Yesterday, Pennsylvania House Speaker Mike Turzai delivered a clear message to the School Reform Commission: approving at least 13 charter applications from proven school operators is common sense for Philadelphia families.

Speaker Turzai – along with State Representatives John Taylor, Jordan Harris, Jason Dawkins and Vanessa Brown – came to Mastery Shoemaker in West Philadelphia for a roundtable discussion with current charter parents and those on waiting lists. Parents like Nate Williams spoke passionately about why they love their school and are pleading with the SRC to let more quality schools open. “Mastery and a lot of other charter schools have the recipe to get things done,” Williams said. “We’re here to turn waiting lists into seats.”

If the SRC rejects applications from proven high-quality operators, they will deny at least 13,000 students the opportunity to attend a better school. We believe that is not an option – every student in Philadelphia deserves a great school.

We urge the SRC to do the right thing for our students, our families and our city by giving these students a shot at a better education. To get involved, please contact us. 

P.S. You can read more about the roundtable here and here.