Charter school delays opening over location dispute

Promise Academy will not open this fall as planned originally

A new charter school that dozens of families in downtown San Jose hoped would open this fall will not welcome students in 2018 after all, leaving parents scrambling for alternatives as summer winds down.

Promise Academy, a K-8 school that plans to develop curriculum in conjunction with the Tech Museum of Innovation, had asked to operate in an elementary school downtown, where many of its would-be students live. But the San Jose Unified School District, which is required to provide the charter space, offered room at its Allen at Steinbeck campus near the Westfield Oakridge mall more than 5 miles to the south instead.

The charter school’s subsequent attempts to persuade the district to come up with space downtown proved fruitless, prompting the school to delay its opening a year.

“It seemed as though it would be too much of a burden on families,” said Anthony Johnson, the founder of Promise Academy.

Many families aren’t able to drive their children so far away at rush hour, Johnson said, and the district delayed its offer of any space at all for so long that it made arranging transportation impossible. (The district last year rejected the charter school’s application to operate but was overruled by the state’s education board. The fight turned into a court battle and the district offered space only earlier this summer at a judge’s order.)

“We’re committed to continuing to work with the district,” Johnson said, adding that he plans to open the school in August 2019.

District Deputy Superintendent Stephen McMahon said the Allen at Steinbeck campus is the only spot appropriate for middle-school students that also has the 20,000 square feet and nine or 10 classrooms that Promise Academy requested. Many elementary schools don’t have lockers and other facilities that the district — which already has agreements with four charter school operators — provides for middle schoolers.

This August, the school will host what it is dubbing a “block party” at Backesto Park to kick off registration for next year. And throughout this coming school year, Promise Academy will offer free after-school tutoring at the Akiyama Wellness Center in Japantown for students who are registered to attend the school in the future.

“It’s been an emotional roller coaster for our families but the great thing is our families are super committed,” Johnson said. “While they’re disappointed, they’re really hopeful and encouraged.”