One of the promises of charter schools was that their increased flexibility and autonomy would result in educational innovation. This has certainly borne out with the creation and flourishing of cyber charter schools. While online learning isn’t for everyone, cyber charters open up new opportunities for many students. And it’s likely that the remote schooling experience would have been much worse across the board if not for the advances that have been made thanks to cyber charters.

But even in a sector founded on innovation, there are bound to be some schools that take it a step further. One such school is Commonwealth Charter Academy (CCA), the largest cyber charter school in Pennsylvania. CCA has gone beyond a typical online school by developing hands-on learning facilities to provide unique career training.

AgWorks at CCA™, located in Harrisburg, is a “living, learning, laboratory” where students study sustainable agriculture using aquaponics, hydroponics, and aeroponics.

Students learning at CCA AgWorks.
Students learning at CCA AgWorks.

In addition, there are related career-training opportunities in electrical, plumbing, HVAC, supply chain management, business, STEM, art, and design. CCA students have grown and donated hundreds of pounds of produce to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank since AgWorks opened in December 2018.

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, who isn’t considered a fan of charter schools, even recognized AgWorks with the 2021 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence.

Last fall, TechWorks at CCA™ was launched in Pittsburgh to provide students with hands-on learning in fields like information technology, computer programming, drones, STEM and robotics. There are also plans to open MedWorks at CCA™ in southeastern Pennsylvania to give students a look at medical and health care careers.

Best of all, CCA strives to share its resources with other schools and the general public. A few years ago, I met a science teacher at a small, private school serving mostly disadvantaged students. Two of her students were working on aquaponics projects. I connected the teacher with CCA, and she was able to take the students to CCA’s mobile aquaponics lab where they spent an hour learning from CCA’s aquaponics director. CCA also welcomes school groups or individual families for tours at AgWorks.

Similarly, CCA hosts public events at the TechWorks facility, including STEM competitions and plans for future camps and classes.

As many families and communities are re-evaluating what education can look like in the wake of COVID-19 disruptions, it’s a good time to check out innovative approaches to virtual education. CCA’s leaders have developed a unique learning environment that is even winning over charter skeptics. It’s a model other schools may want to consider.