This article is one of a series of articles produced by The Seattle Medium through support provided by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to Word In Black, a collaborative of 10 Black-owned media outlets across the country.
By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
As schools open this fall, more than 5200 students are attending charter public schools across the state, and two local communities are celebrating the launch of two charter public schools: Rooted School Vancouver and Impact | Black River Elementary in Renton.
According to the Washington State Charter Schools Association, the annual return to the classroom each year provides opportunities for families to explore different public education options that will best meet their children’s needs.
Washington state has 18 charter public schools which serve 0.2% of public-school students in the state. These schools are open to all, non-sectarian and non-profit public schools and tuition-free, and subject to the same state and national certification standards as traditional public schools.
According to Natalie Hester, Co-President, External Affairs of the Washington State Charter School Association, when attending a charter public school, students are part of a community-rooted public-school community, that is free, open to all, and subject to a strict accountability framework that allows for greater flexibility in serving students’ unique needs as they pursue their dreams.
“There is nothing more exciting than full classrooms signaling that once again, students are moving forward toward a future of opportunities,” said Hester. “At charter public schools, they will be working with teachers that represent the diverse communities that they share and together with school leaders and staff are committed to providing an education that recognizes the unique talents of each student that also adheres to local and state requirements for all public school students in Washington.”
Rainier Valley Leadership Academy (RVLA) has been foundational in the region’s charter schools as one the first to be established in South Seattle. RVLA’s CEO Baionne Coleman is also excited about what the new school year will bring in terms of challenging and developing the students who attend the school.
“We are very excited to welcome a strong cohort of teachers with diverse backgrounds who responsibly love our scholars and are looking to cultivate the brilliance they already have,” says Coleman. “We are always welcoming elders and community partners in to support as a collaborative community as it truly takes a village to raise a child.
“Our scholars will have opportunities to travel across the country, experience the outdoors, and grow as leaders throughout this year and beyond. As a broader community, we are excited to see our scholars grow emotionally, academically, and physically,” added Coleman.
Charter schools’ experts believe charter schools have unique freedoms and flexibility not found in traditional public school, and their freedom from the red tape of public education often allows them to dedicate increased resources and energy on supporting students in excelling academic standards.
In addition, Washington charter public schools reflect the communities and students that they serve. Charter public schools employ 3x more Global Majority teachers than those employed at traditional public schools. 1 in 3 students in charter public school classrooms are Black/African American as compared to 1 in 20 at traditional public schools. In all, 62% of students attending Washington’s charter public schools identify as people of color, compared to just 50% of students statewide.
Located in a predominately Black and Brown community schools like RVLA say that they are able to provide an educational environment that allows students to concentrate on their studies without the conventional stresses of things like discrimination or racism and allows them the freedom to themselves in student’s journey towards success.
“Rainier Valley Leadership Academy is a free, public-school option for families in South Seattle looking for an anti-racist community school,” Coleman adds. “We welcomed students back on August 28th and are excited for a joyful year that centers our brilliant scholars in a supportive and collaborative environment. We still have a few spots open in grades 6 and 9; interested families can learn more and enroll at myrvla.org!”
