Native charter school proposal rejected by Oklahoma City schools

Supporters of a proposed charter school serving indigenous students plan to take their application to the state Board of Education, following a second rejection by Oklahoma City Public Schools.

“We are really frustrated that we couldn't come to an agreement with the district ... but it never felt like the district wanted to find that common ground," said Phil Gover, who is leading an effort to launch the Sovereign Community School.

Proposed charter schools can apply to a local school district and appeal a rejection before it can bring its application to the state board.

The Oklahoma City school board denied the Sovereign Community School application earlier this year and rejected its appeal at a board meeting earlier this month.

Based on when the proposed school plans to file its appeal with the state, the state Board of Education could take up the application as early as next month.

The Sovereign Community School has a goal to serve 500 mostly Native American students within a few years of opening, offering a culturally sensitive curriculum across all subjects.

The state Department of Education counts more than 1,100 American Indian students in the Oklahoma City school district, with students representing a diversity of tribes and specific cultures.

In its feedback to the proposed school, the district said the application needed more details on its proposed facility and transportation plan, lacked sufficient standards for the school's leadership and had other missing budget information.

"The expectations that are outlined in the rubric ... they are based on the requirements of state law," said Rebecca Kaye, acting superintendent of the district. "The state law says that each of those expectations have to be met. We are talking about giving a nonprofit millions of dollars in public money and entrusting them with the lives of other people's children."

Bill Hickman, an attorney for the proposed charter school, asked the board to delay their decision for 30 days to allow for more dialogue. The board did not accept that request.

The district also criticized the job description for the proposed school's leader.

"That's probably a good thing, that this person is going to be different (than the district would expect)," Hickman said. "You've got to think outside the box sometimes, and that's what charter schools do.”

If the Oklahoma City board had approved the application, the Sovereign Community School would have become a district school and the district would be able to collect part of its state funding for administrative costs.

If the state board approves the application, the school would be under the state Department of Education.