News Releases
Board Receives Eleven Charter Applications by March 31st Deadline
For Immediate Release: April 2, 2008
Contact: Nona Richardson 202/328-2670
Washington, D.C. - The D.C. Public Charter School Board received 10 applications to create new public charter schools, and one application to convert seven catholic school campuses to charter status. The applications for new charters, if approved, would open in fall 2009. The catholic school conversion could be approved to open this fall, if all of the Board's pre-conditions are fully satisfied.
Of the 10 applications, three applications propose college prep high school programs - one with an international studies focus; two offer middle school programs; two propose Pre-K- 8th grade programs; and two offer early childhood through 3rd grade programs. One other application proposes an adult education program. Many of the applicants seek to serve high need populations: special education students, and students living in Wards 7 & 8.
The Archdiocese of Washington, through the non-profit group Center City PCS, has submitted one proposal to convert seven catholic schools, currently serving over 1,000 students, to charter school status. The catholic school group, which asserts that it has teachers, facilities, and a curriculum ready, has requested to open this fall. The catholic school applicant's existing locations are in Wards 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. If the conversion proposal is not approved, the catholic schools will likely close at the end of the school year, according to earlier public statements made by the Archdiocese of Washington.
Board chair Thomas Nida stated, "Judging by the continuing increase in enrollment, the demand still exists for more quality public charter schools. We have raised the bar for existing schools, and will certainly keep it high for new applicants." The PCSB, now in its 11th year of operation, is in a strategic planning process, considering issues such as charter school saturation, competition among charter schools, and whether to approve only programs of highest need.
In the next month, expert consultants will conduct technical reviews of each application, and will interview the founding groups and proposed principals. Public hearings are scheduled for May 19th and May 20th to allow applicants to present their proposals to the Board and the public, and to solicit input from community members. The Board will make decisions to approve or deny the applications during its June 16th monthly meeting. The executive summary of each application, and more details about the process, are available on the Board's website at www.dcpubliccharter.com. The D.C. Public Charter School Board currently oversees 55 public charter schools on 82 campuses, serving more than 22,000 students in every ward of the city.
Links
2008 Charter School Applications Table
Charter School Application Executive Summaries:
Academy of Hope PCS
Accotink Public Education Center
Back to Basics PCS
Center City PCS, Inc
Dream Catchers Academic Academy
Enrichment Academy Green PCS
Imagine Freedom PCS
Lighthouse Academy CS
Millennium Literacy Academy
National Prep PCS
North Star Academy CS
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