#ANOTHERDAYANOTHERCHARTERSCHOOLSCANDAL
Houston charter school founder sentenced to three years in prison for mail fraud conspiracy
The founder of a now-shuttered Houston charter school on Wednesday was sentenced to three years in federal prison and ordered to pay more than $335,000 in restitution after being convicted of conspiracy to commit mail fraud related to embezzled school funds.
Memphis charter school leaders indicted; nearly $400K stolen
Three men who held leadership positions at a Memphis charter school have been indicted, accused of stealing nearly $400,000 from the academy, the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office said Wednesday.
Corey Johnson, Robert Williams, and Michael Jones all held leadership positions at the Memphis Academy of Health Sciences (MAHS) charter school, which operates within the jurisdiction of the public Shelby County Schools system.
Malden Tenants Say Charter School Unfairly Kicking Them Out
Malden Tenants Say Charter School Unfairly Kicking Them Out
Residents of the apartments at 22 Lebanon Street say MVRCS told them they could stay until 2023. Now, they have to be out by Dec. 31.
“We Got A Lot Of Pressure To Approve This Charter School Project”
FOIA production appear to outline DC’s poor oversight of this charter school development and pressure on DOEE to move ahead with it–while raising questions around the inaction of elected and appointed officials in the wake of public damage.
Audit finds holes in accountability between state, charter school boards
A poorly defined relationship between the Utah State Board of Education – which is made up of elected members – and the Utah State Charter School Board – made up of appointed members – creates gaps in accountability, a legislative audit finds.
North Routt Charter to create several task forces, reassess policy, following executive director’s resignation
The North Routt Community Charter School board will form several task forces to revisit some of the schools policies around equitable compensation, internal structures and the complaint process after staff complaints sparked a third-party investigation and the eventual resignation of the school’s executive director.
Oklahoma charter school audited for mismanagement of funds
An Oklahoma charter school was audited for apparent mismanagement of funds. Some of the audit findings showed that after the school shut down, the superintendent kept a school vehicle that took legal action to retrieve, and she also used a school debit card to make cash withdrawals that the state auditor can’t trace.
Unapproved bonuses, personal spending: Charter school superintendent allegedly misused taxpayer dollars
The superintendent of a defunct Oklahoma City charter school misused more than $250,000 intended for at-risk students while the school board, including an appeals court judge and a state senator, ignored warnings, state auditors say.
NOLA Public Schools superintendent calls for Singleton, Arise to close at end of school year
Both Singleton and Arise had an F rating from the state in the 2018-19 school year, the last time state grades were produced before the pandemic interrupted state exams. In addition to academic concerns, district leaders have issued warnings to Singleton over financial management concerns, special education problems, allegedly phony background checks and board composition issues.
School district cites Dr. King Charter for alleged special education violations, calls for monitoring
The NOLA Public Schools district will require Friends of King, the charter group that runs Dr. Martin Luther King Charter School, to have a third party monitor its special education services over the next six months due to a range of special education violations the district says it has identified at the school.
Alaka‘i O Kaua‘i in violation of charter contract
A newly adopted distance-learning program used at Alaka‘i O Kaua‘i has put the school in violation of its charter school contract, the State Charter School Commission ruled Monday.
Editorial: Epic saga is not over, lawmakers and law enforcement need to do more
Byrd detailed her investigative audit of the public virtual charter school released last year. It uncovered millions in excessive administrative spending and questionable handling of $145 million in taxpayer funds.
North Routt Community Charter School executive director resigns
The executive director of the North Routt Community Charter School, Brandon LaChance, resigned. At the end of September, the school’s board initiated a third-party investigation into complaints “of a school personnel matter,” according to emails obtained by Steamboat Pilot & Toda
Hmong College Prep school faces investigation by attorney general after hedge fund investment loss
Already reeling from the loss of $4.3 million from an illegal investment with a hedge fund, Hmong College Prep Academy now is being investigated by the Minnesota attorney general for possible violations of state laws on charities and nonprofits.
Charter Schools Fight For Their Right To Discriminate
Two recent news stories from opposite sides of the nation highlight battles between charter schools and state regulations. They underline critical ways in which some charter schools, which often claim to be “public” schools, do not embrace the mission of public education.