College Bound Academy: Empowering Tulsa Students for College Success
College Bound Academy (CBA) is a tuition-free public charter school located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with two campuses serving students from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade. CBA's mission is to prepare every scholar for success in the college of their choice and beyond.
A Focus on College and Career Readiness
At College Bound Academy, the belief is that scholars begin acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary for college and career success from their very first day of school. The academy provides rigorous academics and expects all scholars to unleash their potential. As a high-performing school, CBA scholars consistently outperform students at neighboring traditional public schools.
Academic Excellence and Personalized Instruction
College Bound Academy places a heavy emphasis on math and literacy, delivered through a mix of classroom, small group, and one-on-one instruction. The school's excellent teaching staff invests in every scholar's education. The student-teacher ratio is 15:1, the same as that of the district.
According to government data, at College Bound Academy Charter, 12% of students scored at or above the proficient level for math, and 8% scored at or above that level for reading. Compared with the district, the school performed about the same in math and reading. However, when compared to the state, College Bound Academy Charter performed worse in math and reading. In Oklahoma, 25% of students tested at or above the proficient level for reading, and 26% tested at or above that level for math.
Commitment to English Learners
College Bound Academy is well-known for its dedication to serving English Learners and their families. CBA has made significant strides in addressing the needs of English Learners, with Spanish-speaking staff across all grade levels, as well as within their administration and family services.
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Serving a Diverse Student Body
The school's minority student enrollment is 93%. The student population is made up of 49% female students and 50% male students. The school enrolls 88% economically disadvantaged students. There are 30 equivalent full-time teachers.
A User-Friendly Website Enhances Communication
Recognizing the importance of clear communication, College Bound Academy sought to improve its online presence. The school had a site built on a free online platform. Without staff dedicated to maintaining the site, its original structure and design quickly fell apart, as did its functionality. Switching providers allowed CBA to provide an attractive site and web presence that families and staff would be proud of. According to Golden, the goal was "a site where families can quickly find the information they need."
The transition to a new website platform proved beneficial. “Finalsite’s Composer is very intuitive, so it’s been easy for staff to quickly pick up, and they feel confident about using it,” Golden said. “If there’s a specific issue, it's always easy to find training or info in the Knowledge Base that addresses the question. The homepage is kept fresh, too, with the latest events and news stories added directly to the homepage through Finalsite’s Post module and calendar integrations. “Everyone loves the look of the new site, and they can quickly find the info they need,” Golden said. “Enrollment and page views have increased, and we can now confidently direct families to our site through marketing efforts knowing that users will actually find what they're looking for.
The implementation process was not without its challenges. Halfway through the process, the school began the process of expanding to another campus, effectively doubling its students and staff in a matter of months. “We had to hit the pause button for a while.
Ranking and Performance
College Bound Academy Charter's statewide rankings in Oklahoma are as follows:
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- Reading Proficiency Rank: #605 (tie)
- Math Proficiency Rank: #554 (tie)
- Reading Performance: Somewhat Below Expectations
- Math Performance: Meets Expectations
Educational Options in Tulsa
College Bound Academy is one of several charter schools in Tulsa offering diverse educational approaches. Other options include:
- KIPP Tulsa: Serving students in grades 6-12, KIPP Tulsa focuses on developing character strengths.
- Tulsa Legacy Charter School: Serving students in grades pre-K-8.
- Tulsa Honor Academy: Serving students in grades 5-12.
- Tulsa School of Arts and Sciences: Serving students in grades 6-12.
- Under the Canopy School: A nature-based, public Waldorf-inspired pre-K-5th grade school.
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