Stories tagged: charter schools
District staff recommends closing Imani Charter
Submitted by David Limm on Mon, 05/13/2013 - 14:39 Posted in Latest news | Permalink
Imani Education Circle Charter School in Germantown may have to fight to stay open beyond the end of this school year.
According to a list of pending resolutions for the School Reform Commission's Wednesday meeting, District staff is recommending that the 14-year-old charter be closed down.
District: No charter expansion next year
Submitted by Dale Mezzacappa on Thu, 04/25/2013 - 19:45 Posted in Latest news | Permalink
Superintendent William Hite has decided not to recommend any charter school expansions for next year, saying it would be irresponsible to do so given the District's financial situation.
"Given our dire financial prospects, we must ask for shared sacrifices from our partners," said Hite in a statement. "It would be irresponsible for the District to endorse charter expansion while asking our principals to do the impossible with school budgets."
SRC votes to close M.H. Stanton, create cyber school
Submitted by thenotebook on Fri, 04/19/2013 - 10:19 Posted in Latest news | Permalink
by Bill Hangley Jr.
On the heels of presenting a “doomsday” budget that would reduce schools to the bare essentials, the School Reform Commission voted Thursday night to close North Philadelphia’s M.H. Stanton Elementary School, triggering an explosion of tears and rage from its supporters.
The SRC also voted to establish its own cyber charter school and renew contracts with providers of accelerated and discipline schools. It also added a new provider.
After the 3-1 closure vote, Stanton’s defenders were devastated.
“I’m hurt. I’m hurt really bad,” said Tracey Lester, a Stanton grandparent and vocal supporter.
Advocate urges no 'blank check' for Philly charters seeking to expand
Submitted by thenotebook on Tue, 04/09/2013 - 15:08 Posted in Latest news | Permalink
[Updated, 4:05 p.m.]
by Benjamin Herold for NewsWorks, a Notebook news partner
The Philadelphia School District's two main priorities -- balancing its books and expanding the number of "high-quality seats" in city schools -- are poised for a head-on collision, perhaps as soon as next week.
Twenty Philadelphia charter schools, including some of the most sought-after schools in the city, are seeking to expand.
If granted, their requests to add students would almost certainly put the cash-strapped District many millions of dollars deeper into the red.
Mayor's education office seeks to lift the veil on Philly charter board meetings
Submitted by thenotebook on Thu, 04/04/2013 - 16:49 Posted in Latest news | Permalink
by Benjamin Herold for NewsWorks, a Notebook news partner
Seeking to better understand the operations of Philadelphia's 80-plus public charter schools, Mayor Nutter's Office of Education has launched an effort to get boots on the ground at charter board meetings all across the city.
Lori Shorr, the Mayor's chief education policy adviser, has directed members of her staff to begin attending several such meetings a month.
"We put a lot of public dollars into these schools, and they're serving a lot of kids in this city," Shorr said. "How they're governed is important."
District promises to get tough with new Renaissance charter operators
Submitted by thenotebook on Tue, 04/02/2013 - 18:24 Posted in Latest news | Permalink
by Benjamin Herold for NewsWorks, a Notebook news partner
The Philadelphia School District is vowing to take a hard line on two issues that have caused confusion when charter operators take over traditional public schools: special education and facilities costs.
Even as the District tries to convert three more of its schools into charters, officials and parents alike are wading through confusion over “exceptions” that past administrations granted to outside managers in previous years of the District’s Renaissance school turnaround initiative.
Head of District's Charter Schools Office resigns
Submitted by thenotebook on Mon, 04/01/2013 - 12:02 Posted in Latest news | Permalink
by Benjamin Herold for NewsWorks, a Notebook news partner
For the second time in less than a year, the head of the Philadelphia School District's Charter Schools Office is stepping down.
Doresah Ford-Bey, the District's executive director of charter schools, will resign effective this Friday. In an email to colleagues, Ford-Bey wrote that she has taken a position with Chicago Public Schools.
Develop a common application for all Philly schools, groups say
by Kofi Biney Posted in April 2013 Edition | Permalink
The process of enrolling in a District or charter school can be complex and fraught with requirements that may discourage some parents and students. Advocacy groups like Education Voters Pennsylvania are pushing the District to simplify the process of how students are assigned to schools by implementing a common or universal enrollment system.
Year 4 of Renaissance involves 6 Promise Academies, 3 charters
by Charlotte Pope Posted in April 2013 Edition | Permalink
Nine schools will be remade as Renaissance Schools next fall, with three of them facing conversion to charters.
This is Year Four of the initiative to transform the lowest-performing schools in the District. Now there are 17 Renaissance charters, along with nine District-run Promise Academies – but three of those are closing.
Slated to become Promise Academies next fall are Barry, Bryant, Cayuga, and McMichael elementaries, as well as two high schools, Edison and Strawberry Mansion.
Nonprofit gives $3.4 million to expand two Philadelphia charters
Submitted by thenotebook on Wed, 03/13/2013 - 23:44 Posted in Latest news | Permalink
by Benjamin Herold for NewsWorks, a Notebook news partner
Updated 3 p.m. with quotes from Mark Gleason (PSP), Marc Mannella (KIPP Philadelphia), and Helen Gym (Parents United for Public Education)
The Philadelphia School Partnership (PSP) announced Thursday that it will give $3.4 million to charter school operators KIPP Philadelphia and Scholar Academies so they can expand by a combined 1,500 students.
The moves could mean as much as $10 million a year in unplanned expenses for the struggling Philadelphia School District.
The push to grow KIPP also comes just eight months after the School Reform Commission, citing concerns about academics and cost, mostly denied requests made by KIPP to expand its existing schools in North and West Philadelphia.
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