About

At ACCEL Schools, we believe in creating successful schools one child at a time. Our focus on tailoring the learning experience to each individual makes us a different kind of K-12 education management organization. Our network of charter schools is proving that it’s not where you start, it’s where you’re going that counts.

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SCHOOLS

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EDUCATORS

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STUDENTS

The ACCEL Difference

There is no one right way to make a school effective. With some of the most successful schools in the country as part of our network, and a wealth of academic and operational expertise, we can find the right solution for your school.

Education Technology

We see technology as a tool to support excellent teachers. Our blended learning approach combines individualized electronic instruction with traditional teaching methods.

Professional Development

Our teachers are engaged, highly qualified, and supported by a team of mentors and specialists. Teachers receive regular professional development and performance reviews.

Curriculum and Teaching Best Practices

Innovate, validate, replicate. We take proven methods from high-performing programs and apply them to other schools across our network.

Operational Efficiency

Efficient school operations mean more resources for students. Our schools achieve a level of administrative diligence that matches our academic rigor. Best practices and transparency are a part of everything we do.

Personalization

Every student receives an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP), which is a dynamic, living road map. Regular, short-cycle assessments allow us to review student performance for each learning objective and react quickly to accelerate instruction or provide support.

Community Integration

We intentionally serve a broad range of communities, and we believe that community involvement is vital to the success of our schools. We work to identify the unique circumstances facing your area and include community leaders in our planning and operations.

Leadership Team

ACCEL Schools is led by a visionary team with a proven track record of driving educational innovation on a large scale and across socio-economic and geographic lines.

  • Ron Packard
    Ron PackardChief Executive Officer

    A pioneer in education, Ron Packard is an educator, entrepreneur, and visionary, as well as the author of the highly regarded book, “Education Transformation.”

    • Maria Szalay
      Maria SzalayChief Operating Officer

      Maria Szalay brings over 20 years of strategy, operations, and development capability to her role. She has held key positions at a variety of educational and consulting organizations.

       

      • Eric Waller
        Eric WallerChief Information Officer

        Eric Waller brings 30 years of experience driving product and technology vision to deliver rich user experiences through scalable architectures for commercial, consumer, and enterprise products.

        • Chad Carr
          Chad CarrExecutive Vice President
          • Mark Comanducci
            Mark ComanducciExecutive Vice President and Superintendent of Schools
            • Chris Maynard
              Chris MaynardVice President, Operations
              • Mike Flora
                Mike FloraVice President, School Finance
                • Emily Schmidt
                  Emily SchmidtVice President, Operations
                  • Donn Tignanelli
                    Donn TignanelliExecutive Vice President