#ANOTHERDAYANOTHERCHARTERSCHOOLSCANDAL
A charter school owns condos. Can students use the hot tub?
Since 2011, Accelerated has purchased two pricey condos in high-end neighborhoods – one in Houston, and one in Dallas – while paying its teachers below-average salaries and housing its fewer than 300 students in structures resembling portable trailers, some without windows.
Texas charter schools struggle with classroom overcrowding
An annual report suggests that several charter schools in Texas have some of the state’s largest class sizes. The Texas Education Agency report said most of the state’s roughly 8,700 public schools had about 22 students per teacher during the 2016-2017 school year. More than half the schools averaging at least 30 students per classroom were charter schools.
Charter school advocates get down and, some say, dirty
Caroline Ayres just wanted to hear about her kids’ school system. What she got was the hybrid of a political rally and a revival meeting. “It was,” she recalls, “an attempt at conversion via emotional outreach.
Teacher at all-girls school busted for nude pics of student, molestation
A teacher at an all-girls Bronx charter school seduced a 12-year-old student into sending naked photos of herself to him on Snapchat — and then molested her after class, officials said.
Report: Low Graduation Rates At Texas Charter Schools
When the exclusions and exceptions the state grants charter schools are stripped away, Texas charter schools have an average graduation rate almost 30 percentage points lower than the state’s traditional school districts.
Former charter school accused of fraud over taxpayer dollars
A Broward charter school once accused of inflating its enrollment numbers to get state dollars now faces more allegations of fraud after it closed and re-opened as a private school
Arizona charter school hired gym teacher despite revoked license, past misconduct
A teacher at an Arizona charter school has been fired after a concerned parent alerted the school that he had been fired from previous teaching jobs in the past for allegedly having an inappropriate relationship with a student.
Related-party charter school deal generated healthy profit for developer from public funds
A real estate holding company based in Syracuse cleared more than $300,000 in profit at the expense of a charter school in Greece earlier this year, according to real estate and financial records obtained by the Democrat and Chronicle.
Chicago teachers plan sues charter school operator over missing pension contributions
Chicago Public School Teachers’ Pension & Retirement Fund is suing Prologue Inc., the operator of the closed Joshua Johnston Charter School for Fine Art and Design, for allegedly failing to report the employment of some licensed teachers and failing to pay pension contributions on behalf of teachers.
Audit finds possible financial fraud at Blue Oak Charter School
A former Blue Oak Charter School administrator is alleged to have used school credit cards to purchase weapons, movies and clothing, according to an audit conducted by the Fiscal Crisis Management Assistance Team.
Naalehu charter school could get shut down
The state Public Charter School Commission on Tuesday voted to issue to Ka‘u Learning Academy a “notice of prospect of revocation” — the first step in the process of revoking its charter — alleging issues found in the school’s fiscal year 2017 audit potentially violate provisions of its charter contract.
OPSB Sues Einstein Charter Schools Over Transportation Policy
Unlike almost every other public school in Orleans Parish, Einstein’s four schools do not provide yellow bus transportation for students. Parents are expected to drive their children to school or pay for private van service.
Leaders at D.C. charter school are out of jobs after teacher’s sex-abuse case
Leaders of a vaunted D.C. charter school failed to assure the safety of students after educators raised concerns about inappropriate behavior by a teacher, according to a report that has led to the ouster of top school officials.
Feds raid offices, home of Philly nonprofit CEO
Universal Companies, a nonprofit that for decades has reshaped Philadelphia schools and neighborhoods, suspended its president and CEO after federal agents raided his home and office and notified him he’s the target of an investigation.
Faking the Grade
The latest School Performance Scores for the state of Louisiana are in. And that makes now a pretty good time to finally come to terms with the fallacy of the miracle in New Orleans.