PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Philadelphia School Board has turned down two applications for new charter schools.
The board has not authorized a new charter school since the return to local control in 2018, and the streak continues. On Thursday night, it heard from a parade of students and educators urging them to approve the Early College Charter School, a sixth- through 12th-grade school at the old Peirce College site at Broad and Pine streets.
The charter would include college-level courses and allow students to earn credits.
However, a divided board voted 6-3 to deny the application.
“I do think the mission of the Early College Charter School is well-intentioned, but I have a number of concerns that give me pause,” said President Reginald Streater.
Some of those concerns included a budget that relied too much on grants and donations, and no strategy to help students below grade level succeed at those college courses.
Vice President Sarah-Ashley Andrews agreed that the budget depended too heavily on fundraising.
“I hear pledges and I hear promises, but we don’t see any actual proof,” she said.
The board also voted 8-0 to deny a new high school for the existing K-8 Pan American Academy Charter in North Philadelphia, citing weak academics and organizational issues. Board member Wanda Novales abstained from the vote.