Phoenix International asks board for pause on charter amendments after Maryland state ruling

Phoenix International School of the Arts asked the Charles County Board of Education Dec. 10 to delay action on several proposed charter amendments so the school and district can incorporate guidance from a recent Maryland State Board of Education ruling.

Angelica Jackson, CEO of Phoenix International Incorporated (the nonprofit operator of PISOTA), told the board the state board opinion issued Dec. 3 (described by presenters as Opinion No. 2427) "fundamentally shifts how charter funding and operations must be viewed," and she asked the board to accept the proposed amendments for information only while PISOTAs counsel reviews compliance and alignment.

Jackson described several areas of operational tension in the current charter agreement. Among the items discussed were transportation: PISOTA currently uses a partial shuttle model and direct bus service in Waldorf, but families in other parts of the county experience commutes involving multiple bus transfers and long afternoon travel times. Jackson said PISOTA plans a feasibility study to survey families and vendors and to explore options including vouchers or contracted car services.

Jackson and Brooke Holhorst, a charter school liaison, also raised software and procurement items. PISOTA asked for explicit flexibility to "elect into" or "elect out of" district software and procurement systems where the standard district systems do not align with the charters operational model, citing duplicative workflows between the non-profit operators internal financial controls and district ERP (Oracle) approval paths. "A lot of the systems currently in place are meant for traditional public schools," Jackson said, adding that the nonprofit operator must reconcile its 501(c)(3) audit requirements with district approval processes.

Board members asked clarifying questions about access and equity if PISOTA were to run a distinct transportation model and about why PISOTA would not simply use district systems. Jackson said the school seeks an option to choose systems that work operationally while remaining accountable to district oversight and public standards.

Why it matters: charter amendments that change transportation, procurement, or IT relationships affect student access, fiscal controls, and the division of labor between district central offices and independently governed charter operators. The state boards recent opinion means both parties want to ensure proposed changes comply with state law.

What comes next: Jackson said PISOTA will work with legal counsel and district staff to return with revised proposals that align with the state ruling. The board did not take action to adopt the amendments at the Dec. 10 meeting; the item was treated as information-only and will return for later consideration.

Provenance: Jackson flagged the Dec. 3 state ruling and discussed transportation, procurement and software options (board meeting, Dec. 10, 2024).