Philadelphia Has a Structural Problem in Its Charter Authorization System.
It Is Time to Name It.

by Dr Cassandra St Vil, CEO, PCE

This is not an accusation. It is an organizational design problem, confirmed in writing.

In 2023, an independent law firm was retained to examine Philadelphia's charter school authorization system. Their finding was clear: a structural conflict of interest exists.

That finding did not surprise the charter school community. It confirmed what we had observed for years. But it matters enormously that it is now on the record, documented by outside counsel, because it removes the ability to dismiss this as advocacy or self-interest.

Philadelphia's Board of Education serves two functions that should not coexist in a single body. First, it governs the School District of Philadelphia. In the current system, district schools are forced to compete with charter schools for students and the per-pupil public funding that follows those students. Second, the Board is also the authorizing body for Philadelphia's public charter schools. It approves new charters, renews existing ones, and can revoke authorization, effectively closing a school.

I am not asserting that every authorization decision has been made in bad faith. Intent is not the point. Structure is. When a decision-maker has a material interest in one outcome over another, the integrity of the process is compromised: regardless of whether that interest is consciously acted upon. This is why we have conflict-of-interest rules in virtually every professional context.

WHAT PCE IS PROPOSING 

PCE is calling for the creation of an independent Philadelphia Public Charter School Board: a standalone body, not affiliated with the School District, whose singular mandate is the fair and rigorous authorization of Philadelphia's public charter schools.

This model exists and works. Washington D.C. implemented it in 1996 and has operated one of the most respected charter authorization structures in the country for three decades. PCE's proposal is modeled on that precedent.

If we believe in accountability, we should also believe the system enforcing it must be structurally fair. The reform we are calling for is not about shielding charter schools from accountability. It is about ensuring accountability is administered by a body with no stake in the outcome. Philadelphia's 65,000 public charter school students deserve nothing less.

—

Dr. Cassandra St. Vil is the Chief Executive Officer of Philadelphia Charters for Excellence (PCE), representing more than 80 public brick-and-mortar charter schools that serve nearly 65,000 students, almost 40 percent of Philadelphia’s public school population.