Two Raleigh charter schools are fighting to stay open.

North Carolina Department of Instruction staff members have recommended that the state school board deny renewal of charters for PreEminent Charter and Torchlight Academy.

They are two of sixteen schools with charters set to expire in June 2009. The Office of Charter Schools also recommends the board deny renewal for Provisions Alternative School in Lee County.

The main reason for the recommendation to close PreEminent and Torchlight is the schools' failure to meet state academic standards. Officials are also concerned about financial problems and health department violations at Torchlight.

Don McQueen, Torchlight's executive director, said his school faces greater challenges than many schools because the overwhelming majority of students come from minority, low-income families.

"Students who come from economically-disadvantaged families have a challenge with academic performance," he said. "It relates to responding to more than the academic needs of the child."

McQueen said Torchlight's mission is to serve students who need support the most-and that he will try to convince the state Board of Education to renew its charter.

"We would like to give them the opportunity to look at some of the additional factors and look at our plan of action going forward," he said.

People at PreEminent Charter School say they will also fight for renewal.

In a statement, PreEminent Board President Paulette Jones Leaven said, "We believe we have a compelling case for renewal and that everyone involved-students, teachers, and parents-has worked hard and merit the opportunity to continue to build on the progress we've already made."

"We're looking at schools generally that have fewer than 50 percent of their kids performing at grade level," said J.B. Buxton, the state's deputy superintendent, of the recommendations. "Where students come from, that's not the issue. We have high expectations for all kids, and at the end of the day, we believe that schools can meet the needs of all kids."

The North Carolina Board of Education is to decide which charters to renew in February.