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SRC Approves Turnover Of 6 Public Schools To Charter Companies

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -  The School Reform Commission has approved a plan to turnover six Philadelphia public schools to charter companies, as part of the superintendent's effort to turn around its lowest performing schools.

Clymer Elementary and Gratz High School will go to Mastery; Birney Elementary and King High School to Mosaica; Olney High, East and West, will be run by Aspira.

This is the second group of so-called promise schools to be turned over to charter companies. Commissioner Joe Dworetsky says it's too early to judge results from the first group but he felt the plan had to move forward.

"You have too many kids that haven't made it through the system in one piece and I just don't want to see that. I think we should make progress as we can."

The Commission heard from supporters and opponents of the plan before voting. A large contingent from the Teachers Action Group complained the commission did not consider alternatives to the superintendents plan that have been offered.

"It ignores the people that are working everyday who are going to be here after Arlene Ackerman is gone who are invested in the schools, invested in communities and want to see schools improve."

Reported by Pat Loeb, KYW Newsradio

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