#ANOTHERDAYANOTHERCHARTERSCHOOLSCANDAL
Wendy Lecker: Charter schools bypass racial imbalance laws
The law supports Connecticut’s constitutional prohibition against intentional and incidental racial segregation in public schools. However, when it comes to privately managed, publicly funded charter schools, laws prohibiting racial segregation seem not to apply. SDE’s implementation of the racial imbalance and charter laws subverts legislative language and intent, as well as Connecticut’s educational goals.
Feds give green light to controversial contract between Memphis charter school and Catholic diocese
The U.S. Department of Education said a charter school network’s lease prohibiting it from teaching anything considered “gravely immoral” by the Catholic Church does not violate federal guidelines, state officials wrote in an email obtained by Chalkbeat.
Grand jury indicts two former Alma d’Arte employees
New grand jury indictments have been filed in district court naming two former staff members of Alma d’Arte Charter High School in Las Cruces.
The school’s former business manager, Juliette Rivera, was charged last December with embezzling more than $120,000 across a 14-year period from 2004 to 2018.
Epic obtained personal information of state teachers
In late April, Norman High School teacher Jeremy Davis received a recruitment email from Epic Charter Schools, an online Oklahoma charter school that has earned praise, criticism and scrutiny in recent years during a period of rapid growth.
Hillsdale College will officially sever ties with Mason Classical Academy in August
Hillsdale College will cut ties with Mason Classical Academy in August after board members missed Hillsdale’s deadline to resign in the wake of a Collier County School District investigation and newly revealed concerns from Hillsdale about the school’s management.
New Orleans becomes first major American city without traditional schools
On a typically hot July 1 in south Louisiana, when many students and educators are enjoying long holiday vacations, New Orleans has quietly become the first major American city without any traditional schools.
Oklahoma Watch Response to Epic Commentary
Last week, Epic Charter Schools issued a lengthy commentary on our reporter Jennifer Palmer’s story, “Former Epic Teachers Describe Pressure to Manipulate Enrollment.” Most of the commentary was written by two former journalists now employed by Epic.
As executive editor of Oklahoma Watch, I want to emphasize one point above all others in response: We absolutely stand by our story and the facts presented.
Alma d’Arte sacks principal after a rocky year
Through the year, the arts-based charter school saw a decline in enrollment amid changes of disciplinary policies, felony embezzlement charges brought against former staff members (which, for two, were later dismissed), and an ongoing dispute with the state Public Education Commission over insufficiencies in the school’s services for special needs students.
Einstein charter network failed to give students required state social studies exam
Einstein Charter Schools failed to give state-required social studies exam to its middle school students this spring, an error that will negatively affect the charter schools’ state performance scores, according to a spokeswoman for the Louisiana Department of Education.
BREAKING: Pueblo principal and executive director arrested
News 5 Investigates has learned Logan Gogarty, who serves as the principal, executive director and founder of a new charter school in Pueblo District 70 is off the job before the 2019-2020 school year begins. Court records show Gogarty has been arrested and charged with criminal mischief and harassment.
Chicago Virtual Charter School CEO On Paid Leave As CPS Watchdog Investigates Questionable Spending
The CEO of Chicago Virtual Charter School is in deep trouble, and others could be too, amid investigation into questionable spending.
Class might be over for the summer, but officials at the Chicago Public Schools continue to study what went on at Chicago Virtual Charter School during the 2018-19 school year.
Former Epic Teachers Describe Pressure to Manipulate Enrollment
Administrators at Epic Charter Schools have been allowing, encouraging or pressuring teachers to manipulate students’ enrollment for years in order to improve employees’ bonus pay, according to at least seven former teachers.
Florida flunks oversight of charter schools
Florida just got a report card on the state’s oversight of charter schools. The state flunked.
We will note up front that the report came from the National Education Association. The teachers union has developed an adversarial relationship with charter schools — for good reason. What began as a movement to complement public education has become a movement to privatize it.
Should Philly sell a neighborhood school to the charter company running it?
Critics worry a sale like this could leave the district stranded if the charter school ever folds. Some also oppose, on philosophical grounds, the idea of a charter network owning a building that city children are assigned to attend.
Oakland: Ex-American Indian Public Charter School director gets probation in grant fraud case
In a plea deal with prosecutors, an author and former Oakland charter school director was sentenced to one year of federal probation for a charge of falsifying grant applications for his school.