School board to close 3 charters amid investigation into bias against Black-led schools

District says schools fell short of academic, operational standards

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Philadelphia School Board on Thursday started the process to close three charter schools it says are failing, while elected officials claim the board is biased against Black-led charters.

The board voted 6-0 not to renew the charters of the Southwest Leadership Academy and the Laboratory Charter School, citing district evaluations that determined the schools fell short of standards for academics, operations or financial standards.

The panel also voted to execute a surrender clause to force the Memphis Street Academy in Port Richmond to give up its charter, as it failed to meet academic conditions it previously agreed to. School board chair Joyce Wilkerson said Memphis Street Academy failed to raise test scores and attendance as it had committed to do.

“The school didn’t agree to do as bad as low-performing schools. They were supposed to make dramatic increases, and we haven’t seen that,” Wilkerson said.

Memphis Street CEO Naimah Wimberly told the board the conditions were unrealistic.

“Our scholars come from poor public schools, performing significantly below grade level. Yet the same district that failed them since kindergarten charges us with proficiency goals that are difficult to achieve,” she argued.

The district said Lab Charter didn’t make the grade for organizational compliance, while Southwest Leadership Academy failed all three of the district’s evaluations for organization, academics and finances.

“These are issues that go to the safety of children when you’re not doing basic background checks, when you ignore the obligation to have a robust special ed program,” Wilkerson added. “These are fundamental obligations of a charter school.”

Lab Charter and Southwest Leadership have the right to remain open during a hearing process to appeal the board’s decision. Memphis Street’s surrender clause requires it to close by June 2023. About 560 fifth- through eighth-graders attend the school.

Ashley Redfearn, CEO of American Paradigm Schools, said in a statement after the vote that the charter operator would “pursue every legal channel” to keep Memphis Street Academy open.

“Students and staff were dealt blow after blow throughout the pandemic and should not have to contend with yet another major life-altering change,” Redfearn said.

State Sen. Anthony Williams, City Councilmember Isaiah Thomas and charter supporters rallied outside school headquarters, calling on the school board to pause nonrenewals of charters.

Williams called on the board to forgo charter nonrenewals while the Ballard Spahr law firm’s investigation of bias against Black-led charters continues.

“To my knowledge, the investigation has not been completed. Hence, how can this process be fair?” Williams asked the board.

Philadelphia has 85 charter schools, which are publicly funded but operate independently from district control.

The board renewed the charters of eight schools at Thursday’s meeting:

Boys Latin of Philadelphia
Green Woods Charter School
Keystone Academy Charter School
Preparatory Charter of Math, Science, Technology and Careers
Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School
Universal Creighton Charter School
West Oak Lane Charter School
Wissahickon Charter School

Featured Image Photo Credit: Mike DeNardo/KYW Newsradio