Latest News and Comment from Education

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS: Dolores Huerta Preparatory High

CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS: Dolores Huerta Preparatory High

Dolores Huerta Preparatory High

Chavez schools ordered to fire finance officer (The Pueblo Chieftan, May 19, 2010)

The Pueblo City Schools Board of Education fired its toughest salvo yet against two charter schools Tuesday night, giving them 48 hours to fire their chief financial officer or possibly have their charters revoked.
The board approved a letter by a 4-0 vote — board member Dan Comden had left the meeting early — putting Cesar Chavez Academy and Dolores Huerta Preparatory High on probation for violating numerous parts of their charter contracts as spelled out in two state-ordered audits.

Opportunity Charter School

Manhattan's Opportunity Charter School accused of using disciplinary goon squad to beat problem kids (NY Daily News, May 19, 2010)

Manhattan charter school stands accused of letting its disciplinary team turn into a virtual goon squad that cracked down on troublemakers with violent beatdowns.
Students at Opportunity Charter School were punched, thrown to the floor and even dragged around by their hair, according to the city's Special Commissioner of Investigation.


City Day Community School

With proctors in class, City Day's test scores fall: The charter school is under state investigation for possibly cheating on the achievement tests in 2006. (Dayton Daily News, August 16, 2007)

DAYTON — City Day Community School, under state investigation for possibly cheating on Ohio achievement tests in 2006, saw its scores plummet in 2007 when testing there was monitored.
Last year, City Day jumped two steps from the bottom rating of academic emergency to continuous improvement on Ohio's five-step scale after huge test score gains.

Ethel Hedgeman Lyle Academy

Ethel Hedgeman Lyle Academy to close immediately (St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 20, 2010)
Ethel Hedgeman Lyle Academy’s two city school campuses will close as soon as tomorrow, according to an attorney for Missouri Baptist University, the charter school’s sponsor.
Chris Nicastro, state commissioner of education, sent an e-mail this morning to state legislators, saying that the charter school “is unable to meet financial obligations and unable to continue operations for the remainder of the school year.”