Charter school petitioners remain silent

LANCASTER — Petitioners for the proposed Academy of Creative Technologies-Antelope Valley charter school made no presentations and no prospective students, parents or teachers spoke in favor of the proposed charter school at a public hearing Tuesday morning in front of Antelope Valley Union High. School District Board of Trustees.

Proposed K-12 transitional charter school seeks to offer an educational program blending arts and technology, similar to the failed Synergy School of the Arts and Technology charter school, which closed in December after three months due to insurmountable financial difficulties.

Public hearings for charter applications are usually the time when supporters point out all the good things their proposed charter school will bring to students.

Lead petitioner Keleen Wrighten did not make a presentation on the Creative Technology Academy.

“I’ll let the petition speak for itself,” Wrighten said.

According to the proposed charter school’s mission statement, the Academy of Creative Technologies seeks to “empower and inspire the next generation of creative and critical thinkers by providing a rigorous and innovative educational experience.”

“At the Academy of Creative Technologies-Antelope Valley, we are committed to developing individual talents and abilities in a supportive and inclusive environment, fostering academic excellence, artistic expression and technological mastery,” the release said .

The petitioners seek a five-year term. If approved, the proposed school would open in fall 2025. The educational program would include AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), project-based and community-based learning, and career technical education pathways. The school calendar would span 175 days, with additional minutes added to the Monday-Thursday schedule to provide half-staff, no-student days for staff development.

Areas of focus and specializations offered by the proposed charter school include dance, instrumental music, visual arts, performing arts and design. The proposed charter school does not have a location. According to the petition, the petitioners are in the process of confirming viable locations that will best meet the needs of learners and the curriculum.

The district received the charter petition on May 30.

“Following today’s district hearing, staff will complete their review of the ACT petition in accordance with Education Code 47605,” said Chris Grado, assistant superintendent for educational services. “To review this charter, we have convened a committee comprised of district employees with expertise in the areas of curriculum or instructional methodologies, special education, business and finance, human resources and facilities, among other areas, to evaluate the elements that must be described in the charter in accordance with section 47605.”

He added that district staff will also work with the district’s legal counsel to evaluate the petition. Once the review is completed, the district will post its findings on the district website at least 15 days before a second public hearing at which the board will grant or deny the request.

Sukhi Ahluwalia, attorney and legal counsel for the Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud and Romo district, met with Wrighten before the start of Tuesday’s meeting and explained to him what district staff and his office would do.

“As you know, a petition for a charter has been submitted? We’re looking at it,” she said. “We’re looking at it from an operational standpoint, from a fiscal standpoint, from an educational standpoint.”