The Pennsylvania Charter School Appeal board voted today to allow Propel Schools to open a second charter school within the Woodland Hills School District.

Today's action overturns a decision by the Woodland Hills school board to deny the charter.

The charter school group now plans to open Propel Braddock Hills in August in a newly renovated building that will serve 800 students in grades K-12 from the Woodland Hills and surrounding school districts.

Jeremy Resnick, Propel Schools executive director, said his organization currently has 600 children on a waiting list for Propel East, which operates in Turtle Creek.

In total, he said, there are about 1,500 children on waiting lists for all of Propel's schools, which include elementaries in McKeesport, Homestead and Kennedy and a high school in Munhall in addition to Propel East.

"We appreciate the vote of confidence," Mr. Resnick said in regard to the granting of the charter.

Propel said today's action marks the fifth time the Pennsylvania Charter School Appeal Board has ruled in its favor.

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