They need to be de-chartered and their building should be given to a successful charter to expand in.

Anonymous wrote:Why would the DCPCSB even approve this school in the first place?

According to the article, they have a good track record in Texas (2 of the top 10 high schools in the U.S.) Like most other operators, their model doesn't seem to work as well when they can't select the cream of the crop students.

The foreign teacher thing is nutty on another level.

Why would the DCPCSB even approve this school in the first place?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I read the article twice, and I just don't get it. But I am appalled by the scores. Why aren't they shut down? I thought that successful charter schools need space.

They only had 66 students last year. I assume that if nothing changes after this year's PARCC they will get Tier 3 and the DCPCSB will begin to move toward closure.

If you look at their financials they are in very bad shape. Only had $75,000 in the bank at the end of last school year. Current assets minus current liabilities of -$250,000. Total assets minus total liabilities of -$30,000. Drop in enrollment by 69% from 2014 to 2015. They even owe $32,000 to the parent company in "licensing fees" that had to be forgiven. Doubtful that this school can survive unless they got a major cash influx from the parent company.

http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=2001256#anchor

On the left side click "Financial Performance by School" and then "Financial Report Cards".

Anonymous wrote:what is the process for them losing their charter?

PCSB puts them under review, and if enough problems are found they start the revocation process. The school has a chance to respond, but if their case isn't strong enough the charter is revoked. Students are worked with to find them new schools before the school year ends. This process starts in the fall and the revocation hopefully occurs in January/February so families can enter the lottery for the next year.

That's the general process that has been the path for other schools which have had their charters revoked. In some cases the school has created a turnaround plan and the revocation was stayed. And in some of those cases the turnaround didn't happen and the charter was revoked within the next year or two.

what is the process for them losing their charter?

Anonymous wrote:The Turkish connection has been known, and reported on before, including on 60 Minutes. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-charter-schools-tied-to-powerful-turkish-imam/

Apparently the Turkish teachers have to pay a 40% tithe to work there:

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(The wife of a former teacher speaking)
And that's when he told me that every pay period, he would have to cash his check and give-- he had to give 40 percent of his check back --

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Yikes!

Anonymous wrote:Quite stunning that a charter school board in DC doesn't have a single African-American member?

Yeah, but overall that board is shady. The president and the secretary are high-level employees of the larger organization and appear to live in Houston. Generally not good practice to have staff members on a board, although it isn't forbidden. And how can they be officers of the board of a DC school and live in Houston?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I read the article twice, and I just don't get it. But I am appalled by the scores. Why aren't they shut down? I thought that successful charter schools need space.

They only had 66 students last year. I assume that if nothing changes after this year's PARCC they will get Tier 3 and the DCPCSB will begin to move toward closure.

Will something similar happen to Sela?

Depends on whether Sela's making progress toward its academic benchmarks - as outlined / approved in its charter application. Since the students are so young test scores aren't relevant.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I read the article twice, and I just don't get it. But I am appalled by the scores. Why aren't they shut down? I thought that successful charter schools need space.

They only had 66 students last year. I assume that if nothing changes after this year's PARCC they will get Tier 3 and the DCPCSB will begin to move toward closure.

Will something similar happen to Sela?