Excel plans for next year after legislative fix reinstates charter schools

Published 11:34 am Thursday, April 7, 2016

Students and staff at Excel Public Charter School in Kent could rest easy during spring break this week knowing their school would be allowed to operate again as a charter school.

In September, the state Supreme Court ruled charter schools, which were approved by voters in 2012, unconstitutional and ineligible for state funding.

Last month, the state House of Representatives and the Senate approved Senate Bill 6194, which directs charter school funding to come from the state’s Opportunity Pathways Account, which contains state lottery revenues not restricted to common schools

Gov. Jay Inslee chose not to sign or veto the bill, but instead let the bill become law without his signature. Inslee had until April 2 to act on the measure.

“We are disappointed the governor ended up not signing the bill but thankful to the legislators that allowed the bill to pass through the process that ultimately allowed it to become law,” said Adel Sefrioui, Excel’s founder and director.

Excel’s staff learned the bill would become law late last Friday afternoon, just before spring break began.

“We had a moment with the staff where they were able to celebrate…. It is quite the contrast from Labor Day weekend,” Sefrioui said referring to the Supreme Court’s announcement that charter schools were unconstitutional which came just before the long holiday weekend.

Excel, which opened in August to sixth- and seventh-graders, has been operating as an Alternative Learning Experience though an agreement with Mary Walker School District, north of Spokane, since Dec. 14, when charter schools ceased to exist because of the Supreme Court’s ruling.

Sefrioui said it will take some time for Excel to end its agreement with Mary Walker, but plans for next school year are moving forward.

Excel will enroll a sixth-grade class of 120-130 students next year, and there are a few spots available in the seventh- and eight-grade classes, Sefrioui said. The plan is to add a grade each school year, until the school serves sixth through 12th grade.

Excel will host an annual meeting and fundraiser from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, June 3, at the school, 19300 108th Ave. SE, to recap and celebrate its first year.

Students, families and legislators will be at the event and the community is invited, Sefrioui said.

“It is really a celebration of this past school year,” he said. “There were a lot of positive things that came about.”

The suggested donation to attend is $100.

For more information about the fundraiser or to enroll at Excel, visit excelwa.org.