Come #BackPACS at the June 26 PPS Board Meeting
Charter Renewal Update From Principal Oliphant
June 26, 2024
Thank you to the many supporters who showed up to Monday’s Pittsburgh Public Schools Board of Public Education hearing to share their love for Passport Academy Charter School. We were moved to see so many familiar faces in person and online standing up for our school. As a united PACS community, I am confident we will secure the renewal of our charter and continue to do whatever we can to get our students to walk across the stage.
The next step in the charter renewal process takes place this evening, Wednesday, June 26 at 6:30 p.m. during the Pittsburgh Public Schools Board of Directors’ legislative session. At this meeting, the PPS’s Board of Public Education is expected to vote on a resolution recommending nonrenewal of PACS’s charter following a nonrenewal recommendation by PPS’s Administration.
We encourage our supporters to #BackPACS once again and demonstrate the strength our Wolfpack has in numbers. You can join virtually via Vimeo (click here for the link) or in person in Conference Room A of the PPS Administration Building (341 S. Bellefield Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213).
While we do not expect there will be opportunities for supporters to speak at this meeting, your presence speaks volumes. Here's what you can expect from the session:
- If they vote “no” on the resolution and grant PACS a new five-year charter, we will proceed to finalizing the charter’s terms and conditions.
- However, if the board votes to pass this resolution and proceed with a formal nonrenewal hearing, there will be a period of 30 days for the public to provide comments on why the renewal should be granted for the board’s consideration. A date will be set some time after this period for the public hearing in which the district will have to present evidence in support of the grounds for nonrenewal. PACS will also be able to offer testimony before the board’s final decision is made.
No matter the decision we’re dealt Wednesday, know that we’re optimistic that we will ultimately receive a renewed charter. Even if a public hearing is granted and the PPS board votes not to renew the charter, we can and will appeal the decision. This process can often span more than a year, and I can assure you that our school will remain open and committed to providing the quality educational experience our students deserve during this process. Our fight for charter renewal will not affect the upcoming school year in any way.
Thank you again for standing with us as we go down this road. We will continue to keep you informed along the way.
If you have urgent questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly at joliphant@passportacademycharter.org.
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