Rapoport Academy Public School Superintendent Nancy Grayson will speak to a state Senate committee today about the Waco charter school, which is one of just five charter schools statewide invited to share the secrets of their success.

Today’s hearing is part of the Senate Education Committee’s charge to review the performance and accountability of the state’s charter schools.

“We want to hear about the good, the bad and the ugly. We’re starting with the good,” Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano, said.

Rapoport Superintendent Nancy Grayson (left) laughs with Gaylene Reed, institution development director, during the dedication of Grant Hall at Rapoport Academy in February.
Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald

Shapiro said Rapoport was chosen for the hearing because it serves a smaller community than other high-profile charter schools.

Rapoport also has a history of “exemplary” and “recognized” state ratings and has been used as a model for other schools.

“We knew they were already being looked at as an exemplary charter system,” Shapiro said.

Helping other schools

About five years ago, Rapoport finished up a two-year grant by the Texas Education Agency, which asked the school to catalog its educational “best practices” and share them with other charter schools.

“We are now sought out more often for our innovation and what has worked and what has not,” Grayson said.

Shapiro said it’s important to hear about the charter schools that are doing good work.

“We tend to only hear about the bad ones,” she said.

Grayson said she is eager to share with the senators that Rapoport is a charter school system fulfilling the mandate given in the original charter-school legislation: to be innovative and offer a choice in education.

Grayson’s testimony will include a description of the school’s focus on college readiness, which begins in kindergarten.

Students begin taking college tours by fifth grade, thanks in part to the college coordinator at each school.

Another highlight is the schools’ support structure for students. Small class sizes allow instructors to offer more individual attention, and a dean of students at each school is present to identify the individual needs of each child.

Grayson said she hopes the education committee’s focus on charter schools will help raise support and understanding of the institutions.

wgragg@wacotrib.com

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