Proposed Wheeler District Charter School Resubmits Plans

Wheeler District developers are trying once again to get a new school application passed by the Oklahoma City Public School Board. Read Related: OKCPS Denies Wheeler District Charter School Application The school would be known as Western Gateway Elementa

Monday, August 12th 2019, 6:14 am

By: Ashley Holden

Proposed Wheeler District Charter School Resubmits Plans

Wheeler District developers are trying once again to get a new school application passed by the Oklahoma City Public School Board.

The school would be known as Western Gateway Elementary School. Developers are hoping to open the dual language charter school in August of 2020.

The application for the school was previously denied back in July. OKCPS Superintendent Dr. Sean McDaniel, at the time, recommended denying the school's application for two reasons: concern over alignment with the district's other schools and maintaining the academic enterprise zone status (AEZ).

An AEZ is a geographic area in which a specific percentage of the children qualify for the free or reduced school lunch program.

It's been about a month and developers have now changed their application. The main changes include an expansion to the AEZ boundary to include other areas, like Will Rogers Courts. They are hoping this will ease concerns about the zone status, keeping enrollment from the new Wheeler District in the next five years projected below 40 percent.

Developers said they also worked to align with Pathway to Greatness by eliminating 5th grade and making the transition point 4th.

The application is on the school board's Aug. 12 agenda. Check the News 9 app and on-air for updates.

Ashley Holden

Ashley Holden joined the News 9 team in June 2018. She's excited to call Oklahoma her new home. Before arriving at News 9, Ashley reported and anchored for three years at the NBC affiliate in Davenport, Iowa. While in the Quad Cities market, along the Ill

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