#ANOTHERDAYANOTHERCHARTERSCHOOLSCANDAL
Urban Prep Academy administrator resigns after misconduct investigation
An administrator at Urban Prep Academy has resigned after an investigation into allegations of inappropriate conduct with a student.
The charter school, widely praised for its success with young Black men, are no longer under the leadership of its nationally recognized president.
York County school principal charged with theft of federal program funds
The CEO and principal of Lincoln Charter School in York is charged with the theft of federal program funds, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
Leonard Hart, 50, of Mount Wolf, allegedly obtained by fraud and misapplied about $6,400 from the school in May 2018.
Who is calling the shots? Conservatives working to shape civics education in Florida
Hillsdale College was founded in 1844. Facing scandal and near collapse in 1999, a new president saw an opportunity to promote its conservative Federalist ideology as a form of super patriotism and rebuild the school. It now has an endowment of more than $800 million. Its 1776 Curriculum is used in its classical charter schools.
Florida judge denies Osceola County charter school appeal, terminates contract
A Florida judge has upheld a decision by the Osceola County School Board to terminate a contract with a charter school, denying an appeal filed by American Classical Charter Academy.
On Friday, administrative law judge Friday Lynne Quimby-Pennock issued a 65-page order backing the school board in the dispute with American Classical Charter Academy.
Judge Upholds Osceola School Board’s Termination of Charter School Contract
An administrative law judge Friday upheld a decision by the Osceola County School Board to terminate a contract with a charter school, citing issues such as a large number of uncertified teachers and not properly providing exceptional-student education services.
Epic Charter Schools’ accreditation downgraded by State Board of Education
Epic Charter Schools was placed on probation after a June report released by the Oklahoma State Department of Education noted a number of issues with the district, including an alleged misuse of funds, altered school attendance and unauthorized teacher bonuses.
Epic was one of nine school districts that had its accreditation status changed to “Accreditation with Probation” during Thursday’s meeting of the State Board of Education.
How Hillsdale College-affiliated charter schools spread
The American Legacy Academy (ALA) was recently approved to open in the Weld RE-4 School District in Colorado. According to ALA’s website, the charter school will offer a back-to-basics, classical education as a Hillsdale College curriculum school. The approval of the charter school is a victory for local culture warriors who have stormed board meetings with grievances over masks and critical race theory.
Your View: Pa. misses another chance for much-needed charter school reform
Every state budget includes negotiated agreements on a variety of policy issues. Yet, despite bipartisan calls for comprehensive charter school reform, once again the Pennsylvania General Assembly has put this year’s budget to bed without any significant reforms to the charter school law, widely recognized as one of the worst in the country.
No excuses’ charter school magnate, Obama advisor sentenced for stealing $218K from NYC school he founded
An education advisor under former President Barack Obama and the founder of a network of hyper-punitive New York City charter schools was sentenced to a year and a day in prison for stealing more than $218,000 from school accounts, the Department of Justice announced Thursday.
Putnam charter school shutting down after nine years
School officials this week announced the impending closure of Putnam Edge High School, seen here Thursday, July 28, 2022 in Palatka. Approximately 70 students at the area charter school have been told this week they must continue their education elsewhere.
Deadline looms for Marine on St. Croix charter school meant to replace closed elementary
Principal Kim Kokx, who started her job on July 1, said 29 students have enrolled in Marine Village School, but only 14 had submitted official registration forms as of Wednesday afternoon. She and other school officials have been calling, texting and emailing families to remind them of the deadline, she said.
Hillsdale-affiliated charter school asks state commission to overrule local school boards
A controversial charter school network embraced by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee will attempt an end-run around local school boards that overwhelmingly rejected their applications.
Hillsdale College’s American Classical Academy filed an appeal Monday with the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission, asking the board to overrule the denial by the Jackson-Madison County Board of Education. Similar appeals are expected to be filed for charter schools in Rutherford County and Clarksville-Montgomery County.
Montgomery County school board rejects proposal for Gaithersburg charter school
Although M.E.C.C.A. received a $900,000 start-up grant from the Maryland State Department of Education, board members still worried that the group might not secure the funding needed to acquire and renovate a building.
Additionally, the board questioned whether there was a need for a business-focused school since MCPS already offers a few business and finance-specific programs at the high school level.
Superintendents call for charter school reform
Pennsylvania school districts are spending more than $2.6 billion in taxpayer money on mandatory payments to cyber and brick-and-mortar charter schools, according to the PSBA.
Who will run two Philly charter schools? With a month to go before school, there are no answers yet.
At a chaotic meeting Wednesday night, the board declined to fully answer public questions about who will manage the schools, whether the schools’ principals will remain, when a new health insurance policy for employees will be in place, and how a previously promised tuition-assistance program for employees will run.