By Katherine Daly
The Board of Education denied the REACH Academy charter school application during Wednesday’s meeting, but a second public hearing had already been scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 10, citing low attendance at the initial hearing.
Acting Superintendent Iris White was informed by the Connecticut State Department of Education that they had received applications for two new charter schools. The first application came from REACH Academy, and the second from Kings Academy, both for Bristol.
On Dec. 18, the superintendent was informed that the Connecticut State Department of Education had reviewed the charter school applications for both Kings Academy and Reach Academy.
While Kings Academy’s application did not meet the requirements to move forward to a public hearing, Reach Academy’s application did. As a result, the Board of Education held a public hearing for Reach Academy on Dec. 19.
However, the superintendent and the district were not properly informed about Reach Academy’s application. Since the application was never sent to the superintendent’s office.
The Board of Education clarified that their vote is only one step in the process. They said that a second public hearing would provide an opportunity for community input and feedback, which will then be submitted along with the application to the State Board of Education for further review.
During the meeting, Jennifer Benevento spoke up during the public comment period to voice her opposition to the proposed charter school in Bristol. She said that establishing a charter school in the city would be an illogical and harmful decision for the community.
“First, let’s address the lack of transparency and engagement with the community,” Benevento said.
She explained that the charter school proposal was introduced without meaningful input from the individuals it would impact the most: students, parents, and teachers.
According to Benevento, their perspectives are essential in determining whether the school would be a positive or negative addition to the community.
“When decisions are made in the dark, without proper discussion, they alienate the community and undermine the trust that is crucial to the education system,” she said.
Others also voiced concerns, stating that they had conducted their own research and were apprehensive about the potential impact a charter school could have on the community and its students.
They highlighted the lack of transparency surrounding the proposal, pointing out that a building site has yet to be identified and that the planning process appears unprepared for the next steps.
Following these discussions, the Board of Education unanimously opposed the REACH Academy charter school application. However, they scheduled a second public hearing, citing low attendance at the initial one and emphasizing the need for greater community involvement.
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