The University of Wisconsin System rejected an application for a Madison charter school because of site concerns.
Arbor Community School is an inquiry-based and project-focused school located in a space rented from St. Bernard Parish, according to the school’s application.
The school submitted an application to the UW System’s Office of Educational Opportunity in January.
The school originally had difficulty becoming a charter through the Madison School District, so they turned to the UW System for support, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. The UW System has the power to charter schools in Madison and Milwaukee — despite the school district’s objections.
While OEO was set to authorize the establishment of Arbor Community School, and the state Department of Public Instruction approved it for up to $700,000 in funding, the Madison School District urged OEO to terminate contract negotiations with Arbor, according to WSJ.
According to a letter to the applicants, UW System President Ray Cross said the St. Bernard site lacks access to green space — a key component of the proposed school.
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Application reviewers were split 2–2 on whether to authorize the school, according to WSJ. The school’s applications received a “strong” rating with 45 out of 50 possible points.
The school’s co-founder Lynn Munsinger Brown was surprised at UW System’s decision, as OEO never told the school that the St. Bernard site was a concern, WSJ reported.
