Charter school closes in Oceanside
CEANSIDE — Oxford Preparatory Academy, a charter school that catered to 300 K-8 students in the Vista Unified School District, closed down its physical campus in Oceanside earlier this week when it came to light that the school may have operated an illegal charter this past year, according to a Vista Unified official and parents.
“When charters are done right, they work really well,” said Brett Killeen, assitant superintendent in charge of human relations with Vista Unified. “If you live in the district, there is a right way and wrong way to do a charter school,” Killeen said.
The issue has simmered for several months with Oxford Preparatory, which received its original charter approval from Borrego Springs Unified School District a few years back, then opened a small office in San Marcos two years ago. When the tiny school of 50 students moved to expand, it opened a larger campus at the New Venture Christian Fellowship Church at 4000 Mystra Way in Oceanside, about 80 miles from its chartering authority in Borrego Springs.
According to Killeen, Oxford Preparatory Academy never established a charter school first in Borrego Springs before expanding outside of its home school district. Last school year, the charter school moved from San Marcos to its Oceanside address —— which is within Vista Unified — but never notified Vista officials.
“You can’t do it when it’s not authorized,” he said.
Barbara Black, interim executive director of Oxford Preparatory Academy, did not return phone calls seeking comment. In an Aug. 18 letter sent by Black to parents of the school, said adjustments would be made to the charter with Borrego Springs. These include:
• Oxford Preparatory Academy will only offer a home-based instructional program.
• The school will no longer operate the facility in Oceanside.
• The school will establish a facility in the Borrego Springs school district.
Parents are not happy.
“We feel like we were thrown under the bus,” said Douglas Gore, a Carlsbad single parent who was able to get his son enrolled this week at Aviara Oaks Middle School in the Carlsbad Unified School District. “I’m very angry to see my son with tears in his eyes,” he said. “There are a lot of unanswered questions. The kids will have scars from this.”
“We have a few short days to decide if we go to (home school) or send them to private school,” said Oceanside resident Jackie Howe of her four children who attended the school last year. “It’s hard. I do not feel confident sending our kids back into a broken education system that sees children as dollar signs.”Charter school closes physical school in Oceanside amid dispute with Vista Unified. | SanDiegoUnionTribune.com:
