Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys puts its faith in appeal to stay open

The fight is still on to keep the Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys open.

The school's charter wasn't renewed back in January, and school leaders are currently in the process of appealing that decision.

Members of BCSB's community held a protest in front of Baltimore City Hall this week to make their voices heard as the appeals process goes on.

Keeping hope alive

With their voices loud and signs up high, BCSB leaders, parents, and supporters rallied Thursday in an effort to keep their beloved school open.

Many there said the school's alumni have gone on to do great things. BCSB first opened in 2015.

"The school has a 90% success rate for getting black males through high school, poor black males in the ghetto," said supporter Tyrone Bost. "[The school] has a 50% success rate to get them in college."

The Baltimore City Public School Board of Commissioners voted 6-4 to not renew BCSB's charter in January, citing the school's declining student performance and financial troubles. 

While the school's charter expires June 30, BCSB CEO Edwin Avent said he's appealed the board's decision. There's a hearing about it scheduled for later this summer.

"We will be meeting with our judge again on Aug. 7. We're still fighting. We're still hopeful we get our case heard, and the facts will prove that indeed we should not have been closed," Avent said.

Some supporters said closing the school will only continue a legacy the city should leave behind.

"This is the third school for black boys that the system has closed in less than 20 years," said supporter Carl Stokes. "This is not just about black boys, it's about black children."

BCSB finished this school year with just a little more than 300 4th through 8th-grade students.

Funding on its way

This week, the Baltimore City Public School Board of Commissioners ratified an $8.5 million settlement between the school district and charter school operators.

It's part of a four-year agreement meant to resolve funding concerns between the school district and charter school operators.

BCSB is slated to get nearly $196,000 of that settlement, but it wouldn't be enough to get the school back in good financial standing.