StarShine Academy

The Arizona State Charter Board unanimously denied this school its upcoming charter renewal application on May 14, 2012. The Charter Board minutes state irregularities with reporting and fingerprint clearance violations were in part the cause for this decision. On May 15, 2012, the owner and president laid off all faculty and nearly all staff due to lack of funds three weeks prior to the school year ending. They were asked to work for free through the rest of the academic year. The owner and president also put out an appeal for volunteers to come on campus and staff the school through the end of the academic calendar. In 2010-11, a number of teachers were also laid off before the end of the school year as well due to financial trouble the school had gotten into. It is sad that given the lack of confidence shown by the State Charter Board and the continuing financial instability that this school may continue to operate one more year on its existing charter. If I were given a choice of zero stars I would have chosen that.

The first StarShine Academy School was opened in 2002, with the mission to bring the very best of k-12 education to every child, using information from the most prestigious schools; "Realizing Dreams Through Education." Our desire was to produce outstanding, happy, creative, intelligent, engaged, citizens and to bring back the American Dream. Our schools, using the most current neuroscience and sociology, focus on academics, the environment, the arts, creative expression, financial literacy, executive protocol and self-discipline. Our students and teachers wear uniforms. Our parents are involved in our schools and their children's' futures. "Imagine if you could grow the world's best schools, where they've never grown before. Sow them like seeds through the countryside, into the cities, and across the planet. At StarShine Academy that's not just our dream, it's our mission." Our kids and teachers love the schools.