BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - Westminster Community and Enterprise Charter Schools will remain open for the 2021-2022 year while the schools continue their legal saga against the Buffalo Public Schools, a state supreme court justice ruled Friday.
The Buffalo School Board in March sought to close the schools at the end of this month. The two schools combined have 950 students in grades K-8. Parents argued the late decision limited the choices for children next year.
"We're pleased with the judge's ruling and the strength of his decision," Andrew Freedman and Kirsten J. Barclay, the attorneys Westminster and Enterprise, respectively said in a statement. "Most importantly, the students and families will not be uprooted from their schools, which have provided educational, social and physical stability throughout the pandemic. Westminster and Enterprise are also grateful to their staffs for keeping the important work of educating children foremost throughout the uncertainty of the past few months."
The Buffalo School Board pointed to student proficiency in math and english as reasons why it should be shut down. The charter school performed lower than the district average.
