Arizonans for Charter School Accountability has recently filed complaints with the Arizona Attorney General against 113 charter holders for failing to post school board information on their websites as mandated by Arizona’s Open Meeting Law. Among the charter companies subject to the complaints are Great Hearts, EdKey, Benjamin Franklin, Noah Webster, Khalsa Montessori Elementary Schools, and Sonoran Science Charter schools.
The alleged failure to comply is striking in the cases of Great Heart and Benjamin Franklin. Rep. Paul Boyer, who chairs the Arizona House of Representatives Education Committee is an employee of Great Heart, and Rep. Eddie Farnsworth, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, owns Benjamin Franklin charter company.
There fewer requirements for charter schools in Arizona than in any other state in the union. One hundred and thirteen charter holders do not feel the need to inform the public about board meetings because no one at the state level cares. Arizona law does not allow the Department of Education or the Auditor General to monitor charter schools. The Arizona State Board for Charter Schools apparently does not monitor charters for compliance either. The independent audits submitted by 133 charter owners have inaccurate information about Open Meeting Law compliance. The accuracy of the rest of the financial audits obviously comes into question. The lack of transparency in Arizona charter schools has been carefully crafted by conservative state legislators since the beginning of charter schools in 1994. Prior to 2000, Arizona statues required charter school boards to make “operational and policy decisions” for the school. The 2000 Arizona Legislature struck the word “operational” from the law, taking all requirements for operational transparency away from public charter school boards and allowing all management decisions to be made in secret at the corporate level. Washington State decided that charters are not public schools because their boards are not elected. Charter oversight is so lax in Arizona that 91 charter schools may not be holding school board meetings at all and all decisions are made in secret at corporate meetings. How can these charters be considered “public” schools when their goal is to hide all information from the public – except the “website accessibility policy”? |
Those charters however are only some of the 288 charter holders out of 411 total that complied with the law. Many have completely transparent board meetings and offer their parents access to information and the governing process. Arizonans for Charter School Accountability say those schools are to be commended.
A total of 113 charters did not state where public notices are posted or supply school board meeting notices on their websites as required by Arizona’s Open Meeting Law. Some of the largest Arizona charter companies including Great Hearts, EdKey, Benjamin Franklin, Noah Webster, and Sonoran Science Charter schools failed to comply with the law. Further study revealed that 147 charters did not post notices for any board meetings in 2017 and 91 charters have no notices of any board meetings – ever.
Charter boards are not elected in Arizona – they are appointed by the charter owner. Charter school boards are only required by statue to “set the policies of the school” and can turn over all of the day-to-day operation of the school, including hiring all staff, to the charter corporate board, even if the charter is non-profit. All curriculum, personnel, and management decisions can be made in secret by the corporate board that is a private organization and is not bound by open meeting laws or public records requests. The charter school board only sets policy.
As a result, a number of charter holders seldom have school board meetings, and when they do little is discussed. For example, Basis Inc. has one school board meeting for all 20 Basis schools in the state. The BASIS April 2017 board meeting (the first meeting since August 2016) had one item on the agenda – a website accessibility policy and nothing else.
Prior to 2000, Arizona statues required charter school boards to make “operational and policy decisions” for the school. The 2000 Arizona Legislature struck the word “operational” from the law, taking all requirements for operational transparency away from public charter school boards and allowing all management decisions to be made in secret at the corporate level.
Jim Hall, founder of Arizonans for Charter School Accountability, noted, “The lack of transparency in Arizona charter schools has been carefully crafted by conservative state legislators since the initial charter legislation in 1994. Charter oversight is so lax in Arizona that 113 charter schools fail to supply school board meeting information on their websites as required by the Open Meeting Law.”
Related Articles:
Challenge Charter Video Reveals “Ugly” Miller Tactics
Arizonans For Charter School Accountability Issues Research Summary 2016
UofA Grad Ben Chavis Indicted In Oakland Charter School Scam
Hall continued, “Arizona charter school board meetings are so meaningless, by statute, that many charter owners don’t bother to have meetings. And many that do only discuss things like their website access policy. Charters are allowed to hide all aspects of their operations from the public in secret corporate meetings. How can they be considered public schools?”
The full report is at azcsa.org
Table 1 – Charter Holders not following Open Meeting Laws
Charter Holder | URL Link |
Academy of Excellence | http://www.academyofexcellenceaz.com/ |
Accelerated Elementary and Secondary schools | http://www.allaccelerated.org/tucson/ |
Allen Cochran Enterprises, Inc (Center Educational Excellence) | http://ceeschool.com/ |
Anthem Preparatory Academy (Greathearts) | http://anthemprep.greatheartsacademies.org/ |
Archway Classical Academy Chandler | http://archwaychandler.greatheartsacademies.org/ |
Archway Classical Academy Cicero | http://archwaycicero.greatheartsacademies.org/ |
Archway Classical Academy Glendale | http://archwayglendale.greatheartsacademies.org/ |
Archway Classical Academy Lincoln | http://archwaylincoln.greatheartsacademies.org/ |
Archway Classical Academy North Phoenix | http://archwaynorthphoenix.greatheartsacademies.org/ |
Archway Classical Academy Scottsdale | http://archwayscottsdale.greatheartsacademies.org/ |
Archway Classical Academy Trivium East | http://archwaytriviumeast.greatheartsacademies.org/ |
Archway Classical Academy Trivium West | http://archwaytrivium.greatheartsacademies.org/ |
Archway Classical Academy Veritas | http://archwayveritas.greatheartsacademies.org/ |
Arete Preparatory Academy | http://areteprepacademy.greatheartsacademies.org/ |
Arizona Academy of Science & Technology | http://www.arizonaacademyofscience.org/ |
Arizona Agribusiness & Equine Center Inc ESTRELLA | https://www.aaechighschools.com/public-charter-school/estrella-mountain.html |
Arizona Agribusiness & Equine Center Inc Prescott | https://www.aaechighschools.com/public-charter-school/prescott-valley.html |
Arizona Agribusiness & Equine Center Inc PV | https://www.aaechighschools.com/public-charter-school/paradise-valley.html |
Arizona Agribusiness & Equine Center Inc Red Mountain | https://www.aaechighschools.com/public-charter-school/red-mountain.html |
Arizona Agribusiness & Equine Center Inc SMCC | https://www.aaechighschools.com/public-charter-school/south-mountain.html |
Arizona Call A Teen Youth Resources, Inc | http://acyraz.org/ |
Az-Tec High School | https://ahs-amsd-nm.schoolloop.com/ |
Benjamin Franklin Charter School | https://www.bfcsaz.com/ |
Blue Adobe Project | http://blueadobe.org/ |
Blueprint Education, Inc. (On-Line) | https://www.blueprinteducation.org/ |
Boys & Girls Clubs of the East Valley dba Mesa Arts Academy | http://clubzona.org/locations/mesa_arts_academy |
Bradley Academy of Excellence, Inc | http://bradleycreemos.org/ |
Carpe Diem Collegiate High School(Desert View) | http://www.desertviewmhs.com/ |
Chandler Preparatory Academy (Great Hearts) | http://chandlerprep.greatheartsacademies.org/ |
Cholla Academy (Westland) | www.westlandcharterschool.com |
Cicero Preparatory Academy (Greathearts) | http://ciceroprep.greatheartsacademies.org/ |
Crown Charter School, Inc. | http://www.crowncharter.com/index.html |
Daisy Education Corporation Sonoran Science Academy Peoria | https://www.sonoranschools.org/ |
Daisy Education Corporation(Paragon Science) | http://www.sonoranschools.org/psak12_home.aspx |
Daisy Education Corporation(Sonoran Science Davis Mothan | https://www.sonoranschools.org/ |
Daisy Education Corporation(Sonoran Science Phoenix) | https://www.sonoranschools.org/ |
Daisy Education Corporation(Sonoran Science) | https://www.sonoranschools.org/ |
East Valley Academy | http://www.mpsaz.org/eva |
Edkey, Inc. (Pathfinder) | http://eastmark.sequoiapathfinder.org/ |
Edkey, Inc. Arizona Conservatory for Arts & Academics | www.azconservatory.org |
Edkey, Inc.(Redwood)(AZ Conservatory Arts) | www.azconservatory.org |
Edkey, Inc.(Sequoia Charter) | http://www.sequoiaelementary.org/ |
Edkey, Inc.(Sequoia Ranch)(Children’s First) | cfaphoenix.org |
Edkey, Inc.Deaf | http://www.sequoiadeafschool.org/ |
Edkey, Inc.Sequoia Choice Schools | http://sequoiaprecision.org/ |
Employ-Ability Unlimited | http://www.employabilitycharters.com/ |
Ethos Academy: A Challenge Foundation Academy | http://ethos.teamcfa.school/ |
Excalibur Charter School, Inc.(Avalon) | http://avaloncharterschool.com/ |
Founding Fathers Academies(Jefferson) | http://www.jeffersonacademy.us/ |
Glendale Preparatory Academy (Great Hearts) | http://glendaleprep.greatheartsacademies.org/ |
Global Renaissance Academy (Grand Canyon Prep) | http://www.grandcanyonprep.com/ |
Graysmark Schools Corporation | http://www.graysmarkacademy.com/ |
Happy Valley East | http://hvseast.com/ |
Happy Valley School, Inc | http://happyvalleyschool.org/ |
Hirsch Academy: A Challenge Foundation Academy | http://hirsch.teamcfa.school/ |
Khalsa Family Service | https://khalsamontessori.org/ |
Khalsa Montessori Elementary Schools | http://www.khalsamontessorischool.com/ |
Lifelong Learning Research Institute Inc.(Air And Space Academy) | http://www.airandspaceacademy.com/ |
Lifelong Learning Research Institute, Inc.(Air And Space Academy) | http://www.airandspaceacademy.com/ |
Lincoln Preparatory Academy Great Hearts | http://lincolnprep.greatheartsacademies.org/ |
Little Lamb Community School(Mission Montessori) | http://www.missionmontessori.com/ |
Maryvale Preparatory Academy Greathearts | http://maryvaleprep.greatheartsacademies.org/ |
Milestones Charter School | http://milestonescharterschools.com/ |
Montessori House | http://montessori-house.com/ |
No Location or Meeting Notices | |
Noah Webster Schools-Mesa | https://www.noahwebster.org/campus/mesa/ |
Noah Webster Schools-Pima | https://www.noahwebster.org/campus/pima/ |
North Phoenix Preparatory Academy dba Greathearts | http://northphoenixprep.greatheartsacademies.org/ |
Painted Desert Demonstration Projects, Inc.(Star School) | http://www.starschool.org/ |
Presidio School | https://www.presidioschool.com/ |
PS Charter Schools(Pieceful Solutions) Autistic | https://www.piecefulsolutions.com/ |
Scottsdale Preparatory Academy Greathearts | http://scottsdaleprep.greatheartsacademies.org/ |
Sedona Charter School, Inc. | http://sedonacharterschool.com |
Skyview School, Inc. | http://www.skyviewschool.org/ |
Sonoran Science Academy Broadway | https://www.sonoranschools.org/ssabroadwayk8_home.aspx |
Southern Arizona Community Academy, Inc. | http://www.sacaeagles.com/ |
Southgate Academy, Inc | http://www.southgateaz.org/ |
Starshine Academy | http://www.starshineacademy.org/ |
StrengthBuilding Partners | http://www.strengthbuilding.org/?page_id=464 |
Teleos Preparatory Academy Greathearts | http://teleosprep.greatheartsacademies.org/ |
The Edge School Inc | http://www.edline.net/pages/EdgeHighSchool |
The FARM at Mission Montessori | http://www.missionmontessori.com/ |
The Griffin Foundation, The | www.griffinfoundation.org |
The Rising School | http://www.risingschool.org/ |
Trivium Preparatory Academy Greathearts | http://triviumprep.greatheartsacademies.org/ |
Tucson Collegiate Prep., Inc.(Paragon Prep) | http://paragonprep.education/home |
Veritas Preparatory Academy Greathearts | http://veritasprep.greatheartsacademies.org/ |
Yuma Private Industry Council dba Ed Opportunity Center | http://ypic.com/CHS/Charter_high.html |
No Location Notice | |
American Heritage Academy (EdKey) | http://www.americanheritageacademy.org/ |
Arizona Montessori Charter School at Anthem (Caurous Academy) | http://caurusacademy.org/ |
Calibre Academy, Inc. | http://www.calibreacademy.com/ |
Challenge School, Inc. | http://www.challengecharterschool.net/ |
Collaborative Pathways, Inc.(AZ College Prep Academy) | http://www.arizonacollegeprep.com/ |
Compass High School, Inc. | https://www.compasshighschool.com/ |
Eastpointe High School, Inc. | www.eastpointehs.com |
Edkey, Inc.(Sequoia Pathway) | http://www.sequoiapathway.org/ |
Edkey, Inc.(Sequoia Village)(George Washington) | http://www.sequoiavillageschool.org/ |
Fit Kids, Inc. (Champion) | http://www.championschools.org/ |
Incito Schools | http://www.incitoschools.org/ |
Juniper Tree Academy(Desert View) | http://www.desertviewacademy.com/ |
Montessori Education Centre – Charter School | http://www.montessorictr.org/ |
Nosotros Academy | http://nosotrosacademy.com/ |
P.L.C. Charter Schools(Arts Academy) | http://www.plcaaem.org/ |
Patagonia Montessori Elementary School | http://www.patagoniamontessori.org/index.html |
Patriot Academy | http://www.patriotacademyaz.org/ |
No Meeting Notices |
|
Arizona Language Preparatory | http://azlanguageprep.org/
|
Camelback Education, Inc. | http://www.camelbackacademy.com/home |
Country Gardens Charter Schools | http://cgcsaz.com/ |
Espiritu Community Development Corporation | https://www.espiritu.org/ |
Espiritu Community Development Corporation | https://www.espiritu.org/ |
Espiritu Schools | https://www.espiritu.org/ |
Fountain Hills Charter School | http://fhcspto.org/index.htm |
GAR, LLC (Student Choice HS) | http://studentchoicehighschool.com/ |
Genesis Academy | http://www.genesiscity.org/ |
Insititute for Transformatived Education, Inc. (Changemaker HS) | http://changemakerhighschool.org/ |
Leman Academy of Excellence, Inc. | https://lemanacademy.com/ |