Bethlehem, PA (May 19, 2017) – The Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Charter School (LVA) announced today that their charter has officially been renewed. The charter renewal authorizes operation from January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2021 without enrollment caps.
In accordance with Pennsylvania Charter School law, LVA is required to participate in a charter renewal process every five years with both of its chartering school districts, Bethlehem Area School District (BASD) and Saucon Valley School District (SVSD). The charter approval process stalled in December due to the inclusion of enrollment caps in the charter approved by the BASD Board of Directors . LVA filed for an appeal with the Charter Appeals Board (CAB) and filed a lawsuit in Northampton County seeking to maintain the legal right to operate without limitations on enrollment. In January, SVSD and LVA approved and executed a charter agreement that did not include any enrollment caps.
LVA’s charter appeal was granted, receiving a unanimous vote of approval by the Charter Appeals Board. Pennsylvania Secretary of Education, Pedro A. Rivera, signed the charter agreement on Bethlehem Area School District’s behalf. As an executed charter was achieved that does not include any enrollment caps, the lawsuit filed in Northampton County will be withdrawn.
Lehigh Valley Academy CEO Susan Mauser stated, “As the school year comes to a close, we are pleased to have a signed charter agreement. We are thankful that the Charter Appeals Board quickly executed this decision.”
In addition to the signed charter, LVA received notification that the Middle States Association (MSA) approved its mid-term report, thus authorizing LVA’s continuing designation as a MSA accredited school through 2021. Mauser commented, “This charter renewal and the MSA Accreditation, in addition to regular evaluations by the International Baccalaureate (IB), are independent assessments that validate Lehigh Valley Academy’s commitment to excellence.”
Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Charter School (LVA), located in Bethlehem, PA is an accredited public charter school serving 1,700 students from 16 separate school districts in the Lehigh Valley. LVA is the only fully authorized International Baccalaureate World School in Pennsylvania that offers an IB continuum to all students in grades K-12. Beginning with full-day kindergarten and continuing through a student’s senior year, the school emphasizes inquiry-based learning and critical thinking to prepare a student for higher education and the 21st century globalized environment. LVA is committed to developing young people into active, knowledgeable and caring members of a world-wide, diverse society. http://www.lvacademy.org/
Lehigh Valley Academy RCS 