#ANOTHERDAYANOTHERCHARTERSCHOOLSCANDAL
Ex-Oakland charter schools director charged with grant application fraud, money laundering
Ben Chavis, the controversial former director of three Oakland charter schools, collectively known as the American Indian Model Schools, was charged with mail fraud and money laundering in connection with the schools’ applications for federal grant funds, federal authorities announced Thursday.
Nashville’s charter school industry is unraveling
It was just a matter of time before the wheels came off Nashville’s charter school industry. This year, it’s finally happening.
New concerns surface as Vineyard charter school reports on probation status
Last month, the state charter school questioned whether the school should continue to operate due to concerns of student safety, operational dysfunction and financial mismanagement, and gave Franklin Discovery administrators until June to resolve those concerns.
Livermore: Charter schools pull petition from county; district cites more violations
Two Livermore charter schools pulled their charter petitions for renewal from the Alameda County Office of Education, as the school district that oversees the charters cited more violations.
Inside Celerity charter school network, questionable spending and potential conflicts of interest abound
At a time when charter school advocates are determined to increase the number of such schools in L.A., the story of McFarlane and the Celerity schools offers a case study of the growing difficulty of regulating them.
Report: How Charter Schools Are Used to Hide Dropouts and Game the Educational System
ProPublica reports that Sunshine High, an alternative charter school located in a strip mall just 5 miles from Olympia, takes in “cast-offs” from Olympia and other Orlando high schools in a “mutually beneficial agreement.”
Lake Forest charter school board member resigned after $120,000 deal with school
A former board member of Lake Forest Elementary Charter School said he “made a mistake” by selling dirt from his company’s land for a school construction project, which would violate state ethics law.
Struggling Confluence charter schools are renewed for five more years
St. Louis’ largest charter school network got a five-year renewal Tuesday even though it has not met state performance expectations in its almost 14 years of operation.
Del Paso Heights adult charter school under investigation for allegedly overcharging state
Highlands Community Charter School is under investigation for allegedly enrolling adult students in primary grades, double-charging the state and claiming a full year of funding for students who attended for a shorter period of time.
Red Bank Charter School under federal investigation
The U.S. Department of Education has launched an investigation into enrollment practices at Red Bank Charter School amid longstanding complaints that the school does not enroll enough minority students.
NC virtual charter schools report lower withdrawal rates after change in legislation
North Carolina’s two virtual charter schools reported lower student withdrawal rates this year, due in part to recent legislation that allows them to change the way they calculate how many students leave each year.
2 Nevada charter schools face possible closure
The fate of the online Nevada Connections Academy is still uncertain, as the charter school once again faces potential closure due to its 2016 graduation rates falling below 60 percent.
Applicant for Nevada charter school program under federal investigation
The five Clark County schools eligible for conversion to charter schools under a controversial state program will get a one-year reprieve after one of the charter operators became the subject of a formal investigation by federal agents.
Ethics board to review fmr. charter school CEO for mismanagement
An investigation by the S.C. Office of Inspector General revealed fiscal mismanagement by former High Point Academy CEO and Superintendent Lori Manning.
Federal agents raid office of LA-based ‘Celerity’ charter school network
Federal agents raided the offices of Celerity Educational Group — a Los Angeles-based organization that runs a network of charter schools both in Southern California and Louisiana — on Wednesday, KPCC has confirmed.