Florida's failed charter schools: Cracks in the system Part I

[madfloridian]

From an investigation by the Naples Daily News in September 2014.

Florida's failed charter schools: Cracks in the system

NAPLES, Fla. - Seven times since 2006, Richard Milburn Academy of Florida has failed at running a charter school.

In Lee County, two RMA schools closed after administrators manipulated student grades. In the Tampa Bay-area, two RMA schools shut down due to poor academic performance. In Manatee County, one RMA school was shuttered after half of the graduating class received diplomas without earning enough credits.

Yet, in Florida’s charter school system, RMA of Florida is allowed to continue operating and opening new campuses. Many of the same people responsible for the seven failures are now running two charter schools near Daytona Beach, receiving about $2.8 million in taxpayer money last school year.


The Richard Milburn Academy is seen at its former location in Fort Myers in August 2012. The charter school closed following an investigation that found students were receiving diplomas they had not earned. (Video frame grab provided by WFTX-TV Fox 4 Fort Myers)

That RMA still does business in Florida is but one example of cracks in Florida’s charter system, a world in which critics say too many ill-prepared and ill-intentioned operators are failing the state’s students and taxpayers.

It is easy for failed charter schools to keep opening and getting more state money. Why? Because districts are not allowed to turn down a school with a troubled background.

They can only go by what they do presently.

These schools are publicly funded but run privately. Among those applying are:

• A group that managed three new charter schools in Broward and Palm Beach counties that opened this year — and then shut down on the first day of school.

• The founder of two charter schools that failed in 2007 amid accusations of stolen money, shoddy record keeping and parent complaints, according to state and local records. A state investigation later chastised school directors for "virtually nonexistent" oversight, though prosecutors filed no criminal charges.

• An educator who was banned from New Jersey public schools, then consulted for two schools in Broward and Palm Beach counties that shuttered in 2013. The Palm Beach County school district closed one of the schools because of poor academics and financial difficulties; the Broward school chose to cease operations amid dwindling enrollment, according to school district reports.

Starting up, shutting down

[madfloridian]

1. Part 2: Florida's failed charter schools: Few dollars, little sense doom dozens of charters

Florida's failed charter schools: Few dollars, little sense doom dozens of charters

NAPLES, Fla. -- At the end of his tour of Cambridge Christian School, a private academy in northwest Tampa, first-grader Giovanni Scanio had a question.

“How long will the school be open?” Giovanni asked, according to his mother, Lisa.

Giovanni wanted to know because a few weeks earlier, in July 2012, the charter school he loved abruptly shut down.

After just two years in operation, A.T. Jones Math, Science & Technology Academy had fallen about $121,000 into debt. The charter’s governing board members kept promising parents that a private investor would pump $100,000 into the school, but when the money never materialized, A.T. Jones became yet another charter casualty.

Much more at the link.

[madfloridian]

2. Parts 3, 4 coming in separate post.

Hard to get any interest in such a topic. But at least it's being read a little now and then.

[Starry Messenger]

3. k&r

[FloriTexan]

4. Kick!

[madfloridian]

5. Appreciated.

Anymore earthquakes? Hope not. Bet that was unnerving.

[wavesofeuphoria]

6. mad - is there any group or such monitoring charter schools ?

Has anyone tabulated the money lost/wasted? I can't imagine that the DOE is doing this (eye roll) but was curious if you knew of any groups?

Also ... have you heard or seen any group, similar to say BAT's, that are charter school teachers? I've looked a little but I suspect they are too afraid to lose their jobs if they speak out.

Thanks for the posts mad ... as always

[madfloridian]

7. Democrats for Public Education is getting some traction now.

Not just monitoring charters but all of the ed reform activity. If you check out the people they follow, you will see some great sites to read and some groups to follow.

https://twitter.com/Dems4PublicEd/following

It's tricky as so many reform groups take names like StudentsFirst....when that is really not their goal at all.