CUSA

Predicated on the belief that all children deserve an equal chance for a high-quality education, The Chester Fund, a nonprofit organization founded by Swarthmore College music professor John Alston, has formed a unique public-private partnership with the Chester Upland School District to create the Chester Upland School of the Arts (CUSA). CUSA, a privately assisted, non-charter public school, opened in 2008 serving children as young as 3 years old in pre-kindergarten, and continues to add a grade each year to reach and include 8th grade.

Program Description

All children who reside within the Chester Upland School District and meet age requirements are eligible to attend the Chester Upland School of the Arts.  Interested families are invited for a family interview where they learn about the program and have an opportunity to complete an application.  Enrollment is handled on a first-come, first-served basis. Should more families seek enrollment than can be accommodated in a given grade, children’s names are put on a waiting list and they are invited to attend as vacancies occur.