#ANOTHERDAYANOTHERCHARTERSCHOOLSCANDAL
Public scrutiny continues against North County Charter School
Many parents say the North County Charter Elementary School (NCCS) purposely changed the times for its board meetings to keep the public from participating following scrutiny for terminating Principal Dr. Jessica Keaton.
The meeting times were changed from September 8, 2022, at 4:00 p.m. to September 12, 2022, at 9:30 a.m., when most parents, including teachers, cannot attend.
Judge grants legal victory to polygamist charter school in West Valley
After a hearing that lasted an hour and a half, Third District Judge Laura Scott granted a request for a temporary restraining order to Vanguard Academy of West Valley City.
Last month the school was ordered by the Utah State Charter School Board to replace their entire 9-person board of education, most of whom are members of the Kingston polygamist group.
Vanguard is a charter school run by and for students of the Kingston family, known as “The Order.”
The abrupt closure of Daroff Charter School in West Philly blindsided parents. Here’s how they’re coping
While the school’s board of trustees and its charter operator did not inform parents of the possibility that the school would close, the warning signs were there.
Philadelphia’s Board of Education voted in April not to renew Daroff and its neighboring sister school Bluford’s charter agreements, citing low proficiency rates in math and English language arts and science, as well as the schools’ financial viabilit
Parents call Cleveland charter school ‘chaotic’ and ‘dysfunctional’ amid teacher shortage
A group of parents and teachers say they are alarmed and are calling for help after the first weeks of students being back in class at Lakeshore Intergenerational School, a non-profit charter school in Collinwood.
The group alleged in a press release that the ongoing teacher shortage and administrative mismanagement has meant bullying of children is going unaddressed, parents aren’t being notified of serious incidents like fights involving their children and multiple school closures have happened due to call-offs by staff.
Principal investigated for alleged improper behavior
A top administrator at a public charter school affiliated with the St. Helens School District is in hot water after at least two teachers reportedly accused him of sexual harassment earlier this year.
Former Maryland mayor who died in January accused of embezzling $2.2 million from DC charter school system
Kevin Ward, the former Maryland mayor who died by apparent suicide in January, has been accused of embezzling millions in public funds from one of the largest charter school systems in Washington, D.C., prior to his death, according to a new lawsuit.
The civil complaint, filed on Monday in D.C. federal court, alleges that Ward committed wire fraud and theft using government money that is awarded annually to KIPP DC.
Charter school board members file lawsuit claiming ‘abuse of power’ at Collier County charter school
A Southwest Florida charter school is fighting back against what it calls years of “abuse of power.” Two school board members filed a lawsuit against 11 separate parties, including the wife of a prominent elected official. In total, the suit lays out 18 counts, including conspiracy, racketeering, and libel. It also demands damages in an amount to be established at trial. Once the defendants are served, they have 21 days to respond to the lawsuit.
Low enrollment forces closure of cyberschool
A drop in enrollment has forced the SusQ-Cyber Charter School to shut down its online high school.
‘I feel lost’: Families at two Philly charters scramble to find new schools after closure plans were announced
Gwendolyn Mills’ grandchildren were supposed to start eighth and third grades Monday at Daroff Charter School. When she found out Friday their school was shutting down, she felt adrift.
“What am I supposed to do? It’s a few days before school starts,” said Mills, who has had students enrolled at the charter formerly managed by Universal Companies Inc. for eight years. Daroff and Bluford Charter School, run by a single board of trustees, struck deals Friday with the Philadelphia school board to close — Daroff immediately, and Bluford at the end of the 2022-23 school year.
2 Philly charter schools delay start of classes, 1 could close before then
Two neighboring West Philadelphia charter schools will start the school year at least a week later than planned, and one could close permanently before then.
Daroff and Bluford charter schools notified families Wednesday night that classes would no longer resume the week of Aug. 29.
After troubles in IPS, Ignite charter school rebrands
Single-digit proficiency rates. Plummeting attendance. A work environment described in a former employee’s lawsuit as “one big mess.”
Ignite Achievement Academy came to and left Indianapolis Public Schools within just four years under challenging circumstances. Some low test scores from Elder Diggs School 42 — the traditional school Ignite took over — dropped even lower on Ignite’s watch, while attendance fell below the district average and staff retention rates became the worst in the district.
Polygamy charter school ordered to remove entire school board
In a dramatic move, the Utah State Charter School Board ordered Vanguard Academy to replace all seven members of its school board. In addition, the USBE will appoint a temporary director to work with the current director.
Vanguard is affiliated with the Kingston polygamist group, known as “The Order.” In a 2020 investigation, Crisis in the Classroom revealed the school regularly hires Kingston-connected businesses and pays them with taxpayer dollars.
NC charter school managed by national for-profit firm cited for failure to serve students with disabilities
Cardinal is managed by Florida-based Charter Schools USA. The for-profit firm manages more than 90 schools in five states, including nine schools in North Carolina. Dave Machado, the former director of North Carolina’s Office of Charter Schools, resigned last month to become state director for Charter Schools USA, Inc.
Federal and state policies give little wiggle room when it comes to IEPs. The education plans ensure students with disabilities receive the specialized instruction and related services they require. Per state policy, IEPs must be “implemented as written at the beginning and throughout each school year.”
Orange County Classical Academy can’t open doors on first day of school
The Orange County Classical Academy won’t be allowed to open its doors for its first day back to school Thursday, forcing hundreds of students to independent studies.
The public charter school known as OCCA failed to get fire hydrants installed in time to kick off the school year, according to city officials.
Tennessee showdown: Governor’s big plan for right-wing charter schools sparks fierce backlash
The mailers arrived last week: four-page glossy brochures containing excerpted articles from The Federalist and USA Today, telling Tennesseans they’d been misled about Hillsdale College. They followed the previous week’s text message campaign, when voters across the state began receiving political spam attributed to Hillsdale chief marketing officer Bill Gray, insisting that people throughout the Volunteer State were clamoring for Hillsdale to open K-12 charter schools, and directing them to a recently-built website where they could learn “the truth” about Hillsdale’s work in Tennessee.