#ANOTHERDAYANOTHERCHARTERSCHOOLSCANDAL
Buffalo School Board says charter schools saturating district
The Buffalo Board of Education says it does not support any new charter schools.
The school board believes they are currently over saturating the city school district. But one education advocate is fighting to open a new charter school.
The Buffalo School Board unanimously approved a resolution September 16. It calls on the New York State Board of Regents not to approve four new charter school applications.
New charter school’s principal resigns less than one month after it opens
In a Facebook post last week, Courtney Paschal Purnell, the former principal of Independence Classical Academy, said the “school should be 100% about the success of our children and the betterment of our community.”
Director Sandy Krischke, according to Purnell, “willfully committed academic stolen valor” and “misrepresented” her certifications and character.
Second charter school executive sentenced in $2.5M enrollment scheme
Joann Vega and two other executives at the now-closed Discovery Creemos Academy charter school knew they were in financial trouble during the 2016-17 academic year.
Enrollment was falling at the K-8 Goodyear charter school, and there were concerns about keeping teachers employed and classrooms open for students.
Let The Charter School Lies Begin
As part of their antisemitic campaign against LAUSD Board Member Scott Schmerelson, the charter school industry pushed a narrative that he had “tripled his own pay.” As pointed out during the primary, this was a complete lie advanced by the California Charter School Association (CCSA). While school board members did receive a massive increase from $45,637 to $125,000 per year, they had nothing to do with the raise.
Former charter school teacher fired after declining to stop wearing Black Lives Matter mask
Lillian White said she never fathomed wearing a Black Lives Matter mask would cause such an uproar and lead to her termination from Great Hearts Western Hills just about a week before students were set to return to class.
“It was really stressful because I have a financial obligation to help support my family,” White said. “It’s also kind of heartbreaking that this is the kind of – this is the reason that I lost my job.”
Edtorial: Remember charter school reform? It’s more important than ever
Before March and the public education turmoil caused by the coronavirus, the call for charter school funding reform was being echoed loudly in local school board meetings throughout the region at the start of 2020.
Several local boards considered and adopted a resolution circulated by the Pennsylvania School Boards Association supporting a charter reform proposal put forth by Gov. Tom Wolf.
Your View: Should taxpayers finance cyber charter schools if districts can offer distance learning at a lower cost?
The majority of educators and student seem to agree that in-person instruction is superior to cyber schooling. Yet for more than two decades Pennsylvania taxpayers have paid the same tuition rate for cyber charter schools as for brick and mortar cyber schools.
Unfinished charter school becomes neighborhood eyesore in southeast Harris County
Some neighbors in southeast Harris County said an unfinished charter school building has become an eyesore.
“It just looks horrible for our community,” said neighbor Sylvia Rodriguez.
Construction work on Elite College Prep Academy – Riverstone, on Riverstone Ranch Drive at Kirksage Drive, was never completed. Neighbors said the project has dragged on for years.
Director Leaves North Side Comminity Charter School after tumultous year
The former executive director of North Side Community School could receive nearly $300,000 in public funding from the school even as he develops another charter school in south St. Louis.
Chester Asher signed a three-year contract with North Side in 2019 with an annual salary of $160,000. One year into his term, the charter school agreed to part ways with Asher, who stepped down to “fully commit his energy and talents for social justice,” according to a letter sent to school families.
Woodland District 50 Sues to close Prairie Crossing Charter School in Grayslake
Gurnee-based Woodland School District 50 filed a lawsuit this week seeking the closure of Prairie Crossing Charter School in Grayslake.
The lawsuit argues that Prairie Crossing has failed to educate at-risk students as required by the state. The litigation also claims that, by taking state funds, the charter school diverts money away from services for low-income and underrepresented students in District 50.
Former administrator, teacher question charter school over promises to keep students safe from COVID-19
In July, 9NEWS visited the charter school in Aurora which touted a plan to have in-person learning safely. At the time, Principal Linda August said that in addition to strict cleaning protocols, classes above kindergarten would be split up into two groups capped at a maximum of ten people.
Since the 9NEWS visit in July, Principal August has quit along with two assistant principals including Mary Higgins.
‘Funds Raised Some Concerns’: OIG Launches Investigation Into Alberto Carvalho’s Nonprofit
The Office of the Inspector General for Miami-Dade County Public Schools has launched an investigation into Superintendent Alberto Carvalho’s nonprofit following a donation from K12, the much-maligned online learning platform axed by the district.
A memo from Inspector General Mary Cagle states her office “will begin a review of the transfer of approximately $1.57 million dollars from K12, a virtual instruction provider, to the Foundation for New Education Initiatives, Inc.”
Charter school in Fort Myers being shut down
The Lee County School Board is shutting down a charter school in Fort Myers.
The decision was made in an emergency meeting Wednesday. District staff who visited the school reported overflowing trash bins, kids walking around unsupervised, and only two teachers running the whole operation.
Ex-Arizona charter school principal sentenced in fraud case
The former principal of a Goodyear charter school has been sentenced to nearly four years in prison and ordered to pay more than $2.5 million in restitution in a fraud case.
State prosecutors say Harold Cadiz was sentenced for his role in enrolling fake students to obtain funding from the Arizona Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
SEC settles fraud charges with Arizona charter school
An Arizona-based nonprofit charter school agreed to settle Securities and Exchange Commission allegations that it misled investors and its former president agreed to pay a $30,000 penalty and will not participate in future municipal securities offerings.
On Monday, the SEC charged Park View School, a state-funded, nonprofit charter school with misleading investors in a $7.6 million municipal bond offering in April 2016. It also charged Debra Kay Slagle, the school’s then-president.