Act 55 of 2017 amended the Public School Code to add Section 1729.1-A to the Charter School Law (CSL), 24 P.S. § 17-1729.1-A, and permit the merger of existing charter schools into a Multiple Charter School Organization (MCSO). As Section 1729.1-A refers specifically to charter schools, an MCSO cannot include a cyber charter school.
Act 55 of 2024 updated the definition of a multiple charter school organization to mean “a public, nonprofit corporation under the oversight of a single board of trustees and a chief administrator that operates two (2) or more charter schools under section 1729.1-A.
The establishment of an MCSO requires:
- Completing the MCSO Application (Excel) and compliance certifications (MCSO form (PDF) and charter school form (PDF));
- Securing approval from each of the school district(s) that granted the initial charter for each charter school under the proposed MCSO (i.e., chartering school district(s));
- Securing approval from the Department; and
- Merging existing charter school entities into a single entity that shall hold the charters for each participating school in accordance with Department of State requirements, including Pennsylvania’s Associations Code.
For detailed information regarding the process for MCSO applications, please download the Multiple Charter School Organization Application Guide (PDF). Charter schools seeking to form an MCSO must fully and accurately complete the MCSO Application. Failure to fully and accurately complete the application will be grounds for denying the application.
24 P.S. § 17-1729.1-A
School Name | 2023-2024 Building Level Score | 2024-2025 Building Level Score |
|---|---|---|
Ad Prima CS | 71.5 | 75.9 |
Avon Grove CS | 76.3 | 78.6 |
Bucks County Montessori CS | 91.7 | 91.6 |
Capital Area School for the Ar | 81 | 78.6 |
Centre Learning Community CS | 74.6 | 76.1 |
Christopher Columbus CS | 79.8 | 85.1 |
Circle of Seasons CS | 76.6 | 73.6 |
Environmental CS at Frick Park | 83.8 | 75.8 |
Fell CS | 74 | 71.6 |
Folk Arts-Cultural Treasures C | 84.1 | 87.3 |
Franklin Towne CHS | 88 | 84 |
Green Woods CS | 81.8 | 79.7 |
Harambee Institute of Science | 72.1 | 77.9 |
Independence CS | 73.3 | 79 |
Infinity CS | 82 | 81.4 |
Keystone Academy CS | 74.9 | 74.4 |
Lehigh Valley Charter High Sch | 76 | 76.5 |
MAST Community CS | 78.2 | 78.1 |
MaST Community CS II | 74.2 | 74.8 |
Mastery CS - Thomas Campus | 75.1 | 76.7 |
Mastery CS-Harrity Campus | 72.6 | 75.2 |
Multicultural Academy CS | 78.4 | 73.1 |
New Foundations CS | 79.6 | 81 |
Philadelphia Academy CS | 73 | 71.7 |
Philadelphia Performing Arts C | 73.3 | 77.2 |
Seven Generations CS | 72.7 | 78.5 |
Souderton CS Collaborative | 84.3 | 89.9 |
Universal Creighton CS | 74.1 | 79.3 |
Vision Academy CS | 71.4 | 78 |
Young Scholars of Greater Alle | 73.9 | 72.2 |
Eligibility determined as follows:
- Identify top quartile among all brick-and-mortar (including regional) charters that had building level scores in 2023-24;
- Identify top quartile among all brick-and-mortar (including regional) charters that had building level scores in 2024-25;
- Identify schools that appear on both above lists; and
- Remove any schools that have closed.
How should an applicant submit completed documents to the Department of Education?
After approval by the chartering school district(s) or the passage of 45-day review period, the MCSO Application may be submitted to the Department. The MCSO Application submitted to the Department must be identical to that approved or deemed approved by the chartering school district(s).
Submit via certified mail three (3) identical electronic files (in PDF and Excel formats on separate USB Flash Drives) and three (3) identical hard copies of the MCSO Application and required attached documents to:
Pennsylvania Department of Education
MCSO APPLICATION
Division of Charter Schools
607 South Drive, 5th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Applications submitted and Department decisions
- Freire MCSO Application available upon request.
Freire Charter School MCSO Decision (PDF)
- Propel MCSO Application available upon request.
Propel MCSO Decision (PDF)
Where can I find additional information regarding the Multiple Charter School Organization process?
Questions may be directed to The Division of Charter Schools, RA-CharterSchools@pa.gov