Since 2023, the American Leadership Academy charter school has upheld traditional conduct and a consequences method noticed by Lexington area parents, ALA officials say.

The charter school, located at 115 Innovation Place off South Lake Drive, has roots in Arizona. Founded in 2009, the school takes disciplinary measures paired with RAISE leadership values. Somewhat more strict than many other types of schools, RAISE stands for respect, accountability, integrity, service and excellence. 

“American Leadership Academy (ALA) takes a more traditional approach to learning compared to other public schools in the area," Melody Hudson, director of marketing and public relations of Charter One, a for-profit company managing ALA schools, told the Chronicle. "Therefore, the discipline model is also more traditional. The purpose of ALA's discipline model is to change undesirable behavior and to teach students that they are responsible and accountable for their behavior."

ALA has a dress code and mandatory uniforms. The academy’s school uniform is available in the school and online for purchase. Prices range from $10 to $22 per item on the school's website. 

The public schools in Lexington County don’t have school uniforms but they do have a dress code. For instance, Lexington County School District One has three offenses, and if the student still refuses, a suspension could follow. However, each school relies on its own administration to make final judgments. 

As stated in ALA's online "Conduct & Consequences Matrix," three violations are given in order to misbehaved students, and on the third violation, expulsion is a possibility, however, a single violation of great severity may result in expulsion. This may include abuse, assault, robbery or disruption of an educational setting, as examples. This short list is not exhaustive of the more severe violations.

ALA's full Conduct & Consequences Matrix is available online at https://www.alaschools.org/sc/parent-resources/conduct-matrix.

ALA uses a “progressive discipline system," according to its conduct matrix. The administration team uses discretion with their enforcement strategy and balances the “severity of the conduct and the resulting discipline using the Conduct & Consequences Matrix.”

Hudson says many parents choose ALA for its “values-based, high-quality curriculum in a moral and wholesome environment.”

ALA’s model is taken after a more “traditional approach,” but Hudson said many of the families welcome the differences which is why they choose the academy.