Pros
I met some incredible staff and teachers who DESPITE the chaos that permeates every aspect of APA still were able to achieve amazing things with their scholars. The kids are resilient and enabled me to survive my one year teaching there.
Cons
This school was designed to provide a rigorous education in a predominantly black, low income community. Instead the leaders of the school allow their racist ideas about black children and black families to dictate how the children are treated. Consequences for bad behavior are completely arbitrary and rarely enforced. Children are completely allowed to engage in violent behavior with other scholars and staff. The leadership blames the bad behavior of some of the scholars on a "lack of love" but APA does nothing to show love for their teachers or the children who are tormented by aggressive and violent students. Most of the staff have no idea how to manage students and one of the teachers who is often praised for her ability to manage is only able to do so because she uses force. I have actually witnessed two scholars get hit by a "platinum teacher." There have been so many instances where an elementary age child has walked out of the building or tried to climb out a second story window or is actively beating up a weaker kid and an adult is present and does nothing. Special education and the process by which scholars are referred to special education is a joke. The only scholars who receive quality specialized instruction in compliance with the law and their IEPs are in a self-contained class. If a child presents with extremely obvious disabilities and no IEP, good luck getting anyone to do anything about it. As a result of their lack of compliance in this area alone, this school should be shut down. Teachers are treated like they are disposable and are not provided with the critical supports needed to ensure scholars receive a quality education. During my time at APA I was observed two times by management; I received very little professional development; I did not have regular access to management or support. Teachers are responsible for creating and implementing all of their own curriculum under the boring, not engaging standards set by APA. This creates a lot of work that typically does not yield the passion infused instruction that APA wants and that students deserve. There is little room for differentiate instruction or modify the curriculum.