Friday Feature: Open Sky Education
When it comes to education today, there are, increasingly, a wide variety of options available. The Friday Feature is evidence of this each week. But it’s pretty rare to find one organization that provides numerous options on its own. Open Sky Education does just that—with private Christian schools, charter schools, and a newer microschool network.
HOPE Christian Schools in Milwaukee, which opened in 2002, marked the modest beginning of what is now Open Sky Education. HOPE, which stands for Hold Onto the Promises Everywhere, was founded by local leaders who wanted more options to be available for recipients of Milwaukee’s school voucher program. The foundation of a HOPE education is excellent academics, character formation, and faith formation. There are now six locations in Milwaukee and one in Racine, which has its own school voucher.
Thanks to the voucher programs, more than 3,000 students have had the opportunity to attend a HOPE Christian School. But school leaders realized they could help even more students by opening charter schools. The first EAGLE College Preparatory School opened in Phoenix, Arizona in 2008. There are now three K‑8 campuses in Arizona and one that serves K‑6. Like HOPE, the EAGLE name is intentional—it stands for Expecting Academic Greatness with a Loving Emphasis, which aligns with the schools’ goal of “academic excellence in a safe, supportive and loving learning environment.”