Stealing Scarce Education Funds From LAUSD Students
– LAUSD Charter School Division
The LAUSD School Board took the rare step of considering the denial of a charter school’s renewal during their April 2, 2019, “special” meeting. In reviewing the hundreds of pages of documentssupporting this recommendation, it was clear that the Community Preparatory Academy (CPA) has been in trouble since it was opened five years ago. During public comment I summarized the worst of their offenses for the Board:
In recognition of Autism Awareness Day, I would like to point out that 6.87%of the students at this charter have disabilities. The resident schools median is 12.43%. This discrepancy is a systematic problem throughout the LAUSD.
The Charter School Division is recommending denial now, but the problems are not new. This charter was originally approved in 2014 and has had a net deficit since the 2014-15 fiscal year. It’s ending Fund Balance last year was ($820,303).
That deficit not only affects the students who go to this charter, but it also takes money from the 80% of students who attend LAUSD public schools. According to the Charter School Division (CSD), CPA entered into Single-Year Food Services Agreements with the District. As of February 22, 2019, the District had not received payments from CPA for the months of January 2017 through June 2017, which total $82,240currently owed to the District.
Our elementary schools are being denied librarians because we do CONTINUE READING: Stealing Scarce Education Funds From LAUSD Students