By Adam Brandolph

Published: Friday, October 26, 2012, 4:40 p.m.
Updated: Friday, October 26, 2012

A state board that helps oversee the opening and closing of charter schools must review a North Side charter school's application to add grade levels, an appellate court ordered Friday.

Northside Urban Pathways Charter School, which serves about 300 poor and minority students in grades 6 through 12, in December 2009 requested that Pittsburgh Public Schools allow it to add kindergarten and grades 1 through 5. In February 2010, the school board denied the request.

Northside appealed to the State Charter School Appeal Board, which later said it lacked jurisdiction to rule on the matter.

Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Judge Mary Hannah Leavitt wrote in the majority opinion that although the law does not address whether the appeal board can rule on such changes, denying a charter school such a forum would be “very limiting.” President Judge Dan Pellegrini and Judge Robert Simpson dissented.

1. Steelers notebook: Gilbert hopes to stay on left side of O-line
2. Pirates beat Cubs, 4-2, to finish homestand with sweep
3. Penguins notebook: Bylsma likes response to adversity
4. Neal, Iginla get back on track to lead Penguins
5. Whitehall couple sues Pittsburgh zoo over son’s mauling by painted dogs
6. Pens will unveil even bigger TV screen for fans in Game 5
7. Steelers veteran outside linebacker Woodley: ‘I’m good to go’
8. Tsarnaev’s role in triple slayings examined
9. Pirates notebook: Melancon relishes rare save opportunity
10. Judicial nominee wins easy approval
11. Steelers notebook: Slimmed-down Redman optimistic for 2013

There are currently no comments for this story.
Subscribe today! Click here for our subscription offers.