Philadelphia Charter Schools
Auditor General: Cyber charter funding reform needed
The state determined Unbound Academy failed to meet several state requirements for cyber charter schools and did not provide enough evidence to support its bold academic claims.
Texas tech entrepreneur MacKenzie Price wants Pennsylvania to be the next home for her new AI-driven educational model. She’s promising students will learn “twice as fast.” Some don’t buy it.
Teacher attrition in Philadelphia is highest for new teachers and those of color
Nearly 15,000 Philadelphia students are enrolled in cyber charter schools. Families say they feel safer and prefer the schedule flexibility of online learning. But public education advocates point out some cyber charters have serious issues.
The school board also approved extensions for three charter schools and funding for the city’s year-round school initiative.
The district will welcome about 800 first-year teachers to classrooms amid big instructional and financial challenges.
The city school board has rejected the Global Leadership Academy high school's charter application again, citing academic concerns.
The Pennsylvania Auditor General found the charter office complied with all relevant state laws and regulations.
The City Council will not vote to confirm Joyce Wilkerson’s appointment to the school board. But Mayor Cherelle Parker plans to put her on the board anyway.
Former Board President Joyce Wilkerson’s nomination by Mayor Cherelle Parker was deferred, and city officials expressed displeasure about the district’s charter school policy.
Their place in the city’s education landscape has taken on new importance as the share of English learners has also increased.
The board of education has not approved a new charter school since 2018.
The Renaissance initiative was supposed to turn around 10% of Philadelphia’s low-performing district schools by ceding them to charter organizations. After 14 years, the program has faded into the background.
The board’s vote follows claims that the district has exhibited a systemic bias against Black-led charters.
A court ruling last year mandating an overhaul to state education spending has spurred talks about changing how charters are funded.
The hearing follows the release of a report last month that identified problems and areas for improvement in the charter authorizing process but found no intentional bias.
But the coalition of Black-led charter schools says that the report describes a ‘flawed and broken system’ and backs up its charges of discrimination.
Charter school funding, enrollment and performance explained.
The settlement with Aspira will end a disagreement over funding for two schools that didn’t follow student enrollment limits.