‘Unequal playing field.’ Divided school board OKs new charter school for Lakewood Ranch

The school board narrowly approved the application for a new charter school in Lakewood Ranch on Tuesday evening. And though the school cleared a big hurdle with the board’s approval, it faces another obstacle in the coming months.

Board members voted 3-2 to approve the application for Lakewood Ranch Charter Academy, a K-12 school proposed by Charter Schools USA and Southwest Charter Foundation. Leaders from both groups spoke at Tuesday’s meeting and shared their vision for a school where everything is based on wellness, innovation, science and health — or WISH.

“During these challenging times over the last year, our students not only have faced issues of physical health, but also mental health, as well,” foundation board member Billie Miller said. “Through that strong educational program addressing the entire health needs of students, we feel the students of Manatee will have an opportunity to excel.”

Unconvinced, Vice-Chair James Golden and Chairman Charlie Kennedy cast the dissenting votes, sharing fears that another charter school would undermine the district’s traditional schools.

Charter schools are independent public schools that operate under a contract with their “sponsor,” according to Florida statutes. The Manatee County School Board is the sponsor for local charters, which means the school board is responsible for clearing applications and overseeing the financial and academic outcomes at approved schools.

However, as public schools with independent governing boards, charters are “exempt from many district requirements and most state statutes,” the School District of Manatee County states on its website.

“It’s that unequal playing field that disturbs me and others around the state,” Kennedy said before voting against the application Tuesday.

“Nothing against this applicant,” he continued. “I know they have many excellent schools around the state but, for me, I have an opportunity to make my voice heard on this one.”

All charter applications — including three submissions made this year — are vetted by the district’s Charter Application Review Team. The group uses criteria from the Florida Department of Education and decides whether charter applicants have a plan to open and be successful.

The committee and the school board denied a recent application from Manatee County Acceleration Academy, a proposed charter that would have served struggling high school students in the West Samoset area.

And a third applicant, Visions Charter Academy, withdrew its application during the process. The would-be school hoped to open in Palmetto and offer a model called 3A: academics, arts and athletics.

The unsuccessful applicant now has a chance to appeal its denial. And though Lakewood Ranch Charter Academy had its application approved, the school must now enter a charter contract with the school board, another step that requires support from three of five board members.

The academy’s proposed location at CORE Lakewood Ranch was a major sticking point for Golden, who vowed to continue pushing the issue during the contract review.

CORE — which stands for collaboration, opportunities, research and exploration — is a life sciences research campus at the intersection of Lorraine Road and Covenant Way.

The location, Golden said, was near several traditional schools with their own unique programs and achievements. Golden feared the charter school would attract students and funding away from the nearby campuses, dealing a blow to the district’s overall success.

“There can be no doubt that this is a wonderful concept and that it comes very highly regarded and very prominently promoted,” Golden said during Tuesday’s meeting. “The concern that I have is that we are the school board for all of the schools in Manatee County.”

In turn, board member Scott Hopes, who is also the acting county administrator for Manatee County government, said that a new school was desperately needed in the area. Development is booming, Lakewood Ranch High School is at capacity and the charter school offers an innovative program, he argued.

CORE has parks, boardwalks, outdoor meeting spaces and research facilities that complement the school’s science and wellness program. Even more compelling, he said, is the fact that Manatee’s school board is expected to own the campus.

“It’s a very different type of collaboration that hasn’t been done anywhere else,” Hopes said. “This isn’t them against us and where our students are going. This is a collaboration between someone who is willing to build a facility that will result in us owning it.”

Board member Mary Foreman was also quick to back the application, pointing to her long-standing support for charter schools and the expanded options they provide to local students.

“Let’s face it, one size does not fit all in education, and to have something innovative like this that could bring something special to the table, I’m all for it,” she said.

Attempting to end the debate on Tuesday evening, board member Gina Messenger pointed to Florida Statute 1002.33, which states that board members must provide “good cause” to deny a charter school application.

Their decision should follow a thorough review of the application and the expected outcomes, not a personal philosophy about charter schools and public education, she said.

“The key words there would be ‘based upon good cause.’ Sticking it to the man is not good cause,” Messenger said, looking at Kennedy.

“The man wins again,” he quipped, shortly after the board voted 3-2 to approve the application.

This story was originally published April 30, 2021 at 5:00 AM.