Two Phila. Schools Matched With Charter Operators, Third School Will Remain District-Managed
By Mike DeNardo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia's schools superintendent says one of three elementary schools up for charter conversion will remain district-run.
It was no surprise that the district announced that Cooke Elementary in Logan and the Huey school in West Philadelphia were matched to charter operators under the district's Renaissance program to turn around underperforming schools. But in an unexpected move, John Wister Elementary in Germantown will remain district-managed. Mastery Schools - with turnaround experience - had applied to run Wister. But Superintendent William Hite said Wister came off the conversion list because of strong growth last year.
"An intervention of this magnitude needs to be designed for our lowest-performing schools. And there are schools that are lower performing than Wister," said Hite.
Twenty neighborhood schools have been converted to charters over the last five years, under the district's Renaissance program.
The School Reform Commission votes on the recommendations Jan. 21.