Charter schools to sound off on district policy change

Philadelphia charter school operators who say a proposed school district policy will limit their ability to increase enrollment will air their objections today during a City Council committee meeting.

Superintendent Arlene Ackerman is scheduled to testify before the council's Education Committee about the proposal, as well as district oversight of charters.

"I thought it was important that we have a neutral-party discussion around the status of charter schools," said Councilwoman Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez, a member of the committee who first introduced a resolution in May 2008 to bring charter school issues before Council.

Council has no direct power over the school district's operations. But because Council authorizes taxes for the district each year, Quiñones-Sánchez said, it "has some oversight" of its $3.2 billion budget.

The district's proposed policy, which was introduced in September, would allow the city's 67 charter schools to seek to increase enrollment or change their grade configurations only when their operating charters are up for renewal, generally every five years.

To be approved, applicants would have to demonstrate strong academic performance, have good management and financial track records, and show that their facilities would accommodate the requested changes.

The School Reform Commission now considers requests individually, but it has no policy for evaluating them.

"The charter operators are all concerned about this policy," said John Christmas, chief legislative counsel to Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell, who is chairwoman of the education committee. "They all would like to grow, and some have natural growth trajectories."

Vuong G. Thuy, chief executive officer of the Multi-Cultural Academy in Hunting Park, is among the charter officials who have said the proposed changes would violate a state law that outlaws capping enrollment for charter schools.

"They are trying to manipulate the law to their advantage," said Thuy, who is among nearly a dozen charter operators scheduled to testify today.

Ackerman and Benjamin W. Rayer, an associate superintendent who oversees charter schools, will represent the district at the hearing set for 5 p.m. in Council chambers.

"We are all for setting standards," said Quiñones-Sánchez, who founded the Eugenio Maria De Hostos Charter School before she was elected to Council. "But we also need to think about the charter school law and that the spirit of the law was to create independent institutions that have the freedom to create curriculum and opportunities for youth that are very different from the school district."

The district has held two public forums on the proposed changes. The School Reform Commission is expected to vote on the proposed policy later this year.