Education

More charter schools to become designated character schools

<h2>Six more applications from charter school sponsors to establish designated character schools next year have been approved&comma; Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced yesterday&period;<&sol;h2>&NewLine;<p>In addition&comma; two applications for state integrated schools have been approved to go through to the final stage&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;I have sought further information from the sponsor of two further schools&comma; and work is needed on property options for the remaining application&period; The applicants for these three schools have met all other criteria for becoming a designated character school&comma;” Chris Hipkins said&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Vanguard School was approved in May&period; I have now approved the following six schools to be established as designated character schools from Term 1 2019&colon;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<ul>&NewLine;<li>Pacific Advance Secondary School&comma; Auckland<&sol;li>&NewLine;<li>Te Aratika Academy&comma; Whakatu<&sol;li>&NewLine;<li>Te K&amacr;pehu Whet&umacr; &lpar;Teina&rpar;&comma; Whangarei<&sol;li>&NewLine;<li>Te K&amacr;pehu Whet&umacr; &lpar;Tuakana&rpar;&comma; Whangarei<&sol;li>&NewLine;<li>Te K&omacr;puku High&comma; Hamilton<&sol;li>&NewLine;<li>Te Rangihakahaka Centre for Science and Technology&comma; Rotorua<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;To help these schools be ready for the start of the school year&comma; I have also appointed their Establishment Boards of Trustees&period; They include members of each charter school’s governance board&comma; to provide continuity and support its character&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;I have approved the first stage of the state integrated school applications relating to T&umacr;ranga Tangata Rite in Gisborne and Waatea School in Auckland&period; This means the Ministry will begin negotiations on integration agreements with these schools’ applicants&comma; from which I will then make a final decision&comma;” Chris Hipkins said&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<p>Decisions will be made as soon as possible about the two remaining sponsors’ applications to establish three designated character schools&comma; when more information is available&period; The schools are Rise UP Academy in Auckland&comma; Middle School West Auckland and South Auckland Middle School&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;I expect to make final decisions on the two state integrated and three designated character schools in September&comma; but have asked the Ministry to try and ensure this happens earlier if possible&period; This is still enough time for the new schools to open in 2019&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Today’s decisions mean that six more charter school sponsors&comma; their students and school communities have certainty for next year&comma; within the wider state system&period; The Government’s focus is on rebuilding the state education system&comma; so that it meets the needs of every student and supports them to succeed&period;”<&sol;p>&NewLine;

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