Proposed Birmingham charter has not met enrollment numbers, says state commission

The Alabama Public Charter School Commission said Monday that Freedom Prep, a charter school slated to open in Birmingham this fall, missed a deadline to meet its enrollment numbers for the coming school year.

In a June meeting, the commission approved an amendment to the school’s charter contract that included changes to the enrollment plan and facilities.

Logan Searcy, the executive director of the commission, said during Monday’s meeting that the school has nearly 50 students enrolled. It needs 80 students to meet requirements.

“They have not reached the reduced number for 80% enrollment that the commission approved they did not reach it by the due date, which was July 15,” she said. “So I’m just informing the commission that that enrollment number was not reached.”

Searcy said the number was reduced from 200 to 100 at the last meeting, so they need 80 students.

Attorney Lane Knight said that the school was in breach of their charter contract and the commission would have options as to what to do next at its next meeting in August. The commission could provide a further waiver for the enrollment requirement; the school could request a one-year extension to open next fall, or the commission could revoke the school’s contract.

“Those are the three options,” he said. “I just wanted the commission to have an understanding of, of what might need to be done with Freedom Prep that’s going to be considered at that next meeting on August 6.”

Megan Stitzinger, chief of staff for Freedom Preparatory Academy, wrote that they are confident that the Birmingham campus will reach the enrollment goal by the time the school opens on Sept. 3.

“Our team is working diligently to spread the word about our Titusville elementary school and continue to enroll families for our first kindergarten class in Birmingham,” she wrote. “Interested families can enroll at freedomprep.org. We look forward to a great beginning for Freedom Prep in Alabama.”

Freedom Prep currently operates in Memphis, Tennessee and aims to provide college preparation, according to their website. As of last month, the school was intended to open with kindergarten students.

This story was updated with comment from Stitzinger.