Pennsylvania judge orders charter school closure

In a significant ruling, Judge Chad Kenney of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania ordered the closure of Memphis Street Academy Charter School due to its failure to meet academic standards. The school, which has been operating under an expired charter since 2022, faced scrutiny for poor performance, with only 5% of students achieving proficient scores in math during the 2018-2019 school year. Despite the ruling, American Paradigm Schools chief executive Ashley Redfearn expressed confidence that the school would continue operations, adding: “if there is a transition, that it will be done responsibly and ethically in the best interest of the kids.” The school had previously sued the School District of Philadelphia, claiming unfair charter conditions and alleging racial discrimination in the evaluation framework.