The Statewide Charter School Board (SCSB) voted unanimously on Nov. 10 to place the Proud to Partner Leadership Academy in Oklahoma City on Probation, requiring the school to submit an immediately actionable, turnaround plan no later than Nov. 26. Short of school closure, probation is the most serious intervention for an SCSB-authorized school in material noncompliance with its charter contract and/or violating laws.
The SCSB vote follows multiple and recent site visits by SCSB staff to Proud to Partner. Staff found a profound lack of student instruction, supervision and engagement. The school also ended its fiscal year in heavy debt and now is operating on a skeleton crew for 115 high school students. School leadership has given conflicting information and provided shifting details about the serious concerns the SCSB has raised, and it has failed to meet required reporting deadlines both to the Oklahoma State Department of Education and the SCSB. It also is currently denying SCSB staff any entry into the school.
“We are hopeful that Proud to Partner puts forth a high-caliber, actionable plan that immediately provides its students a high-quality, safe and well-supervised learning environment,” said SCSB Chairman Brian Shellem. “Our total focus and concern are on those students. It is our obligation to ensure they receive the education to which they are legally entitled.”
If a turnaround plan is submitted by Proud to Partner by Nov. 26, SCSB staff will conduct a formal review of it. The Board will then determine at its next public meeting on Monday, Dec. 8, whether the turnaround plan addresses its concerns and can be immediately implemented or if it believes it needs to move to school closure.
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