3rd Charter School Plan Gets Criticism Amid Few Answers

The curriculum for the proposed Bucks Academy Charter School is not aligned with state standards.

That was the opinion of Superintendent David Baugh after he and other district officials got few curriculum answers during a three-hour-plus hearing from an applicant whose request for a continuance was rejected.

Unlike with other recent charter applications, the school board was presented only a five-minute verbal presentation Tuesday. Founder Tom McCarey said the co-founder with educational background, William Schilling, was unable to attend the hearing. Schilling is the principal of the New Foundations Charter School in northeast Philadelphia.

Other founders include township police officer Andrew MacDougal; local businessman Ken McBrearty; and Mike Fanning, a former Bucks County assistant district attorney who attended the hearing but did not speak.

Board attorney Tom Profy IV explained that Baugh had nixed McCarey's request for a continuance because of the tight holiday schedule. That decision came as the district has been reviewing four charter school applications, all of which must be the subject of hearings within 45 days of receipt.

As a result of Schilling's absence, McCarey, an accountant, answered many of the board's questions, including just about all curriculum queries, with "DTC," short for "deferred to co-founder." The board ultimately decided to allow seven days for receipt of those answers.

McCarey's brief presentation simply pointed out the founders plan a K-12 program, beginning with K-7, with a curriculum centered on math, science and technology. He based the need on state estimates that the public school district enrollment is expected to increase 4.8 percent or by 300 students by 2016.

"The application speaks for itself," he said when asked if he had completed his presentation.

The application names 520 State Road as the site. That address in an industrial park also is a proposed location for another planned charter school. Upon questioning, McCarey said the school would eventually require two sites as it expands to K-12.

District business director Jack Myers claimed the primary warehouse site presents potential problems with safety, buses and parking. McCarey disagreed.

"Without a floor plan, neither the applicant nor the district can evaluate the adequacy of the building or its physical safety issues," Myers added.

The school opening is planned for September 2012, a time line that drew skepticism from board member Ralph Douglass.

Baugh said many of the proposed school's curriculum plans are "remarkably similar" to those used in the district. Profy had earlier explained that state law calls for charter schools to encourage the use of different and innovative teaching methods.

Board president Heather Nicholas pointed out that the school's goal of 54 percent student proficiency in reading and 45 percent in math are significantly lower than what is achieved in the district.

From a budgetary standpoint, Myers claimed the application overstates state revenue and underestimates the cost of staffing and employee pensions. He pointed out it lists no specific expenditures for extracurricular activities nor staff, textbooks or software for music programs or library services.

McCarey said the school would offer music courses and library services but deferred the financial aspect of the question to Schilling. He said the costs for extracurriculars were not included because they would not be significant.

Asked about local support for the school, McCarey said founders have discussed the project with community members but acknowledged no formal meetings have been held. He also said some of the groups listed as supporters were the result of members, not leaders, saying they back the school.

Board member Kevin McKay pointed out that state law would prohibit Schilling from being an administrator at two schools. McCarey said Schilling would not be an administrator or board member of the new school. Earlier, McCarey had refused to tell a Patch reporter where Schilling works, saying it might get him in trouble.

The board has now held three charter hearings in the last month. The first was to review a plan by the K-8 School Lane Charter School to open a high school.

Last week, the founder of a proposed charter withdrew his application during a board hearing after acknowledging the budget might not work. On Monday the board will hold a fourth hearing for a school proposed by the founders of the successful MaST Charter School in northeast Philadelphia.

The school board has 75 days from the dates of charter hearings to render decisions. Denials can be appealed to the state.