About PCS

Provident Charter Schools is featured in a segment of the national Public Television series, “Empowered with Meg Ryan.” The program highlights our school’s unique, publicly-funded model for remediating dyslexia and other language-based learning differences.

It focuses on how our specialized educational structure is designed to close the achievement gap for bright, capable students who struggle with reading, writing, and sequencing.

About Our Schools

Provident Charter School has 2 schools located in Western Pennsylvania, PCS Central and PCS West.

PCS Central – Troy Hill Campus

PCS Central is located within Troy Hill, a neighborhood within Pittsburgh’s North Side overlooking the Allegheny River and Polish Hill. The neighborhood includes a main street, independent businesses, and community parks and gardens all within one square mile.
Things to do in Troy Hill

PCS West – Baden Campus

PCS West is located within Baden, a borough in Beaver County. The neighborhood has a suburban feel and is home to a lot of parks.
Things to do in Baden

Mission Statement

Provident Charter Schools are designed for children with dyslexia and other language-based learning differences to access their potential by providing a high-quality, well-rounded education that is delivered through multisensory instructional methods and individual learning plans. Our students move into high school prepared to succeed and confident in their abilities.

Perseverance

Our students are taught to persevere through challenges, both academic and social. We try to help our students understand that failures and setbacks are part of how we all learn and grow.

Compassion

Compassion is held through our halls, school, and community.  We lead by example for our students to show that empathy and understanding allow us to achieve our best self.   A PCS student finds compassion within each classroom.

Self-Control

Self-control can be difficult to achieve in the moment of a stressful or new situation.  Students come to a school to learn. We provide our students techniques on how to handle stressful situations or new challenges.  PCS students demonstrate self-control!

Our Journey

In the fall of 1999, a group of people met at the conference sponsored by the Pittsburgh Regional Group of the Pennsylvanian Branch–International Association Dyslexia Association. We had all been touched by dyslexia in our families. We had all watched our children struggle with learning to read. We knew the type of instructional, emotional support and grit that kids need to overcome dyslexia.

As we said that day … “although our kids are fine – many in college and beyond – we know we are blessed. We found the resources our kids needed in private schools with private tutors. Not all children in Pittsburgh are blessed with finding these resources – but they should be.” As we said that day … “this should not be so difficult…it should not be so expensive.”

Overcoming dyslexia takes grit and tenacity. Opening this school took grit and tenacity.

Following is a timeline that highlights of our journey:

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November 2011

The Provident Charter School Board applied for a charter in the North Hills School District. The North Hills School Board denied the application.

Mid-2013

The Provident Charter School Board submitted a bid for the Schenley High School building within the School District of Pittsburgh. PCS ultimately came in second and did not get the property.

November 2013

The Provident Charter School Board submitted its application to the School District of Pittsburgh.

February 26, 2014

The Pittsburgh Public Schools’ Board of Directors denied the application of Provident Charter School.

March 14, 2014

The Provident Charter School Board resubmitted its application to School District of Pittsburgh.

April 30, 2014

The Pittsburgh Public Schools’ Board of Directors once again denied the application of Provident Charter School.

July 11, 2014

The Provident Charter School Board submitted a Petition to Appeal Order of Common Pleas of Allegheny County.

August 22, 2014

Court of Common Pleas entered an order certifying that The Provident Charter School can proceed with its appeal to the State.

September 9, 2014

The Provident Charter School Board filed its appeal with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

November 10, 2014

The Provident Charter School Board forwarded its Brief in Support Petition for Appeal to the Charter Appeal Board of the PA Department of Education.

December 9, 2014

Hearing date with the Charter Appeal Board.

March 17, 2015

Appeal was granted.

April 17, 2015

Petition-for-Review was submitted by the Pittsburgh Public School System with the Commonwealth Court of PA.

June 2015-January 2016

The Pittsburgh Public Schools’ Board of Directors challenges the appeal. The Commonwealth Court agrees to review the decision. Seven judges would decide whether or not Provident Charter School’s charter approval would be upheld.

February 26, 2016

The PCS Board received notification from the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania that they upheld the decision of the Charter Appeal boards by a vote of 6 – 1.

August 2016

Provident Charter School opens its doors to students in grades 3 and 4.

August 2016-June 2021

Provident Charter School grows to grades 2-8 serving 330 students from 44 school districts spanning 5 counties.

Supporting PCS

“[My child] used to hate school, struggled to learn, felt that she wasn’t smart, and saw nothing but failure in her future…From the first day [she] attended Provident Charter School in 2nd grade until today in 6th grade, she has learned, grown, and thrived in ways not previously imaginable. It is truly remarkable how the same child, when taught in the way that her brain learns, with educators and leadership who really understand how to design and implement an exciting, engaging, caring, dynamic, holistic, inclusive, student centered approach, can enjoy school so much and gain extraordinary confidence in her ability to do so.”

-Provident Charter School Parent