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Why was Yellowstone Academy founded? |
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There is a deep crisis in the inner cities of this country, and existing approaches to solving the problem are proving inadequate. In response, a movement has developed in the last 10 or 15 years in every major city in the country to start innovative schools, often faith based, in inner city locations. Yellowstone Academy is one such school. Yellowstone Academy serves as a “platform” from which to provide children from extremely challenging family circumstances the educational, social, spiritual, and practical resources they need to break the cycle of illegitimacy, illiteracy, and dependency that defines poverty in America. Although education is at the top of the things that are important at Yellowstone Academy, poor educational options are only one part of the problem contributing to the crisis. Yellowstone Academy intends to address the full dimensions of the problems of children growing up in poverty. Integrity, self-reliance, persistence, respect for others, deferred gratification, and resourcefulness must form the basis for self-mastery and interactions with others. Yellowstone Academy intends for its students to become productive members of society.
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What sort of student does Yellowstone Academy serve? |
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Yellowstone Academy exclusively serves children from very low income families, the majority of whom have been designated by the Census Bureau as living in extreme poverty. Most students are from single parent households. Although there is no “aptitude” requirement, the school does not serve children with severe developmental deficits that could be better addressed in a different setting.
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How are Yellowstone students “recruited”? |
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In the first year of operation, students were recruited through distributing flyers in the surrounding neighborhoods and by visiting several housing projects in the Third Ward to address gatherings of parents with 3 and 4 year old children. News of the school also spread with the assistance of the City of Refuge Church and Lilly Grove Missionary Baptist Church. Since that first year, the school’s reputation has spread by word of mouth, and there are over 300 children on the waiting list. |
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How is Yellowstone Academy funded? |
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Yellowstone Academy is funded entirely through private donations from individuals, foundations, churches, and corporations. |
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Does Yellowstone Academy have any single major benefactor “behind the scenes”? |
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No. |
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Do the students’ families pay tuition? |
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Yes. Every family pays something on a scale based on household income. The median tuition payment is between $5 to $30 per month. |
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How does Yellowstone ensure parental involvement? |
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Upon enrollment, parents are required to sign a Parent Covenant indicating their agreement to be an active participant in their child's education. Each student brings home a daily folder which includes a conduct report from that day and a homework assignment which parents are required to review and sign. In addition, parents attend conferences with their child's teacher a minimum of three times a year.
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Is Yellowstone Academy a Charter School? |
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No. Yellowstone Academy is a private school. |
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Why is Yellowstone Academy not a Charter School? |
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Two reasons: Charter Schools are required to accept admission from any student who lives in its geographic region. Because the mission of Yellowstone Academy is to only serve children from very low income families, the school reserves the latitude to select from its applicants those children that best fit the mission of the school and who have the greatest need. Further, Charter Schools are funded by the state and therefore may not be religiously based. Yellowstone Academy is a Christian school and therefore may not accept state or Federal funds. |
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Is Yellowstone Academy affiliated with any church or denomination? |
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No. Yellowstone Academy is a non-denominational Christian school. |
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What is the significance of accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools? |
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The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is the leading accreditation agency serving the 11 states in the Southeastern United States. SACS provides accreditation to schools from pre-K through the university level. The process of achieving accreditation from SACS involves a rigorous self examination of every aspect of the school’s mission, curriculum, policies, and procedures. Seeking and receiving accreditation from SACS is emblematic of Yellowstone Academy’s commitment to educational excellence and continuous re-assessment and improvement of standards. Being a SACS accredited school also affords Yellowstone with access to the best educational resources available in the country. |
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How will the success of Yellowstone Academy’s program be evaluated? |
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Yellowstone Academy provides teacher administered assessments in reading and math throughout the school year in PK-6th grade. The data generated assists us in working with individual children as well as in developing curriculum designed to address the specific needs of children in poverty.
Yellowstone is also committed to assessment with nationally administered standardized testing at the third grade level and above. The first of these tests were administered in the 2006-07 school year. Further, Yellowstone is talking with a major university about conducting a longitudinal study to determine the long-term impact of the school’s curricula and programs on the achievement of poverty level students. The objective of this study is to compile long term data in order to make a significant contribution to the understanding of educating children in poverty. |
