One City Schools, an independent public charter school in Madison, will delay the launch of its high school program until at least the 2026-2027 school year, administrators announced Thursday.
“While we remain fully committed to our vision of a competency-based high school model that prepares students for college and career success, we believe this delay is necessary to ensure we can deliver on our promise of excellence,” said Kaleem Caire, founder and CEO of One City Schools, in a press release.” Our priority has always been to create optimal learning conditions for our scholars, and this decision allows us to address critical factors that would impact the high school experience.”
At its Feb. 25th board meeting, the board of directors for One City Schools voted to delay the opening of One City Preparatory Academy’s high school program until at least the 2026-27 school year and instead will limit the school’s grade level offerings to its current 6th to 8th-grade format.
The decision comes after careful consideration of several key factors affecting the school’s ability to create a high school that would provide the high-quality, innovative education that is central to its mission, One City said. The board cited current 8th-grade enrollment, facility readiness, and funding uncertainties as three primary considerations factoring into its decision.
“This delay allows us to fully realize our vision for a transformative high school experience,” added Ayodeji Ogunniyi, principal of One City Preparatory Academy. “We are using this time to further strengthen and build upon our model elementary and middle school education programs, complete the renovation and construction of our kindergarten through grade 8 Pleasant T. Rowland Leadership Campus in Monona, including an athletic facility, and establish community partnerships that will make One City Preparatory Academy’s high school program an exceptional and noteworthy option for Madison families when it opens.”
