Glen Barton, President, Peoria Charter School Initiative Board, and Ali Karan, Principal, Quest Charter Academy, provided an update on Quest Charter Academy. Current enrollment is 432 students between the middle school and high school. Quest will add a junior class to the high school for the 2014-2015 school year.
Quest provides students with an extended school day and a longer school year, offering 20% more instructional time during the academic year with a focus on math, science, and technology. The school has a dedicated staff that seeks to enhance home and school relationships.
Quest is a non-selective school through a lottery. Quest had 50 open slots and received 500 applications for the 2014-2015 school year.
There are challenges within Quest; Quest does not receive as much Title 1 funding as deserved per student. However, Quest has run a surplus every year since opening in 2010. Despite the cut backs from the State of Illinois, Quest is expected to have a surplus for 2013-2014.
The Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce played a big role in opening Quest in 2010. Quest Charter Academy’s contract with Peoria Public Schools expires at the end of the 2014-2015 school year. The renewal process is under way, but the school is asking for support from the business community to help push this forward. Quest needs to raise more funds after cut backs from the State of Illinois.
