Northwood Charter Renewal Stalled as Philadelphia School Faces Turnover, Falling Scores and Inspector General Review

Northwood Academy Charter School in Philadelphia's Frankford neighborhood is awaiting a decision on its charter renewal after years of leadership churn, falling test scores and complaints from parents and staff. The Inquirer has confirmed that the renewal, due this year, is on hold because the Philadelphia School District Office of Inspector General is reviewing information about the school. The exact nature of that review is unclear.

Northwood opened in 2005 and serves 800 students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Like other charters, it is publicly funded and independently run; the Philadelphia school board authorizes its funding but does not manage operations. For years, it was known as a stable school where teachers and administrators stayed for decades. According to interviews with parents and staff, that has changed, and they describe a school that feels less safe, with lower morale and weaker academics.

Test results reflect the decline. In 2018-19, 64% of Northwood students met state standards in reading and 30% in math. In 2024-25, the most recent year with public scores, those figures were 31% in reading and 11% in math. Northwood once outperformed the Philadelphia School District, which had 35% proficiency in reading and 20% in math in 2018-19. Last year the district did better, with 34% in reading and 22% in math.

Critics point to a 2018 decision to bring in Total HR Solutions, a New Jersey-based firm, to handle human resources. Consultant Tracee Hunt said she found a lack of fair hiring practices, "a massive amount of nepotism" and a mostly white staff at a school with mostly Black and Latino students. Some current and former employees dispute that account. Longtime counselor Adam Whitlach said the firm approached the school as if it were a turnaround case, though an existing community was in place. Whitlach said he was fired after 15 years, following public complaints about staff being pushed out. Students walked out in protest.

Changes accelerated after longtime CEO Amy Hollister left without notice in 2021. One parent said the school has seen 20 administrator changes in five years. Eric Langston, a later CEO, left in August, and Audrey Powell, an assistant principal who joined in 2023, resigned soon after. Powell said she disagreed with the board's direction and believed Total HR's contract gave it a financial interest in turnover. Northwood paid the firm $1.4 million from 2020 to 2023, according to public records, including base fees and per-position search fees. Hunt said her contracts are negotiated and that her work is priced below market rate. The district's charter chief, Peng Chao, said the spending is more than is typical for such work.

School officials reject the criticism. Board treasurer Kristine Spraga said the aim is to help students achieve, and she, Hunt and board president Warren Young said staff and community surveys do not match what is said at board meetings. They described critics as a small, passionate group. Staff and parents say the board has been unresponsive. Psychologist Kevin Donley said at least 50 people wrote to the board after Langston's exit and, as far as he knows, none received a reply. Some people who spoke out received cease-and-desist letters from Hunt, and the board has also sent letters threatening legal action. Most of those interviewed asked for anonymity, citing fear of reprisal.

Teachers voted to unionize in 2023 amid the turmoil. Union president Kim Coughlin said staff members are considering leaving, and that two had done so the day before she spoke. Kindergarten teacher Emily Parico, the union's vice president, told the board that "something nefarious is going on at Northwood."

On Oct. 6, the board installed Steven Yanni as CEO. Yanni was terminated as Central Bucks School District superintendent in mid-October over allegations that he mishandled child abuse allegations in a special education classroom, which he denies. Northwood is his first charter job; he previously led the Lower Merion, Upper Dublin and New Hope-Solebury districts. He said hiring and firing decisions rest with the CEO, with HR serving as an adviser on compliance.

Yanni said the school is full, with a wait list of 200 students per grade level, and that he expects "dramatic gains" this year through behavioral supports and an academic intervention process. He plans a strategic planning effort aimed at making Northwood a flagship school.