District review team recommends denying 3 Rivers Wildflower Montessori charter; founder vows to revise application

The Pittsburgh Public Schools charter review team recommended that the board not approve the 3 Rivers Wildflower Montessori Charter School application after finding multiple statutory and programmatic deficiencies, and the school’s founder said she will revise the application and pursue next steps.

Elizabeth Augustine, the district’s director of charter accountability, told the committee the application submitted Nov. 17, 2025, failed to demonstrate required sustainable support and did not meet key criteria under the charter law. "The recommendation is to not approve this application," Augustine said after listing shortcomings in support, curriculum, governance, finances and facilities.

Why it matters: approval would authorize a publicly funded K–8 charter operating in Pittsburgh and shift state and district tuition dollars to a new operator. Board members pressed the applicant on enrollment priorities, facility plans, and whether the proposed model would serve the district’s targeted students.

Augustine summarized the district’s review findings: the application included only nine speakers in support at the required public hearing and 16 letters of support (several from outside the city) but no pre-enrollment forms or memoranda of understanding with community partners. She said the curriculum "was not complete and comprehensive and not aligned to PA core standards," that the governance description was incomplete, and that the financial plan was insufficient. Augustine flagged a statutory problem central to the review: the application did not identify any physical addresses for the three microsites described in the plan, a requirement the district expects to inspect and evaluate.

The review also raised concerns about services for students with exceptionalities. "The description of how specially designed instruction will be delivered" was insufficient, Augustine said, and the application stated it would not provide extended-day or transportation services the district expects for students who need them.

Applicant Stephanie Dobbs Lapine, who identified herself as the founder of 3 Rivers Wildflower, said the proposed model focuses on identity-centered, "authentic Montessori" instruction and a community-embedded micro-school approach. Lapine told the board the application included a curriculum crosswalk aligning Montessori materials to state standards and said the team has identified substantial community interest: "We have found at this point 78 families of 78 eligible children who are interested in enrolling in the 2026," she said.

Lapine acknowledged gaps the review identified but said they are addressable. "We will come back. We will be make sure that we satisfy all of the requirements," she said, adding that this is the group's first charter application and that the team intends to revise and refile or pursue an appeal to the state charter appeals board if necessary.

Board members focused questions on admissions priorities, lottery mechanics, facilities, enrollment projections and budget assumptions. Director Walker expressed concern that the priority system could advantage staff or board supporters and asked, "How do we ensure that this doesn't become... a private school for the board members and supporters of Montessori instead of truly a community resource?" Lapine said preferences represent a small fraction of seats and emphasized plans to give weight to families living within walking distance of microsites.

Directors also pressed whether any sites have been secured; Lapine said none had been identified, and Augustine said historically approved charters in the district come to the board with an actual location. On budget and enrollment, members sought clarification about differing capacity figures in application slides; Augustine and Lapine gave differing slide numbers but Lapine said the finalized application figures were the ones in the submitted materials.

What’s next: Augustine told the committee the board must vote on the application at its legislative meeting on Feb. 25, 2026, within the statutory timeline. The committee heard no vote at the Feb. 3 hearing; the recommendation will be considered by the full board at the scheduled legislative session.

Authorities and references: the district review referenced the charter school law and specific submission requirements under Pennsylvania code; Augustine said the application did not include required details called for in section 17‑19a and related checklist items.

Editors’ note: quotes in this article are taken from the hearing transcript; at the legislative meeting the board will consider Augustine's recommendation and the applicant’s rebuttal and may vote to approve, deny, or request revisions.