PENNSYLVANIA STEAM ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL

PA STEAM ACADEMY IS AN INDEPENDENT CHARTER SCHOOL WHOSE STRONG STEM PLUS ARTS CURRICULUM PLAN WAS IMPLEMENTED TO 200 ATTENDING STUDENTS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. FOUNDED BY CAREER EDUCATORS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, THE PENNSYLVANIA STEAM ACADEMY IS A NON-PROFIT CHARTER SCHOOL THAT OPENED IN THE FALL OF 2021. BECAUSE IT'S A CHARTER SCHOOL, IT IS FREE TO ATTEND AND ACCEPTS ALL STUDENTS FROM THE HARRISBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT ON A LOTTERY BASIS, AND FROM NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS WITHIN A 10-MILE RADIUS IF SPACE PERMITS. ACCORDING TO THE GROWTH PLAN, THE 23/24 SCHOOL YEAR INCLUDED THE ADDITION OF 4TH GRADE, WITH A TOTAL OF 280 STUDENTS SERVED DURING THE YEAR. SEE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON SCHEDULE O.THE PENNSYLVANIA STEAM ACADEMY IS A STEM SCHOOL PLUS ARTS. STEM IS SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS. THE SCHOOL'S FOUNDERS HAVE SPENT YEARS CREATING THE STRONGEST CURRICULUM POSSIBLE, SEARCHING NATIONALLY FOR THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND INTERESTING PROGRAMS IN EACH SUBJECT AREA. CLASS SIZES ARE SMALL, AT 20 STUDENTS PER CLASSROOM. ONE TEACHER AND ONE SUCCESS COACH (TEACHER'S AIDE) INSTRUCT EACH CLASSROOM. THE 2023/2024 SCHOOL YEAR WAS THE THIRD YEAR FOR PA STEAM ACADEMY TO BE IN OPERATION AND IMPLEMENTING A STRONG CURRICULUM PLAN. THE CURRICULUM PLAN WAS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO INTRODUCE STEM, PLUS ARTS TO STUDENTS FROM THE SURROUNDING AREAS. WITH THE 23/24 SCHOOL YEAR PROVING TO BE VERY ACADEMICALLY SUCCESSFUL, PA STEAM WILL CONTINUE IMPLEMENTING ITS OUTLINED CLASSROOM GROWTH STRATEGY. THIS YEAR PA STEAM BROUGHT THE ADDITION OF THE STEAM SCHOLARS PROGRAM, A 21ST CENTURY GRANT FUNDING AFTERSCHOOL AND SUMMER PROGRAM TO SUPPORT THE STUDENTS.IN ITS THIRD YEAR, THE SCHOOL ACCEPTED 280 STUDNETS IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FOURTH GRADE. ANOTHER GRADE WILL BE ADDED EACH SUCCESSIVE YEAR. THE SCHOOL WILL EVENTUALLY TEACH KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE. THE ADDITIONAL GRADE LEVELS WILL DEMAND ADDITIONAL STAFF WHICH WILL IMPACT SERVICES EXPENSES; HOWEVER, PA STEAM'S GROWTH STRATEGY IS DESIGNED TO MATCH THE INCREASE IN SERVICE EXPENSE WITH AN INCREASE IN REVENUE FROM STUDENT TUITIONS.