Originally appeared at http://www.aft.org/privatization/profiles/national.html

American Federation of Teachers:

National Heritage Academies is a for-profit charter school company based in Grand Rapids, Michigan that opened its first school in fall 1995. Dubbed "one of the top charter school developers in the country" by the Michigan Daily in January 1999, National Heritage operated eleven schools in Michigan during the 98-99 school year. The company will open at least 14 more charter schools in fall 1999, for a total of 25 in Michigan and 2 in North Carolina. National Heritage Academies expect to be operating at least 60 schools by fall 2000.

National Heritage hires school staff and operates the schools according to their model, generally under a management contract with a board of directors for each school. Company officials would not reveal the financial arrangements. The company is privately held, but education industry analysts put National Heritage Academies on their short list of companies that will go public soon. Some observers also predict that the company may begin to diversify, focusing resources on building and leasing schools rather than operating them.

National Heritage generally opens K-5 schools, with an enrollment of 250 – 300, and adds additional grades as students advance. The company’s first and largest school, Excel Charter Academy in Grand Rapids, MI, has expanded to K-8. So far, the company has not opened any high schools.

National Heritage advertises its "back to the basics" curriculum, including reading, writing, arithmetic, science, art, music, and physical education. While generally using the same curriculum, school websites indicate some variation, with some of the schools use University of Chicago Everyday Mathematics and other use Saxon Math. The science, history and geography programs are based on the E. D. Hirsch Core Knowledge series. National Heritage’s mission statement says, "A strong emphasis is placed on the uniqueness of the history of the United States and the people who shaped this great country. Teachers model a respect for America and her heritage." In addition, the company’s literature says, "central to the National Heritage Academies classroom is the Moral Focus." The moral character curriculum is based on the ancient Greek Cardinal Virtues: Justice, Prudence, Fortitude and Temperance.

National Heritage Academies says that their schools "provide services to any child who may have special needs, with the focus of assisting the child to become successful in a regular education classroom.." An in-depth investigation of charter schools published in US News and World Report reveals that National Heritage Academies offer no more than three hours of special ed services to a student a week. A source explained that the company urges students who need more help not to attend the school. He added, "We tell them up front that they may be better off elsewhere."

National Heritage offers a somewhat longer day than public schools, beginning at 8:15 in the morning and ending at 3:15 in the afternoon. National Heritage claims that the supplementary time adds up to an additional five weeks of instruction. School promotional material also emphasizes a traditional "teacher-directed format for our classrooms"; structured discipline; and a high degree of parental involvement.

Students are expected to "wear appropriate clothing that is neat, modest and not distracting to others," and, at some sites, students are required to wear uniforms.

National Heritage claims that all of their teachers are fully certified, and share the company’s educational goals and priorities. One of the teachers who works at Excel Charter in Grand Rapids told a reporter that she left her job at a traditional public school and came to Excel despite lower pay because she "couldn’t reinforce values at a public school."

National Heritage Academies and a school that it operates in Wyoming, Michigan, the Vanguard Charter Academy, have been sued by five parents alleging that their children have been exposed illegally to religion in the classroom. The parents contend that Vanguard violated the constitutional separation of church and state by allowing the use of school facilities for school prayer during and after school hours; allowing and/or endorsing the distribution of religious brochures; holding a mandatory in-service for teachers with a religious focus; and allowing teaching that creationism is an accepted scientific theory. According to news reports, the lawsuit has forced the company to adopt a policy that specifies when and how religion can be discussed and stresses that no particular religion is to be promoted. To date, the lawsuit has cost the company over $50,000.

National Heritage points to increases in student achievement, citing rises in student test scores on the Metropolitan Achievement Test at one of their schools. However, in a January 1999 research report by the evaluation center at Western Michigan University commissioned by the state of Michigan, results from eight New Heritage schools in Michigan are disappointing. Cross Creek, Eagle’s Crest, Excel, Knapp, Vanderbilt, Vanguard, Vista, and Walker show an average decrease in "Satisfactory" achievement on the MEAP state assessment as compared to student scores from the host districts.

J.C. Huizenga, a wealthy manufacturer and evangelical Christian founded the Educational Development Corporation, the predecessor of National Heritage Academies, in 1994. In 1995, the company opened its first school and officially changed its name. Huizenga, a cousin of entrepreneur Wayne Huizenga, has continued his involvement in the company, and plans to take it public in the near future. Company president Peter Ruppert, has a degree from Harvard Business School and prior to coming to NHA, he owned his own consulting firm specializing in strategic planning for small to medium sized companies. .

"Creating a Revolution," The Center for Education Reform. July 1998.

Educational Development Corporation January 8, 1999 Press Release http://www.ubah.com/pr0199.htm

EDC Corporate Profile http://www.ubah.com/inv_cor.htm

Horn, Jerry and Miron, Gary, Evaluation of the Michigan Public School Academy Initiative Executive Summary. The Evaluation Center at Western Michigan University. January 1999.

Michigan Charter Schools www.wmich.edu/charter/schools/list.html

Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services

National Heritage Academies http://www.heritageacademies.com

"NMS Study Reveals Growing Investment Opportunity in Education, Corporate Training and Childcare," Business Wire. November 30 1998.

"School Daze: Ann Arbor should reject charter school," Michigan Daily. 27 January 1999.

Singhania, Lisa, "ACLU sues charter school over state-school separation," Associated Press Newswires. April 1 1999.

Toch, Tom, "Charter Schools: Free market in action, problems and all," US News & World Report. 27 April 1998.

Wilkerson, Roland, "Parents pursue suit against charter school despite religion policy." The Grand Rapids Press. 16 March 1999.

Wyatt, Liz, "Charter schools will give parents a choice," Battle Creek