Fulton County school board members have denied renewal of charters for a high school and elementary school in the district, citing weaknesses with governance and problematic finances.
In a unanimous vote at a board meeting Thursday night, members decided to cut ties with charter schools Fulton Science Academy High and Fulton Sunshine Academy elementary by the end of this school year — leaving the future of 800 students who attend the schools in question.
Fulton school district staff cited poor governance that has “resulted in the default on a $19 million bond, a self-perpetuating board membership structure that has been dominated by individuals who did not represent the community,” and a “general lack of transparency,” according to a released statement from the school system.
Representatives of the charter schools have fought against the criticism in an attempt to keep the schools operating. In a statement to parents this week, high school board chairwoman Maria Beug-Deeb, who has two children at the school, said they “have been responsive and transparent communicating with Fulton County” about how the schools operate.
“We have overhauled our board and adopted new bylaws that go into effect in 2015,” she stated. “The county has expressed concern about our school’s board. In response to their concerns, the FSA High School board members have all agreed to resign their posts if this removes the impediment to receiving our renewed charter.”
Fulton school superintendent Robert Avossa has directed district staff to “investigate a path forward” for students. The schools are expected to remain open until the end of the school year.
“After years of opportunities to improve, it has become clear that the governance boards of these schools are either unable or unwilling to be sufficiently transparent in their governance practices to justify their continued funding by taxpayers,” Avossa said in a statement.
The board’s action Thursday follows the State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia’s decision in August to deny authorization of both schools’ continued operation. The commission’s vote to deny the charter petitions was based on recommendations from the commission staff, which said the elementary school administration and governing board “failed to adequately address how the school would operate” and the high school’s governing board had “consistent problems” in its oversight of school administration.
In 2012, Fulton revoked the charter of a related middle school and tried to revoke the high school’s charter but was overruled last year by the state board of education.
Fulton shut down the middle school after an audit raised questions about finances and management. The district criticized the school’s board for borrowing nearly $19 million for construction without knowing whether the charter would be extended. The bonds, issued by the Alpharetta Development Authority, subsequently went into default. School officials have challenged the accuracy of many of the audit’s findings.
The middle school closed in July 2012 and reopened as the Fulton Science Academy Private School, serving students as young as pre-kindergarten.
One of the problems Fulton had cited when it tried to revoke the high school’s charter was low enrollment. Fulton also alleged the public school required seniors to pay for online courses needed for graduation, but the school has denied that.
The school, which auditors found had some connections to supporters of Fethullah Gulen, a prominent Turkish imam, had been unable reach the enrollment goal of 350 promised in its charter application nearly a decade ago, Fulton officials said at the time.
School officials have denied a relationship with Gulen. Nationally, some charter schools with ties to the Gulen education movement have faced criticism for contracts with businesses and groups tied to the movement and money spent to bring in teachers and other workers from Turkey.
The Fulton high school has 280 students, including 125 ninth-graders, and the elementary school 564, according to a spokesman for both schools.
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