Imagine Penn Hills Charter School of Entrepreneurship wins appeal to expand, accept more students
An appeal granted by the state will let a Penn Hills charter school expand into a new space and accept more students, a move the district opposed because of concerns about the school and its financial impact on the district.
The state charter appeal board Tuesday overturned Penn Hills School Board's decision in March that prevented Imagine Penn Hills Charter School of Entrepreneurship from expanding into a second building.
“We are thrilled,” Imagine board President Bernice Martin said Wednesday. “This is going to allow us to grow and fulfill our charter.”
Imagine, a K-6 school with about 300 students, applied for an amendment in spring. The district denied the amendment, which would have enabled Imagine to send its older students to a building at 10700 Frankstown Road while its younger students remained at 200 Penn School Drive.
Penn Hills School District can appeal the state decision to Commonwealth Court. “Our goal as the home district is to ensure our charter school students receive an education that is equal to or exceeds what we offer,” said Penn Hills School District superintendent Nancy Hines. “Further expansion concerns us, as having increased responsibilities will place an additional burden on their operating system which has struggled, in our opinion, at times with an enrollment of less than 300 students.”
Board members and administrators have said that the cost of charter schools weighs on the district's beleaguered budget. The district is selling $18 million in bonds to pay day-to-day expenses. It is paying some expenses with a short-term $12 million loan.
When students leave public schools for charter schools, state funding follows them. The Penn Hills School District paid Imagine about $3 million in the 2014-15 school year. It expected to pay as much as $12 million to charter schools last year.
About 4,000 students are enrolled in Penn Hills schools. The district expects to pay for 720 students to attend charters, spokesperson Teresita Kolenchak said.
The state charter appeal board meets monthly and is composed of six members selected by the governor and the secretary of education. It ruled on seven cases last year and one this year.
Imagine officials announced expansion plans in November because they needed space to become a K-8 school, which is what its charter projects. The Penn Hills School District holds Imagine's charter.
Several board members denied the amendment because of concern about the pace of the school's growth and record-keeping issues. In February, board member Pauline Calabrese said one issue was money.
Martin said some students may move into Hebron Elementary building that closed in the early 1980s, as early as spring.
She said officials plan to have all students in the new building next year.
She expects enrollment to rise to about 450 students next year when the school can add a seventh-grade class. She hopes to reach the charter's 612 enrollment cap in the 2017-18 school year, when the school becomes a K-8.
“My son is a sixth-grader, so this is very important to be me,” Martin said. “I know other sixth-grade parents had the same concern.”
Imagine will lease the building on Frankstown Road from a Brooklyn-based company, Technology Properties 1. Martin said the lease on the current building is up in June.
Kelsey Shea is a Trib Total Media staff writer. Reach her at 412-320-7845 or kshea@tribweb.com.
