PHILADELPHIA, PA — The African American Charter School Coalition (AACSC) recently held press conferences in Harrisburg and Philadelphia to advocate for sweeping reforms in Pennsylvania’s Charter School Law and the policies of the Philadelphia Board of Education (BOE). The proposed reforms include the establishment of an independent charter school authorizer, an overhaul of the School District of Philadelphia’s (SDP) charter school evaluation criteria, the elimination of a surrender clause previously set by SDP, and a moratorium on charter non-renewals until all recommended reforms are implemented.
The first conference, held at the State Capitol Complex, focused on the need for charter school law reform. Speakers urged the General Assembly and the governor to delegate charter school authorization to a neutral body, citing successful precedents in other states.
The second conference, held outside the SDP headquarters, centered on the alleged biased charter school evaluation framework used by the BOE. AACSC highlighted the disproportionate impact this has on Black-founded and led charter schools and called for a moratorium on charter school closures until the evaluation system is revamped.
These events were sparked by a controversial report that investigated alleged SDP bias. While the BOE claimed the report cleared them of any biases, AACSC spokesperson Dawn Chavous cited evidence suggesting otherwise. The report was initiated by a Philadelphia City Council resolution demanding an investigation into suspected systemic racism within the district.
AACSC raised concerns about the BOE’s influence over the investigation, alleging potential Sunshine Act violations and conflicts of interest involving the BOE, the Charter Schools Office (CSO), and the charter schools. The timing of the report’s release, delayed until a late Friday before a holiday weekend, also drew criticism.
The investigation revealed that since December 2017, Black and minority-led schools have faced more rigorous evaluations, leading to a significant number of African American charter school students being displaced due to resultant school closures. The investigation also criticized the current evaluation framework’s effectiveness, evidenced by the recent closure of Southwest Leadership Academy in June. Despite recognizing these disparities six years earlier, the BOE’s lack of action has only exacerbated the issue.
A copy of the investigation’s findings can be found at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DVtYWaX9uOPbrHzxzjpLdol1bQ8WJqYA/view.
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