Prime Academy of Excellence would serve 100 students in kindergarten through 12th grade, producing graduates certified to be home health aides, said Florante Parrenas, director of education programs for the proposed school.

"We will train our students for the health care industry -- to be home health aides, care-givers and certified nursing assistants," Parrenas said. "We need to instill a lot of work ethics into the program as early as kindergarten."

Parrenas and his colleagues have hit a few bumps in the application process since submitting the charter petition to the San Bernardino City Unified School District in October. The school board has twice postponed voting on the application, asking for more details about the school's operation.

"The debate has never been about the concept or necessity of the program," said Linda Hill, district spokeswoman. "Key elements for running an effective charter school have not been met."

The school district staff has recommended that the board reject the charter application because it did not adequately explain how students -- particularly English-learners -- would meet grade-level standards or how they would be prepared to pass the mandatory state high school exit examination. Also, the application must sufficiently explain how school officials would check the health and criminal background of employees, and describe the school's financial system.

According to a staff report, the district already has health career pathway programs at Arroyo Valley, San Gorgonio and Pacific high schools, as well as the San Bernardino Adult School.

Also, health-related courses are available at surrounding districts through the county Superintendent of Schools Regional Occupational Program.

Considering the number of existing courses and the limited number of internships available at local hospitals, clinics and medical offices, a new health careers charter school "would negatively impact access to the internship requirements for aspiring health career professionals already being served in San Bernardino," the report said.

The staff reported its findings the same week a study predicting major shortages in the state's health care work force was released. Shortages will be greatest in the allied health area, which includes 60 percent of health care jobs such as emergency medical technicians, respiratory therapists and X-ray technicians, the study said.

The study found that "high school students are often not aware of college and career options early enough, especially for the less visible, but relatively high paying, allied health occupations." Sponsored by the bipartisan organization Campaign for College Opportunity, the study was funded by Kaiser Permanente and the California Wellness Foundation.

Most health care jobs require certificates and two- or four-year college degrees or higher, which Parrenas said he hopes Prime Academy's graduates will pursue.

"Our first goal is academic excellence; our second is employability," Parrenas said. "We would expect our students to go to college, but if they elect not to go, they will be able to get better jobs. Our students deserve more than working minimum-wage jobs in highly stressful fast-food service. Many of them go crazy doing that."

Parrenas, who retired in 2006 after 20 years as a teacher and administrator in the San Bernardino district, said he wanted to start the charter school because he knows the community.

"My loyalty is to the students of this district," he said. "I've always been touched by the marginalized students."

At least 10 teachers have expressed interest in the school, Parrenas said. In addition to a competitive salary, Prime's faculty would have the benefit of teaching smaller classes of about 10 students. The school would be on a traditional calendar and be ready to open in September in a business park on Little Mountain Drive.

Elsie Arca, a registered nurse and administrator of a home health agency, would serve as Prime's executive director. Julius DeLaTorre, a retired general of the Philippines Air Force, would be director of operations.

Parrenas is confident he can give district officials whatever information they need to approve Prime Academy.

"This is not a fly-by-night operation," he said.