Charters Fighting Closing Say Student Rolls Growing

Although students attending the schools faced being arrested for truancy at one time, and the schools may be closed permanently in the near future, principals at Delray Boynton Academy and Riviera Beach Academy said this week that class is in session and more students are arriving every day.

A total of about 80 students are enrolled at the two double-F charter schools that opened for school Aug. 10 but were asked to shut down the same day, then got at least a temporary reprieve on Sept. 6.

Even after the Palm Beach County School Board took action to close Delray Boynton Academy, about 35 kids never left, Principal Joe Green said. He expects the 54 students enrolled now will grow to 70.

“We never stopped having school,” Green said. “Things are going well.”

At Riviera Beach Academy, which did lose all of its students at one point, Principal Oscar Lewis said 25 kids are back.

“It’s a wonderful feeling after what we’ve been through,” Lewis said. “We’re planning on being open through the rest of the year,” and even longer.

Both schools earned their second F’s, based on FCAT scores, from the state in June, and the state wanted school boards to shut down or reorganize any double-F charter schools. Charter schools use public money but have their own school boards.

In July the school board refused to close the schools, and then state Education Commissioner John Winn said millions of dollars in state money could be withheld from the district as a result. So the board voted to shut them down and cut off their money. The schools went to court, however, and a judge said the schools are allowed to stay open and receive money until a state appeal commission hears their case.

The appeal commission hasn’t set a date, but mediation with the school district is scheduled to begin next week.

Palm Beach County has more charter schools than any other district in the state – 42.

The school board, which opposed shutting the schools down, sent a letter to Winn recently asking for reforms to charter school laws. The board wants more power to oversee the schools and correct problems before schools fail twice in a row, just as they have the power to intervene when regular public schools are struggling.

nirvi_shah@pbpost.com

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