CINCINNATI — A new tuition-free charter high school is opening in Cincinnati this August, offering a flexible path to a diploma for students who have fallen behind, struggled in a traditional classroom or dropped out of school.
Cincinnati Acceleration Academy will welcome its first class of students on Aug. 18. Classes will temporarily be held at Xavier University before the school moves to its permanent location on Reading Road in the North Avondale neighborhood, where the once Dohn Community High School used to sit.
The school is part of Acceleration Academies, a network of charter schools operating across Florida, Georgia, Nevada and several other states.
"This is actually the first academy in the state of Ohio of its kind," Director Gabrielle Jackson said.
The academy serves students ages 14 to 21 using a hybrid learning model that blends in-person academic coaching with an online curriculum available 24 hours a day. The school operates year-round and uses a block schedule with two sessions — 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. — giving students 10 hours of access per day.
"How this came about was our founders thought about who were the students that aren't being served, and how can we make sure that we get them on a path towards their high school diploma," Jackson said.
Under Ohio law, students must be present in person for 25 hours per week. Jackson said that breaks down to about five hours each day, with the remainder of learning available through Zoom sessions, online coursework or direct contact with teachers.
WATCH: A tuition-free charter high school is opening in Cincinnati
Students take one class at a time, with each course designed to be completed in two to four weeks. The academy refers to its students as "graduation candidates" to keep the focus on their end goal.
"'What high school did you go to?' is the most common phrase or question asked in Cincinnati. It's a very important question, and so we want to make sure that all students, regardless of their background, can answer that with pride," Jackson said. "North Avondale is convenient for a lot of reasons. One is demographics. We know the community. We know the graduation rates across that community. We also know that there is that bus line right there."
The school is designed to remove barriers for students who are teen parents, have jobs, or deal with anxiety, bullying or other challenges. The building is modeled after a cafe-style environment with no traditional desks, chalkboards, or whiteboards to create a welcoming atmosphere.
"It has resources. You don't feel stiff. You don't feel stuck, and you go into your academic learning zone and feel like you can be really successful," Jackson said.
The academy will also have an on-site cafe stocked for students and a space where graduation candidates can bring their children while attending classes or working with academic coaches. Jackson said the school does not offer daycare services but allows children on-site to help reduce barriers for student parents.
The school is 100% tuition-free and is funded through a combination of state dollars, per-pupil funding and other sources. All teachers are licensed and certified, and the school conducts FBI and BCI background checks on staff.
The academy expects to enroll approximately 250 graduation candidates over the next few years. Enrollment is ongoing and continuing to grow ahead of the Aug. 18 start date.
Jackson, who grew up in a single-parent household and watched her mother face job loss while she was a high school senior, said her personal experience drives her commitment to the mission.
"I knew early on that I wanted to be an advocate for people like my mom, like my brother, like so many other students that look like me or that come from financial backgrounds like I did, to make sure that they have the tools that they need to not only compete but to achieve, to thrive, to excel in the world around them as it continues to change," Jackson said.
She described visiting an Acceleration Academy in South Carolina, where she watched a graduation candidate walk across the stage with her daughter on her hip, greeted by family members wearing t-shirts printed with both of their faces.
"That's what our academies are all about," Jackson said. "So I'm excited to bring that to Cincinnati."
Students and families interested in enrolling can visit AccelerationAcademies.org and select the Cincinnati location from the dropdown menu in the banner.
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