by Lisa Haver, Deborah Grill, Lynda Rubin, Ilene Poses
At its August 17 action meeting, the Board of Education will vote on the renewals of nineteen charter schools. After just one brief presentation by the Board’s Charter Schools Office at the June meeting, Board President Reginald Streater announced Board recommendations for fourteen of the19-school cohort, directing CSO Director Peng Chao to negotiate renewal contracts with the operators of those schools. Thus, without any Board vote or any public hearing, the Board decided in effect to renew most of the charter schools, despite the fact that only one had met standards in all three major categories. Streater made no recommendation for the remaining five, all of which had received a “Does Not Meet” rating in at least one category.
Should the Board vote to renew all nineteen, the district would be spending approximately $470 million over the next five years. Of that, approximately $20 million will be spent on CEO salary and compensation. Review of the CSO renewal evaluations shows that:
- 13 did not rate “Meets” in Academics
- Board recommending renewal for 8 of the schools rate below “Meets” in Academics
- 5 of the 19 schools have been operating under expired agreements
- 3 of the 4 schools in their first term rate “Does Not Meet” in academics
- 9 of the 19 are well below authorized enrollment
Continue here to read information on each school up for renewal
Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools 