For Immediate Release | September 25, 2014
Spokane International Academy Approved to Open a K-8 in the Fall of 2015
Spokane, Wash. – Washington State Charter Schools Association (WA Charters) CEO Thomas Franta today announced that Spokane native, local public school teacher and parent Travis Franklin was approved by Spokane Public Schools to open the Spokane International Academy public charter school. Committed to empowering underserved students to excel in advanced high school courses and successfully earn four-year college degrees, Spokane International Academy will open for the 2015-16 school year in Spokane, Wash.
“We couldn’t be more pleased to welcome Washington’s ninth approved public charter school – the Spokane International Academy. School founder Travis Franklin has worked tirelessly, building on his experience as a public school teacher and leader, to design a high-quality charter school to meet the needs of his community. WA Charters is proud to join with Travis and his team as they work to open Spokane International Academy’s doors for students next fall.
“Spokane Public Schools along with the state Charter School Commission continue to show that they have set a high bar. We applaud their commitment to quality authorizing, ensuring that only the schools best able to meet the needs of students and families will open in communities across our state.”
Spokane International Academy is the ninth public charter school to be approved to open in Washington under the state’s voter-approved charter school law. In the past year, a total of 31 groups have expressed interest in opening charter schools in Washington, 28 have applied and nine have been approved – including First Place Scholars Charter School which opened on Sept. 3.
“All students can succeed when they are given the opportunity to do so. Having spent my career serving students from all backgrounds, I know firsthand the payoff when students have the support they truly need,” said Spokane International Academy Founder Travis Franklin. “As a public charter school, Spokane International Academy will be empowered to meet the needs of traditionally underserved students – driving success in the classroom and beyond.”
To learn more, please visit: www.spokaneintlacademy.org.
About WA Charters
The Washington State Charter Schools Association (WA Charters) is a statewide nonprofit organization that supports the startup of high-quality public charter schools, with a focus on serving academically and economically underserved communities. WA Charters focuses on three key areas of support: providing information about charter schools; supporting leaders to grow high-performing public charter schools; and providing the critical support and services to help charter schools operate successfully. To learn more about public charter schools in Washington, please visit: www.wacharters.org.
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