#ANOTHERDAYANOTHERCHARTERSCHOOLSCANDAL
New Irvine charter school under scrutiny for alleged mismanagement
On the last day of school at Irvine International Academy, families were greeted with parties, end-of-the-year fun, and some breaking news: The principal had been fired.It was the latest controversy in a list of many for a charter school that opened less than one year ago.
UPDATE: Epic Charter Schools co-founders, former CFO charged in elaborate scheme to defraud and embezzle from taxpayers
The founders of Epic Charter Schools have been arrested and charged with bilking Oklahoma’s largest school system out of tens of millions of taxpayer dollars by enrolling ghost students, falsifying invoices and fraudulently using credit cards paid for with school funds to cover personal and out-of-state charter school expenses and even political contributions.
State leaders begin closure protocols for embattled charter school
The commission has been helping Another Choice Virtual Charter prepare for permanent closure for months, commission director Jenn Thompson told EdNews Wednesday. In February, the commission took the first formal — and rare — step to close the school by voting unanimously for Another Choice’s permanent shutdown.
Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation arrests Epic Charter School founders, former CFO on multiple charges
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has arrested the founders of Epic Charter Schools and its former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) on multiple charges stemming from investigations dating back to 2013.
Philly board moves to close 3 charters amid allegations of bias against Black-led schools
The Philadelphia school board Thursday night began a process to pull the charters of three schools it cited for academic, operational, and financial flaws.
Oklahoma charter school facing more allegations of misusing state funds
Epic Charter Schools is accused of fudging attendance records to receive thousands of dollars in state funds and of improperly handing out millions in bonuses, according to an investigation by the Oklahoma State Department of Education released Tuesday.
Texas State Board of Education rejects conservative-backed Heritage Classical Academy charter school for third time
The Texas State Board of Education Friday again rejected an application of a Houston charter school whose founder gave money to a political action committee that backed anti-critical race theory candidates for the board and whose board member accused organizers of the Women’s March of trying to impose Sharia in America.
Takeover of Colorado Springs Charter Academy operations considered by state education commissioner
The head of the Colorado Department of Education, Katy Anthes, could ask for a third party to provide external oversight for the K-8 school on Chelton Road that has struggled with its financial controls. It would be a step that has only happened once before in state history, said Dustin Sparks, with the Charter School Law Group, who is working with the school.
Idaho virtual school ‘failed to comply’ with charter rules. Now it’s closing
A virtual charter school in Idaho will close at the end of the month after its appeal was denied in its last effort to remain open.
In November, the Idaho Public Charter School Commission’s director recommended that Another Choice Virtual Charter School’s charter not be renewed because it hadn’t met certain operational standards and had “failed to comply with public charter school statutes,” according to the board’s agenda.
Texans Can charter school under state oversight because of widespread problems
A charter school charged with educating high school dropouts is struggling to successfully carry out basic functions, creating extra challenges for students who already face tremendous obstacles.
Texans Can Academies, which has campuses across the Dallas area and Texas, is now under strict state oversight because of its failure to ensure graduation requirements are met, to accurately record attendance and to maintain documentation that keeps students on track.
North Carolina charter school’s skirt requirement for girls unconstitutional, court rules
A North Carolina charter school’s requirement that girls wear skirts based on the view that they are “fragile vessels” deserving of “gentle” treatment by boys is unconstitutional, a federal appeals court ruled on Tuesday.
State orders 120-day takeover of Colorado Springs Charter Academy following financial concerns
The Colorado Department of Education is ordering a third party to take over fiduciary powers at Colorado Springs Charter Academy (CSCA) following several financial concerns at the school.
In One of the Largest Charter School Scams in History, No One Will Serve Jail Time
Despite such an unprecedented theft, not a single person involved in the A3 case will spend a day behind bars. McManus and Schrock were both sentenced to four years – but both have already been in ankle monitors, on home confinement. They both will get credit for time served. Several other key players had their felonies reduced to misdemeanors and two defendants essentially had their charges dropped for cooperating in the investigation.
Sarasota School Board denies for-profit charter application for school near Wellen Park
Amid chants from protesters outside, the Sarasota County School Board unanimously denied a plan for a new for-profit charter school at its meeting Tuesday.
With the vote, the for-profit College Preparatory Academy at Wellen Park will not move forward. Charter Schools USA, the Fort Lauderdale-based company responsible for the application, now has the option to appeal the board’s decision to the Florida State Board of Education.
Loaded guns found at Parkland, Florida school belong to principal: report
Somerset Parkland Academy school representatives sent a letter to parents saying a closed box containing two firearms was left unattended inside a locked room in the school. The box was found by a school resource officer and turned over to detectives, the report said.
Investigators later determined the weapons belonged to the school’s principal, Geyler Castro.