Citizen Portal
Sign In

Board renews many operator-run schools, grants varied terms and conditions for struggling campuses

2135923 · January 14, 2025
Article hero
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

Baltimore City School Board voted on renewal terms for 18 operator-run schools: several received 8‑year renewals, others 5‑year or 3‑year renewals, and a handful were renewed with conditions or had conditions added by the board following public testimony and staff analysis.

The Baltimore City School Board on Jan. 14 completed its annual operator renewal votes, approving renewal terms that ranged from eight-year extended contracts down to three-year conditional renewals. District staff and the Charter/Operator-Led Schools Advisory Board recommended renewal lengths and conditions based on a rubric that combines MCAP results, growth measures, climate surveys and financial reviews.

Highlights: Baltimore Design School, City Neighbors High School and Tunbridge (Ophea Baltimore) were among schools that received recommended eight-year renewals after staff rated them highly effective in key areas. Several other schools received five-year renewals. A number of schools with mixed or weak academic or financial indicators were renewed for three years and in many cases were given conditions the operator must meet during the contract term.

Notable board changes and conditions: The board modified the CEO’s recommendation for City Springs Elementary-Middle School (Baltimore Curriculum Project). Staff recommended a three‑year renewal, but after public testimony from the school principal and discussion about student displacement tied to the Perkins Homes redevelopment, the board voted to renew City Springs for five years (motion passed 8–1–1: eight in favor, one no, one absent). Creative City Public Charter School and New Song Academy were approved with additional conditions requiring plans to strengthen teacher capacity and professional development; City Neighbors Charter School received an added condition focused on improving special education programming and compliance.

The Green School of Baltimore and New Song Academy drew particular fiscal scrutiny. Staff found Green School’s audits and internal controls did “not meet expectations” and identified decreasing cash balances and reliance on nonrecurring COVID-era funds; the CEO recommended a three‑year renewal with conditions that require a sustainable recurring funding plan, audit reviews and a facility plan. A motion to extend Green School’s term to five years failed; the board later approved the CEO’s three‑year conditional renewal.

How the board voted: Most renewals were approved on voice or roll-call votes after staff presentation and a motion from a commissioner. Where a commissioner’s vote was recorded in the transcript, it is captured below with abstentions and no votes noted. For example, the Baltimore Design School renewal carried with one abstention recorded (Commissioner Coy abstained). The board recorded roll-call votes for each renewal on the public record.

What the conditions require: Typical conditions included submission of an operator plan for academic improvement, financial plans and audits, midpoint reviews (for some multi‑year renewals), and specific deliverables tied to special education compliance or educator capacity. Staff said compliance with conditions will be monitored by the Office of Achievement and Accountability and the CEO’s office; failure to meet conditions could lead to accelerated review or nonrenewal in future cycles.

Ending: The renewal decisions close a multi‑month review process that included operator applications, advisory-board review, public hearings and community testimony; the board repeatedly framed approvals and conditions as balancing school stability with accountability for student outcomes and fiscal health.