Classical Academy president resigning to take new job

For almost eight years, Mark Hyatt has been president of The Classical Academy, an Academy District 20 charter school with a high-achieving, mostly white student population.

Next month, he’s resigning to take a job as executive director of the Denver-based Charter School Institute, and his focus will be on a vastly different group.

“It’s a more at-risk, high-risk population,” Hyatt said Tuesday. “TCA is an upper middle class, white environment. It’s time for me to do the next thing, and CSI is looking to focus on the opposite end of the socioeconomic spectrum.”

TCA began in 1997 with 403 students. Hyatt became president in 2002, and helped build it into the largest charter school in the state, with 3,000 students on three campuses.

It’s also one of the most sought-after schools in the region. TCA has received accolades on the state and national level for its academic achievements and programs, and families call from the delivery room to put their newborns on a waiting list, which has about 6,800 students on it, Hyatt said.

“We’re sad to see him leave, but it’s a promotion for Mark. It’s huge,” TCA spokeswoman Susan Tillotson said.

Alex Medler, president of the CSI board of directors, said a nationwide search drew 40 applicants. Hyatt was selected, Medler said, because of his successes at TCA, his ability to develop partnerships and his involvement in issues affecting charter schools.

“He runs a high quality charter school operation that’s really quite complex, so he’s familiar with on-the-ground stuff and the challenges they face,” Medler said.

But TCA hasn’t been without problems. Some parents complained that the school overlooked incidents of bullying, racism and sexual assault, triggering an investigation through the state Department of Education.
The investigator’s report, issued earlier this year, recognized the school’s academics, but noted areas of concern in its accounting practices and safety and security for its students.

Hyatt said the school addressed the issues, and he believes the lessons learned will help him in his new job.

Medler said the CSI board discussed the report with Hyatt, and was satisfied with how he handled the report.

“We were impressed with his record of trying to deal with issues of equality and inclusion,” Medler said. “We and he are sincerely interested in making charters serve all kids.”

Hyatt’s last day at TCA is Jan. 29; he’ll begin his new job Feb. 1. Tillotson said Hyatt and the TCA board are working on a transition plan for the school.

CSI, an independent agency within the Colorado Department of Education, oversees 19 charter schools in Colorado with a combined 6,244 students. Six of  the schools are in Colorado Springs.