Baldwin-Whitehall School Board votes to deny Dogwood Charter School application

The Baldwin-Whitehall School District board voted unanimously to deny the charter school application submitted by Dogwood Charter School, the board announced at a regularly scheduled meeting. The board approved a motion to deny the application, with the vote recorded 9-0.

District solicitor Emery Hart Eagle told the board the administration would present its findings under the nine statutory criteria for charter approval and that the board would vote before the Charter School Law deadline. The administration’s written review and presentation concluded that the application failed multiple required criteria, and recommended denial.

The administration’s report, presented by Dr. Eckert on behalf of the district, identified multiple deficiencies in the application. Administration staff said signatures and letters of support included with the submission were dated from 2020 and were not from Baldwin-Whitehall residents; only one letter of support was from 2022 and was not current. The district found no evidence the proposed school would expand educational options aligned to Pennsylvania standards, and said curriculum materials were incomplete or not aligned to state standards for several grade spans.

Dr. Eckert’s presentation listed specific gaps: no current lease agreement for the proposed district location; missing criminal-history clearances and Department of Public Welfare child-abuse/neglect clearance statements for people who would have direct contact with students; incomplete professional development and compliance review procedures; inadequate plans for special education and English Learner services; and financial projections based on incorrect per-pupil rates and student populations from another district. The administration also reported the application contained wording and materials duplicated from a previously closed school, Gillingham Charter School, and said public performance records for that school showed poor outcomes on the Future Ready PA index.

Representatives of Dogwood Charter School were given an opportunity to respond. Caitlin Beauvais, who identified herself as a first- and second-grade teacher associated with the applicant, described classroom practices and student outcomes at Dogwood. “Almost all of my class was a special ed deemed student… These kids are happily showing up every day. They’re learning, they’re thriving,” Beauvais said. A second representative, who identified himself as Back Opat, said the applicant did not secure a lease because “until we are approved we can’t have a lease,” and described outreach to building owners and families served during a prior brief opening in another district.

Board members asked questions about the Bethel Park application and whether Dogwood intended to operate multiple separate applications. In response, the applicant said the uses of existing charters in other districts were not the same as the application under consideration and that the organization planned separate applications with a single shared board of trustees.

After questions and deliberation, the board voted to deny the Dogwood Charter School application by a 9-0 vote. The district clerk recorded the denial and closed the public hearing on the matter.

The denial does not create an alternative program or replacement; it only declines to authorize Dogwood to operate in the Baldwin-Whitehall School District. The district’s presentation cited the Charter School Law and Pennsylvania education requirements as the basis for its review and recommendation.

Board minutes list the denial as a formal action in the meeting’s business session; the district will retain the administration’s written review and the exhibits entered into the record as part of the official file.