All of this activity has taken place under the careful watch of New York Times reporter, Jodi Wilgoren. Ms. Wilgoren is writing a series of stories this year on what is involved with the opening of a charter school. Kudos to the PAL Academy Charter Schools of Manatee County, Inc. for receiving their third charter contract. This contract awarded by the Manatee School Board is for the first Department of Juvenile Justice charter school in the state of Florida. Only a handful of the charter schools in the 19 states the association covers have received the recognition.
Accreditation allows the school to compete in sports, music and other extra curricular activities.
The school's Executive Director Mark Francis said that the accreditation helps crumble the false perception that charter schools aren't as strong as traditional public schools. Las Vegas Charter School of the Deaf , to which Clark County School Board members granted provisional approval Tuesday. About 25 students are expected to enroll in kindergarten through fifth grade. Maureen Parente, chairwoman of the committee behind the charter school for the deaf, said the charter school will be the first school for the deaf in Nevada. Classes will follow year-round schedule and be taught in American Sign Language and written English.