Ex-charter official testifies on school's shortcomings
A former administrator at Truebright Science Academy Charter School testified Thursday that the school lacked a curriculum, provided no services for students whose first language was not English, and told the Philadelphia School District it offered advanced courses that did not exist.
During a hearing to determine whether Truebright deserves to have its charter renewed, Susan Farley-Ellison detailed the North Philadelphia school's academic shortcomings.
Farley-Ellison, the school's supervisor of curriculum and instruction in 2010-11, said the school had textbooks but lacked a curriculum because the charter's chief executive told her the school could not afford one. She said the school did not have a program for students whose first language was not English.
And, she said, many of the courses Truebright listed in its renewal application filed in November 2011 had never been offered.
Miles Shore, the district's assistant general counsel, asked her: Honors English? Honors social studies? Advanced math and science at the middle school? AP and honors science and math at the high school? Each time, Farley-Ellison replied no.
She made the comments during a hearing at the district's headquarters on North Broad Street as Truebright - which is linked to a controversial Turkish imam - is fighting to remain open.
Farley-Ellison was one of the highest-ranking Americans ever