Charter operator can transform lives

Last week, the board of the Andre Agassi College Prep Academy unanimously voted to partner with Democracy Prep Public Schools and become part of the state’s Achievement School District.

We at Democracy Prep have a motto that informs our daily approach to education: “Work Hard. Go to College. Change the World.” We are honored and humbled that the academy has entrusted us to put those values to work in Las Vegas. We are also enormously grateful to Andre Agassi, whose original vision and tenacious support for the academy has improved the lives of so many children in the state of Nevada.

The U.S. education system is unfairly stacked against some students, leaving far too many behind and without a legitimate opportunity to reap the lifelong benefits of a quality education. At Democracy Prep, we know what it takes to overcome these odds.

We know that — regardless of ZIP code — all kids are capable of performing at a high academic level, gaining acceptance to a college of their choice and going on to live a life of active and responsible civic engagement.

That belief motivated us when we first formed the Democracy Prep charter school network in a small New York City classroom back in 2006, and it remains at our core today as we’ve expanded across the country. Today, our 5,425 citizen-scholars and 284 alumni are a testament to the success of our model. Eighty-seven percent of our alumni are currently enrolled in a four-year college or university.

In September, Democracy Prep was awarded a $12.7 million federal grant to expand our network into more communities. We have been successful because we believe in our students and we don’t accept failure. We hold teachers and our scholars to a higher standard and we equip them with all the tools and support necessary to succeed.

Our model offers more than eight-hour schools days, giving our students more time to learn. We focus on rigorous, college preparatory academics, including two hours of math and three hours of literacy each day. We offer a structured and supportive school culture for our teachers and students, which is reinforced through a variety of enrichment opportunities and incentives.

In addition to traditional academics, participation in arts education is not just encouraged, but required. Scholars in our speech and debate programs have achieved national recognition. Our athletics programs are structured to motivate scholars to work even harder outside of the classroom, develop a strong sense of school pride, and provide our students with an opportunity to showcase their talents at a level that will be recognized by college recruiters. We know that a healthy combination of academics, arts and athletics enhances the quality of our students’ lives and expands their options for learning and growth.

We transform the lives of the students at Democracy Prep and expectations of what public schools can achieve. We run our schools using only the public funds available to us, spending more money on students, teachers and classrooms than on layers of administration.

In short, the promise of Democracy Prep is that if you work hard, you can go to college, and you really can change the world.