Charter schools listed among those with highest suspension rates

Several local charter schools were flagged in a new University of Pittsburgh study that highlighted high suspension rates at schools in Allegheny County.

The report, “Just Discipline and the School-to-Prison Pipeline in Greater Pittsburgh,” reviewed state discipline data from the 201213 school year to the 2015-16 school year and determined that the average suspension rate for schools across Pennsylvania was 9.7 suspensions for every 100 students in 2015-16.

According to the report, Allegheny County schools on average had 13.7 suspensions per 100 students, and about a third of the districts and charter school networks studied were above the state average for suspension rates. Those included the Urban Pathways Charter School, Propel Schools, City Charter High School, Manchester Academic Charter School and Penn Hills Charter School of Entrepreneurship.

During the study period, the number of suspensions in Propel Schools — a network that operates

13 charter schools across Allegheny County — increased to 43 suspensions per 100 students in 2015-16. City Charter High School, Downtown, increased to an average 41 suspensions per 100 students that year, according to the report. The suspension rates for Penn Hills Charter School of Entrepreneurship, Young Scholars of Western Pennsylvania and Urban Academy of Greater Pittsburgh Charter School also increased during the study period.

Manchester Academic, Environmental Charter School and Urban Pathways reduced their suspension rates during the study period.

Sonya Toler, spokeswoman for Propel, said reducing suspensions is a top priority for Tina Chekan, the charter network’s superintendent. She said school leaders will review the report and the recommendations it makes to address the troubling trend. The network already partners with the International Institute of Restorative Practices in an effort to reduce exclusionary discipline in its schools.

“We want our students in the classroom so they can benefit from the education,” Ms. Toler said. “They can’t learn if they’re not in the schools.”

Chase Patterson, CEO of Urban Academy, attributed the increase at his school to its rapid growth in student enrollment. He and the report both noted that the overall suspension rate at the school is low, despite an increase from zero suspensions in 2012-13 to an average of 4 per 100 students in 201516.

Urban Academy already has a full-time staff member dedicated to working with counselors and the dean of students on disciplinary matters, he said, and the school focuses on restorative practices and mediation techniques where appropriate.

“Nonetheless, schools, particularly schools like Urban Academy, have to maintain high expectations for students,” Mr. Patterson said.

“What we do not tolerate is physical violence.”