Opening of Parrish Charter Academy delayed until 2019

The opening of Parrish Charter Academy will be delayed a year, according to a Manatee County School District official.

The school, offering parents of kindergarten through eighth-grade students another school to choose from in the growing North River area, was originally scheduled to open in the fall of 2018.

To avoid an appeal in court by the school district concerning the opening, Parrish Charter Academy officials and the School Board of Manatee County agreed in a recently signed stipulation that the school, even though the State Board agreed it could open in 2018, would take a year off to address some concerns the district has, Mitchell Teitelbaum, the school district’s general counsel, said Thursday.

“Parrish Charter Academy agreed to wait until 2019 and address issues raised by the School District of Manatee County,” Teitelbaum said.

Melissa Gross Arnold, the charter schools’ attorney, on Thursday called the agreement a “win-win” for both the school and the district.

“In approving the stipulation the Manatee school board addressed the concerns raised by district staff while avoiding the expense of needless, continued litigation,” Gross Arnold wrote in an email to the Herald. “It was truly a win-win for both parties and allows them to move forward with negotiating the charter contract.”

The stipulation states that Parrish Charter will adopt the Manatee County Public Schools’ Student Progression Plan and English Language Learners’ Plan as well as incorporate the School District of Manatee County’s Code of Student Conduct as it relates to the rights of students with disabilities in disciplinary action.

The charter school also agreed to comply with all teacher certifications required by law, according to the stipulation.

Further, the school agreed that 120 days prior to the opening, its curriculum, including English Language Arts, will be completed and aligned to the Florida Standards.

“Parrish Charter Academy is anxious to do the work outlined in its charter application and be a supporting partner with the school board,” Gross Arnold added. “It anticipates many years of successful operation and providing a new educational choice for the Parrish community.”

School on Red Rooster Road

The school will be located at intersection of Red Rooster Road and U.S. 301 North in Parrish, but it’s not built yet, Teitelbaum said.

On March 14, the board voted to deny the charter’s original application because staff members at the time said they felt that the application did not meet state statutory requirements, Teitelbaum said.

This story was originally published November 30, 2017 at 4:01 PM with the headline "Opening of Parrish Charter Academy delayed until 2019."