Board OKs conversion of Thomas Jefferson to Dream Academy but defers vote on neighborhood-zone waiver
Summary
The Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners voted June 10 to approve Arts for Learning Maryland’s conversion of Thomas Jefferson Elementary/Middle into a charter conversion called Dream Academy effective July 1, 2026, but deferred a separate, contested waiver request that would eliminate the school’s neighborhood enrollment zone and replace it with a 35% geographic attendance-area preference until July 8.
The Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners voted June 10 to approve Arts for Learning Maryland’s application to convert Thomas Jefferson Elementary/Middle into a charter conversion called Dream Academy effective July 1, 2026, but delayed a separate, contested waiver request that would eliminate the school’s neighborhood enrollment zone and substitute a 35% geographic attendance-area preference.
The CEO’s office recommended approval of the conversion after finding Arts for Learning demonstrated experience in arts-integrated instruction, a piloted model at Thomas Jefferson, a layered professional learning/coaching plan, and a pending $1.4 million federal Charter Schools Program grant (pending authorization). Board staff also identified remaining work required on middle-school programming, but presented those as developable conditions rather than disqualifying weaknesses.
Why it matters: conversion charters change how a neighborhood school serves local families. A conversion ordinarily preserves guaranteed placement for children who live in the school’s neighborhood zone. The pending waiver would have turned Thomas Jefferson into a citywide charter for admissions purposes and limited guaranteed seats for neighborhood families, an irrevocable change that prompted concern among board members about equity, student access and transportation implications.
Board debate and deferral: Board members questioned the timing and consequences of the waiver request, noting the waiver was tied to a federal grant custodian’s interpretation announced shortly before the district and applicant had to file materials. Commissioners said the waiver could remove a guaranteed seat for neighborhood children and could have ripple effects on nearby schools and transportation. Some board members also expressed concern that turning the school into a citywide enrollment model without a clear, realistic enrollment-growth plan risked undermining neighborhood access.
Because the charter start-up grant is time-sensitive, several commissioners noted the district and the applicant had already tried to resolve the grant custodian’s interpretation and that there was no guarantee the custodian would change its view. Still, a majority supported more time to pursue potential alternatives and additional information.
The board therefore voted to defer the specific waiver decision until a specially scheduled meeting on July 8 so the district can pursue further conversations with the grant custodian and other partners, and return with any feasible alternatives or clarifications.
What the board decided and next steps: the board approved Arts for Learning Maryland’s conversion application (Thomas Jefferson → Dream Academy) and separately approved the school’s requested renaming and the naming of the school library for the late Portia LaVonne Stokes Williams. The waiver request to eliminate the neighborhood zone and institute a 35% geographic attendance preference was not approved and was deferred to July 8 for further review and possible reconsideration. If the waiver were approved later, the change would be effectively irreversible and would require the district to designate new guaranteed neighborhood seats for displaced families.
Votes at a glance (board actions tied to the charter conversion agenda item): - Approve conversion: Arts for Learning Maryland to convert Thomas Jefferson Elementary/Middle into Dream Academy — outcome: approved by the board (roll-call vote). - Approve school renaming to Dream Academy and name school library for Portia LaVonne Stokes Williams — outcome: approved by the board. - Waiver request to eliminate Thomas Jefferson neighborhood zone and install a 35% geographic attendance-area preference — outcome: deferred to July 8 for further study and potential vote.
Notes: The CEO’s recommendation and staff analysis cited the applicant’s pilot work at Thomas Jefferson and the pending federal grant as a strength; staff also flagged remaining gaps around middle-school programming and the financial model that would require continued planning. Board members emphasized that conversion status typically carries an expectation of guaranteed neighborhood placement and that any change to that status requires careful weighing of equity and community impact.
