Image: Adobe Stock
The state Charter Schools Review Board on Monday approved 10-year renewals for 18 charter schools, despite concerns expressed by at least one board member about granting such long terms to some schools with lower academic performance.
“I know that we don’t have a choice because we’re following the law as it is written, but I just have to go on record saying that … it does not sit well with me to give a 10-year renewal to schools that are performing at a D status,” said board member Shelly Slope.
This debate over renewal lengths is not new. Last year, board member Alex Quigley questioned the necessity of 10-year renewals.
Other board members have argued that the renewal process is costly for both schools and the state, particularly as the number of charter schools continues to grow.
Under 10-year renewal guidelines, schools must demonstrate that their student academic outcomes for the preceding three years have been comparable to those of students in the local school district. They must also provide sound financial audits and be in compliance with state and federal laws.
Piedmont Classical High School in Guilford County, originally slated for a 7-year renewal due to a single year of underperformance, received a 10-year term after three consecutive years of meeting or exceeding growth targets.
The board postponed renewal votes for Doral Academy of North Carolina in Raleigh and Washington Montessori in Beaufort County until its next meeting, as both schools have yet to submit their required audits.
At least four other schools received five-year renewal terms.
Another ten schools were granted three-year renewals, a designation reserved for schools that show a “pattern of unresolved or consistent issues” and an inability to provide sound audits for the immediately preceding year, or if the school is currently on financial noncompliance disciplinary status. Schools with academic outcomes that have not been comparable to the local school district’s outcomes but have met growth one year out of the immediately preceding three years, may also be granted three-year renewals.
The board voted not to renew the charter for Durham’s Community School of Digital & Visual Art, citing issues related to financial management, governance, and compliance.
The board also discussed Charlotte’s United Community School, noting the school had defaulted on small business loans. “When payments were only $600 a month or $7,000 a year, it does concern me that they would have defaulted on that loan,” said a DPI official. “It’d be a big indicator, as I stated before, we do monitor, for us, every school is a one-year school in finance, and so we will be closely monitoring the school expenses, already seeing revenues.”
The board ultimately tabled the renewal decision for United Community School, pending further clarification and information from the school.
The board did vote to grant a three-year renewal for Haliwa-Saponi Tribal School in Halifax County, despite concerns about its low academic performance. This decision reflected the board’s consideration of the school’s cultural significance within its community.
“There is a very, very strong cultural aspect here, community aspect that I fully appreciate for how important this school is for the tribal community,” Board member Bartley Danielsen said.