by Mona Iskander
INTRO: The Reisenbach Charter School opened in Harlem five years ago as one of the first of its kind. It was praised as a pioneer in independent education. But when the charter came up for renewal this year, the state board voted to close its doors. Mona Iskander reports on the closing a charter school the school community that wants to keep it running.
AMBI: Kids walking through the hallways....
NARR: It is lunchtime at the Reisenbach Charter School. Children form two lines outside of their classrooms. They laugh and tease one another as teachers try to keep them in order. It is a routine day here at the school. But as the year comes to an end, there is a growing realization that these are the school's last days. Earlier this year, the Charter Schools Institute released a 75-page negative report recommending its closure. It is based primarily on poor eighth grade state test results from last year. It also cites high teacher turnover and fiscal problems.
The Institute issued the report to the State University of New York Board of Trustees. Based on this report, the board followed the recommendation. James Merriman is the executive director of the Charter Schools Institute.
ACT: James Merriman: 7:05 if one has to sum it up, the issue simply was that the school had not amassed at the time of the renewal an evidence of academic success over the life of its charter. it had not met a maj. of academic goals it committed to meeting when entered into charter with board.
NARR: Despite these problems, parents and teachers want to see the school stay open. Karolyn Belcher is Reisenbach's school director. She admits to shortcomings at the school and has even offered her resignation. She says the school should have been granted a two-year probationary charter.
ACT: Karolyn Belcher **20:15 there's a lot of faith that the report represents a picture of what the school is and that the rubric used to evaluate the school is what's happening here and i think that that's disappointing bc i think there's more here than meets the eye.
NARR: She says the report overlooked many of the school's assets. It is located in a newly renovated building with 432 students in grades K through 4 and 8. Parents value the close teacher-student relationships and extended school hours to 4 p.m. Latricia Hill is part of a parent-initiated group called IHOPE. It stands for Increasing Harlem's Opportunities for Education. The group's main mission is to keep the school alive. And if they are forced to relocate, they demand the same quality education that Reisenbach has provided their children.
ACT: Latricia Hill: **5:44 We want better schools -- give our children what they deserve.
NARR: Charter schools in New York are still relatively new. Reisenbach was one of the first ones to open in 1999 and today there are 24 charter schools in the city. Jacqui Wayans is a reporter for Insideschools.org and she visits New York City schools regularly.
ACT: Its definitley one more choice that's going to be gone. isn't a great deal of school choice in that area and will take away little that there is...
NARR: The Institute has responded by hiring placement advisers in the school. But at this late date, many charter school application deadlines have passed. Parents like Hill do not even consider public schools an option.
ACT: Latricia Hill: **4:35 went to ed. placement, not helpful, im not sending my child to a zone school… my child is shy.. what makes you think that im gonna place him in a system that's dangerous and he might get hurt. I hear stories.. my girls tell me from first hand experience. No im not going and the substandards that children have to deal with. Im not gonna have my son deal with that. We're gonna either put him in a catholic school.
NARR: One of the group's biggest supporters is Councilwoman Eva Moskowitz. She is the chair for the Education Committee and she actively organizes campaigns to represent families who will suffer from the closure.
ACT: Eva 2: education is my particular thing and i feel a tremendous empathy for these parents. they're just being thrown to the wolves and i feel that's unacceptable.
NARR: Brigetta Lotson is one of these parents. Her third grade daughter has been at Reisenbach since it opened. She is worried because she has not yet found a school and time seems to be running out.
ACT: Its just a mess. And I just don't want her to be left out in september because there's no room.. and she has to be put anywhere.
NARR: Lotson is not alone. Latricia Hill has spoken to parents in similar situations. Many are still on waiting lists for other charter schools. Hill says that if worst comes to worst, the group is considering a plan b: to start up their own charter school.
For Columbia Radio News, I'm Mona Iskander