BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The Panama-Buena Vista School District gave the green light for its first charter school, however, there is still a long way to go before the school becomes a reality.
Despite the Panama-Buena Vista School District Board of Trustees approving its first charter school, there are still several questions and steps that need to be taken in order for the school to open its doors. The Willie J. Frink College Prep School has been approved by the Panama-Buena Vista Union School Board but with contingencies.
“We could do a perfect petition and we’re not going to make everyone happy,” said Arleana Waller, founder of Frink Public Charter School.
According to a review of the petition, the charter school has inconsistencies within its budget and needs to better outline specifics about transportation, curriculum, and employment. Waller, who helped draft the charter petition, is confident the school can address these concerns.
“That is why their attorney, Ms. Brown, presented and said these can be worked out," said Waller. "They’re as confident as we are. It’s just about finding our happy medium. If we’re done? Great. If we need more time? We’ll take it. This is a marathon. We're not opening a school for a year. We’re opening a school to change generations. Our goal is to get it right."
During the meeting, a handful of attendees who didn’t approve of the charter school in its current form asked trustees to postpone the vote until more work is done.
“I challenge you as a school board to push back on the current regulatory framework for the charter school as it stands today," said one attendee.
However, those in support of the school say the current school model does not work for them and they would prefer something more like the charter school.
“The Panama-Buena Vista School District has some really good intentions. They have a lot of programs out there that promote education, that promote reading, promote literacy, but it’s broad," said one person in support of the charter.
“I believe that the Panama-Buena Vista School District understood very well that we came out of a pandemic and children were already, especially Black children, in a state of urgent need," said another supporter. "We had to rethink and imagine what education was going to look like to fulfill the needs of their academic needs and progress."
While the review team cited 2021-2022 assessment comparison data showing that African American students in the Panama Buena Vista School District outperformed students attending other charter schools, they still supported having options like Willie J. Frink College Prep within the public education system.
“We have to normalize giving children the options they need and the cultural spaces that they need because it benefits everyone,” said Waller.
The charter review team recommended the board approve the petition on the condition both parties execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Waller says she hopes to have an MOU to send to the district within the next 30 days.
This all comes as support for charter public schools in California is at an all-time high, according to a statewide poll by the California Charter Schools Association released in July
Support for charter schools has reached 55 percent, up eight points since 2020. Additionally, the survey finds that charter schools enjoy majority support among Black, White, and Latino voters, especially among Spanish-Speaking Latinos at 63 percent.
