#ANOTHERDAYANOTHERCHARTERSCHOOLSCANDAL
State OKs charter school despite business questions
The Arizona State Board for Charter Schools has approved a new charter despite several questions surrounding it. Approval came in spite of concerns about the school’s semi-online model, conflicts of interest in choosing a curriculum and ties to Creamer’s corporate entities.
California teacher faces charges after forcibly cutting a student’s hair while singing anthem
A California high school teacher has lost her job and is facing multiple criminal charges after cellphone video emerged showing her forcibly cutting a student’s hair while belting out an incorrect rendition of the National Anthem.
Charter school suddenly closes in Cape Coral
Parents at Unity Charter School were shocked to hear that the school suddenly closed on Thursday. Parents tell Fox 4 they received an automated message Wednesday evening reporting that there would be no school Thursday, due to circumstances beyond their control.
Memphis board votes to close City University Boys Preparatory charter school
Shelby County Schools recommended closure of the middle school in Whitehaven following a scheduled evaluation to determine if the district should renew its 10-year charter.
Charter schools allowed to skip disclosure on major contracts
Open enrollment charter schools, which last year received up to $2.5 billion in taxpayer funds in Texas, are immune from a law that all public schools must follow, requiring them to make public the terms of important contracts.
New Vision Academy in Nashville is subject of federal, state investigations
New Vision Academy charter school is under federal and state investigations, which expand on the existing Metro Nashville Public Schools investigation launched earlier this year. New Vision is being investigated for financial irregularities and compliance with federal laws regarding building accessibility for students with disabilities.
Legislator to gain several ways from charter school handoff
An Arizona legislator selling his state-funded charter school business will receive money from consulting work, rent and a loan to the chain beyond pocketing $13.9 million from the $56.9 million transaction itself.
Board members, parents speak out at SAIL meeting
In the midst of protests outside the school this week, the School for Arts-Infused Learning board of directors held a meeting at the school Wednesday night to discuss the future of one of its changed leadership positions.
Charter school’s shake-ups leave parents frustrated
As summer vacation drew to a close in August, Ashley Swygert said, her children couldn’t wait to return to the School for Arts Infused Learning. But just a month later, that feeling changed as a shake-up in leadership left them and Swygert wondering about the Columbia County charter school’s future.
How did schools known for their gatekeeping policies get designated ‘Equity Honorees’?
Given that these schools are designed to be difficult to access and are only letting in the most academically prepared students and/or those from families that are more well off, how does the state see fit to praise them for modeling equity?
Cherry Creek district grounds Colorado Skies Academy charter school over low enrollment
A charter school aiming to teach middle-school students about space and aviation is being grounded by the Cherry Creek School District because organizers of the Colorado Skies Academy inflated the school’s enrollment numbers, the district said.
Students Outraged at Confederate Banner at Miami-Dade Charter School
Most Americans (up North, at least) likely made it through high-school history class without their teacher flying a Confederate flag in the classroom. It’s perfectly easy to teach kids about the pro-slavery Confederacy without draping the Rebel banner across the room.
Report shows half of charter schools in Richmond have substandard financial accountability and lack parent engagement
Seven charter schools in Richmond were among 43 charter schools in the state found to have faulty records for funds generated by high needs students, says a report by nonprofit law firm Public Advocates.
Audit uncovers charter-school mess
Lack of oversight, a haphazard internal investigation, inexplicable emails that don’t say who sent or received them, a stonewalling state superintendent and a failure to secure data are highlighted in a years-long investigation into a charter-school evaluation scandal at the Department of Education that was released Tuesday.
Primavera online charter school CEO pays himself another $1.3 million from school funds
The CEO of Primavera, whose multimillion-dollar payments to himself spurred calls for more oversight of Arizona charter schools, received another $1.3 million from the online charter this past school year, records show.