What are the qualifications for staff in a charter school?

Act 22 (the law creating charter schools) provides that charter schools must employ at least 75% of their teachers and administrators holding current Pennsylvania State certification. Up to 25% of the staff may not be PA certified. The ability to hire some uncertified staff was created to enable charters to employ staff with unique backgrounds and experiences, particularly in areas that are essential to the schools theme area. For example, a school intending to integrate the environment into its instructional program (as the Wissahickon Charter School does) may choose to hire an experienced environmental educator from another state or an environmental scientist from a college or university. Individuals such as these would not have Pennsylvania certification but would qualify under the 25% rule. Wissahickon expects to hire certified teachers, but will use the 25% rule, if necessary, to ensure that our staff can provide an excellent educational program for our students.