Today at the Delaware State Board of Education meeting, it was decided the school would be handed over to Eastside Charter School. The 6-1 vote by the Delaware State Board of Education renews the embattled school’s charter but does place them on formal review.
The room was packed with new board members and supporters of the school. While the State Board did discuss many of the financial problems with the school, they did agree to give this new board a chance. Board member Whittaker did not vote for the charter’s renewal.
The Formal Review is based on the charter’s Organizational and Financial parts of their framework. State Auditor Tom Wagner’s office has not released their official audit at this point which could conceivably shed more light on the financial mismanagement at the Wilmington charter school while under the leadership of ex-heads of school Sean Moore and Dr. Tennell Brewington.
Updated: A lot more information behind the collaboration between the Delaware Charter Schools Network, Family Foundations Academy and Eastside Charter School can be seen here by the awesome WHYY/Newsworks education reporter Avi Wolfman-Arent: http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/item/77394-delaware-spares-troubled-charter-school?linktype=hp_topstory
I’m guessing the State Board of Education gave the charter a sixty day formal review for a couple reasons. 1) To see what may come out of Delaware State Auditor Tom Wagner’s office, and 2) To see if the Eastside crew can actually manage to do double the work for two schools. None of the standardized test cheating I have written about, which has been reported to me by more than one source, was even touched upon by the State Board of Education. Nor was the special education issues brought up by the prior board. I guess since Markell’s Charter Love Child, Eastside Charter, swooped in and saved the day all is forgiven. Don’t get me wrong, I would hate to see any child sent to a new school if they don’t have to. But the charter system in Delaware has so much rot and corruption at so many of it’s schools, or just plain incompetence. In FFA’s board minutes for 12/31/14, one of the board members actually asked about getting a Staples card to help with the technology to pay all the outstanding invoices. It’s called a clue buddy… I’m sure this Eastside board is much more experienced with these types of things, but I remain unconvinced that some of the administration will be able to carry the weight should Eastside ever exit this partnership.
The Season Of Myths 