Private School Aims for Low-Income Kids: Couple Hope to Open Math and Science Academy This Year

Jul 01, 04:39 AM

Current Headlines: By Steve Lyttle, The Charlotte Observer, N.C.

Jul. 1--A husband-and-wife team hopes area businesses and organizations will help them launch a private school aimed at helping low-income middle school students.

DaJuane and Tamara Anderson, who have a record of success with at-risk students, want to open the Anderson Academy of Mathematics and Science this year.

The academy would be for students in grades five-eight, would not be tied to a religious organization, and would be designed to provide a private school education for students who otherwise might not have that opportunity.

The Andersons have told potential backers that they will need $500,000 to launch the effort.

"We've been meeting with bank officials and leaders in the business community to get this started," DaJuane Anderson said. "To open a secular private school in the Charlotte area, you've got to get business involved."

The Andersons, who each have a doctorate, began their teaching careers 10 years ago at Timbuktu Academy of Science and Technology in Detroit, a charter school designed for at-risk children.

They left in 2001 for Las Vegas, where they worked for five years at the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy. That school, founded by an organization led by tennis great Andre Agassi, provides a college preparatory education for inner-city students. DaJuane Anderson taught middle school science and mathematics, and Tamara was director of curriculum.

DaJuane Anderson's students scored well above the state and Las Vegas system averages on end-of-grade tests in mathematics and science, documents provided by the school show. In 2005, 33 percent of his students scored in the highest level on the science test, compared to a statewide average of 12 percent.

"I think we can do the same thing here in Charlotte," he said.

The Andersons say they decided to leave Las Vegas and start their own school. They narrowed the search to five cities and "fell in love" with Charlotte after a visit here.

"We originally wanted to open a charter school, but the state has a cap on the number of charter schools," DaJuane Anderson said. "So we decided to try it as a private school."

The Andersons are in the process of picking a site for the academy. They hope to start with grades 5-8, add a grade each year, and eventually serve grades five-12.

Anderson says all students would be charged a fee, although they expect that much of the tuition would be covered by donations from the community.

"So far, the response has been very good," he said. "We want to bring a breath of fresh air -- a bit of excitement -- to education in the Charlotte area."

Anderson Academy

The Anderson Academy of Mathematics and Science is a 501 c(3) nonprofit foundation. The school would focus on math and science education in a college preparatory format. For details, contact the Andersons at 704-596-1288 or 704-779-3450, or by e-mail at dajuane@nova.edu.

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