Charter school in Bladen Co. gets funding to renovate gym

RALEIGH, N.C. (WECT) - Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy in Bladen County is the first public charter school in North Carolina to receive facilities funding from a county government, the N.C. Coalition for Charter Schools announced Friday.

The Bladen County Board of Commissioners recently voted to allocate $70,000 to renovate the school’s gymnasium, which is 75 years old.

“Our staff and students are thrilled that our 75-year-old gymnasium will be upgraded. Thank you to the Bladen County Board of Commissioners and the North Carolina General Assembly for helping make it happen,” said Dr. Jason Wray, Superintendent of The Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy.

The coalition says Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy serves 163 students, 95 percent of whom receive free or reduced lunch.

“This is a necessary project that will directly benefit Bladen County students,” Chairman of the Bladen County Board of Commissioners Rodney Hester said. Thank you to the General Assembly for giving us this authority, and we’re excited to see the new gym when it’s completed.”

“House Bill 219, which became law in August, authorized counties to assist public charter schools with facilities funding if they so choose,” a news release states. “Previously, state law required public charter schools to rely entirely on their per-pupil educational allotment to fund their facilities.”

Lindalyn Kakadelis, executive director of the N.C. Coalition for Charter Schools, said, “Thank you to the legislators who voted to allow counties to assist public charter schools with facilities funding. Because of them, the students at Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy will play on a brand new gym floor – the first renovation in 75 years.”