by Lisa Haver
The Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools
February 14, 2018
On February 22, the lame-duck School Reform Commission (SRC) will vote to accept or reject applications from seven charter companies: APM Community Charter School, Franklin Towne Charter Middle School, Mastery Charter Elementary, MaST Community Charter School, Philadelphia Hebrew Charter School, Antonia Pantoja Preparatory Charter School and Eugenio Maria de Hostos Preparatory Charter School. (Pennsylvania Institute Charter School withdrew its application at the hearing; Qor Charter withdrew its application subsequent to the hearing.)
APPS members have read and analyzed the applications, attended the hearings, researched the charter company and its officers, and examined the records of any existing schools the company operates in the district.
Those who scratch the surface of this process begin to realize the depth and breadth of the questions surrounding the funneling of tax dollars into institutions that are not “public” in the sense of serving the common good. Dig further to discover highly paid top administration officials, cozy and complicated financial dealings, far from transparent or open organizational practices, and academics that are rarely superior to public schools.
In defense of a truly public education system that serves the common good as a cornerstone of democracy, APPS continues to delve into the facts and history of charters. Our tax dollars should be spent to improve the quality of education for all of our students and should not be spent on a wasteful, corrupt, two-tiered system made possible by those who benefit from the provisions in what PA Auditor General Anthony De Pasquale has called “the worst charter school law in the country”.
Following are the reports by APPS members along with written testimony submitted to the SRC.
APM Community Charter School
Aspira Inc: Antonia Pantoja Preparatory Charter School
Aspira Inc: Eugenio Maria de Hostos Charter School
Franklin Towne Middle Charter School
Philadelphia Hebrew Charter School
Mastery Charter Elementary School
MaST III Charter School
Also see:
Philadelphia charter operators rally to demand deregulation and removal of oversight of charter schools. Read the comments.
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