The former director of the Bradley Academy of Excellence pleaded guilty to conspiracy and theft of millions of dollars.
Daniel Hughes, the former director of the Bradley Academy of Excellence, pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiracy and theft.
According to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, the Goodyear charter school over-reported its number of students enrolled for two years so it could receive additional funding.
For the 2016-2017 school year, 191 of the 652 reportedly enrolled students were fake. For the next school year, 453 of 528 were fake.
School officials worked together to create the fake students, which ultimately caused the school to receive $2.5 million in overfunding: about $2.2 million from the state, $230,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for meals and $91,000 from the U.S. Department of Education.
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West Valley charter school abruptly closes doors amid financial woes
Hughes pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and one count of theft — both felonies — and faces between three and 12.5 years in prison.
The school, previously known as the Bradley Creemos Academy, abruptly closed in December before it was scheduled to be audited by the Arizona Department of Education.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Sounds all too familiar!
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“It also highlights the lack of oversight by the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools, the governing body of the states’ 500-plus charter schools.
A few months before Discovery Creemos Academy closed, Hughes had assured the Charter Board that he would turn around the financially and academically failing Goodyear charter school.
The board — despite concerns about the school’s academic and financial performance — agreed unanimously last year to allow the school to continue to operate for at least 20 more years.
The board, largely filled with appointees of Gov. Doug Ducey, revoked the charter in February after it already had closed.”
Doing a bang up job on that appointed crony board, I must say. If it had been up to them the school would have continued to rob the state for TWENTY YEARS.
I love that the rubber stamp vote was “unanimous”. I’d be interested to see if they have ever recorded a dissenting vote.
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This fake charter school was able to siphon:
“receive $2.5 million in over funding: about $2.2 million from the state, $230,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for meals and $91,000 from the U.S. Department of Education”
Can someone please tell me WHY!!! Why in the world does our government local and federal – give 2.2 million dollars from the state, $230,000 from US dept of agriculture and another $91,000 from US dept of ed. for a total of 2.5 million dollars!! All this tax money to support schools that are privately funded!
And, our public schools are falling apart and our public teachers are paid with marbles. This is really disturbing. Further, what gives these municipalities the right to “give away” public money for private institutions? To me, this is cruel government being reckless with other peoples money and spending the funds against most tax payers desires.
The charter school invasion is really quite possibly the biggest heist since PT Barnum and really is a stick up of the American people who pay the bills Before any charter school can receive funds their should be an approval from the people who are paying the bills and not from joe politician or betsy devos for that matter.
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The lack of oversight and accountability in charters is simply incredibly blind. The current system is an open invitation for fraudsters to dine free on taxpayers’ dollars. Nothing will change unless the public demands it as so many of the so called representatives are working for the charter lobby.
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Ohio has got your state beat!!!
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If you think thats bad check out the link below. Ohio has your state beat by far!!!!
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I’m reading the ed reform governors who were elected and I can’t find anything about public schools.
Here’s Florida:
“If you’re a low income family and you’re relying on a Step Up For Students Scholarship for your child to have education opportunities, you can count on me to keep that going”
Public schools don’t exist in this ideology. They’re not even worth a mention in a campaign speech. Completely and utterly taken for granted as voters and constituents.
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I wonder how many of these charter school crooks will end up with prison terms and fines that match the nine public school educators that were found guilty of changing those test answer in Atlanta?
“When the Atlanta educators were convicted this month, the Rev. Bernice King, daughter of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., said they were ‘victims of a corrupt education system,’ and she called for leniency and no jail time.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/eight-atlanta-educators-in-test-cheating-case-sentenced-to-prison/2015/04/14/08a9d26e-e2bc-11e4-b510-962fcfabc310_story.html?utm_term=.f0f453659bed
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So it’s OK to FRAUD kids…Kindle like Detroit and no clean water, kinda like Rahda in Chicago, kinda like dump as potus.
Has this country gone mad? Do the citizens know the difference betwwen cheating, lying, stealing and being honest and moral?
I would say that those criminals certainly have “grit.”
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Yes, those criminals have grit in the souls and hearts that has created friction and scars.
The only US citizens that do not know the difference between cheating, lying, stealing and being honest and moral are Trump’s loyalists that will always vote Trump. They belong to Trump’s cult of devil worshipers.
Some of them are easy to identify because they are wearing the Red MAGA hat, and the real meaning of MAGA is “Make American Garbage Again” for everyone that isn’t a wealthy, lying, fraud, cheat and crook.
The “T” in Trump stands for TRAITOR.
The “D” for Donald stands for DUMB.
Trump is the world’s first DUMB “Stable Genius”, his two words not mine.
Translated his name means Dumb Traitor.
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I typed in the wrong email address. Oops…in moderation.
So it’s OK to FRAUD kids…Kindle like Detroit and no clean water, kinda like Rahda in Chicago, kinda like dump as potus.
Has this country gone mad? Do the citizens know the difference betwwen cheating, lying, stealing and being honest and moral?
I would say that those criminals certainly have “grit.”
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Can ya tell I am upset? Look at my typos. This fraud in education makes my blood boil. Glad those deformers got caught.
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Thieves!
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We in Ohio have you beat !!! check out the link below.
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It is so set up for fraud that you would have to be stupid not to take advantage.
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…meanwhile at your local and free public school…you have a school site council,, a district school board, a county school board, the state superintendent and the federal department of education…and who has your back at the charter school ?
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If you think thats bad: https://abc6onyourside.com/news/local/innovation-ohio-releases-new-numbers-on-how-much-taxpayer-money-ecot-actually-received
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