Two Philly charters were just recommended for nonrenewal
Global Leadership Academy Charter School Southwest at Huey and Philadelphia Montessori Charter School were both recommended for nonrenewal. The school board will consider the fate of both May 28.
Philadelphia School District officials on Thursday night recommended two city charters for nonrenewal — the first step on a path that could ultimately lead to closure.
The schools, Global Leadership Academy Charter School Southwest at Huey and Philadelphia Montessori Charter School, were cited for significant academic concerns. Peng Chao, head of the district’s charter schools office, announced the decisions at a school board progress monitoring session.
No votes were taken Thursday, but school board president Reginald Streater directed Chao to prepare draft notices of nonrenewal that the board is scheduled to consider at its May 28 meeting.
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In addition to the Global Leadership Southwest and Philadelphia Montessori recommendations, Chao’s office recommended a one-year renewal for one school, Lindley Academy Charter School at Birney, and five-year renewals with conditions for eight more: Harambee Institute of Science and Technology, Mastery Wister, Mastery Clymer, Mastery Shoemaker, Mastery Gratz, Universal Audenried, West Philadelphia Achievement, and Youthbuild Philadelphia charters.
The recommendations came hours after Philadelphia Charters for Excellence, an advocacy organization representing 70 charters, filed a suit in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court alleging the district and school board illegally forces charters to agree to certain conditions to stay open.
Concerns about academics and more
Philadelphia Montessori lags both a similar-schools group and the district as a whole in academics. The school was also flagged for personnel concerns, including failing to have a certified school nurse on staff for most of the 2024-25 school year.
GLA Southwest failed to meet benchmarks in academics, organizational standards, and finances.
The school was cited for “chronic noncompliance” in multiple areas, including certification of special education and English for Speakers of Other Languages teachers and guaranteeing student rights in the expulsion process.
Several board members said they were especially worried about GLA’s finances. The school only has 20 days cash on hand — the expected standard is 45 — and it owes Global Leadership, a related standalone charter, $80,000.
“I share the concerns about academic outcomes, but focusing on the financial matters, I’m very, very concerned,” board member Joan Stern said.
Sarah-Ashley Andrews, the board’s vice president, said the school board had to center its decisions on students.
“As a board member, I am not willing to ignore low academic outcomes,” said Andrews. “We have to schools accountable for outcomes.”
If the board does vote to issue notices of nonrenewal to either or both schools later this month, that would trigger a lengthy, formal hearing process, then eventually a second board vote on nonrenewal.
Philadelphia Montessori is a standalone charter, and ultimately could close outright.
Global Leadership Southwest is a Renaissance charter, a former district school attended by neighborhood students; it could ultimately return to district management if it’s nonrenewed.
