering flexible funding to Ohio schools to offset the costs of teachers, staff, onboarding, and facilities in order to enroll them. We can secure funding to offset the unexpected costs in as little as 14-30 days to make sure you can serve those students. Let us know how we can help.

Get started by filling out our interest form, emailing us at growcharters@charterschoolcapital.com, or calling our Ohio representative Michelle Godin directly at 971.634.1897.

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Join us on Facebook Live for Growth Strategy and Facilities Financing knowledge with:

  • Dr. Darlene Chambers, Senior Vice President for Programs and Services at the National Charter Schools Institute
  • Mike Morley, President and CEO American Charter Development
  • Clint Satow, Vice President of Operations Performance Academies
  • Stuart Ellis, President and CEO Charter School Capital

national-school-choice-week-charter-school-2Across the country, today’s charter schools need better access to charter school funding for working capital and facilities financing at all stages of growth. Having reliable sources of charter school funding when needed allows schools to hire teachers, purchase textbooks, upgrade classroom technology, and expand the school’s facilities footprint so charter leaders can focus on what’s most important – educating students.
Working exclusively with charter schools, Charter School Capital understands the daily pressures charter leaders face. Our team works with school leaders to develop the best strategies matched to the school’s unique financial needs. By providing funding for charter schools, we’re empowering you. We give you access to the working capital and facilities financing options you need to stay focused on education, so every student has the opportunity to become someone incredible
Let us help you in planning for your school’s future.
Our team is excited to learn more about your charter school needs. Set up a one-on-one with our client services team to find out how we can help your school. Call 877-272-1001 or email GrowCharters@charterschoolcapital.com.
Want more information on growth capital and facilities financing? We offer information on growth strategies, facilities financing options, student enrollment marketing, and more.

Columbus, OhioMore than 300 charter leaders attended the Ohio Auditor of State‘s first Charter School Summit in Columbus, Ohio, last week (August 11-12). There were two days of workshops and keynote addresses from thought leaders on charter school funding, best practices, changes in the state laws, and other training topics.
Featured keynotes came from Ohio State Auditor Dave Yost, Geoffrey Canada of the Harlem Children’s Zone, Mike Feinberg of the KIPP Foundation, Dr. Steve Perry of the Capital Preparatory Magnet School, and Paolo DeMaria, the new Ohio Superintendent of Public Instruction. The two-day summit provided options for charter school funding and facilities financing, compliance training around Ohio’s charter school laws, record keeping and enrollment best practices, teacher development and retention, cultivating public-private partnerships, and charter school board governance.
Charter School Capital’s own VP of Business Development/Facilities Jon Dahlberg was the panel session, The Challenges and Opportunities of Facility Expansion, presented Thursday morning. Moderated by Dr. Darlene Chambers, Senior Vice President for Programs and Services at the National Charter School Institute, the panel will also include Tom Babb of Constellation Schools, Brian Schneiderman of Self-Help and John Zitzner of Friends of Breakthrough Schools. The panel discussed the availability of charter school funding for facilities expansion and compared the benefits of leasing versus purchasing facilities, tenant improvements.
You can recap the event, watch speaker videos and see photos provided by the Ohio Auditor of State’s office.
We thank the Ohio Auditor of State’s team for inviting us to participate in their first event!

Charter School Advocacy Day 2016
California students from Academia Avance visit Ohio capital on field trip #Advocacy Day

On Tuesday, May 3rd, thousands of charter school advocates flocked to their state’s capitals to encourage legislative support and action for the charter school movement. Known across the country as Charter School Advocacy Day, this nationally coordinated effort empowers students, teachers, parents, and administrators to share their stories of charter school successes directly with state government officials.
In California, where 581,000 students attend 1,228 public schools, nearly 500 charter school supporters met with state representatives and state senators to reiterate the need for school choice, praise supportive officials, and advocate for continued expansion of the state’s substantial charter school program. Throughout the day, a bipartisan group of state officials spoke to charter school advocates, praising the innovation charter schools bring to the education space, as well as the advances charter schools have made in bringing a quality education to students from all backgrounds.
“It’s great to see the Capitol full of charter school advocates,” said Branche Jones, a charter advocate in California.  “As they visit legislative offices they really enforce the importance of school choice and options while letting legislators know the benefits that they are providing for their constituents.”
Meanwhile in Ohio, where nearly 125,000 students attend charters, more than 400 families gathered at the state capital in Columbus for a series of inspirational speeches from state legislators on the steps of the Statehouse. Ohio Senate President Keith Faber encouraged everyone to keep pressing for school choice, “…remember to tell your legislator that parents know what learning environment is best for their children.”
Inside the Statehouse in Columbus, the Ohio House of Representatives passed a resolution recognizing National Charter Schools Week, reading in part, “Through the efforts of educators and administrators, Ohio’s charter schools have made significant contributions to improving the quality of life in our society.”
This resolution echoed similar resolutions of praise across the country, including official proclamations from President Barack Obama and Texas Governor Greg Abbott recognizing National Charter Schools Week.
Charter School Capital is proud to support National Charter Schools Week and Charter School Advocacy Day. With more than 1 million students still on wait lists for charter schools, every effort to educate, advocate, and advance the charter school movement is essential to making sure all children in this country have access to the highest-quality education.
Visit the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools site for more information on National Charter Schools Week.

OAPCS Conference LogoThe Charter School Capital team is packing up and getting ready to head to Columbus, Ohio next week to celebrate the 18 years of charter school growth in the state.
We’re proud of our continued partnership with the Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools and be the Diamond Sponsor of this year’s Ohio Charter Schools Conference.
Our focus at the conference will be on the 4T’s – teachers, textbooks, transportation, and technology – and how our growth capital can help fund these and other operational needs. Our facilities team will also be on hand to help schools learn more about our facilities financing options and how we can provide schools more control over their facilities needs.
If you’re attending the conference, check out one of our informative breakout sessions:

Charter School Growth Strategies — Start-up, Expansion, Maturity

Thursday, November 12 | 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. | 2nd Floor: Senate Chamber

Charter schools face a variety of challenges at each stage of growth. This panel session will outline these stages of growth from start-up to expansion to mature school and highlight the challenges schools face at each stage. Our panel of experts will offer best practices learned from their experiences.

Panelists:

  • Skip Hansen, EVP of Business Development, Learn4Life Concept Charter Schools
  • Dr. Darlene Chambers, President and CEO, Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools
  • Stuart Ellis, CEO, Charter School Capital 

Digital Marketing 101 for Charter Schools

Thursday, November 12 | 2:45 – 3:45 p.m. | 2nd Floor: Senate Chamber

Charter school growth requires solid student enrollment and retention programs that position the school for growth. Attendees will dive into digital marketing strategies with an overview of the digital landscape and learn why it’s relevant to charter school expansion and replication. Best practices will also be highlighted for school leaders to implement for their charter schools.

Panelists:

  • Scott Kaufmann, Partner, Lucid Agency
  • Kim Brater, VP of Marketing, Charter School Capital
  • Michael Barber, Founder, barber&hewitt

 

Mosaica logoWe are so excited to learn that Mosaica Education was selected as the highest performing Education Management Organization (EMO) in Ohio, out of 41 organizations. This honor comes on the heels of Columbus Preparatory Academy, a Mosaica school, receiving a 2014 National Blue Ribbon designation by the U.S. Department of Eduaction. Columbus Preparatory Academy was recognized in the category of Exemplary High Performing Schools.
The ranking was published by Beacon Journal in a report that analyzed the overall performance of all EMOs in Ohio.
Mosaica Education is a valued partner of Charter School Capital, and has previously won awards for Columbus Preparatory Academy and Lorain Preparatory Academy. They operate over 100 schools worldwide, including 17 schools in Ohio, serving a total of 3,774 Ohio students.
“The staff at the Mosaica schools in Ohio are tremendously dedicated to building high performing academies, and that’s evidenced by the remarkable growth of the schools and academic achievements of the students,” said Cris Worrel, Charter School Capital Client Services Representative for Ohio. “We look forward to many more successful years as partners to Mosaica Education.”
 
 
 
 

Dr. Darlene Chambers
Dr. Darlene Chambers, President & CEO, OAPCS

Charter School Capital supports the efforts of many state charter school associations across the country. In Ohio, charter schools are well-served by the new leadership at the Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools (OAPCS). Darlene Chambers is now the President and CEO at OAPCS. Below is an except of her recent letter that appeared on the OAPCS website as well as a link to read the letter in its entirety…


Letter from OAPCS President & CEO, Dr. Darlene Chambers (Excerpt)

This is a pivotal moment in Ohio’s charter school movement and I am honored to serve as President & CEO of OAPCS at this critical time. Those who already know me recognize I am a strong advocate in charter schools and all that they represent: innovation, entrepreneurialism, and choice. For those who don’t yet know me, my position on charter schools is they were founded and have thrived for a simple reason: one size no longer fits all when it comes to education. Parents should decide what’s best for their children. Our duty is to provide quality options…
A quality education for every child is a fundamental right that all of us can work together to achieve. OAPCS can address the challenges and improve educational options for all public school children in Ohio, but I need your help and I ask for your support as we continue on this important effort together. For too long, the charter school debate has been pitted in partisan rhetoric when the focus needs to stay on what is best for the children in Ohio. Collaboration is the key for achieving goals and we seek your input, feedback and support.
Over the next months, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to meet with you and share your story with the community. Please help me spread the word and share the positive messages about all that’s going right in our schools serving 120,000+ students. At the end of the day, charter schools provide a viable, important option – often for students who would not have access to a high-quality educational opportunity without them. Let’s work together to ensure all students have access to the education they deserve regardless of their zip code.

Read the full OAPCS letter.