SRC postpones vote on New Media's charter

The Philadelphia School Reform Commission yesterday postponed a vote on renewing the operating charter for the embattled New Media Technology Charter School to give its staff more time to investigate the school's finances.

SRC Chairman Robert L. Archie Jr. said the charter resolution was withdrawn at the recommendation of district staff.

The commission delayed a decision a month ago to give staff time to address questions about academics and allegations of financial mismanagement at the charter in Northwest Philadelphia.

Benjamin W. Rayer, an associate superintendent who oversees charter schools, said after the vote that the staff asked for the delay "so we may finish our final work on the detailed analysis and review of the financial operations of the school." He declined to detail the areas where questions remained.

The district will begin a comprehensive audit of New Media's finances, other district sources said.

Rayer said the SRC would vote on New Media's charter Aug. 19. The commission does not meet in July. The school's current charter expires Aug. 31.

Hugh C. Clark, New Media's board president, said yesterday that he had just gotten the news and would have no comment.

The Inquirer has reported that the school district's inspector general is investigating New Media's finances, including allegations that taxpayer money was used to pay expenses for a Mount Airy restaurant operated by Clark and Ina Walker, the school's chief executive officer. Clark and Walker have denied the allegations.

New Media failed to make required payments to the state teachers' retirement system for more than a year. The school's finances have been so shaky that it had to borrow money this year to make payroll.

The school is also under fire from many parents and former teachers who said the charter never provided promised textbooks, computers, and supplies. They also charged that members of the school's security staff had filled in as instructors.

Rayer said he told Clark and Walker yesterday that the SRC likely would delay a decision until August.

"We're committed to working with the school through this process," Rayer said. "We recognize that a decision in August is late for them."

New Media had 484 fifth- through 12th-grade students on its campuses in Stenton and Germantown in the academic year that just ended. The school opened in 2004 with promises to teach multimedia skills to students.