Charter School Corruption Summary

Daily News: DAYTON — Five charter schools in the city were cited by Ohio Auditor Mary Taylor's office for financial problems in their annual audits ranging from missing documentation to failing to make payments for worker's compensation and medicare.

The audits, released Thursday, March 6, show two — Academy of Dayton and New City School — with budget deficits of $722,600 and $202,319 respectively at the end of last school year.

Three cited by Taylor were begun by William Peterson, a former charter school superintendent over five schools who resigned under pressure last year. . . .

OregonLive: HILLSBORO -- The former bookkeeper of City View Charter School was arraigned Thursday on charges she stole from charity and a separate financial client. . . .Meanwhile, the Washington County Fraud and Identity Theft Enforcement Team is investigating allegations that Wheeler stole at least $64,000 from Hillsboro's only charter school after she started working there in June 2006.

Wheeler resigned Dec. 11 when City View board members began looking into the 154-student school's finances. She offered to repay $64,000, but not admit any guilt, as long as no criminal or civil actions were taken against her. After the offer was turned down, City View auditors discovered another $20,000 was missing. . . .

Daily Gazette: SCHENECTADY — The Schenectady City School District plans a lawsuit to recover money sent to the failing International Charter School of Schenectady in pupil aid.

The state Education Department sent money to the Rotterdam-based school in January to make up for money the city district withheld because it challenged the accuracy of the school’s enrollment figures. . . .The money sent to the school — which is roughly $9,500 per pupil per year — comes from both state aid and local taxpayer dollars.
Ely said the district still does not know the exact amount of money the charter school should have received. He said he knows it is less than $741,000 because the district sent the school a $73,000 payment. “We believe it’s probably less than half of that,” he said. . . .

News and Observer: DURHAM - About 60 students at Omuteko Gwamaziima charter school and their teachers will have to find a new school and new jobs for the fall.

The South Durham school's board of directors has agreed to surrender the 10-year-old school's charter to the state in June because of low enrollment and because too many teachers lacked required certifications. . . .

9News.com: BRIGHTON – District 27J said Wednesday it may make its decision on the future of a much-maligned charter school next week.

The Brighton Collegiate Charter School was asked to come up with a corrective action plan after it had three different sex scandals in two years. District 27J had proposed some revisions to the plan, but the charter school board voted Monday night to reject those revisions. . . .