Public Charter School Operators Letters of Intent Released by the Commission

The Alabama Public Charter School Commission today released letters of intent from the five groups hoping to operate public charter schools in Alabama.

The groups are (click the links to read the letters of intent):

• The SLAM Foundation, Miami, Florida
• The Mobile Area Education Foundation (MAEF), Mobile
• The New Rising Star Community Support Corporation, Birmingham
• The Edge Preparatory School, Huntsville
• Education Reform America, Inc., Canton, Michigan

Both the SLAM Foundation and the Edge Preparatory School hope to open schools in Huntsville.

The MAEF hopes to open a school in the Mobile area.

The New Rising Star Community Support Corporation hopes to open a school in Birmingham.

Education Reform America, Inc. did not state a location for their school.

Some groups shared their vision for a start-up public charter school, while others simply stated their intent to apply.

Letters of intent are not required nor are they binding.

A full application must be submitted by the August 1, 2016, deadline in order to be considered for the 2017-2018 school year.

The letters accompanied the following statement from Commission Chairman Dr. Ed Richardson:

As of today, five Letters of Intent have been received indicating that the entities intend to submit an application to the Alabama Public Charter School Commission to form a start-up public charter school in Alabama.   The Letters of Intent are attached.   Eligibility to become a charter school will be determined after applications have been received and are determined to comply with Alabama law. 

In accordance with the Alabama School Choice and Student Opportunity Act (Alabama Act No. 2015-3), the Commission may hear an application in two instances:  when an applicant wishes to open a start-up public charter school in a public school system that has not registered as an authorizer or in the event an authorizing school system has denied an application to form a public charter school and the applicant chooses to appeal that denial to the Commission. 

Official applications are due no later than August 1, 2016. 

If you have any questions regarding this matter, please submit those via e-mail to pcs@alsde.edu.

UPDATE: This article was updated at 2:45 p.m. to include Dr. Richardson’s statement.