DC Public Charter School Board Receives 3 Applications from Experienced Operators

November 20, 2012

Contact: Audrey Williams 202-328-2748
[email protected]

Washington, D.C. — Three experienced charter operators submitted applications by PCSB's November 16 deadline to open new DC public charter schools. The charter schools, if approved, are eligible to open in fall 2014.

Rocketship Education; Nexus Academy; and DC Flex Academy all submitted proposals for blended learning programs, which combine traditional classroom instruction with online instruction. If approved, PCSB policy allows for at least a 15-month timeframe for opening of newly-authorized public charter schools so they can be included in the District budget and to allow for the necessary planning time to open a new school.

"We are thrilled to have these experienced charter school operators consider Washington, DC as a destination so that we can expand access to high-quality school options for DC families," said Scott Pearson, PCSB Executive Director.

Rocketship Education currently has seven elementary schools in San Jose, California. Nexus Academy would be managed by Connections Education, which serves students in 28 schools in 21 states. DC Flex Academy would be managed by K-12 Inc., which operates charter and district schools in 32 states and the Community Academy Public Charter School Online program in Washington, DC.

In the next six weeks, PCSB staff will review the applications and interview the applicant group. The Board will hold public hearings in January 2013 on the proposals. PCSB board will vote to approve or deny the applications during its February 2013 monthly meeting.

To review the executive summary for each application click here.

2012 Experienced Charter School Applications

	Applicant School Name	Program/Focus	1st Yr Grades # of Students	Grades/Size at Capacity	Desired Location
1	Rocketship Education DC	Elementary with blended learning	K-5^th grade 630 students	K-5 5,040	Wards 7 or 8
2	Nexus Academy of DC	High school with blended learning	9-12^th grade 300 students	9-12 600 students	Ward 2
3	DC Flex Academy	Middle-high school with blended learning	6-12^th grade 200 Students	6-12 550 students	NE or NW

About PCSB: The DC Public Charter School Board (PCSB) is setting a national model for creating quality public school options through its rigorous review of new charter applications and effective oversight of charter school performance that is leading the transformation of public education in Washington, DC. PCSB currently oversees 57 public charter schools 102 campuses serving 35,019 students living in every ward of the city. Learn more at www.dcpcsb.org.