Philadelphia's Charter Schools Office has come under fire from some advocates who say it has treated their schools unfairly. An audit found the office followed Pennsylvania's charter school law.
Peng Chao, chief of the charter office, said the office “understands the importance of being held accountable for establishing authorizing practices that are both compliant with applicable laws and implemented consistently.” He was pleased the audit found the office had “complied with all applicable legal requirements” and adhered to the standards in its charter evaluation framework.
“Charter schools are public schools, open and accessible to all, and PCE looks forward to working with state leaders to enact common sense and overdue reforms to ensure that every Philadelphia public school student is able to attend a high-quality public school of their choice,” Hollister said in a statement.
While the audit found the office followed state charter law in evaluating charter renewals — which consider academic, financial and organizational issues — it advised that the office seek input from an outside agency, like the National Association of Charter School Authorizers, to assess the standards and whether they’re equitable to all schools.