Parents scramble after major changes at 2 Philadelphia charter schools

Universal Companies - a private organization - owns and operates both schools.

ByAnnie McCormick WPVI logo

Friday, August 26, 2022

Parents scramble after major changes at 2 Philly charter schools

Philadelphia schools will be starting back up next week, except for two troubled charter schools in West Philadelphia.

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Philadelphia schools will be starting back up next week, except for two troubled charter schools in West Philadelphia. Families received a notice Wednesday that one school will close and the other will open late.

The Philadelphia Board of Education will hold a special meeting on Friday morning to consider a release and settlement agreement between the school district and Universal Bluford Charter School and Universal Daroff Charter School.

The emergency meeting comes as parents began scrambling Thursday to figure out where to send their children after learning Daroff will likely close indefinitely and Bluford will not begin classes until September 6, and ultimately close at the end of the 2022-2023 school year.

Universal Companies - a private organization - owns and operates both schools.

The Philadelphia Board of Education chose not to renew charter agreements with Universal. During Friday's meeting, Universal Daroff Charter School, located at 56th and Vine streets, is expected to surrender its charter and close indefinitely.

In a letter sent to Action News, the Board of Education stated the following:

"The Board will consider a proposed Release and Settlement Agreement among The School District of Philadelphia, acting through the Board of Education, and Universal Bluford Charter School and Universal Daroff Charter School, acting through their Combined Board of Trustees. Effective July 31, 2022, the Combined Board of Trustees ended its relationship with Universal Education Companies and Universal Community Homes (Universal Companies) which served as the Charter Management Organization for both Bluford and Daroff."

Marie Richardson was one of many parents who arrived at Haverford Library in West Philadelphia Thursday to find other schools that would accept her 7th and 8th-grade children.

"I just found out yesterday and only found out through Facebook. It should've been proper notification to parents," said Richardson, who said she and other parents were blindsided.

A spokesperson for the School Board said in a release:

"The School District has contacted families at Bluford and Daroff to consider enrolling in School District schools that have seats available for the 2022-2023 school year. Additionally, the School District has established transition websites and has been holding enrollment information sessions 1 at the Haverford Library to assist Daroff families to apply for spaces at Bluford or to enroll in School District schools."

You can find the transition website for Bluford School here and for the Daroff School here.

In the letters on the websites, parents are encouraged to consider enrolling their students in School District schools. The letter includes the following:

"We want to assure you that the School District is ready to welcome your child into a caring, stable and inclusive school environment that will support their educational needs for the 2022-2023 school year."

Here's what you can do to explore your options and enroll your child in a District school:

1.) Visit philasd.org/cso/bluford or philasd.org/cso/daroff - to learn about enrollment options, how to enroll your child, register for an upcoming Town Hall, and more.

2.) Enroll Your Child In Person - District staff will be onsite to help you enroll your child.