#ANOTHERDAYANOTHERCHARTERSCHOOLSCANDAL
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.
Dismal reading scores still plague Jefferson County as the district prepares for a public sector takeover
Just over half of Florida’s third-graders passed the latest reading assessment. But the Jefferson County School District remains at the bottom for reading proficiently in the state for the second year in a row. These scores come as the district’s charter school operator prepares to hand oversight of the district back to local officials at the end of June.
State auditor finds numerous issues at now-closed rural charter school
Key findings of the audit include Bridges Academy falsifying student enrollment records to obtain $404,971 in state funding for which it was not entitled and misuse of $78,576 of charter school funding to support a preschool.
University Heights Charter School Announces State Intends to Revoke its Charter
University Heights Charter School announced that the state Department of Education intends to revoke the school’s charter at the end of the school year.
Where is the accountability?’ for WA’s largest charter school chain, ask parents and staff
KUOW’s investigation revealed a charter school chain that state officials have allowed to grow rapidly even as, staff allege, it failed to identify and serve students with disabilities, offered little to English language learners, and where crowded classrooms are largely led by inexperienced teachers without the usual credentials. Many students were recommended to repeat a grade based on test scores.
Residents speak for, against Ascent Classical Academy Durango
Some critics of Ascent pointed to its connection with Hillsdale College, a private Christian college in Michigan, and said they weren’t comfortable with Ascent taking policy, faculty and administrative guidance from the private school.
San Diego County Collects Millions in Fines from Charter School Fraud Case
More than $37 million in fines has been paid to San Diego County as part of a court judgment stemming from a charter school fraud scheme that took millions in public school funds and led to criminal charges against 11 people, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday.
San Diego County gets $18.8M more restitution for A3 charter school scam
An additional $18.8 million has been paid to San Diego County as restitution for the statewide A3 charter school scam in which the state was defrauded of hundreds of millions of school dollars, the San Diego County District Attorney announced Wednesday.