Montgomery Public Schools rejects 'I Dream Big Academy' charter

Jemma Stephenson, Montgomery Advertiser
·2 min read
I Dream Big Academy had originally planned to open in north Montgomery last fall.

Montgomery's school board has rejected the application for a charter school that hoped to open in north Montgomery.

It was the third application for the proposed charter school and the second rejection. The school applied last year for a charter but withdrew the application.

Four board members voted to reject the application: Arica Watkins-Smith, District 7; Pamela Portis, District 2; Cassandra Brown, District 4; and Pamela Cloud, District 5. Superintendent Dr. Melvin Brown recommended that the board deny the application.

I Dream Big Academy was the only applicant this year to Montgomery Public Schools, which is a charter authorizer.

Angela Lang, the founder and executive director of I Dream Big, said she plans to appeal the decision. Appeals are handled by the Alabama Charter Schools Commission.

During a meeting about the application on Thursday, most board members had questions for the applicant.

After the meeting, Board President Brenda DeRamus-Coleman, District 3, said each board member had her own concerns, but that sustainability was a common one.

"I think you also heard from members of this board that the programs, the ideas that were being presented — the passion, the curriculum — there were so, so, so many good things about this particular application," she said. "And, the biggest concern was ensuring that we could or that the applicant and its organization could sustain such a school."

Board members also questioned plans for transportation and who the Chief Schools Financial Officer would be.

Lang said organizers for the proposed charter school had secured funding for transportation and that New Schools for Alabama would provide back-office support.

The school would have allowed students to explore five career areas: construction; entrepreneurship; health; aerospace and aviation, and technology. Lang said these five areas were identified after analyzing workplace data and industry needs in the area and state.

I Dream Big Academy submitted two previous applications. The first one was denied in Jan. 2021 mainly because of concerns about finances. The second application was withdrawn because of medical issues, Lang clarified Thursday.

Lang said the charter application process works well as long as the charter applicant is in front of a group with an "open mind."

"I think when we are in positions, we get comfortable, we get complacent," she said. "With the status quo, we get comfortable with with data. And then change is is hard. Accepting something new is difficult."

Jemma Stephenson is the children and education reporter at the Montgomery Advertiser. Follow her on Twitter @jk_stephenson.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Montgomery Public Schools rejects 'I Dream Big Academy' charter