TULSA, Okla. — From new dance classes to engineering, Tulsa Honor Academy is shaping their 9th grade curriculum around student needs.
"They liked what we were providing. I think parents like options. So that might be why we're starting to see more charters. Parents like to be able to choose what they believe is going to be best for their kids," executive director Elsie Urueta Pollock said.
This charter school expanded to 9th grade to meet the demand this year, and will add through 12th grade over the next three years.
Students tell 2 Works for You they prefer having the option of a campus with smaller class sizes.
"The teachers are more focused on the individual progress that each student is making rather than the class average. So they don't let any scholar fall behind in their classwork," 9th grader Ismael Ponce said.
Other 9th graders said they didn't think college was an option before the honor academy.
"I noticed that like with family, they were struggling in school. I always thought that same thing was going to happen here at THA. But as my journey has led on I have just experienced growth, and I know that I'm going to be prepared for college," Jennifer Salazar said.
Administrators said another benefit is more accountability, as they're authorized through Tulsa Public Schools, which verifies everything from finances to academic progress.
Now the goal is transitioning out of a temporary facility and into a permanent building before space runs out in 2021.
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