State Board of Education approves new Oklahoma City charter school

OKLAHOMA CITY — A new charter high school has been approved to open its doors in southwest Oklahoma City in August.

The Oklahoma State Board of Education voted unanimously on Thursday to accept the charter application for Proud to Partner Leadership Academy. 

“I’m excited about the recommendation, obviously, and more excited to represent Oklahoma and Oklahoma education,” school founder Dawn Bowles said before the vote. “In one of our models we say, ‘We’re preparing for greater,’ but I will say now, greater is here.”

Bowles, who will be head of school, and the academy’s founding board of directors appealed to the state board after Putnam City Public Schools and Western Heights Public Schools denied their application to establish the charter.

The state Board of Education first heard a presentation on the school in March but delayed voting by a month to give Oklahoma State Department of Education staff more time to review the application with the founders.

Education Department staff still have concerns over the school’s financial plan, cash flow and internal controls, said Todd Loftin, the agency’s chief academic officer. The school’s charter contract, which its founders will begin developing with the Education Department, would include stipulations to address those concerns, Loftin said.

Although focused on southwest Oklahoma City students, the school would have an enrollment zone stretching well into the northwest side of the metro area because it would welcome students living in the Putnam City and Western Heights districts.

The school projects year-one enrollment between 100 and 125 students in 11th and 12th grade. It will add 10th grade and ninth grade over the next two years, with the goal of enrolling 400 students by the 2028-29 school year.

Like all charter schools, it will be public and free for every student to attend.

Proud to Partner will assign each student a community mentor who represents the student’s goals after graduation. It also will place heavy emphasis on leadership development, ACT preparation, community projects and social-emotional learning.

“Your warrior attitude towards these kids and what you want to do with education did not go unnoticed,” state board member Donald Burdick told Bowles. “I am excited for you, and I’m excited for those students in your program.”

The charter concept was developed through the school design center at the Oklahoma Public School Resource Center. 

The same school design program produced two other recently approved charter schools, Oklahoma Montessori Initiative and Rise STEAM Academy. Oklahoma City Public Schools accepted both of their applications.

Two other school concepts OKCPS rejected, P3 Urban Montessori and Willard C. Pitts Academy, appealed their denials to the state Board of Education.

State Superintendent Ryan Walters said both schools have withdrawn their applications from the state board. He said he was unsure of the reason for the withdrawals.