On Monday, the Alabama Public Charter School Commission denied an application from Rosa J. Young (RJY) Academy, which was looking to set up shop in Selma and establish the city as its headquarters for academies across the South.

The commission cited concerns over the academy’s finances and urged the group to continue working on its application.

“There were some strengths and some areas that were inadequate,” said Logan Searcy, Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) Education Administrator for Charter Schools. “An applicant is probably going to learn during the first go-round. I would encourage them to come back and apply again with a full developed plan.”

According to Searcy, the academy was evaluated by the Auburn Center of Evaluation in three areas – education program design and capacity, operations and finance – which found that the school was lacking in supplemental program for parent outreach and no clear policy on student discipline.

However, the biggest concern centered around the fact that the academy lacked a plan for financial growth over the next five years or more, as well as an underdeveloped plan for a nutrition program and property renovation plans.

“The financial plans were not adequate,” Searcy said. “There’s a lot of cost involved in renovation.”

Searcy noted that the academy can go over the commission’s review, “refine and revise” their application and resubmit before the March 15 deadline.

For her part, Dr. Avis Williams, Superintendent of Selma City Schools continues to advocate for the local school system to become a charter school authorizer.

“In Alabama, charter schools are public schools,” Williams said. “I will continue to work with our school board and the community about the benefits of Selma City Schools being a charter school authorizer.”

Williams previously brought the notion before the local school board, which voted it down.

As an authorizer, the local school system would have a hand in evaluating charter schools planning to locate in Selma, ultimately being able to decide which charters can and can not locate in the city.

Currently, that decision is left up to the commission.

Further, the local school system would be able to charge up to 3-percent of the state funds allocated to students – funds which, under the current arrangement, would not be accessible to the local school system – and could contract out a variety of services to the charter school, including transportation, special education and more.

Additionally, conversion charters – former traditional schools that are converted into charters – remain within the local school system.

Empty school buildings, such as Cedar Park Elementary and Byrd First Class Learning Center, could be leased to start-up charters, such as RJY Academy.

Stacey Thomas, Chairwoman of RJY Academy, did not respond to multiple requests for comment.