teach1st
08-04-2005, 04:44 AM
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-pcharters04aug04,0,2818367.story?coll=sfla-news-palm
The School Board on Wednesday angrily conceded it would close two failing charter schools next week, after the state threatened to withhold hundreds of millions of dollars if the schools remained open.
Just three weeks ago, the board steadfastly refused to be "the bad guy" and follow a mandate to close or restructure Delray-Boynton Academy and Riviera Beach Academy after each received two consecutive F grades based on low student performance on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.
But state Education Commissioner John Winn on Wednesday forced the board's hand.
He gave the Palm Beach County School Board until Aug. 12 to explain why the State Board of Education should not impose sanctions against the school district.
The state board is to meet Aug. 16 in Tallahassee.
Superintendent Art Johnson said the board's continued defiance of the state would clearly "risk the education of [all] the students of Palm Beach County. There's too much funding at stake."
Board Chairman Tom Lynch agreed reluctantly, saying he would vote to approve Johnson's 3-week-old recommendation to shut the charter schools because "none of us want to lose money."
But principals at the two charter schools said they are not giving up. They said they've hired lawyers and still plan to open their doors to students on Wednesday, the first day of school. Their rosters recently have shrunk to less than 100 students combined.
Read more (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-pcharters04aug04,0,2818367.story?coll=sfla-news-palm)
The School Board on Wednesday angrily conceded it would close two failing charter schools next week, after the state threatened to withhold hundreds of millions of dollars if the schools remained open.
Just three weeks ago, the board steadfastly refused to be "the bad guy" and follow a mandate to close or restructure Delray-Boynton Academy and Riviera Beach Academy after each received two consecutive F grades based on low student performance on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.
But state Education Commissioner John Winn on Wednesday forced the board's hand.
He gave the Palm Beach County School Board until Aug. 12 to explain why the State Board of Education should not impose sanctions against the school district.
The state board is to meet Aug. 16 in Tallahassee.
Superintendent Art Johnson said the board's continued defiance of the state would clearly "risk the education of [all] the students of Palm Beach County. There's too much funding at stake."
Board Chairman Tom Lynch agreed reluctantly, saying he would vote to approve Johnson's 3-week-old recommendation to shut the charter schools because "none of us want to lose money."
But principals at the two charter schools said they are not giving up. They said they've hired lawyers and still plan to open their doors to students on Wednesday, the first day of school. Their rosters recently have shrunk to less than 100 students combined.
Read more (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-pcharters04aug04,0,2818367.story?coll=sfla-news-palm)