Court Denies For-Profit Charters in Indian River

The 4th Circuit appeals court in Indian River overturned the State Board of Education decision to approve two Somerset charter schools. This is an important victory. The local school board had denied the applications from the Somerset schools which are managed by Florida’s largest for-profit chain, Academica. This is the for-profit chain that Erik Fresen’s wife and brother-in-law run. Fresen is going to jail this month. According to the Gainesville Sun, the Somerset schools’ budget was ‘unrealistic and untenable’.

State law allowing charter chains to replicate based on the performance of a school in some other location was also at issue. Given that charters can choose to locate in a high income area or screen students they admit, their performance may be based on the students they select, not the school the parents select.

Thank goodness for checks and balances in our governing system. Now to get a better balance in the State Board of Education. They are supposed to look out for our children, not for special interests.

Posted in Authorization, Charter School Management, Florida.

2 Comments

    • You know how the legal system works. Each case has its specifics. What I liked was that the decision included the legislative policies to replicate charter schools without local board approval and the inadequate budget. When charters cut corners too much, they hang themselves. It’s the who controls the money issue. This time the State lost.

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