History
The first Harmony Public School opened in Houston in 2000 with 200 students, [7] following a charter school proposal developed by a group of Turkish-American graduate students, including Dr. Soner Tarim as one of the founders, who also became the first superintendent/CEO of the school. [8] The proposal was approved by the Texas Education Agency in April 2000, with the inaugural campus opening in August of the same year. [9] Cosmos Foundation sponsored the establishment of the school. [9]
Harmony Public Schools expanded with its second campus opening in Austin in 2002, followed by a third campus in Dallas in 2004. In 2005, the network started elementary schools. [7] By 2006, over 85% of the student population at each campus consisted of minority students. [9]
Harmony expanded to 33 campuses across Texas, becoming the largest charter network in the state, serving approximately 16,500 students by that time. [10] [11]
As of 2016, there were 46 campuses, serving over 30,000 students. [7]
By the end of 2024, the network has 61 campuses and 45,000 students. [3] [5]
In January 2024, Eighteen Harmony campuses in Texas, including four in El Paso, were named "State Schools of Character" by Character.org for their commitment to character development and community leadership. [12] As of 2024, Harmony had 40 State School of Character winners and 21 National School of Character winners, the highest number among U.S. school systems for character education. [13]
Participation in competitions
Harmony Schools hosted several I-SWEEEP (International Sustainable World Energy, Engineering, and Environment Project), an international science fair. The event held at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. [14]
Management and operations
Financial operations
Five Harmony schools in Austin reported spending $7,923 per student, approximately $800 less than the statewide average and $1,600 below the Austin Independent School District average. According to Kate Alexander of the Austin American-Statesman, the schools achieved strong academic performance despite operating "on a shoestring." [15]
In 2012, it was reported that the Harmony network also provides management and consulting services to other charter school networks. According to Tarim, Cosmos, the managing entity of Harmony, offers consulting services to the School of Science and Technology in San Antonio, which is operated by the Riverwalk Education Foundation and governed by an independent school board separate from Harmony Public Schools. [11]
In 2024, the Texas Association of School Business Officials (TASBO) awarded Harmony Public Schools its highest honors for financial responsibility, including the Award of Excellence for Financial Management and the Award of Merit for Purchasing Operations. [16] Harmony was the first Texas public charter school to receive the Award of Merit in 2019 and the Award of Excellence in 2023, earning both recognitions again in 2024. [16] In October the same year, Harmony announced $15 million in bonuses for teachers and staff, with average stipends ranging from $3,000 to $4,000. Harmony also participates in the Teacher Incentive Allotment program, providing high-performing teachers with annual rewards of up to $30,000. [17]
Criticism
In May 2016, Amsterdam & Partners LLP filed a complaint with the Texas Education Agency (TEA) alleging Harmony Public Schools engaged in employment discrimination based on national origin and gender, improper vendor selection, and misappropriation of public funds. The complaint also raised concerns about potential ties to the Gülen movement, led by Turkish cleric Fethullah Gülen. [18]
Use of H1-B visas
As of 2011, Harmony Public Schools faced scrutiny for its use of H-1B visas to employ Turkish-born staff, with 292 out of 1,500 employees working under the program, and for awarding contracts to Turkish-owned businesses. [19] Despite these criticisms, the schools received praise for their academic performance and were recognized as one of the highest-rated charter school networks in Texas. [11]
As of the 2016–17 school year, 197 of Harmony Public Schools' 3,500 employees, or less than 7%, were on H1-B visas, primarily from Turkey, a decrease from previous years when 20% of the workforce held such visas. [20]
Influence of Gülen movement
Harmony schools has been accused at many events of having ties to the Gülen movement, a global network inspired by Turkish cleric Gülen. While critics suggest alignment with Gülen's teachings, Harmony officials deny any formal connection to the movement. [19] [20]
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