News Alert
February 18, 2016
HARRISBURG, PA. Rebuffing Philadelphia’s School Reform Commission (SRC) in ignoring the letter of the law governing the state’s charter school law, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ruled that the SRC’s actions are unconstitutional and it will no longer be above the law.
Since the General Assembly permitted the School Reform Commission discretion in approving and managing charter schools, it has created artificial enrollment caps for charter schools to curtail charter growth.
The state’s highest court ruled any actions taken by the SRC under this now-unconstitutional provision “null and void,” and the SRC is “permanently enjoined from taking further action under the authority it confers.”
“This is huge news for students and families,” said CER Founder and President Emeritus Jeanne Allen. “The SRC has placed artificial caps on charter schools in Philadelphia for years despite enormous demand and need. We are proud of the city’s charter schools for waging this fight and grateful that the state’s high court has corrected the SRC’s abuse of power.”
In related news, this week the School Reform Commission approved three charter schools: KIPP North Philadelphia, Esperanza Elementary, and a middle school for existing Russell Byers Charter School. However last February, the SRC rejected all but one of these charter schools that sought to open or expand, including the highly successful Boys Latin Charter School.