Kansas City, Kan., could have first charter schools by next year

? Two groups have announced plans to try to open the city’s first charter school by next fall.

Pleasant Green Baptist Church and the North East Business Assn. plan to submit separate applications to the Kansas City, Kan., school board this fall.

Charter schools are public schools freed from some state regulations. In Kansas, the schools are tied to the districts in which they operate. Kansas has 26 charter schools in 24 districts.

According to a preliminary plan submitted to the Kansas City, Kan., school board, Pleasant Green Baptist Church’s proposed school would be “open to any student who demonstrates maturity, advancement and the ability to handle an accelerated, high-achieving, college-preparatory curriculum.”

The Rev. Jarvis Collier said it would not be a religious-based school. He envisions the charter school as the “initial ‘feeder’ elementary school” to Sumner Academy of Arts and Science, a public college-preparatory school for students in eighth through 12th grade. Collier said the school is expected to serve 120 students in preschool through third grade.

If the plan is approved, the church would close the religious-based school it has run for 29 years, and the charter school would go in that space.

The North East Business Assn., a nonprofit group that focuses on community revitalization, hopes to open the Maurice Holman Academy of Excellence, an elementary school for 100 students in kindergarten through fifth grade. The school would emphasize political science and entrepreneurship, said Chiquita Coggs, the executive director of the North East Business Assn.

Coggs said the group is finishing plans for a location and staff.

Kansas City, Kan., school board president Gloria Willis said she and other board members would closely follow state law as they receive and review applications.

Both proposals must be submitted by Nov. 1. If the school board approves the plans, they move on to the state in December. The state would make a final decision by Jan. 15.