CEDAR RAPIDS, IA –– Horizon Science Academy (HSA) bid to open a new campus in Cedar Rapids has been accepted after it received unanimous approval from the Iowa State Board of Education on Jan. 15. The school, Horizon Science Academy Cedar Rapids, will enroll 140 kindergarten through fifth-grade students when the school is fully operational this August.
HSA Cedar Rapids will be the third Horizon Science Academy to open since 2023, joining HSA Davenport and HSA Des Moines. Concept Schools, a non-profit charter management organization, provides academic, operational, and financial support to all three campuses through its Iowa regional office.
“The community told us they were seeking a high-quality education option and that is exactly what we are going to provide them,” Iowa Regional Superintendent Dr. Chris Murphy said. “We have a proven model that has helped thousands of students reach their full potential, and we want to thank the Iowa State Board of Education for recognizing our ability to make a long-lasting impact in Cedar Rapids.”
HSA is looking to fill the quality tuition-free and public educational void in Cedar Rapids. Last year, almost one-third of the K-12 students in the district boundary made the decision not to enroll at a Cedar Rapids traditional public school. 2,319 students chose to attend a public school further away from home through the state’s open enrollment program, and another 2,300 enrolled in a non-public school option through the state’s Educational Savings Account program. Charter public schools only accounted for 10% of that enrollment loss.
While HSA is in the final stages of securing its facility in Cedar Rapids, HSA is committed to provide families with a high-quality public and tuition-free option closer to home. The school will feature a STEM-focused curriculum and programs that develop students both in and out of the classroom in a smaller, family-oriented environment.
