by Lisa Haver and Deborah Grill
“As a board member, I am not willing to ignore low academic outcomes,” said Andrews. “We have to hold schools accountable for outcomes.”
Board Member Sarah Ashley Andrews, May 14 Goals and Guardrails Meeting
The Board of Education does, in fact, ignore low academic outcomes every year when it renews charter schools that fail to meet basic academic standards. Last year, the board renewed Mastery Douglass despite its “Does Not Meet” rating in Academics with only 36% points. They are now poised to renew 9 of the 11 schools in this year’s cohort despite only one rating “Meets” in Academics.
The board conducts most charter business in secret.. There are no public renewal hearings. All negotiations with the board and the Charter School Office take place out of the public eye. The board deems all charter business “quasi-judicial”, then deliberates in executive session. The board votes on all charter renewals without posting the content of the renewal agreements, in effect taking those votes in secret. This year and last, Board President Reginald Streater took a de facto vote after the Charter School Office presentation at the Goals and Guardrails (G & G) Committee Meeting by polling board members, then instructing CSO Director Peng Chao to draw up the renewal documents. The G & G agenda did not list the renewals on the agenda as official action items. These are all clear violations of the state’s Sunshine Act.
Charters sold themselves over 30 years ago as the key to improving public education; ceding control of public schools to private managers, maintaining only non-union staff, and testing children every year to prove their superiority. Charter companies, in their applications, promised to educate the city’s poor and minority children in underserved communities better than the district public schools. Many even predicted that establishing charter schools would lead to a decrease in poverty and violence. Districts across the country applied the free-market ideology that had public school systems run as businesses, including placing public assets of school buildings and property in the hands of private companies. That was accomplished in some cities by appointing an Emergency Financial Manager (EMF) to usurp the duties of the elected school board. In Philadelphia, the School Reform Commission (SRC) was installed by the state to replace the city’s appointed school board.
Soon after it became clear that those promises would not be kept, charter operators changed their narrative. Those who had insisted on a data-driven curriculum now say that their children and their schools should be judged on more than just test scores. The “Approaches” category, as part of the district’s evaluation process, ensured that schools whose achievement scores were 50% or below could avoid a “Does Not Meet” rating. In 2016, the district held secret meetings with charter operators for the purpose of revising their own performance framework. Some charter operators actually felt that the 45% minimum for academic achievement was too restrictive.
The new evaluation still could not hide the fact that district schools’s data showed charters underperforming across the board. Last year, the board extended the charter sector’s self-regulation with its RiSE (Reimagining School Excellence) initiative, giving charter operators another opportunity to revise its performance framework. Again, those meetings were not open to the public.
APPS’ review of this year’s cohort shows:
- CSO recommending 5-year renewal for one school, Mastery Clymer, that rates Does Not Meet in Academics with 44%
- CSO recommending renewal for 8 schools that do not meet Academic standards
- 10 of 11 schools with less than 5% English Language Learners (ELL)
- 7 schools cited for barriers to enrollment including non-compliant lottery and waitlist processes
- 3 schools cited for faculty/staff files without FBI background checks and/or child abuse clearances.
- 8 schools with Proficiency rates in Reading and Math lower than district schools in all years of the term
Of the four Mastery charter schools in this cohort, not one fully met conditions. Three of four are operating under expired agreements as Mastery will not agree to implement conditions to improve academics or correct enrollment violations, including Wister, Simon Gratz and Clymer. Wister has performed below district levels in most categories since its takeover by Wister in 2016. The CSO has cited all Renaissance Mastery schools in this cohort for questionable financial practices. In 2025, the board renewed Mastery Douglass for 5 years despite its Does Not Meet (33%) in Academics.
Note: all renewal data and excerpts come from the individual CSO renewal evaluations. All administrative salary/compensation information is taken from the most recent IRS 990 filings. Projected costs for renewals are calculated based on the School District of Philadelphia Quarterly School Manager Report for the period ended June 2025.
Lynda Rubin contributed to this report.
CSO Recommendation: Non-renewal
Global Leadership Academy at Huey
5200 Pine Street, 19143
Renaissance takeover 2016 K-8
Current Enrollment 611, authorized 600; 66% of students live outside catchment
Charter agreement current; GLA failed to meet 50% of agreed upon conditions
2025-26 CSO renewal evaluation standards:
Academic: Does Not Meet, 40%
PSSA proficiency: 3%; GLA/Huey rated below SDP and similar schools in ELA and Math in all years of term
Attendance: school attendance (95% of days or more) lower than SDP in all years
ELL students: 1% (SDP 15%)
Organization: Does Not Meet (40%)
Fails to meet standards in 7 of 10 Organizational subcategories
Barriers to enrollment: The School does not have compliant enrollment materials. The School submitted enrollment materials for the incorrect review year. The enrollment materials do not contain an updated parent registration statement with language aligned with Act 110 of 2020. The materials do not provide at least
two methods for families to submit enrollment documents. School does not have a compliant waitlist process. Enrollment Egregious Incident: The School does not have compliant enrollment materials. The School submitted enrollment materials for the incorrect review year. The enrollment materials do not contain an updated parent registration statement with language aligned with Act 110 of 2020. The materials do not provide at least two methods for families to submit enrollment documents.
Failure to provide due process: The School does not have a compliant code of conduct policy. The submitted code of conduct does not fully identify informal hearing due process rights.
Expulsion: several egregious incidents.
Dress code: The School does not have a compliant dress code and uniform policy. The submitted dress code and uniform policy is restricted on the basis of gender and it limits students’ expression.
Certified teachers: the one ELL teacher is not properly certified; One SpEd teacher not properly certified. Child protection checks: Egregious Incident: According to a file review by the Charter Schools Office, 12 of 20 files did not include evidence of valid, continuous PA Criminal Background Checks. 5 of 20 files did not include evidence of valid, continuous Child Abuse Clearances. 8 of 20 files did not include evidence of valid, continuous FBI fingerprint clearances. 5 of 20 files did not include evidence of valid Act 168 documentation.
Board structure: Egregious Incident: During the charter term, the School did not have a compliant Board structure. The submitted Board meeting minutes indicated that the Board did not implement its structure in accordance with its bylaws because there was inconsistent documentation of Board term length and the number of Board members exceeded the maximum stated in the School’s by-laws.
Financial: Does Not Meet
Audit finding of “Significant Deficiency”: The School was unable to provide several items required for charter compliance testing, leading to the potential for unscreened and/or unqualified teachers being employed by the School as well as the potential for ineligible students attending the School.
Financial conflict: From the Office of Auditing Services: At times, the Charter School and Global Leadership Academy Charter School (“GLA West”) will reimburse each other for expenditures paid on each other’s behalf. As of June 30, 2025, the Charter School owed $81,877 to GLA West for shared costs that were paid by GLA West and allocated to GLASW, and a receivable amount of $36,680 due from Global Academies. The Charter School did not provide supporting vendor invoices or an allocation methodology to verify the accuracy of the charges or their business purpose. Management maintains that the allocations were prepared by Global Academies before the management agreement was canceled in August 2024 and that the underlying invoices could not be located. Although an Academic and Support Agreement exists with GLA West and includes service and licensing fee terms, the agreement does not establish a formal repayment plan for the amount owed to GLA West. Additionally, both the Charter School and GLA West were represented by the same legal counsel (Sand & Saidel) on their 2016 Academic and Support Agreement.
Egregious Incident: The School did not submit its financial audit before the December 31, 2023, deadline (submitted 5/30/2024).
Reimbursement paid to related organizations:
To GLA Charter school $410,451.
To Global Academies $877,999.
To Other transactions of cash or property to related organizations:
To: GLA Charter School $169,688.
GLA Huey administrative salary/compensation: CEO Tamika Evans: $247,369 salary + 103,730 (retirement) + NTB (non-taxable benefits) 36,876 = $387,975 TOTAL (per 2023 IRS 990)
GLA CEO Naomi Johnson Booker: $370, 919 salary + 130,734 benefits + 9,544 NTB = $510,653 TOTAL
Projected cost to district for 5 additional years of operation: $105,425,860.
Philadelphia Montessori Charter
2227 Island Avenue, 19142
Opened in 2004Grades K-4
Current enrollment 249, authorized 250
Charter agreement expired in June 2024; school did not agree to terms of last charter agreement concerning violations in: Mission/Educational Program, Special Education, English Learners, Enrollment, Personnel, Board Governance, Timely Reporting.
2025-26 CSO renewal evaluation standards:
Academic: Does Not Meet, 15%
PSSA Proficiency: 11%; PSSA Math and ELA rates lower than SDP in all years.
Attendance: 0%; lower rates of students attending 95% + days than both SDP and similar schools.
Organization: Approaches
School does not have a compliant enrollment policy; the only ESL teacher was not properly certified; 1 of 4 SpEd teachers not properly certified.
Egregious Incident: The school did not have a school nurse for over 50% of the 2024-25 school year.
Statements of financial interest were not filed by all administrators and board members
Financial: Approaches
Related Parties: From the Office of Auditing Services: As of June 30, 2025,
the Charter School had a receivable due from Montessori Initiative for Education (the Organization) in the amount of $722,924. The receivable is non-interest bearing and due on demand. The school is contingently liable as guarantor with respect to the open-ended mortgage and security agreement up to a maximum amount of $5,305,000 on behalf of the Organization. Should the Organization be delinquent on its debt payments, the school will be obligated to perform under the guarantee by primarily making the required payments, including late fees and penalties. The open-ended mortgage balance of the Organization as of June 30, 2025 was $5,271,994. The Charter School has not provided the requested supporting documentation and an explanation to understand the nature and business purpose of the $722,924 receivable, the activity composing the receivable, and the repayment terms and collectibility considerations.Projected cost to district for 5 additional years of operation: $50,773,327.
CSO Recommendation: 1-year renewal with conditions
Lindley Academy at Birney
900 Lindley Avenue, 19141
K-8
Current enrollment 721, authorized 750; 56% of students live outside catchment
Renaissance takeover in 2011 by American Paradigm Company
CSO: “Lindley Academy Charter School at Birney is operating under its July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2016 signed charter agreement. The Charter School did not agree to the terms of the last proposed charter agreement.”
Birney/Lindley has not been renewed since the 2011 takeover; the school has not met academic standards in any renewal evaluation since then. In the 2021 renewal evaluation, the school rated 33% in Academics.
CSO “Area of Concern”: Related Parties: From the Office of Auditing Services: 4 of the 7 Charter School Board members serve on the Board of American Paradigm Schools (APS). The Charter School and APS share the same legal counsel.
2025-26 CSO renewal evaluation standards:
Academic: Does Not Meet, 44%
PSSA Proficiency: 13%; scored lower than SDP in all subjects in all years of term
Organization: Approaches
Enrollment: Egregious Incident cited re enrollment of students outside catchment.
ELL compliance: According to a file review by the Charter Schools Office, 7 of 10 eligible files did not include compliant exiting documentation
Special Education: 1 of 13 special education teachers was not appropriately certified.
Financial: Approaches
CSO: From the Office of Auditing Services: American Paradigm Schools (APS) meets the definition of a related party to the Charter School due to governance overlap between the entities. Four of the 7 Charter School board members also serve on the APS board, indicating significant shared governance and the ability for the same individuals to influence decisions on both sides of the management relationship. Additionally, both the Charter School and APS share the same legal counsel.
Projected district allotment for next 2 years of operation: $60,207,708.
American Paradigm 2024-25 management fee: $ 942,839 (per 2023 IRS 990)
CSO Recommendation: 5-year renewal with conditions
Universal Audenried Charter High School
3301 Tasker Street, 19145
Renaissance charter takeover: 2011
Current enrollment 606, Authorized 705 (14% under-enrolled); 80% of students reside outside catchment
2025-26 CSO renewal evaluation standards:
Academics: Meets (76%)
Keystone Proficiency: 59%; Audenried achievement lower than SDP in 7 of 9 categories over term
Postsecondary readiness: 28%
First-fall college matriculation rates: Lower than SDP in 3 of 4 years
Organization: Approaches
Enrollment violations cited; barriers to enrollment cited
Personnel background checks: 6 of 20 files reviewed by CSO lacked evidence of valid FBI clearances.
School did not have a compliant board structure.
Financial: Meets
Transactions with Related Parties:
Universal Education Company: $278,989 (management fee per 2023 IRS 990))
Universal Community Homes: $197,221 (management fee per 2023 IRS 990)
Universal Institute Charter School: $925,000 (reimbursement per 2023 IRS 990)
Universal Education Company: $13,500 (gift or grant or capital contribution per 2023 IRS 990))
Annual administrative compensation: Universal Education Companies Executive VP Penny Nixon: $278,861 salary + 25,000 bonus + 16,772 retirement = $329,623 (per 2023 IRS 990)Projected district allotment over next 5 years: $112,453,414.
Mastery Wister
67 E. Bringhurst Street, 19144
Grades K-5
Renaissance charter takeover: 2016
Current enrollment 505, authorized 516; 56% of students live outside catchment (see CSO Egregious Incident re Geographic Preference Alignment).
Operating under expired 2016-21 charter as Mastery would not accept CSO conditions re improving academic achievement when Wister rated “Does Not Meet” in Academics (33%).
2025-26 CSO renewal evaluation standards:
Academic: Approaches, 60%
PSSA proficiency: 34%, lower than SDP in all subjects in all years of term
Organization: Approaches, 75%
Enrollment: EGREGIOUS INCIDENT In the 2021-22 school year, 91% of newly enrolled students enrolled from the attendance zone specified in the School’s charter agreement. In the 2022-23 school year, 69% of newly enrolled students enrolled from the attendance zone specified in the School’s charter agreement. In the 2023-24 school year, 69% of newly enrolled students enrolled from the attendance zone specified in the School’s charter agreement. In the 2024-25 school year, 70% of newly enrolled students enrolled from the attendance zone specified in the School’s charter agreement.
One Special Education teacher not properly certified.
ELL students: 1% of student population (SDP 15%)
Financial: Meets
Management and Technology Services: $959,807 paid to Mastery Charter HS (per 2023 IRS 990)
Projected district allotment for next 5 years: $100,532,817.
Mastery Schools administration salary/compensation:
CEO (former) Scott Gordon: $262,789 salary + 25,000 bonus + 93,490 retirement/other + 21,122 NTB = $402,401 TOTAL
CEO (current) Joel Boyd: $123,275 salary + 33,000 retirement/other + 5,886 NTB = $162,161 TOTAL
COO Matthew Troha: $214,762 salary + 1,000 bonus + 76,133 retirement/other + 23,175 = $324,070 Total
Executive Schools Officer Jeffrey Pestrak: $218,302 salary + 77,799 retirement/other + 23,175 Non Taxable Benefits = $319,276 Total
Regional Schools Officer Brian McLaughlin: $191,585 salary + 25,000 bonus + 69,381 ret/other + 23,550 NTB = $309,516 Total
Chief Information Officer Peter Lee $209,609 salary + 74,743 ret/other + 23,175 NTB = $319,276 Total
CFO Yonca Agatan: $298,225 salary + 74,743 ret/other + 23,175 NTB = $319,276 Total
Regional Schools Officer Naeemah Seward: $159,516 salary + 20,000 bonus + 60,966 ret/other + 9,590 NTB = $260,072 Total
CAO Jessica Varevice $190809 114000 bonus 10067 23550 238426
Dep. Chief Specialized Services Elizabeth Farruggia $157,448 salary + 55,989 ret/other + 23,925 NTB = $237,362 Total
Chief Equity Officer Saliyah Cruz; 199302 10135 235509 232987
Chief of Staff Yvette Nunez $199,302 salary + 10,135 ret/other + 23,550 NTB = $238,476 Total
CAO Ashley Baldwin $154,242 salary + 29,000 bonus + 7,964 ret/other + 12,317 NTB = $219,548 Total
CFO Daniel Bell $170,651 + 8,680 ret/other + 23,550 NTB = $202,881 Total
Mastery Shoemaker
5301 Media Avenue, 19131
Grades 7-12
Converted to charter: 2006
Current enrollment 733, authorized 760
2025-26 CSO evaluation standards:
Academic: Approaches, 56%
PSSA Proficiency: 16%; lower than SDP in all subjects in all years of term
Keystone proficiency: 17%; lower than SDP in all tested subjects in all years of term except for 2023-24 Literature
Organization: Meets
ELL students: 2% (SDP 15%)
Egregious Incident: According to a file review by the Charter Schools Office, 3 of 5 eligible student files did not include evidence of appropriate
reclassification or post-exit monitoring.
Suspension rates: higher than SDP in all years in 5 of 6 demographic categories
Financial: Approaches
CSO cites violation in Related Parties/Transactions between related parties are limited to those that support school operations, are formalized with appropriate contracts, and are free of apparent conflicts of interest.
Management and Technology Services: $1,560,940 paid to Mastery Charter High School (per 2023 IRS 990)
Projected district allotment over next 5 years: $152,059,824.
Mastery Clymer
1201 W. Rush Street, 19133
K-8
Current enrollment 417, authorized 609, 32% underenrolled; 59% reside outside catchment
Renaissance takeover 2011
Operating under agreement expired 2021; Mastery would not agree to conditions re academic success.
2025-26 CSO evaluation standards:
Academic: Does Not Meet, 44%
Clymer has not met Academic standards in over 10 years
PSSA Proficiency: 0%; below SDP and similar schools in all tested subjects in all years of term
Organization: Meets
ELL students: 1% (SDP average 15%)
CSO re attendance: Egregious Incident cited in Geographic Preference Alignment
Financial: Approaches
Cross-collateralization cited in “Related Parties” as in other Mastery schools in cohort
Mastery administrative salary/compensation: see Mastery Wister entry above.
Management and Technology services annual fee (per 2023 IRS 990): $885,527 paid to Mastery Charter High School
Projected district allotment over next 5 years: $88,794,625.
West Philadelphia Achievement Elementary
6701 Callowhill Street, 19151
Opened 2001Grades K-5
Current enrollment 613, authorized 640
CSO: WEPACES is operating under a charter effective July 1, 2006 and a Release and Settlement Agreement with the SD which was fully executed on August 28, 2025. [bold added]
2025-26 CSO renewal evaluation standards:
Academic: Approaches, 61%
PSSA Proficiency: 39%; rates lower than SDP in ELA and Math in all years of term
Organization: Meets
ELL students: 2% (SDP average 16%)
Barriers to enrollment cited: enrollment materials not compliant.
Financial: Meets
Administrative/faculty salary/compensation total (from those listed on 2023 IRS 990): $1,414,911.
CEO Stacy Phillips: $266,919 salary + 25,477 NTB = $292,396 + NTB from related organizations: 136,172 = $428,568 Total
Bldg Manager Brian Phillips (husband of CEO): $140,913 + 377.00 NTB = $141,290 + NTB from related organizations $58,665. = $199,995. Total
COO Quatina Tilly (sister of CEO): $110,232 salary + 27,266 NTB = $137,498 + NTB from related organizations $72,780 = $210,217 Total
Teacher Megan Kinsey: $107,335 salary + 26,934 NTB = $134,269. + $1,262 NTB from related organizations = $135,531 Total
Principal Karen Staton: $109,486 salary + 9,392 NTB = $118,878 + 54,614 NTB from related organizations $173,492. Total
Facilities Manager Carl Hairston: $103,020 salary + 15,835 NTB = $118,855 + $28,867 NTB from related organizations = $147,722. Total
Teacher Susan Steinmetz $105,450 salary + 347.00 NTB = $105,797 + $13, 589 NTB from related organizations = $119,386
TotalProjected district allotment for next 5 years: $80,306,320.
Harambee Institute of Science and Technology
640 N. 66th Street, 19151
Grades K-8
Current enrollment 555, authorized 525
ELL: 5% (SDP average 16%)
2025-26 CSO renewal evaluation standards:
Academic: Approaches 75%
PSSA Proficiency: 89%; scores meet/exceed SDP in 7 of 9 categories
Attendance 19%: rates lower than SDP and similar schools in all years
Organization: Approaches
DNM in Personnel and Enrollment subcategories
Citation for non-compliance ELL policy; school served no ELL students in any year of term. CSO: The School does not have a compliant ESL policy. The submitted ESL policydid not include a reference to a PDE-compliant screener(s) with an appropriateidentification threshold or timely evaluation information.
Special Education: not all SpEd teachers properly certified
Barriers to enrollment: CSO cited non-compliant lottery process and non-compliant waitlist process.
Egregious incident for all 4 years of term: The School does not have a compliant ESL policy. The submitted ESL policy did not include a reference to a PDE-compliant screener(s) with an appropriate identification threshold or timely evaluation information.
Personnel: According to a file review by the Charter Schools Office, 5 of 20 files did not include evidence of valid, continuous PA Criminal Background Checks. 7 of 20
files did not include evidence of valid, continuous Child Abuse Clearances. 9 of
20 files did not include evidence of valid, continuous FBI fingerprint clearances.
School does not have a compliant Child Find policy.
Board structure: non-compliant board structure
Financial: Meets
Projected cost to district for next 5 years: $86,068,615.
Youth Buiid
2309 N. Broad Street, 19132
Grade 12
Opened 1997
Current enrollment 286, authorized 400 (29% underenrolled)
Current charter agreement; school met all 3 conditions
2025-26 CSO renewal evaluation standards (note that this school has a different rating system because of its unique mission):
Academics: Approaches
Proficiency: 69%
Organization: Approaches
ELL 2% (SDP 16%)
DNM in Special Education and ELL subcategories
Financial: Meets
Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools 