Montgomery’s first public charter school was given the go-ahead by the Alabama Supreme Court in a ruling on Friday, though it’s unclear when the school, LEAD Academy, plans to open.
Today’s ruling reverses a lower court ruling that a vote to approve the charter school’s application by five of the nine Alabama Public Charter School Commission members did not constitute a majority vote.
“We are thrilled,” LEAD board president Charlotte Meadows told AL.com, “and ready to make this happen---if at all possible---but will focus on quality and success before speed.”
LEAD Academy officials originally planned to open at the start of the current school year, but the lawsuit, filed by the Alabama Education Association and two Montgomery County public school employees, stalled forward progress.
The Court, in a 6-to-2 decision, ruled that because state law defines a quorum of the Commission as six members, a majority of the quorum constitutes a majority vote and the approval of LEAD Academy’s application stands.
The Court also ruled that state law only requires the Commission to add a local school district representative, referred to as “the 11th member," to the Commission when considering an appeal of a denial of a charter school applicant by that local charter school authorizer.
In an official statement, LEAD Academy wrote, “We continue to believe that this lawsuit was nothing more than an attempt to protect the status quo that for far too long has failed to put the needs of students first.”
"Hopefully we can all move past the petty arguments of adults," the statement continued, "and focus our attention on what our education system should be focused on - ensuring every child in Montgomery has an opportunity to receive a high-quality education."
A spokesperson for Montgomery schools said the Board had not yet seen the ruling and would review the Court’s decision.
The Alabama Education Association did not return a request for comment prior to the publication of this article.
Charter schools are public schools but have much more autonomy on issues such as hiring, curriculum and scheduling than traditional public schools. The flexibility is intended to encourage innovative programs that serve some students better than traditional schools.
In exchange for the autonomy, public charter schools are expected to meet certain benchmarks such as academic improvements. The charter school can be closed if it fails to meet those benchmarks.
Montgomery County has 10 schools that were declared “failing” under the Alabama Accountability Act dropping from 11 in 2018.
The Alabama Department of Education intervened in the Montgomery school system in 2017, pointing to low student achievement and financial difficulties the district was experiencing.
The Montgomery County Board of Education refused to take action on Feb. 19 to approve a contract with the Montgomery Education Foundation to convert four current public schools in the district to charter schools. State Superintendent Eric Mackey said the decision of the board was final.
LEAD Academy Alabama Suprem... by on Scribd
No comments:
Post a Comment