Frequently Asked Questions
How can I get my child into Provident Charter Schools?
Please visit our How To Apply page to learn about our pre-enrollment process for the school.
Do you have immediate openings for enrollment for the 2024-25 school year?
- Provident Charter School Central has closed enrollment for the 2024-25 school year.
- Provident Charter School West is still enrolling for the 2024-25 school year in grades 1-5.
- If you have any questions or would like to speak with someone at the school, please don’t hesitate to contact Julie Ewing, Director of Enrollment.
When does Open Enrollment begin for the 2025-26 school year?
Open enrollment begins February 1, 2025, and goes to February 28, 2025. For more information, please visit How To Apply.
What are the school day hours?
The school hours are 8:05am – 3:30pm. Doors open at 7:45am.
Where can the 2025-25 school calendar be found?
Click here for the 2024-25 School Calendar.
What is the profile of a Provident Charter Schools student?
Provident is designed to serve children with dyslexia and other language-based learning differences. Please visit our Dyslexia page to learn about the symptoms of dyslexia and the skills that can be affected by dyslexia. The Faculty and Staff are professionally trained to help children who have dyslexia and other language-based learning differences.
What does it mean to have a learning disability?
A learning disability is simply a term used when a child or an adult’s brain processes information differently. As a result of the differences in processing, people with a learning disability may struggle to learn through traditional teaching methods. Their struggles are not a reflection of their intelligence level or their ability to learn. People with a learning disability are simply required to learn in a method more suited to the way their brains process information. Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability, meaning that the brain processes language in a non-traditional manner.
How do I find out if my child has a learning disability?
To discover if your child struggles with dyslexia, they will need to be tested by a professional who specializes in the treatment and diagnosis of language-based learning disabilities. Your current school district can provide educational testing that will identify specific learning disabilities. However, sometimes this process may take months to arrange and receive. Our Enrollment Office can also provide you with referrals to appropriate professionals. Please do not hesitate to call us if you need assistance in the testing process.
Will my child grow out of their learning disabilities?
No, your child will not grow out of their learning disabilities. However, with the right tools, like instruction with a multisensory approach and a parent or guardian like yourself, children can become successful. Many people with dyslexia go on to be highly successful individuals. At Provident Charter Schools, we teach children strategies that they can use to overcome, minimize, or bypass their learning disability. Without this specialized instruction, children will not pick up these strategies on their own; if they could, they would have already developed them to manage their struggles.
Can I get help through my public school?
Several federal laws protect your child’s right to free public education. As a result, your school district has procedures to provide educational testing and create an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) if needed to address a learning disability. However, it is your responsibility as the parent or guardian to request testing, to make sure that the IEP is followed, and to make critical decisions as you advocate for your child to receive an appropriate education.
Some parents discover the remediation steps included in the IEP do not fully address their child’s learning needs. As a result, they investigate how other programs, such as Provident Charter Schools, can offer their child a different approach to learning. Please contact the Director of Enrollment, Julie Ewing, if you are interested in exploring options for your child’s education.
What are your class sizes?
In our Elementary School, our student-to-teacher ratio is 6-to-1 with 2 teachers per classroom. Our Middle School students are placed into different student-to-teacher ratios to ensure the transition from PCS to their home district is successful.
Do I have to live within the city of Pittsburgh limits for my child to attend Provident Charter School Central?
No, you do not need to live within the city limits. As a charter school, we accept children from all over the Greater Pittsburgh area. In the event PCS needs to conduct a lottery, children who are residents of the City of Pittsburgh receive first preference.
Do I have to live within the Beaver County limits for my child to attend Provident Charter School West?
No, you do not need to live in Beaver County. Please see our How to Apply page for more information about the qualifications and application process for PCS West.
Do you provide transportation to and from Provident Charter Schools?
To be eligible for transportation provided by your home school district, the following conditions must be met:
- Your home school district border must be within 10 miles of the Provident Charter School building.
- Your district must provide transportation to its own students (i.e., it cannot be a walking-only district).
This policy applies to both PCS Central and PCS West. If you’re unsure whether your district offers transportation to Provident Charter Schools, please contact Julie Ewing, Director of Enrollment.