Some parents scrambling after 2 West Philadelphia schools announce closings
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- School starts Monday in Philadelphia and right now, some parents are scrambling to find a school for their children. A universal charter school in West Philadelphia will close for good and another will do the same after the upcoming school year.
Thousands of families are scrambling to re-enroll their kids into a school after the closing of two West Philadelphia charter schools.
Many tell CBS3 they're frustrated and need answers before what is supposed to be the first day of class on Monday.
"They were not given any resources," Kahalesha Chiaholo, mother of a first grader at Daroff Charter School, said. "They were almost like, 'we're closing the school and you're going to have to figure it out and it's going to be on you.' So I'm just livid."
In an emergency meeting on Friday morning, charter and school board leaders signed an agreement closing Daroff Charter School immediately and Bluford Charter after the upcoming school year.
Parents CBS3 heard from during the meeting were angry over the entire renaissance school initiative which was meant to help struggling public schools by turning them into charters but went wrong for these two schools leaving over one thousand West Philly students in limbo.
The closures are making families question the district's renaissance school initiative that is meant to help struggling public schools by turning them over to charter operators.
"I apply for Shoemaker and I check the status today of the application and it says she's on a waiting list. So, does she start school Monday, or no? Because what does the waiting list mean?" Tia Green, the mother of a Daroff Charter School student, said. "I got to teach her how to ride the bus. What's the uniform? I don't know. What time does school start at Shoemaker? I don't know."
The school district is giving families the option to go to Bluford, but there's no official start date yet.
"Just recently, out of the blue, it was 'okay, we're going to send the kids over to Bluford' and their office is not going to open the normal time," Chiaholo said.
Independence Mission Schools is hoping families will consider enrolling in one of their three campuses.
"We're hoping to be a landing place for these families," Patrick Boyden from Independence Mission Schools said. "We have seats available at all three of these schools and we'd love to welcome new children to our buildings."
For 12-year-old Legendary Green, this sudden closure will most likely impact her chance for an eighth-grade graduation.
"So now she's just going to be pushed into high school. So now she's not going to have an eighth-grade graduation," Green said.
Independence Mission Schools says they are ready to help with scholarships and aid.
Families can find out about that option, along with others throughout the weekend at the Haverford Library in West Philadelphia.
The school district has set up a help center at Haverford Library in West Philadelphia. It closes at 5 p.m. but will be back open on Saturday, all weekend and into next week to help families find a new school.