LEWISTON — An application for the first public charter school in Lewiston has been received by the Maine Charter School Commission, according to the Maine Department of Education.
If approved, the proposed Lewiston-Auburn Academy Charter School would open in September 2014 to 120 students in grades six to 12, with the goal of enrolling 420 students.
The application has been filed by Tarlan Ahmadov of Portland, an immigrant from Azerbaijan, a country between Russia and Iran.
Ahmadov works as program manager for Catholic Charities refugee and immigration services. He works in Portland and has a field office at Lewiston City Hall. Ahmadov said he’s happy he made Maine his second home.
In September, he said he was involved in establishing a charter school because he wanted to give back and the school would be an option for the Somali community, but “we are not targeting a particular community. Whoever is interested in a choice in education is our target.”
The school would emphasize math and science and balance that with a strong foundation in the humanities, Ahmadov said. It would provide career-oriented college preparation and ensure strong teacher-parent collaboration, Ahmadov said.
The application is one of four received by the Dec. 2 deadline, Maine Charter School Commission Executive Director Bob Kautz said. In September, the commission received seven letters of intent, but only four submitted applications by the deadline.
The other three proposed schools are Maine Connections Academy, Maine Virtual Academy and Many Hands Montessori School in Windham.
After reviews by the commission, the full applications will be posted on the Maine Charter School Commission website, www.maine.gov/csc, Kautz said. The applications are typically 600 pages each, he said.
When reviewing the applications, one big question is whether applicants have enough money to open and run schools.
“What are they anticipating for revenue?” Kautz said. Most rely on fundraising or grants to supplement money they would get per child. They also need a building, he said, adding that there’s no extra money for buildings. Lack of money is a common reason for applications being rejected, Kautz said.
Under Maine law, the state can have up to 10 public charter schools that get state funding for students, along with money from the public school district where they live. That has prompted critics to complain that charter schools siphon money from public schools.
For example, if the Lewiston charter school is approved, it would receive about $6,500 per pupil from the state and $3,500 per pupil from the Lewiston School Department, according to Lewiston Superintendent Bill Webster.
Other questions that will determine whether an application is approved are the quality of educational programs, the governance and whether schools “have a board that’s all together,” Kautz said.
After the applications are examined, public hearings will be held in February. The commission will vote at its March 4 meeting whether to accept or deny each of the four applications.
In 2011, Gov. Paul LePage signed legislation making public charter schools legal. Charter schools are public schools of choice that have more flexibility over curriculum, instruction, scheduling, staffing and financing.
Maine has public charter schools in Cornville and Hinckley, now in their second years, and schools in Portland, Gray and Harpswell, in their first years. Collectively, about 380 students attend those schools, Kautz said.
He said state reviews of the schools so far indicate the schools are making good process and students are performing.
bwashuk@sunjournal.com
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