This article was originally published in The Notebook. In August 2020, The Notebook became Chalkbeat Philadelphia.
The School District has officially released its whirlwind schedule for the four days of hearings next week, beginning Dec. 8, on prospective new charter schools — including the process for public comment.
The District received 40 new applications by the Nov. 15 deadline. A law that legislators passed in September authorizing a new cigarette tax to raise money for city schools required the School Reform Commission to end a seven-year moratorium on new charters.
At the hearings, which will be held on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, each charter applicant will have the opportunity to make a 15-minute presentation. At the end of each day, at 3 p.m., members of the public will be given a chance to comment. People who want to comment must sign up in advance and will have three minutes each. Speakers are asked to register at 215-400-4010 and plan to arrive before 6 p.m.
At a second set of hearings in January, reviewers of each application will make presentations, and the applicants will be questioned and can make final statements.
State law requires that the District hear applications within 45 days of being submitted and that the School Reform Commission must vote on each application no later than 75 days after the first public hearing — that would be late February. Timelines can change by mutual agreement.
Next week’s hearing schedule is below. All hearings will be streamed online. The webcasts will be available through the District’s website.