The Stephen F. Austin State University Charter School has been ranked the best charter elementary school in Texas by Niche, an organization dedicated to helping users find the best colleges, schools, neighborhoods and companies using data and analysis.
Niche, an organization dedicated to helping users find the best colleges, schools, neighborhoods and companies using data and analysis, ranks schools and districts based on statistics and reviews from students and parents. It recently ranked 315 Texas charter elementary schools, and SFA’s Charter School came out on top.
“We hope this ranking continues to build trust with our families and community and serves to influence the university teacher candidates we serve,” said Lysa Hagan, SFA Charter School director. “Every moment is a learning moment of high expectations. Each member of our school community strives for rigor and urgency within each day of learning.”
A five-star parent review on Niche.com noted, “I enjoy the positive atmosphere at the SFA Charter School. My children are learning and retaining the information. The resources made available by the university are wonderful. We have been blessed with great teachers.”
While serving more than 250 elementary students, the SFA Charter School also exists as a learning laboratory for SFA students studying in the Department of Elementary Education.
“SFA has long been a leader in teacher education,” said Dr. Judy Abbott, dean of SFA’s James I. Perkins College of Education. “SFA began as a teachers college, and we remain among the top teacher education programs in the state. As such, we attract high-quality teacher candidates. The charter school students certainly benefit from this. If you want to be a teacher, it’s widely known that SFA is the place to be.”
In addition to the Department of Elementary Education, various other university departments, such as the Department of Kinesiology and Health Science and the Department of Human Services, partner with the charter school to provide college students with opportunities to work with elementary students. Many university faculty members also use the school for research opportunities.
To learn more about SFA’s Department of Elementary Education, visit sfasu.edu/elementaryed. For more information about the SFA Charter School, visit sfasu.edu/charter_school.
By Kasi Dickerson, senior marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.
