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SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The Provisional Accelerated Learning (PAL) Charter Academy celebrates 20 years of providing educational and community services in Muscoy.
On Tuesday, January 14, 2020, PAL Charter Academy (PCA) received its fourth consecutive charter school renewal from the San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD). The board vote was unanimous. The PCA, chartered in 2000, was the first charter school in San Bernardino to be approved by the SBCUSD.
The tentacles of PCA’s Founder, Dr. Mildred Henry, retired CEO and Professor Emeritus at California State University, run deep throughout Muscoy and San Bernardino. The SBCUSD honored her with a namesake school, the Dr. Mildred Dalton Henry Elementary School, several years ago.
PCA has two campuses. The school’s main campus is nestled in Muscoy, a rural unincorporated area of San Bernardino County. PCA Muscoy campus is home to over 250 students and parents. The second campus is located in the heart of the City of San Bernardino and serves over 150 students, which come from all areas of the Inland Empire. Most are in search of an opportunity to recover credits and graduate from high school. Others come to embrace the small classroom sizes, one-on-one instruction, and the family-like environment PCA provides.
The PAL Charter Academy’s CEO, Dwaine Radden, Sr., states, “We have some great students; however, with most schools that provide students the opportunity to close achievement gaps, their state test scores are impacted. We have taken a 21st-century approach to help us curtail our academic gaps and improve test scores. We have invested in technology, integrated testing curriculum into student’s classes and schedules, and partnered with programs that can provide our students with support.”
The PAL Academy has graduated thousands of students over the years. The school received the highest WASC accreditation possible from the governing agency. The motto is, ‘Education with an Individualized Approach’. PCA’s holistic approach to help students academically, socially, and emotionally has elevated them to be a school of choice for communities and local districts.
In addition to the customized Independent Study approach to education, the school offers all the benefits and opportunities of a traditional setting. These include, but are not limited to: College prep, CTE classes, CIF sports, Concurrent enrollment with a Community College, Grad-nite, Prom, AVID, College Expos and visits, Mock Trial, Accelerated classes, vocational training, student transportation, and Adult High School. The PAL Center also has an Upward Bound program that provides college preparation services and training to 65 students at San Bernardino High School and the PAL Academy.
The Muscoy campus is currently installing a football field, soccer field, and indoor gymnasium to support their sports program for the students and community.
The school is a subsidiary of Provisional Educational Services, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has been providing a variety of services in the community for over 35 years.
For more information call (909) 887-7002 or visit PCA’s website: www.palcharteracademy.com.
