Two closed charter schools’ records unauditable
The two Talented Tenth Leadership Academies in Columbus have been shut down, their founder has been indicted on criminal theft charges, and now the former charter schools have been placed on Ohio Auditor Dave Yost’s “unauditable” list.
Yost said financial records for the academies — one for boys and one for girls — were either missing or such a mess that he was unable to review them to determine whether tax dollars were accounted for.
Problems for the two academies started shortly after they opened in 2013. Within months, Ohio school Superintendent Richard A. Ross ordered them closed for health and safety reasons.
State officials said the schools were inadequately staffed, there were numerous student fights, and meals weren’t being served or consisted of fast-food carryout. The schools were sponsored by the North Central Ohio Education Center.
The schools’ founder, Andre Rasheen Tucker, faces two counts of theft alleging that he stole checks made out to his charter school totaling about $7,500.
Yost’s office conducts regular audits of charter schools and other entities to ensure that tax dollars are accounted for. The academies are among four charter schools on his unauditable list.
School officials have 90 days to turn over required financial records or face legal action, and the sponsoring service center must provide a written explanation. The sponsor also is prohibited from contracting with additional charter schools.Two closed charter schools’ records unauditable | The Columbus Dispatch: