A neighborhood association’s lawsuit against Freire Charter School of Wilmington that could’ve stalled its opening for the 2015-2016 school year has been settled.
Residents of the Midtown Brandywine Neighbors Association filed suit in Delaware's Court of Chancery against the school, its landlord and the City of Wilmington two weeks ago over concerns over parking in the area.
An order from Vice Chancellor Travis Laster filed Friday will force Freire and their landlord to specifically state in their lease agreement that all parking set aside for the school at the former Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Delaware headquarters on West 14th Street will be available solely to them. Prior lease agreements were more ambiguous, according to the suit.
The charter will also have to draft an annual population report for their student body and all who work at the school and send it to the City of Wilmington by Nov. 15 beginning in 2016.
According to court records, Freire has enough parking to accommodate the several hundred students, faculty and staff that are anticipated over the next two years.
But the suit says the neighborhood association wasn’t satisfied that the terms of the lease accounted for future projected growth – with a student body expected to total 560 by 2018-2019.
That, they say, would have overtaxed an already cramped neighborhood near the heart of Delaware’s largest city without assurances they could accommodate the expected motor traffic.
An expedited hearing had been set for next Friday in Chancery Court should the parties not have agreed on the settlement.
In a statement through their lawyer, Freire says, "We are excited to serve the students and families of Wilmington, to provide the best high school education possible, and we look forward to working with the neighborhood to make our school a positive experience for everyone."
The State Board of Education placed Freire on probation in June for failing to meet enrollment benchmarks proposed in its charter. The school will have to check in with state officials through 2016 to demonstrate it remains viable.
The college prep school focuses on a liberal arts education and will initially enroll 8th and 9th grade students. Freire plans to expand into 10th, 11th and 12th grades over the next three years.
