These wrapped boxes represent the gifts from the Board to Charter operators and their investors:
- The Board holds no public hearings for 5-year renewals
- The Board will not include the cost of the charter renewals in the Action Item
- The Board directs the Charter Schools Office to conduct private negotiations with administrators of schools who they claim run “public” charter schools (thus the vote is pre-determined)
- Renewals are postponed until charter operators are ready to sign
District treats charter operators as clients, not recipients of tax dollars who must be held accountable - Board takes secret vote on charter applications, amendments and renewals—full terms of agreement not posted until AFTER the vote
- Board gives credence to charter claims that they are better even when they fail to meet academic and organizational standards
- Holding the only hearing on new charter applications at which public testimony is taken on Friday night 5 days before Christmas
These are the approximate costs, over 5 years, based on the District’s 2019-20 budget, of the 5 Mastery charters renewed by the Board at this meeting:
- Hardy Williams $16,502,699 x 5 = $82, 413, 495
- Thomas $17,423,244 x5 = $87, 116, 220
- Harrity $11,474,989 x 5 = $57, 374, 945
- Lenfest $8,802,944 x 5 = $44, 014, 720
- Smedley $10,865,494 x 5 = $54, 327, 470
Approximate Total: $325,346,850
Approximate cost of the 12 Mastery charter schools renewed in September 2019: $441,000,000
APPROXIMATE TOTAL 2019 MASTERY RENEWALS: $766, 346, 850
Approximate cost of renewal of all other charter schools in 2019: $514, 251, 861
APPROXIMATE TOTAL 2019 charter renewals(over 5 years) $1.28 BILLION
Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools 