A Profile of the Academy of Casa Maria, Detroit, Michigan. A Report to the Board of Directors / Gumecindo Salas and Bradley Carl.

The Academy of Casa Maria is a charter school for grades 6-8 located in southwest Detroit, Michigan. The school was established in fall 1994 to serve local youth most at risk for low academic achievement, behavioral problems, and dropping out of school. This paper describes the planning and development process and the attitudes of parents and students toward their former schools and the academy. Data were obtained from a survey of 20 percent of the academy's parents and from 41 percent of its students during winter 1996. Findings show that parents place high trust in the school and that students expect to receive their high school diplomas and be prepared for the world of work. Students perceived teachers at their new school as being more caring than were their former teachers. Parents perceived that the level of student-teacher contact was greater than in the traditional public schools, and expressed concerned about their children's self-esteem. Parents reported that they had transferred their children to the academy because they wanted them to receive preparation for job opportunities and to benefit from teachers who treat all students fairly. Students felt that their former schools had not cared much about them or were willing to help them learn; students wanted responsiveness. Four tables and two figures are included. (LMI)

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