Bristol Township School District Denies Charter School Application

In a crowded room filled with proponents and opponents of the Excel Academy Charter School, the Bristol Township School Board unanimously denied the school's proposal Monday night during a special public session.

The reason for the denial, explained board Solicitor David Truelove, was due to the applicants failure to comply with an assortment of state standards, as well as an inability to promptly provide accurate and adequate information about their school's planned curriculum.

Monday's special session marked the 73rd day since Excel Academy formally placed its application with the school district in early September. Pennsylvania state regulations require that the school district gives at maximum 75 days to accept or deny such an application.

The school, if the application was passed, would have been located in the former Immaculate Conception Catholic grade school on Emilie Road, and would have focused on “entrepreneurial skills and education” for grades K thru 8.

While much of the occupants of the audience were there in a rally of support for the now denied charter school, several residents came up to the board to voice their worries.

“If you look at their (organization's) PSSA testings, it's lower than our school district. I can not see why we would endorse a school that's marks are worse than ours, and will cost taxpayers here millions and millions … as a tax payer I'm against it,” said Fairless Hills resident Barbara Bill.

Many of those that attended the meeting were angered by the decision, and what they felt was a board that already made up their minds well before the decision was made.

“I honestly don't know why you've turned this down so quickly,” said Bristol resident Pauline Newman.

The solicitor was quick to point out to Newman that the council did reach day 73 of their 75 day deadline.

While the board believed that the charter school did not meet the adequate standards for a charter application, founders of the prospective school felt that they instead offered a different choice over the traditional college-future oriented academic curriculums.

“It certainly seemed that all of the 'evidence' is stacked against us at this meeting … We are trying to bring in something new of value to this system of education (in the district.) We are looking to prepare for a new, tougher economy … let's be realistic, not everybody is going to college, but every person, college or not, is going to need to get a job. That's the goal. I'm not saying Excel academy is going to ride in on a white horse and save the day, but we are trying to provide children with an option in their future,” said Excel Academy co-founder James Jones to the school board before the decision was read.

The decision ultimately did not deter the founders. Reverend Melvin Howard rallied his supporters together after the meeting adjourned, passing out clipboards already filled with a few petition signatures.

“I wanted to thank each and every one of you that came out tonight … rest over the weekend and has a blessed holiday, because Monday the work begins,” said Howard.