River Heights Charter School

 "Students succeeding through project-based learning"

Is there a tuition cost?

Charter schools are public schools and receive the same funding as traditional public schools.

Is River Heights a college prep school?

RHCS is an accredited high school, and we do have a focus on college readiness. Our diploma is accepted by all colleges and univesities in the country. And our project-based, student-centered approach provides the skill-building education that prepares a student for college.

What is a project?

At RHCS, a project is a collection of questions which are based on student interest, guided by the state standards, and focused on an authentic and mesurable end result. The process, in simplest form is: 1) the student comes up with an idea; 2) the student and the advisor develop questions to answer; 3) the student and advisor find a real life application for the learning; 4) the student researches, explores, intereviews, and uncovers; 5) the student completes the project and reflects on what was learned, and 6) the advisor and the student evaluate the project.

How do you teach math in a project-based environment?

Many people wonder how students can gain math skills in project work, since these skills are so sequentially based. This is a good question. After two years, our data show that a student who develops and completes a real-life math-related project (something of interest to the student), grows in math skills at a greater than 1 grade level per year. This does not mean the student isn't doing traditional math; typiclally, to achieve the level of math required for real life applicaiton, the student is doing some one-on-one tutoring, going through multiple math textbooks, and talking to experts who use this math in the field--all to gain the required skill for their project. It's not only how math is learned best, but how math is used outside of school.

How do students get to school?

Students who live outside a two-mile radius of the school are given free city bus passes. Students who life within a two-mile radius can walk, ride a bike, drie, get a ride, or purchase bus passes from the school at a discount rate.