March-May, 2020
MAY 27, 2020 – Did some charter schools double-dip in federal coronavirus relief funding?
in April, the charter school’s board called a special meeting to take $550,600 of Cares Act money via a Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loan. Those loans were intended by Congress to shore up small, struggling businesses that would otherwise lay off their employees as revenue dried up
MAY 20, 2020 – Former principal sues White Pine Charter School
Jeremy Clarke, whom trustees fired in March, filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in the District of Idaho on May 7, contending that the school’s board members violated his rights under the Americans With Disabilities and Idaho Human Rights acts, the Family Medical Leave Act, the Idaho Wage Claim Act and other laws.
MAY 24, 2020 – State Chamber has warning for judge in Epic Charter Schools case
Oklahoma County District Judge Natalie Mai is being asked to order Epic’s management company to turn over records to the state auditor for an investigative audit. The state auditor subpoenaed bank statements, credit card payments, emails, vendor contracts and other records from the company.
MAY 21, 2020 – Charter Schools Are Still Getting Public Funding. So Why Are They Applying For PPP Loans?
The board of Gabriella Charter Schools, which operates two campuses in Echo Park and South L.A., authorized a $1.3 million PPP loan.
So did Ivy Academia in the west San Fernando Valley. That charter school’s board accepted $962,300 through PPP.
MAY 20, 2020 – Central Pa. charter school official charged with stealing more than $60K in federal funds
According to filings in U.S. Middle District Court, Eliseo Sierra, operations manager for the Lincoln Charter School in York, already has struck a tentative deal to plead guilty in return for a pledge by prosecutors to recommend a probationary sentence
MAY 19, 2020 – Ross Valley Charter gets $270K small business relief loan
The Ross Valley Charter school has secured a $270,563 loan from the federal Paycheck Protection Program, a relief effort for small businesses during the coronavirus economic slump.
The move has prompted criticism from some residents who note that the Fairfax school, a nonprofit organization, also receives state per-student financing.
MAY 19, 2020 – Reading City Council signs off on I-LEAD settlement
The Reading City Council signed off Monday on its part of the I-LEAD global settlement agreement, which could lead to the closing of the charter school.
“This is something that we have been working on and anticipating for several months now,” said council Vice President Lucine Sihelnik.
MAY 19, 2020 – Your tax dollars may be going to charter schools with major financial, academic problems
During a recent Utah State Charter School Board meeting, Carol Lear’s criticisms of the process that the charter school board follows to approve expansion and satellite campus was notable.
May 15, 2020 – Traditional public schools getting triple the state cuts of charters
Traditional public schools are getting cut at a rate more than three times as much as charter schools in budget reductions ordered by Gov. Mike DeWine.
The traditional districts saw their state allocation drop an average of 3.72%, compared to 1.03% for charter schools, which are taxpayer funded but generally privately run.
MAY 14, 2020 – Eva Moskowitz and Success Academy found guilty of violating NY State student privacy Law
The Chief Privacy Officer of the NY State Education Department issued a ruling on Tuesday May 12 that Eva Moskowitz and Success Academy had violated Education Law 2d, the state student privacy law, that prohibits the disclosure of personal student information without parental consent except under specific conditions required to provide a student’s education.
MAY 07, 2020 – Guest columnist: Cyber charter school has failed students
In a recent article in The Mercury, “Cyber charters offer help, but have no takers,” the Agora CEO wonders why no districts have come to them to launch their online learning programs.
The reason is obvious. No school would want to replicate Agora’s failures.
MAY 09, 2020 State school board takes ‘final action’ related to AISU charter school’s financial obligations
American International School of Utah shuttered nearly a year ago but the Utah State Board of Education is still taking steps intended to wrap up the public charter school’s financial obligations.
MAY 06, 2020 – Charter administrators received $51,000 in undocumented payments
The former head administrator and the former business manager at an Idaho Falls charter school received more than $51,000 in undocumented payments over an 11-month period, according to an Idaho Education News investigation. Amounts paid to the men do not appear in board agendas or minutes.
MAY 05, 2020 – Carondelet Leadership Academy charter school in south St. Louis to close for poor academics
Last month, the Missouri Charter Public School Commission declined to renew the school’s charter contract because of poor academic performance.
MAY 02, 2020 – 98 Success Academy Students Accepted To College
But is that a lot?
The New York Post seems to think so.
But a responsible reporter would ask the logical follow up question. Is 98 really all the students in the class of 2020?
APR 29, 2020 – Citizens Of The World Charter School: The Unwelcome House Guest
From the beginning, the neighborhood did not need another school while other schools in the community remained under-enrolled. The school’s finances were an “abomination,” and the leadership was ill-equipped to oversee the schools.
APR 30, 2020 – Former EAGLE Charter teacher files lawsuit for violating whistleblower laws, retaliation
A parent and former teacher at EAGLE Charter School in Salem recently filed a lawsuit alleging school leaders retaliated against him and violated state whistleblower laws after he expressed concerns about the treatment of his child with disabilities.
APR 27, 2020 – Former head of Livermore charter schools charged with misleading investors
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has charged former CEO of the Tri-Valley Learning Corporation, Bill Batchelor, with allegedly misleading investors when acquiring a $25 million bond for Livermore charter schools.
APR 27, 2020 – IDEA charter school network landed grants with political help from Education Department, congressman says
A U.S. congressman is demanding answers from the U.S. Education Department, alleging department employees complained to his office about political interference in the awarding of a multimillion-dollar federal grant to the controversial IDEA charter school network.
APR 08, 2020 – Whistleblower teacher put on leave by charter school
The teacher who contacted WRAL News with concerns about having to report to work at Youngsville Academy during a stay-at-home order was put on administrative leave by the school’s principal Wednesday.
MAR 28, 2020 – Court hearing delayed in State Auditor’s quest for records of Epic Charter Schools spending
Coronavirus mitigation efforts forced the delay of a court hearing set for this week in the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office’s quest to get Epic Charter Schools’ for-profit operator to comply with the state’s investigative audit.
MAR 09, 2020 – Charter school company spends big on luxury travel
Last October, the CEO and president of the largest charter school company in Texas took a trip to Houston. They didn’t travel the way most public-school employees would have. Instead, they traveled by private jet, their spouses and five children came along for the trip, and they got around Houston not by Uber or rent car, but in a chauffeured SUV.
MAR 10, 2020 – Education Advocates Say Cyber Charters Spend Millions on Ads
Cyber charter schools appear to be spending millions of dollars in taxpayer money on advertising, but at least one refuses to show the details.
Commonwealth Charter Academy is one of the biggest cyber charters in the state and recruits students through extensive and expensive advertising.
MAR 03, 2020 – The Detroit district considers reauthorizing two charter schools to allow them time to transition — or improve
District officials are considering extending contracts for the Barack Obama Leadership Academy and David Ellis Academy, but only for two years. The short extension, officials say, will give the schools time to show the kind of academic improvement that might warrant a longer contract, or to secure a different authorizer.
MAR 05, 2020 – Epic Charter Schools’ for-profit management firm refuses to release documents to investigators, Oklahoma attorney general says
The Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office went to court on Thursday because it says Epic Charter Schools’ for-profit operator has not been cooperating with the state’s investigative audit.
MAR 05, 2020 – The School Says It’s Not A Virtual Charter. State Legal Experts Aren’t So Sure
An agricultural-focused charter school is under scrutiny from the Indiana State Board of Education (SBOE), because according to the board’s legal counsel the school is operating like a virtual charter school when state law says it shouldn’t be.
MAR 05, 2020 – One of Rhode Island’s first charter schools is closing
The Academy for Career Exploration, which was one of Rhode Island’s first charter schools when it opened in 1997 as the Textron Chamber of Commerce Academy, informed the state Department of Education last month that it would close rather than craft a reform plan that might have kept it open.
MAR 02, 2020 – Ethical questions raised around Cornerstone charter schools’ real estate deals
On a bitter morning last month, the board for Cornerstone Madison-Carver Academy met to hear from the school network’s founder, Clark Durant, about a plan aiming to reinvigorate funding for the schools.
