The Northwestern Lehigh School Board meeting, Sept. 17, opened with Dr. Jennifer Holman, superintendent of schools, proposing two issues in regard to charter schools to the board during her report.

“Circle of Seasons Charter School for those of you have been on the board for a little while now know they are a charter school in our district,” she stated. “They’re renewal, although their charter does run out at the end of this school year, they have submitted their request for us to consider renewal of their charter. They submitted that to us on Aug. 25. I do have a list of documents that we are going to ask for them to submit to us as part of that request.”

Since the last time they were renewed there have been a few additions because of some law changes etc., Holman said.

“All of the documents that have gone into it since 2021 to current that we will ask them for include documents on our student performance and accountability, curriculum and standards, school organization, operations and management, special education student services and English language learners, human resources management, technology, safety, security, overall school design and plans for their future,” she stated. “Following their completion of the document request we will also request an on-site visit there and then ultimately bring a recommendation to you for renewal or nonrenewal of their charter. They have Google doc set up so that they can easily submit the documents.”

Holman said, “The second question I’d like for you, actually it’s not a question that I’d like you to consider under new business is funding for charter schools.”

“There are some local school districts that are considering withholding charter school payments either in full or in part until the state budget is passed and there are some school districts as early as October that are considering a resolution,” she stated. “The thought being that there should be some share of the withholding of the money, meaning that if the state is withholding our dollars that we should also withhold that same percentage from the charter schools.”

She explained in Northwestern 29% of the district’s annual revenue comes from the state and thus that they should not pass that revenue to the charter schools until such time as the state passes the budget.

“It would be a temporary relief measure until such time as the state decides to pass the budget,” Holman said. “I will tell you there are some local school districts that are withholding funds completely so that would be your choice.”

Holman, while continuing to address the board during the meeting, passed around some sample resolutions and what they would look like.

“If you want us to prep it (resolution) for October it would be you directing us to essentially withhold 29% of charter schools revenue until such time as the budget is passed. It also calls on the General Assembly to obviously fix the budget impasse and then sends it off to the General Assembly and the Pennsylvania Department of Education,” Holman explained. “If you would like us to prep this and put it on (agenda) for October we can do so and start withholding payment in October. You would have to tell us do you wish to withhold all of the payments from charter schools or do you wish to withhold 29%, which represents our state proportion or do you not wish to do this at all, but other local school districts are considering such a measure, considering that they shouldn’t have to share their proportion.”

She added Northwestern Lehigh School District shouldn’t have to pass along funding that they are not getting themselves.

After further discussion, the board decided they would take action on this matter at their October workshop.

In other business, the board approved the application to recognize the High School Drama Booster Club as a school affiliated support group.

The board also approved Weisenberg Elementary fifth grade students to see a performance of “The Nutcracker” by the Ballet Guild of the Lehigh Valley/Pennsylvania Youth, Bethlehem in December at a cost of $760 to be paid from the Student Activities Fund.