JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Months after saying it was planning to open charters inside 25 existing Duval County public schools under the “Schools of Hope” law, Miami-based Mater Academy withdrew 23 of those letters of intent this month, according to a report from our news partner, Jacksonville Today.
Only Merrill Road Elementary and Fort Caroline School of the Arts remain “under active review” as potential locations for the charter school operator, Jax Today learned.
Mater’s move to share space in those schools takes advantage of recent expansions to Florida’s Schools of Hope program, which allows a handful of charter operators to move into neighborhoods served by struggling traditional public schools.
New rules compel districts to allow “Schools of Hope” to use district buildings rent-free, and to allow existing schools to share common areas and resources with the private operators.
Letters from Mater in October targeted 25 schools across DCPS, but on Dec. 12, the district received notices from Mater withdrawing 23 of those letters of intent, district spokesperson Laureen Ricks confirmed to Jacksonville Today this week.
The withdrawal came “through sustained engagement and advocacy by both the School Board and the District,” Ricks wrote in an email to Jacksonville Today.
Ricks told Jax Today that Duval Schools is now evaluating the remaining two notices “in full compliance with (Florida) Senate Bill 2510 and applicable state guidelines.”
“The District and School Board will continue to advocate on behalf of our students, families, and schools,” Ricks wrote. “Transparent communication remains a priority, and updates will be shared as the process moves forward.”
A spokesperson for Mater Academy’s for-profit parent company, Academica, and Mater Academy President Roberto Blanch did not respond to requests for comment from Jax Today.
For more on the two schools still being targeted by Mater as “Schools of Hope,” visit JaxToday.org.
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