How It Works

Chester children, too, can achieve great things with a great education.

The public-private partnership between The Chester Fund and the Chester Upland School District was created through a private contract (Memorandum of Understanding) in 2008.

Under the MOU, the district provides the basic public school allocation for the facility, transportation, and building staff (teaching, administrative, maintenance, cafeteria etc) that every other school in the district enjoys.   The Chester Fund provides the additional components that make CUSA a model school.

Fundraising is TCF’s chief responsibility.  The money it raises supports special staffing and programming: additional teachers to maintain small class sizes; teaching assistants; full-time music, dance and visual arts faculty; extended-day program; instructional technology and computer literacy program; and supplementary support for literacy and professional development initiatives.

CUSA is a privately supported public school, not a charter school:  the school district has full operational responsibility.  However, because The Chester Fund is one of CUSA’s creators–and also its private partner–TCF representatives play an active role in these ways:

• Serve on committees to screen and recommend principal and teacher candidates to the superintendent
• Participate on the CUSA Advisory Board, which discusses and advises on key policy matters
• Sit on the School Improvement Team, which monitors progress towards goals in the School Improvement Plan

In addition, John Alston writes original songs for the CUSA children and comes twice a week to rehearse with them during Afternoon SING!  He conducts them in concerts twice a year.

Also, TCF staff and board members visit the school to lead tours, volunteer at school functions, and attend special award or showcase events that feature the children’s accomplishments.