2 charter schools to close in Hillsborough

Two charter schools will shut their doors before the school year starts, one because of poor student performance and one for financial problems.

The Hillsborough County School Board voted Tuesday not to renew the contract for Re-Birth Academy and to terminate the contract with Taylor Peace Academy.

Re-Birth Academy, which enrolled 71 elementary school students, received a D two years in a row, based on standardized test scores, and dropped to an F this year.

Its contract with the district expired June 30. Nine Re-Birth supporters praised the school's nurturing environment and promised changes, starting with a new principal and more involved parents.

But Superintendent MaryEllen Elia said she worried many at Re-Birth had already spent three years at a school where they were not pushed to perform.

Taylor Peace Academy has not opened. The elementary school didn't have enough students to open last year and held open houses this summer to try and attract students.

The lack of students caused financial problems for Taylor Peace, which recently moved from North Dale Mabry to Busch Boulevard after getting evicted for not paying rent, according to the school district.

The school also owes the district more than $122,000 that it received in 2008 for operating costs. Taylor leaders disagreed with some of those figures and pleaded for a chance to try out their curriculum of peace education.

In other business, the school board:

•Named Middleton Assistant Principal Owen Young as the high school's new principal, effective Aug. 10.

•Named Karen French, assistant principal at Memorial Middle, to become Franklin Middle's principal.

•Adopted the district's tentative $2.97 billion budget, which includes a decrease in the local school tax rate of $7.77 per $1,000 of taxable property value to $7.69.

The board will hold a final public hearing on the budget Sept. 3.