The expansion of Ohio's EdChoice Scholarship two years ago is leading some families in a new educational direction, and there's a new school option opening in August for families living in and around Cleveland Heights.
Azurie, age 4, loves to read and is excited to start kindergarten.
“A-Z-U-R-I-E, Azurie, zurie, zurie, that’s me,” sang Azurie.
She will be among the first students to attend Forest City Academy, described as a new private, secular school designed to be more accessible.
Ben Colas, founder and director of Forest City Academy, said he hopes to fill what he believes is a gap in affordable private schools in the area.
“Are we for everyone?” asked Colas. “No. But for the people who feel like, ‘I’m not being served,' or 'My child’s needs aren’t being met,' or 'I want something different,’ we want to make sure they have that option.”
Colas said they got connected with The Drexel Fund, whose focus is seeding and scaling private schools serving predominantly lower-income communities.
“If you think about the private school landscape, particularly on the east side, there are some affordable Catholic schools, which are serving those families really well, but really, the other options for families, the majority of them are in the $20,000-$30,000 a year range,” said Colas. “So, not designed to be accessible for the median family. We saw a definite gap in the market if you were looking for something different.”
They are leasing space from Cedar Hill Baptist Church in the Cedar Fairmount area, and in their first year, are accredited by the state of Ohio as a chartered nonpublic school.
“Here is one of our classrooms,” Colas said while giving a tour of their space. “Super excited about having a stage where kids can practice public speaking. We’re really focused on helping each learner find their voice."
Colas said this summer they’re just sprucing things up a bit as they have most everything they need because the church once had a school.
“They have been super helpful, super supportive, and excited about the idea of having a space that can be used to provide educational opportunities for the children, certainly, and just serve and bless the local community here,” said Colas about church leadership.
News 5 first met Colas back in 2017.
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He was teaching kindergarten in Cleveland and created an initiative called Kinder Kits, which provided materials to more than 6,000 children and their parents to support kindergarten readiness.
He has since been a teacher-coach and administrator.
“And that type of idea of partnering with parents, hands-on learning, thinking more broadly about learning- is definitely at the core of what we’re doing here,” he said about Forest City Academy.
Classrooms have chalkboards, and those will stay.
Colas said the school plans to intentionally be low-tech.
They also plan to start small, just 30 students in grades K-2, with plans to grow up to 5th grade.
“With the idea there of making sure each child is truly seen, known, cared for, and instruction tailored to what they need,” said Colas.
He said they’re focused on mastery-based education, holistic learning, and are influenced by the Montessori model.
It is an approach that spoke to Lexx Johnson, who will be one of the first teachers at the new school.
“School is not one-size-fits-all,” she said.
Not for all students or teachers, said Johnson. She felt the traditional classroom setting wasn’t right for her and welcomed more flexibility and freedom.
“A lot of my school children have compared me to Ms. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus because we’re going to get active, we’re going to have fun, we’re going to learn,” said Johnson. “And my biggest thing is I want you to learn things in here that you can take out there and be successful with.”
Johnson is not only a teacher at Forest City Academy, but also a parent.
Azurie is her daughter, who she’ll have in class.
“I want to be a teacher like my mommy,” said Azurie about what she wants to be when she grows up.
Both mother and daughter are excited for their first day and to be starting something new together.
Ohio’s EdChoice Expansion offers public vouchers to help pay for private school.
With that money, the school expects most families to pay $0 to $5,000 out of pocket, depending on income and discounts.
