Texas Board of Education approves Houston expansion of charter school – By Dan Carson (Chron) / June 22, 2023
Heritage Classical Academy has previously hit dead ends lobbying the state’s education board for permission to launch a publicly funded charter campus.
A “classical” charter school with ties to conservative lobbying groups received initial approval on Wednesday regarding its request to construct a campus in Houston.
First reported by the Houston Chronicle’s Edward McKinley, the Texas State Board of Education voted 8-5 in favor of Heritage Classical Academy’s request to commence the creation of a public tuition-free campus in northwest Houston. The approval follows three consecutive years of failed bids by leaders of the proposed charter school. Heritage’s attempts to establish a presence in Harris County have previously been met with resistance from board members due to the school’s ties to Hillsdale College, a private conservative Christian college in Michigan.
Through its Barney Charter School Initiative, Hillsdale College has sought to establish a national network of education centers espousing right-leaning “classical” teachings. Current Hillsdale classes include lesson plans demonizing government intervention in private commerce and curriculum reframing the New Deal as a politically motivated ploy. Heritage Classical Academy lists Hillsdale’s Barney Charter School Initiative on its site as a sponsor and organizing principle.
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