The statement below is given by Lenny McAllister, CEO of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools, a non-profit organization focused on providing high-quality options for Pennsylvania families within K-12 public education.
“Over the course of the past decade – and more notably so during this world-shaking pandemic – Pittsburgh families and their schoolchildren have increasingly sought stability, scholastic advancement, and success within the public education system in the Steel City, pursuing options that empower parents to find the best schools that fit each child’s unique needs. As we collectively continue to battle the impacts of the COVID-19 coronavirus and its Delta variant on our children’s K-12 education, we come to another crossroads where the demand for parental empowerment, school choice, and viable options meet amid a confluence of ongoing crises involving K-12 education in our region. As a community member, our Coalition is available and ready to aid parents and students that seek avenues where their academic and development needs are the paramount focus. As a native Pittsburgher, I share with the community a collective connection to our youth and a yearning to provide them academic scenarios for success within public education.
“Enrollment in our schools has grown over 75% over the past 11 school years while other schools have seen declining enrollment for a reason: Pennsylvania parents want and deserve options within the K-12 public education system that eschew bureaucratic trappings that have tripped up their children in the past with administrative issues that overlook the best interests of students. We believe that, as a leader within the City of Bridges, the Coalition continues to be a pathway connecting parents and students with the resources and opportunities necessary to overcome the entrenched achievement gaps that have plagued my beloved hometown’s children – notably ones from underserved communities – for decades. We welcome them to join us in partnerships for scholastic success that benefit their children and our communities overall.”
About PCPCS: The Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools (PCPCS) is the state’s largest and most active organization advocating for both brick-and-mortar and cyber charter schools. Pennsylvania has over 180 charter schools that educated over 169,000 students during the 2020-2021 school year, with thousands more on wait lists across the Keystone State looking forward to future enrollment. For more information on PCPCS or charters schools, visit www.pacharters.org.
