St. George Academy (SGA) expect SGA to rely on a different set of values. Neither is “right” or “wrong.” Parents can and do approach value questions differently. If the students at SGA and UAA were switched overnight, both schools would face the tensions over cultural differences that are plaguing school districts around the country. Why? Because there would be a mismatch between the values of the school and the values of the families. It’s no wonder that tension around what is appropriate in district schools spills into the public dialogue. Our friends in the school districts are just as committed to the welfare of the students and families attending their schools as we are. But it is probably inevitable that a single district-wide decision about values-laden issues will create tension with different segments of the thousands of families who attend the district. The growth opportunity for us is to identify cohesive communities and build, expand and serve those communities in ways that reflect their homegrown values. UAPCS is determined to help both existing and new charter schools thrive. Across these opportunities and many others, Utah charter schools will fill an additional 20,000 seats over the course of the 2020s. Utah’s charter school enrollment will be nearly 100,000 by the end of the decade. That is a big goal but one UAPCS is committed to helping us all achieve. That means helping existing schools and new schools simultaneously. You will see us playing in the primordial soup, identifying good potential schools and helping them write strong charter applications. You will see us advertising charter schools when existing schools are doing their enrollment and lotteries. We will advise and help schools that want to open another campus or maybe more than one. We are going to help all of Utah charterland do and be more. And it means we are all going to get better. Utah’s many wonderful charter schools are going to be THE choice for Utah families. You will see us playing in the primordial soup, identifying good potential schools and helping them write strong charter applications. 7
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