Two Brooklyn parents are joining forces with Advocates for Children (AFC) to challenge the extension of PAVE Academy Charter School's colocation with PS 15.

Despite public protest, the Panel for Educational Policy approved the extension during its January 26 meeting. In response, AFC filed a petition and request for stay -- on behalf of PS 15 parents John Battis and Lydia Bellahcene -- asking State Education Commissioner David Steiner to repeal the 8-4 decision. The petition argues that the Department of Education failed to properly assess the impact of PAVE's colocation on PS 15, or provide an adequate period for public comment.

“The law requires a public process in which the DOE identifies the impact of their proposal on parents, students and the community, and allows for public comment," stated Battis in a press release issued by AFC. "The DOE must comply with the law.”<!--more-->

PAVE Academy moved into PS 15's building in 2008 on a two-year colocation agreement. Since then PS 15 has ceded six full classrooms and six half-classrooms to the charter school. These include a computer lab, science lab, speech therapy room, and special education office, according to the petition.  Insideschools reported in January that space constraints at PS 15 forced some special education services into hallways and shared auxillary spaces.

Commissioner Steiner has five days to respond to AFC's stay request, which would prevent the extension of PAVE's colocation pending consideration of the petition.

At the February meeting of the PEP, 13 charter school colocation proposals were approved. Do your children attend a colocated school? How does it affect their education?