New Organization Represents Phila.'s Top Charter Schools

Charter schools in Philadelphia are banding together, to 'tell their stories' and promote their missions.

KYW's Steve Tawa reports there are more students on waiting lists to attend Philadelphia's 74 charter schools, nearly 30,000, than there are in the entire Pittsburgh public school district, the Commonwealth's second largest district.

The founding principal and CEO of Independence Charter School at 16th and Lombard Streets, Jurate Krokys, is vice president of the new organization, Philadelphia Charters for Excellence:

"If it were a district as a whole, we would certainly have a coordinating office of some sort that would get the message out."

That includes resources for parents and celebrating the excellence of what students are achieving:

"It's kind of setting the bar high for ourselves; by saying we remain committed to families, to children, to excellence and transparency."

The new organization says it represents 'high performing charter schools,' and it wants to 'clarify misperceptions and misinformation.' That is an apparent reference to reports of a federal investigation that has centered on more than 15 city charter schools.