Charter schools in Vineland, Millville renewed, approved to expand

A mentor will advise Franklin Discovery Academy, a charter school in Vineyard that has been placed on formal probation by the state charter school board amid allegations that student safety has been compromised and financial management is lacking.

After a lengthy and sometimes contentious hearing, House Education voted to hold the bill at the discretion of Chairwoman Julie VanOrden. “This is a threat to those that have failed to deliver in certain school districts and in certain schools in particular”.

State education officials say the school’s PARCC test scores were the lowest among all the charter schools in Camden and in the bottom six percent of all New Jersey schools.

The state Department of Education announced Wednesday that it had not renewed the school’s charter for academic reasons.

“Every dollar going to charter school is not going to a public school in that district”. It passed the Senate a day later 21 to 19, with one Democrat voting for the bill and one Republican against it.

If the issues are not remedied, the State Charter School Board has several options, including removal of the school director or finance officer; removal of a governing board member; appointment of an interim director or mentor or termination of the charter.

“It will also allow us to open a new satellite campus in New Brunswick, where we will be able to educate an even more diverse student population.”, Sercan said. “They must stop denying charter schools access to public space”, the report says. These schools will offer more choices for parents, thereby fostering education.

Senate Bill 4, which would create medical review panels comprised of medical professionals to decide the merits of malpractice and neglect claims before they could proceed as lawsuits, was given final passage by the Senate on Friday and sent to the governor for his signature.

“Whether it was intentional or not, we feel we were deceived”, Echeverria said. “While we’re fixing our public school systems to address inequality, let’s also use charter schools to do the same thing”.

Piccolo said he anticipates charters will continue to grow, as will enrollment.

One bill, also pushed by McClure, would give high-performing charter schools more flexibility in hiring. However, it could run into trouble in the Democratic-controlled state House, given opposition by the powerful state teachers union.

Kentucky is one of seven states without charter school laws.

During those weekend meetings, school board staff members described witnessing a state of disarray at Franklin Discovery, which utilizes an individualized learning model: children were frequently left unattended or undirected, instructional time was minimal, and safety and security hazards were abundant.

As legislators debated HB 520 for over two hours on the House floor, Democratic Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer released a lengthy statement in support of charter schools and testifying to their effectiveness; part of that statement was read out loud by Rep. Phil Moffett, R-Louisville, in defense of the bill. While largely technical, the new bill makes one substantive change. “It’s not about the students to anyone of those that are opposing this bill”.

House Ways and Means meets irregularly – and when the committee convenes, it meets to consider new legislation late in the session.

The bill has the support of Gov. Matt Bevin and the state secretary of education, Hal Heiner.