A pair of East Point charter schools whose charter was not renewed by Fulton County Schools last year have now been placed on probation by a state commission.
The State Charter Schools Commission voted in May 2023 to give RISE (Reaching Innovative Solutions in Education) Grammar and Prep schools a lifeline after Fulton’s school board voted against renewal a few months earlier. However, less than a year later, the commission has placed RISE on probation, citing similar problems to those previously outlined by Fulton administrators.
Fulton Charter Schools Coordinator Andrea Cooper Gatewood last year cited several issues about RISE, which included “ ... a history of low student performance, a lack of fiscal responsibility, unstable governance and a lack of compliance with state and federal guidelines.” Superintendent Mike Looney and other Fulton officials also expressed concern over RISE’s debt, which they said topped $14 million at the end of 2022.
After Fulton denied the renewal, RISE appealed to the SCSC, which granted the schools a three-year charter term.
RISE projected it would enroll 696 students during the 2023-24 school year, but state data shows just 457 students were enrolled in October.
“The school is being placed on probation because its governing board has demonstrated an inability to provide effective leadership or otherwise oversee the state charter school’s operations,” Commission Chair Mike Dudgeon wrote in a letter to RISE’s board President Lara Sterling dated May 10, 2024. The letter outlines several steps RISE needs to take immediately to avoid having its charter revoked, including submitting a budget and a plan to recruit more students.
Dudgeon’s letter says RISE needs to convince the commission the schools are on solid financial ground by June 7. If not, the board could decide to terminate the schools’ charter. RISE will remain on probation until then.
Sterling did not respond to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s interview request.
RISE’s Dean of Students Dondrill McFarland said some staff members, including her, are so fed up they staged a mental health “sick out” last Monday. She said 35 RISE employees stayed home.
“So you’re talking about 400 some-odd kids in (school) without 35 staff, and the board didn’t even blink their eyes,” she said.
The SCSC declined an interview request, but responded to emailed questions. In response to a question about whether commission members were concerned about the financial troubles flagged by Fulton officials, the body said it conducted a comprehensive review before transferring RISE’s charter.
“While we did not have complete documentation from all parties regarding governance and operational performance, we were aware of the school’s debt,” the commission said. “However, the school presented a reasonably sound plan to increase student enrollment, which led the SCSC Board of Commissioners to believe the school could operate successfully.”
If the charter is revoked, most RISE students would likely attend their zoned public school in Fulton County.
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