National Heritage Academies Middle Schools Fill State Rankings

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. News and World Report rankings are out, and 12 of the top 50 middle schools in Michigan are National Heritage Academies (NHA) partner-schools. Additionally, NHA's Detroit Merit Charter Academy, Warrendale Charter Academy, and Detroit Enterprise Academy were listed among the Detroit-area's top six open-enrollment middle schools.

"That's a powerful testament to the quality of education that students receive at NHA charter schools," said Dan Quisenberry, President of the Michigan Association of Public School Academies (MAPSA), the state charter school association. "A quarter of the top 50 middle schools are NHA schools – and geographically, there are schools all over the state represented. That's extremely noteworthy."

Ready to enroll your student? National Heritage Academies operates 101 schools in nine states. Use our school finder to locate one near you: NHA School Finder.

Here are just some instances of how these NHA schools are helping transform the lives of students throughout Michigan and the country:

• Students and family at Achieve Charter Academy have created a sense of community thanks to a principal who first was a parent and volunteer before ascending to a leadership role.
• Being part of the local community means giving back, as exhibited by students at Chandler Woods Charter Academy who have supported area families in need with a canned food drive.
• At South Arbor Charter Academy, students are all about the school chess club, turning what might be traditionally viewed as a solitary individual game into a social activity.
• Working into her 80s has been a labor of love for one instructional paraprofessional at Canton Charter Academy.
• Each year at Plymouth Scholars, students eagerly look forward to Market Day, which teaches them various economics concepts.
• NHA schools have earned numerous awards and recognitions, and five have been named a National Blue Ribbon School. One of the latest to earn the honor was Cross Creek Charter Academy earlier this school year. Cross Creek was identified as an Exemplary High Performing School, which means it is among the state's highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally recognized tests.
• Another honor NHA has celebrated this year is Building the Hope. Eagle Crest Charter Academy earned the title as a school that can provide strategies to be leveraged for educational recovery.
• Keystone Academy celebrated a milestone in longevity, ringing in its 20^th anniversary earlier in the school year.
• Excel Charter Academy keeps students and staff safe by breaking down barriers and improving school safety procedures with help from the Grand Rapids Police Department.
• The safety lessons students are taught at NHA schools instill them with a quick-thinking mindset, as exhibited by a South Canton Scholars third-grader who was honored for her response that helped saved her mother's life.
• Students at Walker Charter Academy incorporated Moral Focus virtues into their Earth Day activities.
• At Vanguard Charter Academy, the school's dedicated cafeteria crew makes lunch a fun and positive experience for students by celebrating themes and holidays as part of mealtime.
• The Future City team at Detroit Merit Charter Academy earned awards for their vision of what cities could look like 100 years from now.
• Scholars at Warrendale Charter Academy got to experience all the fun and learning of a museum without having to leave the school with a mobile STEAM museum.
• Detroit Enterprise Academy's library technology specialist has accumulated subscribers and plays for dozens of videos of original content on his channel called Classroom Zen.

National Heritage Academies (NHA) is a network of 101 tuition-free, public charter schools across nine states, serving more than 68,000 students in kindergarten through 12^th grade. For more information, visit nhaschools.com. To find the nearest charter school near you, use the NHA school finder.

Achieve Charter Academy in Canton, ranked as one of the state's best middle schools by U.S. News and World Report.

SOURCE National Heritage Academies