Last week, I mentioned that the NC Department of Public Instruction received 161 letters of intent from groups looking to apply for a charter from the state.  I obtained the list of the potential applicants.  Here is the breakdown:

Fourteen of the applicants would like to open a charter school in Wake County, while 33 list Mecklenburg County as their proposed home.  One wonders if this is a reflection of citizens’ satisfaction/dissatisfaction with the public school district in their county.  It is impossible to know for sure.

Eleven applicants would like to open a charter school in Durham County.  One of the Durham County schools would be home to a statewide virtual charter school, North Carolina Connections Academy.  Another statewide virtual charter school, the North Carolina Virtual Academy, is also on the list.

Also of note:

  • Phillip Berger, Jr., son of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate Phil Berger, is the contact person for the proposed Providence Charter High School in Rockingham County
  • Roger Gerber, former president of the NC League of Charter Schools, is affiliated with proposed charter schools in Alamance, Chatham, and Orange counties.
  • Eddie Goodall, executive director of the NC Public Charter Schools Association and a former state legislator, is the contact person for a proposed school, The Bonnie Cone Academy.
  • Goodwill Industries proposed two charter schools – one in Forsyth and another in Mecklenburg County.
  • The Fayetteville-Cumberland Chapter Black Leadership Caucus is interested in opening a vocational middle/high school in Cumberland County.
  • Bryan Setser, an education consultant and former director of the NC Virtual Public School, is leading the charge for a proposed statewide virtual charter school, North Carolina Connections Academy.
  • Norman George, owner of Creative School Development, will oversee the application process for ten charter schools, the most of anyone on the list.
  • The award for the most interesting name goes to Crystal Stairs Learning Center.
  • The award for the most awesome name is a tie between The Bastiat School and the James K. Polk Public School.