Notice of Charter Reviews and Renewals – Multiple Schools, Paul PCS, AppleTree Early Learning PCS, Early Childhood Academy PCS, Hope Community PCS, YouthBuild DC PCS

SUMMARY: The District of Columbia Public Charter School Board (DC PCSB) announces an opportunity for the public to submit comments on the DC public charter schools listed below, which are up for a charter review or renewal on Monday, January 27, 2020. Pending DC PCSB staff’s analysis, the Board may elect to do one of the following for each school: 1) Continue the school’s charter without conditions, 2) Conditionally continue the school’s charter by imposing annual or interim targets it must meet, or 3) Commence charter revocation proceedings.    

1. Paul Public Charter School:

Paul PCS is up for its 20-Year charter review.  The school currently operates two campuses at the same location in Ward 4: Paul PCS - Middle School serving grades 6-8 and Paul PCS - International High School serving grades 9-12. Its mission is to “to educate our students and to develop in them the capacity to be responsible citizens, independent thinkers, and leaders.”

2. AppleTree Early Learning Public Charter School:

AppleTree Early Learning PCS is up for its 15-Year charter renewal.  The school currently educates students in grades PK3 and PK4 across six campuses in Wards 1, 6, 7, and 8.  Its mission is to “to provide young children with the social, emotional and cognitive foundations that will enable them to succeed in school.”

3. Early Childhood Academy Public Charter School:

Early Childhood Academy PCS is up for its 15-Year charter renewal.  The school currently educates students in grades PK3 through third at a single campus in Ward 8. Its mission is “[T]o partner with educators, families, and community members to form a strong school with a language- and literacy-rich academic environment in a setting that supports multi-culturalism and values respect, compassion, curiosity, and first-hand experience in which students acquire a full range of skills that exceeds District of Columbia Public School standards.”

4. Hope Community Public Charter School:

Hope Community PCS is up for its 15-Year charter renewal.  The school currently educates students at two campuses: Hope Community PCS - Tolson serving grades PK3 through eight in Ward 5, and Hope Community PCS - Lamond serving grades PK3 through five in Ward 4. The school’s mission is “To positively shape the hearts and minds of our students by providing them with an academically rigorous, content rich curriculum, an environment in which character is modeled and promoted, and a community in which to build trusting relationships with others.”

5. YouthBuild DC Public Charter School:

YouthBuild DC PCS is up for its 15-Year charter renewal.  The school currently educates adult education students ages 16-24 at a single campus in Ward 1. The school’s mission is to “Transform the lives of out-of-school youth in the District of Columbia by offering a bilingual educational option that combines an academic program with vocational training, employability, skill-building, and community service – a program designed to prepare young people for college or the workplace while they work to create housing for the city’s low-income residents.”