Why Not You Academy Closure Reflects Deeper Challenges Beyond Charter Funding

Why Not You Academy, a Des Moines charter high school, is closing at the end of the 2024-25 school year following a November 2025 board decision. The closure reflects deeper challenges beyond funding: the school faced state corrective action in 2023-24, struggled with attendance (12.4% at 90% or more days), poor test scores (10-12% meeting state standards), and declining enrollment (down to 65 students from 102 at start). The school spent $26,945 per student—more than nearby Tyee and Mount Rainier high schools—yet underperformed them academically.