The Paulo Freire Charter School has permanently closed
Please Note: Although educational functions have ceased, the business and fiscal functions of the school remain operational.
Closing Message:
June 30, 2017
After careful review by the Board of Trustees, administration, and our outside counsel, we firmly believe that the decision by the state department of education to close our school was based on an arbitrary and biased assessment done by the NJDOE Office of Charter Schools. To be clear, we have come to believe that the Commissioner's decision to close our school was based on misrepresented and inaccurate information.
Specifically, the report which served as a basis for the Commissioner decision, violated state probationary site visit protocols, and the report was substantially anecdotal with very little quantitative data supporting the claims that were made. For example, statements such as, “Some interviewed students reported that academic expectations vary greatly across classrooms,” were made throughout the report, with no reference to percentages, number of persons/incidents, or documentation that supports such a claim. In addition, the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) stated that our school was being closed due to underperformance. However, this statement is false and serves no purpose other than to disrupt and publically hurt the hard work of our parents, students, and staff.
Our purpose for founding the Paulo Freire Charter School was to provide a secondary college preparatory option for the students, who did not test into the magnet high schools and/or who did not attend a K-12 charter. When PFCS opened its doors in 2012, the college preparatory options for Newark students within this demographic were limited. Based on our college acceptance/matriculation rates and our scholarship award totals, we know that we have proven that Demography is Not Destiny within the City of Newark. We also know that we have indeed accomplished our goal of providing a secondary college preparatory option for students, within the City of Newark, who may have otherwise not been afforded this opportunity.
As a result, we are quite saddened by the decision to close our school because this decision will once again leave our demographic of Newark’s students underserved. Nonetheless, it has truly been a pleasure and honor to service the community that our founders love so dearly- the City of Newark. Our founders were born and raised in our great city, and they are truly thankful for all of your support!
Civically Yours,
The Paulo Freire Charter School Founders & Board of Trustees
June 30, 2017
After careful review by the Board of Trustees, administration, and our outside counsel, we firmly believe that the decision by the state department of education to close our school was based on an arbitrary and biased assessment done by the NJDOE Office of Charter Schools. To be clear, we have come to believe that the Commissioner's decision to close our school was based on misrepresented and inaccurate information.
Specifically, the report which served as a basis for the Commissioner decision, violated state probationary site visit protocols, and the report was substantially anecdotal with very little quantitative data supporting the claims that were made. For example, statements such as, “Some interviewed students reported that academic expectations vary greatly across classrooms,” were made throughout the report, with no reference to percentages, number of persons/incidents, or documentation that supports such a claim. In addition, the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) stated that our school was being closed due to underperformance. However, this statement is false and serves no purpose other than to disrupt and publically hurt the hard work of our parents, students, and staff.
Our purpose for founding the Paulo Freire Charter School was to provide a secondary college preparatory option for the students, who did not test into the magnet high schools and/or who did not attend a K-12 charter. When PFCS opened its doors in 2012, the college preparatory options for Newark students within this demographic were limited. Based on our college acceptance/matriculation rates and our scholarship award totals, we know that we have proven that Demography is Not Destiny within the City of Newark. We also know that we have indeed accomplished our goal of providing a secondary college preparatory option for students, within the City of Newark, who may have otherwise not been afforded this opportunity.
As a result, we are quite saddened by the decision to close our school because this decision will once again leave our demographic of Newark’s students underserved. Nonetheless, it has truly been a pleasure and honor to service the community that our founders love so dearly- the City of Newark. Our founders were born and raised in our great city, and they are truly thankful for all of your support!
Civically Yours,
The Paulo Freire Charter School Founders & Board of Trustees
Mission:
The mission of the Paulo Freire Charter School was to provide our scholars with an exceptional educational program that improved the quality of life in our community, by putting scholarship into practice for the purpose of addressing educational and social inequities.
Vision
Our goal was to develop a self-actualized scholar, who possessed a knowledgeable and discerning mind, thrived in service to others, and was prepared for higher education.
Vision
Our goal was to develop a self-actualized scholar, who possessed a knowledgeable and discerning mind, thrived in service to others, and was prepared for higher education.