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The only charter school corporation to apply to open a Pasco County school in 2004-05 has withdrawn its application, a school official said.
Leaders from Ormond Beach-based Academies of America faxed school officials a letter Tuesday, indicating that they plan to work on their application over the next year before possibly resubmitting.
The company had proposed opening a middle school and an elementary school in the Trinity-New Port Richey area. Charter schools are publicly funded but privately operated with some oversight from local school districts.
"I think they realized the application wasn't as strong as they thought it would be," said Max Ramos, charter school liaison for the Pasco County school district.
Along with its sister corporation, Academies of Excellence, Academies of America submitted applications for 19 schools in 10 counties last month. Pinellas, Hillsborough, Polk and Hernando were among them.
On Oct. 15, Pasco County school district officials picked the Academies of America applications apart in a 10-page memo. The memo cited problems with the schools' plans for budgeting, staffing, contracting, management and curriculum, among other things.
The School Board was set to vote on whether to deny the application last week but deferred to Academies' last-minute request for an extension. The five-member board is set to take up the issue again at its Nov. 4 meeting.
Academies of America founder Doug Jackson could not be reached for comment late Tuesday. On Oct. 21, before board's first prepared vote, Jackson said he stood by the application.
Five charter schools are currently operating in Pasco County.