Charter Schools can be controversial

Delaware Current Charter Schools

Charter Schools not yet open

For many, charter schools offer a chance to find a curriculum and school philosophy that works for their child. For many others, the very presence of charter schools casts a shadow over regular public schools, taking away students and staff while leaving behind those who wonder what's wrong with their school.

In Delaware, the charter school system, in operation since 1996, is a public school system. In brief, charter schools are available to all students free of charge; they may operate without some of the restrictions imposed on regular public schools; and they receive the same per unit funding as regular public schools, except they are not eligible for funds for facilities.

• The Association supports charter schools that have the same standards of accountability and access as other public schools. They have the potential to allow for innovative curriculum open to all.
• The criteria for charter school success should be whether they improve educational opportunities for students.
• Charters schools should provide a way to guide school improvement, not do away with standards.
• Charter schools shouldn't be "group" vouchers, or a mechanism for circumventing the law.

At present, charter applications are accepted from any person, university, college, or non-religious, non-home-based, nonsectarian entity that can meet the requirements. Private schools or religiously-affiliated schools may not apply. Despite a DSEA attempt to stop private companies from filing for public school charters in this state, you will see from this list that such companies are not prohibited from obtaining charters to run what are essentially "for-profit" schools.

DSEA objects to the fact that for-profit managements intend to use public, tax-supported school funding to pay dividends to their invenstors.

Other characteristics of Delaware's charter school law:

• A group or individual may apply for a charter to operate a school from either the State Board of Education or a local school district Board of Education. Currently, only Red Clay will even accept charter applications. Other school districts have said they will not, so you'll notice that all of the schools listed below, except the Wilmington Charter School, have applied through the State Board of Education..
• The charter must include evidence that the proposed school board is composted of people from the local community including parents and teachers.
• An existing public school or part of a regular public school may "convert" to a charter school, following the same regulations and criteria as for any body seeking to obtain a charter. However, the charter application must first receive at least a 50% approval vote from the staff and the parents at the school. No school has sought a conversion.
• Teachers must be certified, although a charter school may hire as many as 35% of its staff as uncertified if needed for the school's success.
• Employees of charter schools may seek to "organize" in the same manner as employees of regular public school districts.

Seventeen charter schools currently operate in Delaware

Academy of Dover Charter School, 104 Salisbury Rd., Dover, DE 19904
Contact: Leonard Litzi, Jr., chief administrative officer, 302-674-0684
The Academy of Dover Charter School opened in 2004 to provide students with essential skills needed for a quality education.The school has a focus on an entrepreneurial curriculum with a business and technology approach. The school has opened with approximately 450 students in grades K-6 and plans to expand to 700 students in grades K-8 in its third year of operation. Its charter has been approved by the Delaware Department of Education and State Board of Education. It is currently being run by Mosaica Education.

Campus Community School, 21 N. Bradford St., Dover DE 19904
Contact: Allen Zipke, school administrator (302) 736-3300; FAX (302) 736-3390
Opened in September 1998, the Campus Community School was established to provide a unique learning environment to students in grades 1-12. The school has approximately 300 students. Although located on the campus of Wesley College, it is not affiliated with the college.

The Charter School of Wilmington, 100 North duPont Road Wilmington, DE 19807
Contact: Ron Russo, president (302) 651-2727; FAX (302) 652-1246 Opened in September 1996, the Charter School of Wilmington was established in 1996 to provide a strong academic program, especially in mathematics and science, to students in grades 9 - 12. The school has an enrollment of 950 students. This school’s charter is approved by the Red Clay Consolidated School District Board of Education.

Delaware Military Academy, 112 Middleboro Road, Banning Park, Wilmington, DE 19804
Contact: Charles Baldwin, commandant, 302-998-0745

Delaware Military Academy opened in 2003 to provide students in grades 9 through 12 with an education promoting leadership skills, self-discipline, personal responsibility, pride, self-esteem and human relations. The school has enrooled approximately 300 students and plans expand to 450 students by its third year of operation. Its charter was granted by the Red Clay Consolidated School District.

East Side Charter School, 2401 N. Thatcher Street, Wilmington DE 19801
Contact: Will Robinson, Executive Director (302) 421-8270; FAX (302) 421-8276
Opened in September 1997, the East Side Charter School was established to provide a strong learning atmosphere and educational program to at-risk students in grades K-6. This school is scheduled to have a total enrollment of approximately 145 students in 04-05. The school’s charter is approved by the Delaware Department of Education and State Board of Education.

Family Foundations Academy
1101 Delaware Street
New Castle, DE 19720
Contact: Dr. Tennell Brewington
Phone (302) 324-8901
Fax (302) 324-8908

Opened in September 2006. Family Foundations Academy was established to prepare students for academic success. In 2007-08, this school is scheduled to have a total enrollment of approximately 360 students in grades 1-4.  The school's charter has been approved by the Delaware Department of Education and the State Board of Education.

(Thomas A.) Edison Charter School
2200 N. Locust Street, Wilmington DE 19802 -
Contact: Charles Hess, principal (302) 778-1101
Opened in September 2000, the Thomas A. Edison Charter School was established to provide a strong educational program to a diverse student population in the Wilmington area. The school is scugheduled to have a total of approximately 840 students in grades K-7.The school is scheduled to expand to approximately 1,000 students in grades K-9 by the end of its third year of operation. It was granted a request by the State Board of Education in September 2001 NOT to expand to 10-12. This school’s charter has been approved by the Delaware Department of Education and State Board of Education.

Kuumba Academy Charter School
519 No. Market St., Wilmington, DE 19801
Contact: Catherine Sielski, head of school, (302)472-6450
Kuumba Academy Charter School was established to provide a stimulating innovative learning environment in the City of Wilmington. The school’s core educational foundation focuses on the whole child and rests on the belief that parents are primary educators of children.
The school opened in 2001 with approximately 170 students in grades K-4 and expects to enrool 250 students in grades K-6 in 04-05. This school's charter is approved by the Delaware Department of Education and the State Board of Education.

Marion T. Academy Charter School
97 Vandever Ave. Wilmington, DE 19802

Contact: John Taylor, principal (302) 575-1190;
Opened in September 2000, the Marion T. Academy Charter School was established in the City of Wilmington to provide a unique educational environment. The morning focuses on the core curriculum, which will cultivate skills essential to academic success and excellence. The afternoon Paragon Curriculum teaches multiple intelligences, preparing students to be creative, intuitive, and skillful in analytical thinking. The school is scheduled to have a total of approximately 675 students in grades K-8 in 2004-05. This school’s charter is approved by the Department of Education and the State Board of Education.

Maurice J. Moyer Academy
97 Vandever Avenue
Wilmington, DE 19802
Contact: Theo Gregory, Sr.
Phone (302) 428-9500
Fax (302) 428-9506

Opened in September 2006. Maurice J. Moyer Academy was established to provide an academically vigorous curriculum focusing on technology and health sciences. In 2007-08, this school is scheduled to have a total enrollment of approximately 400 students in grades 6-10.  The school's charter has been approved by the Delaware Department of Education and the State Board of Education.

MOT Charter Schoo,
1156 Levels Road, Middletown, DE 19709
Contact: Martha Clark, principal, 302-376-5125
The MOT Charter School provides students a classical education combined with technology. A special focus of the school will be the agricultural history of Delaware. The school has approx. 675 students in grades K-8. It opened in 2002.

Newark Charter School - 924 Barksdale Road, Newark
Contact: Greg Meece, School Director, 7 Haywood Court Newark, DE 19711 (302) 292-0840; FAX (302) 292-0840
The Newark Charter School was established to provide students with a rigorous and academically challenging education. The school is has 650 students in grades 5-8. It opened in 2001. The school's charter was approved by the Delaware Department of Education and State Board of Education.

Odyssey Charter School
3821 Lancaster Avenue, Bldg. 40
Wilmington, DE 19805-1512
Contact: Anthony Skoutelas
Phone (302) 994-6490
Fax (302) 994-6915

Opened in September 2006. The Odyssey Charter School was established to prepare Kindergarten through Grade 5 students for a lifelong enthusiasm for learning, a keen awareness of world citizenship, and an ability to think independently and creatively through participation in a focused foreign language immersion program. At Odyssey, children will be taught a critical subject matter, Math, in both English and a classic language, Greek, for a portion of the day which reinforces the learning as taught in English. This focused language immersion instruction method builds key reasoning techniques, language arts skills, and significantly strengthens the mathematical comprehension and performance of our students. The school is approved to enroll 131 students in grades K-2 and expand to 290 students in grades K-5 by its fourth year of operation. Odyssey's charter has been approved by the Red Clay Consolidated School District Board of Education.

Pencader Business and Finance Charter High School
170 Lukens Drive
New Castle, DE 19720

Contact: David Jones
(302) 472-0794 - OFFICE
(302) 472-0796 - FAX

Opened in September 2006. Pencader Business and Charter High School was established to provide educational opportunities for students wishing to pursue a high school education with a business and finance concentration. The school is approved to open with 350 students in grades 9 and 10 and is scheduled to expand to 800 students in grades 9-12. The school's charter has been approved by the Delaware Department of Education and the State Board of Education.

Positive Outcomes Charter School, 193 So. DuPont Highway, Camden DE 19934
Contact: Linda M. Fleetwood, director (302) 697-8805
Opened in September 1996, the Positive Outcomes Charter School was established to serve at-risk students in grades 7-12. For 2004-05, the school is scheduled to enroll 120 students. This school’s charter is approved by the Delaware Department of Education and State Board of Education.

Providence Creek Academy Charter School, 335 West Duck Creek Road, Clayton, DE 19938
Contact: Charles Taylor, managing director, 302-653-6276
This school is established to provide students with an education focused on linkages among academics, technology and careers. The school opened with 480 students in grades K-6 in 2002 when approximately 40 withdrew and returned to schools in the Smyrna School District. The school is approved to enroll up to 664 students in 04-05. The school's charter is approved by the Delaware Dept. of Education and the State School Board.

Sussex Academy of Arts and Sciences, 21777 Sussex Pines Rd, Georgetown DE 19947
Contact: Patricia Oliphant, executive director, 302-856-3636
Opened in September 2000, the Sussex Academy of Arts and Sciences was established to provide a strong educational program to middle school students in southern Delaware. The school is scheduled to have a total of approximately 325 students in grades 6-8. This school’s charter is approved by the Delaware Department of Education and State Board of Education.

CHARTER SCHOOLS scheduled to open in 2008-09

Contact: Anita Roberson
Phone: (302) 507-3583
Scheduled to open in August 2008. The Delaware College Preparatory Academy is being established to provide a college preparatory elementary school. The school plans to open with 120 students in grades K-1 and is scheduled to expand to 336 students in grades K-5 by the fifth year of operation. The school’s charter has been approved by the Red Clay Consolidated School District Board of Education.
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Prestige Academy
Location not yet determined
Temporary Mailing Address:

Wilmington, DE 19808
Contact: Jack L. Perry
Phone: (302) 276-5959

Scheduled to open in August 2008 if HB285 passes. It has passed the House and now goes to the Senate in March. This bill will allow single-gender charter schools in Delaware. They are currently not allowed.
The Prestige Academy is being established to provide an all boys middle school. The school plans to open with 100 students in grade 5 and is scheduled to expand to 400 students in grades 5-8 by the fourth year of operation. The school’s charter has been approved by the Red Clay Consolidated School District Board of Education, although both the AG's office and the Sec. of Education have told Prestige that they may not open unless Delaware law changes. .  

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Other applications pending:

Delaware Community Charter School
K-7 elementary School
in the Rte. 40 corridor, just north of Fox Run in Bear
No location yet.

This location is where the Christina voters have just approved the construction of a new elementary school. In addition, the General Assembly has approved extra bond money to hasten its construction.

To be run by a private, for-profit company in Pennsyvlania. Only the principal would be an employee of the state. Other staff would not be part of the state's health care or pension system.