Two more charter schools closed their doors without warning, sending students and parents in search of a new school. This continues a pattern documented by reporters Karen Yi and Amy Shipley in a major investigative story in June.
“Two charter schools on Tuesday shut down just two weeks into their first school year, the latest in an unprecedented string of overnight closures among South Florida charter schools.
“The shuttering of the Magnolia schools sent about 200 students scrambling to find new elementary and middle schools. The schools posted a letter on their website Monday, saying they had failed to secure a temporary facility after construction delays at their permanent site. The schools, which received nearly $400,000 in taxpayer dollars, had planned to operate in Sunrise….”
“The schools, Magnolia Academy for the Arts and Magnolia Academy for the Arts and Technology, are the latest to abruptly close at the beginning of this school year. Another charter school in Broward and two others in Palm Beach County ceased operations by the end of their first day of school.
“Never before have so many first-year charter schools closed so quickly after opening in South Florida. Ten charter schools — six in Broward and four in Palm Beach County — have closed within two months of opening since 2012.
“The quick closures illustrate the danger of handing taxpayer dollars to charter schools operators without requiring that they undergo background checks, produce evidence of financial backing or secure buildings well in advance of their openings. A Sun Sentinel investigation in June found that virtually anyone who can adequately fill out a lengthy application can open or run a charter school. These schools are publicly funded but privately run.”
Not to worry. The charter operators plan to open more charters next year:
“Despite the closures, the schools’ management company plans to continue opening more schools.
“Newpoint Education Partners, which had a management contract with the Magnolia schools, is listed on applications for two new charter schools in Palm Beach County and one in Broward. If approved, the schools would open next year.”
This is all part of “the Florida Miracle.” Here today, gone tomorrow. The charter schools and the money.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
“The quick closures illustrate the danger of handing taxpayer dollars to charter schools operators without requiring that they undergo background checks, produce evidence of financial backing or secure buildings well in advance of their openings. A Sun Sentinel investigation in June found that virtually anyone who can adequately fill out a lengthy application can open or run a charter school. These schools are publicly funded but privately run.
As charter schools proliferate, it’s become increasingly difficult to find classroom space and to attract students, operators say. South Florida is now home to more than 280 charter schools.”
“Market saturation” is what Ohio newspapers call that charter situation. The disconnect between national coverage of “charter schools” as a category or idea and local coverage of charter school as “facts on the ground” in these states (FL, MI, OH, PA) is huge. I keep waiting for the two to converge, but it hasn’t happened yet. It will happen eventually. There’s only so long these two narratives can keep running along parallel tracks that never converge. We can’t have a local reality that differs so from our “national conversation”. CRASH! Eventually 🙂
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“Liars Rule ”
Liar’s loan and liar’s school
Bubbles blown and troubles rule
When the bubbles finally burst
Public has to face the worst
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So someone has run off with $400,000 – and is just gone – but the management company is going to be handed more schools to manage. Slap my head.
When will there be some oversight? Florida seems like a free-for-all. Thanks Jeb. Jeb for president….hopefully not.
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Jeb, Hilary; with respect to pubic education I don’t think it will make a bit of difference one way or the other.
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As the late, great Phil Hartman would say, “You are correct, sir!”
We need someone else to run (Bernie, FL Al Grayson, Elizabeth)–not Hillary.
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And while it’s fun to shake our heads at these zany state governments in places like Florida and Ohio, I think we have to remember that the Obama Administration specifically lobbied and used federal leverage to promote the unlimited growth of charter schools.
Presumably people who work in the federal government know how federal and state laws intersect. The Obama Administration knew or should have known that STATES would administer charter schools. They had absolutely NO IDEA how the federal government promoting unlimited charter school growth would work with the reality of state law in states like FL, OH, MI and PA where they don’t regulate charter schools. None. They did it anyway.
Fl, OH, MI and PA are certainly reckless and cavalier with public schools and public funds, but SO IS the Obama Administration.
Duncan is going on another “public schools suck!” tour here shortly. He’ll be in Florida. He should be asked if he regrets that he promoted and used federal leverage to promote what has happened in states like Florida. Was that a mistake on his part?
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Before we start running schools on a small business model we would do well to remember than most small businesses fail.
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But rarely does failure have such potential for profit. Do these companies get funds for facilities? I hate to say it, but I see a “business opportunity” for all of the soon-to-be-fired Florida teachers.
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Gee, that’s swell that the operators will open more charters next year. Perhaps the displaced kids can wait until then to start at those schools.
And, if they’re ypn & hither–in other parts of FL–why–no problem–their parents can just drive them wherever!
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And when every last cent of their money was spent, the Fix-It-Up Chappie packed up — and he went!
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People can’t reach the private parties who run these schools, but the people they should be mad at aren’t the private parties. They should be mad at their lawmakers, who have joyfully abandoned their duties and relinquished public education to private contractors.
Which is not all that surprising, really 🙂
It’s easier to set up a system where individuals deal with all the risk rather than politicians dealing with the huge job of running public schools, wrestling with all the various constituencies, worrying about funding, etc.
We’re paying them. They shouldn’t be permitted to dodge this responsibility they took on. If they don’t feel like doing it, maybe we can find people who have some interest in actually RUNNING a public entity.
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OK, so right now does it seem like that was their plan all along? Because they already got paid?
So the lag time between making charter laws that are in the interest of tax payers and the actual handing out of money to charters is a loop hole that is being taken advantage of? Is that right?
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Magnolia Schools? Are they part of the same outfit that runs the Magnolia Schools in LAUSD (currently under investigation)?
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Hannah,
I’m willing to bet that the Magnolia charters are the same chain, part of the Turkish Gulen movement.
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Sounds like it, Diane. And–isn’t it interesting (like the renaming of Common Core)–that all these Gulen charters have different names in different states? Magnolia, Horizon and–in ILL-Annoy–Concepts.
Readers, please tell me, what’s their name in YOUR state?
No matter to the FBI–a Gulen by any other name is still a Gulen, thus open to FBI raids and seizures!
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Retiredbutmissthekids:
Sharon Higgins has a website called “charterschoolscandals” where she lists the names of all the Gulen schools.
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Like the casinos in Atlantic City, the big shots are grabbing their money and running, leaving the crumbs and desolation behind.
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Bill–terrific analogy. And where is Chris Christie in all of this AC despair? (I believe the number of the newly unemployed casino workers is 6,500.) Why, he’s gone (or soon going) to MEXICO! (Newsradio reported that this trip is meant to “broaden his understanding in preparation for a possible 2016 run.”) Recently seen in ILL-Annoy, proudly boasting (to a female reporter, “I eat what I want, baby!”) having ordered a vanilla milkshake and a double (cheese, I think) hot dog only hours before a fancy hotel fundraiser (with fancy food) for Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner (&, as it turns out, C2 was in ILL-Annoy TWICE–2nd time “seen chowing down at Gibson’s {$$$$$ steakhouse}–on pasta”), I’m guessing that he wasn’t/isn’t all-too-concerned about the unemployment spike in AC, NJ.
Perhaps he’s going to Mexico to find the ultimate burrito–as big as his head.
Oh, wait–there couldn’t possibly be one that big.
(Sorry–a bit off-topic, but you great comment begs a reply, Bill!)
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At least Florida is doing something about it. Today’s Eva article in the NYTimes leaves out so much about her. The Gonzalez recently wrote about her getting expensive office space on Wall Street. (The heart of the Education industry in NY). The main thing is that deBlasio folded big time because Cuomo used his influence to get those pro-charter commercials on the air.
So Diane,
Are you staying mum on the NYS gubernatorial race too?
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