Germantown Charter School Plans Won’t Get Weast’s Blessing

Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Jerry D. Weast has recommended against the approval of Germantown’s first public charter school.

The school board discussed Weast’s recommendation to deny approval of Seneca Creek Charter School during a public meeting Monday night at the school system’s headquarters in Rockville. Weast retired Thursday, having served 12 years as superintendent.

Public charter schools receive government funding but are exempt from some rules and regulations governing public schools in order to fulfill their specific mission or charter. Seneca Creek Charter School would use an environmentally focused curriculum for students in grades kindergarten through eighth.

Panelists reviewing the proposal were concerned about the school’s finances, education design and daily operational activities such as transport and security for students. Weast had similar concerns, in addition to the level of experience of the teaching staff.

“Of particular concern to the panel was the applicant’s poor understanding of how to meet the needs of special education and English Language Learners,” wrote Weast in a memo sent to board members.

Fariha Khan and Krisna Becker, two of the school’s founders who petitioned the board of education during the meeting, said the panelists’ criticism of their proposal was unjustified and said Weast’s comments were “the result of an obstructive process.”

In a written testimony submitted to the board, Becker and Khan said the review process was unclear.

“It is hard for us to understand why we were given questions, not expected or given the opportunity to answer them all, misunderstood by those present to hear our answers, an of course those absent, and then later criticized for not addressing all questions and concerns,” according to a written testimony that Becker and Khan presented Tuesday.

In total the reviewing panel and school board raised 32 issues to the founders. Among the concerns were:

• Curriculum. While board members commended the idea of using the environment as a learning tool, they were unclear on how lessons such as politics, economics and history would be incorporated. Panelists said the curriculum appeared to “present a series of loosely constructed activities without coherence or connection to content,” according to a written critique of the charter plan by the review board. Administrators said they were misunderstood and had made written responses to address these concerns. 
• Location. The school’s proposed use of the Wellspring Conference Center in Germantown raised concerns over seclusion, size, security and general condition of the facilities. Founders said that once approved, they could seek out other facilities or renovate Wellspring to comply with all existing codes.
• Knowledge and experience. Apart from Weast’s concerns over how the school would handle English language learners, school board members questioned the group’s “financial and executive management experience” and capability to manage their proposal. Becker and Khan said they were working with experienced partners.

Becker said she felt as though judgment against her group was rash.

“They based this judgment on a cursory reading of our application that led them to misquote us and miss entire segments of our application,” Becker said “This was evident by their questions and their concerns which often were answered in the application.” 

The board of education is expected to take action on the proposal July 7.