COPLEY, Ohio-Northeast Ohio Classical Academy is set to begin teaching students from kindergarten through fifth grade, emphasizing a traditional learning environment without cellphones or laptops in the classroom, except by teacher request. Head of School David Baum and Co-Dean of Students Bill Altman highlight the school’s focus on virtues, good citizenship, and classical literature, including the study of the Bible as literature. The tuition-free school, which must meet state standards and draws students from a 15-mile radius, will have uniforms and minimal classroom decorations to reduce distractions. It aims to integrate technology for older students and eventually expand to offer grades through twelfth grade. While it provides a different educational approach, concerns exist about its impact on state funding for public schools.
