Dear ALA Family,
Charter schools have been under attack in local media outlets all summer. They have attacked me personally and ALA as a whole. We have diligently answered every question we’ve been asked, but the media has taken those responses and twisted them to serve their anti-charter agenda.
One example of this bias is that it is customary for the target of a newspaper article to be given the opportunity to respond to the article in print. Unfortunately, the news outlet has denied our response and even asked that we edit portions of it. Rather than limit our response to say only what they want us to say, we decided we’d send you the entire message (see below). I care about you, our stakeholders. I want you to have this information.
Despite all of this negative attention, ALA is having its biggest and best year ever. We are excited to welcome back your family and continue to provide what you came for: the best educational experience in a moral and wholesome environment.
We truly appreciate your support of ALA.
Glenn Way
Below is my response that the Arizona Republic refused to run.
Like many of you, my family and I came to Arizona from someplace else.
We chose to make Arizona our home because this is where we wanted to raise our children. In 2009, after being unable to enroll our children in our chosen public charter school due to its high demand, we decided to start our own charter school here in Arizona. I wanted my children to attend a school that not only offered rigorous academics and comprehensive extracurricular activities, but that did so in a moral and wholesome environment – a combination I felt was missing in traditional district schools.
Almost a decade later, that single American Leadership Academy serving 200 students has grown into a thriving network of public charter schools. Today, ALA educate more than 10,000 students across a dozen ALA schools throughout the Southeast Valley.
Ironically, The Arizona Republic has characterized our proudest professional accomplishment in the most negative of terms (“Arizona charter school founder makes millions building his own schools“). Before I dispel some of The Republic’s outright falsehoods, I’ll note what somehow eluded nearly any mention within the 3,100 words of this report: the quality of ALA schools.
The Best of Both Worlds
American Leadership Academy is exceptional. We pride ourselves on providing families an individualized charter experience within campuses that have academic, athletic, performing arts and intramural offerings to match those of much larger district schools.
ALA’s fine arts program is nationally-recognized, and our students have won multiple national titles in ballroom dance. Within the last three years alone, our athletic teams have won state championships in football, baseball, softball, volleyball, wrestling and more.
ALA excels in academics. All of our schools are designated by the state as either “Excellent,” “Highly Performing” or “Performing,” and our students significantly outpace the state average on the AzMERIT assessment. ALA high school students have their pick of 17 AP courses, and our graduates this spring have been accepted to prestigious institutions of higher learning such as MIT, Stanford, the Air Force Academy and more.
Meanwhile, our student body is socio-economically diverse. Five ALA schools are designated “Title 1” based on their high number of students who qualify for assistance via the National School Lunch Program.
Of course, you read hardly a word of that in The Republic’s reporting.
The Truth about ALA – My Role
Until June 30, 2017, I served as President of the Board of Directors at ALA. In that role, I led daily school operations and functioned similarly to a school superintendent. My average annual salary was $45,770.
Separately, I am a minority owner in Schoolhouse Development, a development company that has contracted with ALA and other charter operators to build school facilities. My partners and I have developed and financed more than 50 schools for charter operators across the Intermountain West, including eight ALA schools.
Remember, unlike district schools, charters don’t receive state dollars for facilities and must seek private financing. I personally guaranteed every loan for the construction of ALA schools. Neither ALA nor Arizona taxpayers were ever at risk. Via Schoolhouse Development, we competitively bid every ALA project, and I’m proud to have worked with some of the state’s most reputable contractors to bring world-class facilities to ALA students- at no expense to Arizona taxpayers! This arrangement, in the words of The Republic, “is allowed by law.”
Yes, I have made money – but not nearly as much as The Republic claimed. To purchase the schools built by Schoolhouse Development, ALA paid a combined $13.2 million less than the properties’ independently-appraised value.
I’m so confident ALA has received the best value in school facilities, I’ll make this challenge: I’m willing to beat the lowest construction bid given to any school district by 5%, take all of the risks, and wait 5 years to be paid. I’d still make more money than I have for any charter school I’ve ever built.
Simply put: the charter model is the best deal for taxpayers.
Why the Critics Really Hate Us
ALA isn’t perfect and neither am I. For example, we’re making significant progress in the area of teacher pay – including a 13 percent increase approved for every teacher in the coming year – but we need to continue making strides. In 2018-19, base pay for ALA teachers will average $41,641, with the opportunity for an additional $4,000 in performance pay. This dollar amount doesn’t include health benefits and a 401k retirement program, which are also provided.
Likewise, readers should not be naïve about the true motivations underlying this newfound scrutiny of ALA. The Republic gives up the game in noting of our most recent, 1,300-student campus in north Gilbert: “Gilbert Public School officials complained that a new kindergarten through 12th-grade charter school would poach their students.”
And there it is. Within this single sentence is captured both the fear of school district officials that we may provide a competitive option to “their” students, as well as The Republic’s continuing bias in referring to Arizona students and families as something a charter school could “poach.”
So much for a family’s free will to select the best school for their child, I guess.
What terrifies ALA opponents is that we offer a better educational product and provide it more cost-effectively than government schools. It’s no coincidence this pushback comes as ALA enrollment has never been higher, and we have waitlists at our Gilbert North campus and several others.
The reason is simple: American Leadership Academy offers Arizona families something they just can’t find anyplace else.
Glenn Way is the founder of the American Leadership Academy.
The article that actually ran.
Momentary Lapse Of Sanity 
Very interesting… Shared it on twitter.
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Right my children go to this school and it seems they are under fire. I personally love the school and so do our children.
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June 29, 2018
Dear Parents, Teachers, and Staff:
The purpose for my letter today is two-fold. First, I want to personally thank you for entrusting American Leadership Academy (“ ALA”) with the tremendous responsibility of educating your children. I can assure you that everyone at ALA is committed to our mission to provide our students with the best educational experience in a moral and wholesome environment.
ALA is one of the greatest success stories among charter schools in Arizona. In June 2009, we acquired a failing charter school with an enrollment of 185 students. Since then, ALA has grown to nine campuses with an enrollment of over 10,000 students. We are proud of our highly qualified and certified teachers, rigorous academic program, and wide range of extra-curricular activities, including multiple state championship teams and nationally recognized fine arts programs. As a school focused on leadership, we are committed to our core leadership values of Respect, Accountability, Integrity, Service, and Excellence (RAISE) and actively instill them into all that we do.
My second reason for writing this letter is to inform you that ALA may be the subject of an anti-charter school article written by Craig Harris, a reporter for the Arizona Republic. Based upon the questions I have received from Craig, it is my perspective that he is either misinformed or is deliberately attempting to misinform the public about charter schools. We expect this article to be published by the Arizona Republic and AZCentral.com in the coming days or weeks. The Arizona Republic’s mission is to further its anti-school choice agenda and has picked ALA as its target this time.
I have been criticized in the past for my involvement with charter schools and have been unfairly attacked by the press, teacher unions, and anti-charter school members of the community. Many of these individuals have lied about businesses that I have owned and charter schools that I have supported. In the past, I have remained silent. But I have decided ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, I will no longer stand idly by while these individuals continue their attempt to tarnish my reputation and destroy the charter schools that I have worked so hard to establish.
The article may fail to mention that in many cases charter schools are able to achieve higher academic outcomes when compared to district schools. Instead, the article may vilify the private sector for owning, operating, and providing services to charter schools. Because of private sector involvement, red tape and excessive regulations are reduced and charter schools are able to operate more efficiently. Additionally, since charter schools receive less funding per pupil then district schools, charter schools cost tax payers less money.
Specifically, the article may call into question my involvement in a separate entity, Schoolhouse Development (“ Schoolhouse”). The partners in Schoolhouse have constructed over 50 charter schools throughout the intermountain west. ALA has contracted with Schoolhouse to build eight of its nine campuses. The article may vilify me due to the related party relationship between myself, as an owner of Schoolhouse, and as the founder and former President of ALA. However, all transactions between Schoolhouse and ALA have been legal, ethical, and followed all applicable laws. Furthermore, in every such transaction, the ALA board of directors determined that contracting with Schoolhouse would provide significant benefits to ALA, including reduced lease rates, capital for startup costs and trade fixtures, and purchase prices at less than or equal to appraised values.
Related party transactions are legal and authorized in Arizona and commonplace within the private sector. Often times the interests of related parties are aligned rather than in conflict, which was always the case with Schoolhouse and ALA. Since a part of ALA’s mission is to provide the full high school experience, it was necessary for ALA to form a relationship with a contractor willing to take on the risk, provide capital, and privately finance the school facilities that our students enjoy today. Schoolhouse has been an invaluable third party that has helped ALA provide world class charter school facilities, which includes space for classroom instruction, theater and fine arts, sports, and other activities that fulfill ALA’s mission.
Additionally, the article may allege that ALA pays lower than average teacher salaries. However, we have always paid our teachers the market rate. Furthermore, ALA has increased every teacher’s salary for the coming school year by a minimum of 11%, which is higher than the 9% increase mandated by the State Legislature. ALA has also enhanced overall teacher compensation by increasing the number of PTO days, providing 401K matching, and other added benefits. We value our teachers and we know they are critical to student achievement in the classroom and in preparing students for their futures.
Fourteen years ago, I became involved in the development of public charter schools for seven reasons, my own children. Like you, I wanted my children to attend a school that not only offered rigorous academics and comprehensive extracurricular opportunities, but that did so within a moral and wholesome environment — a combination I felt was missing in district schools. I was determined to find a solution. This is why I undertook substantial personal risk to create ALA and provide parents like me and you an additional choice in where to send our children to school. The incredible growth and popularity of ALA indicates that there are thousands of Arizona families who share the same vision.
We are proud of what we have accomplished together. The success of ALA has been a collective effort involving our families, students, teachers, administrators, community leaders, and legislators. We are blessed to live in a state and country where parents can choose where to send their children to school. However, make no mistake, charter schools and school choice are under attack and will continue to be as we approach the November elections. We are honored that ALA is your school of choice and we will work diligently every day to remain your first choice. Thank you.
Respectfully,
Glenn L Way
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