School Year Begun for Hillsdale College’s 20 Member Charter Schools

The College welcomes three new member charter schools as nearly 12,000 K-12 students across the country begin the academic year

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Hillsdale, Mich. — Hillsdale College congratulates its 20 member charter schools on a successful start to the school year. The College’s K-12 Education Office promotes the founding of classical charter schools across the country. Since opening its first two member schools in 2012, the Barney Charter School Initiative (BCSI), part of the College’s K-12 efforts, currently includes more than 11,600 K-12 students enrolled in 20 member schools across 9 states, with a current total waitlist of nearly 5,000.

“We are thrilled to see another academic year underway and to be working with such a strong group of schools,” said Kathleen O’Toole, assistant provost of K-12 Education. “So many parents across our country desire to see their children educated in classical schools. We are proud to do our part to make tested and timeless K-12 education available across the country.” 

This year the K-12 Education Office welcomed three new schools to its roster, including: Lake Country Classical Academy in Oconomowoc, Wis.; Naples Classical Academy in Naples, Fla.; and Northwest Classical Academy in Kennesaw, Ga.

This summer, Hillsdale College published the Hillsdale 1776 Curriculum, a free, downloadable American history and civics curriculum for grades K-12. It has also recently recognized its 2021-2022 Master Teachers, a cohort of teachers among Hillsdale College’s 20 member schools who are honored for their excellence in teaching and serve the network of schools by offering insight into curriculum, mentoring new teachers, and providing sample resources that align with classical pedagogy.

Hillsdale College K-12 Education aims to promote the founding of classical schools and excellence in their teaching and operations, to the end that American students may be educated in the liberal arts and sciences and receive instruction in the principles of moral character and civic virtue. The initiative is made possible by a major grant from the Barney Family Foundation and matching gifts from other friends of Hillsdale College. For more information, visit the K-12 Education website

About Hillsdale College

Hillsdale College is an independent liberal arts college located in southern Michigan. Founded in 1844, the College has built a national reputation through its classical liberal arts core curriculum and its principled refusal to accept federal or state taxpayer subsidies, even indirectly in the form of student grants or loans. It also conducts an outreach effort promoting civil and religious liberty, including a free monthly speech digest, Imprimis, with a circulation of more than 5.7 million. For more information, visit hillsdale.edu.

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