Charter school network plans to build 2,000-student K-12 campus in Mesa, Arizona
The charter school chain American Leadership Academy (ALA) is moving forward with plans to build a 2,000-student K-12 campus on a 36-acre site in Mesa, Arizona.
The East Valley Tribune reports that charter officials aim to open the campus in August 2024.
Documents indicate that the K-6 portion of the campus will have capacity for 800 students and the junior and senior high schools will accommodate 1,200.
The site plan shows separate buildings for the high school and elementary, a seminary building, a gym/cafeteria, tennis courts, and a track and sports field.
Since it was first conceived three or four years ago, the northeast Mesa ALA campus has faced economic headwinds, including rising construction and financing costs.
Glenn Way, CEO of Charter One, which contracts with ALA to manage its schools, says there is a "huge demand" for ALA's campus in that part of Mesa.
ALA's website lists 19 schools in Arizona ranging from preschool through high school. In the East Valley, they are concentrated in Gilbert and Queen Creek, with one preschool in southeast Mesa.
