New Public Charter Schools in Pennsylvania Receive Approval

http://www.philly.com/dailynews/local/20080522_7_of_15_charter_schools_win_approval_for_2009-10.html

Last week the Philadelphia School Reform Commission voted 5-0 to conditionally approve seven more public charter schools to open in the 2009-10 school year. Previously, Cathy Balsley, director of the district's Office of Charter Schools, recommended that officials reject all 15 applications that sought to open public charters this fall, due to financial and other reasons. Commission officials said they went ahead and approved the applications they deemed strongest - those with sound educational plans, clear mission statements and solid business plans. Sandra Dungee Glenn, SRC chairwoman, said that the seven approved applications meshed with district priorities, such as planning to locate where schools are most needed and offering academic programs that give high school students more options. The commission stressed that none of the schools will open in fall 2009 if the district lacks the funding to support them. SRC member James Gallagher said the decision to approve some applications and not others was "painful." He suggested to those who had submitted applications to visit Harrisburg to lobby members of the General Assembly to increase funding for public charter schools. "The bottom line is, if you don't have money to pay for something, you don't get it," he said. "If there's no cookies in the cookie jar, you don't get any cookies . . . That's pretty harsh."

Source: Philadelphia Daily News
Date: 05/22/2008