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VALLEY CENTER: School faces losing charter
By COLLEEN MENSCHING - Staff Writer | ∞
VALLEY CENTER ---- The Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District board took a step Thursday toward closing a small charter school, a move one of the school's founders said she intends to challenge.
The board voted unanimously to issue a notice of its intent to revoke the charter of All Tribes American Indian Charter School and to issue a "statement of facts" as to why.
Earlier in the meeting, school co-founder Michelle Parada told the board that ---- according to the state's education code ---- a separate statement of facts should have accompanied the district's April notice to "cure and correct" bookkeeping issues. Parada told the board that to vote Thursday without having issued the statement of facts violates the state's revocation process.
Board President Lori Johnson told Parada that the cure and correct letter contained sufficient facts for the board to proceed.
In the letter, district officials said the charter has failed to maintain a balanced budget for the current fiscal year and in projections for two subsequent fiscal years, accurately document its attendance hours, provide a statement to document the cash flow and spending of donations, and to give the charter school's board sufficient time to vote on school matters.
All Tribes American officials had until Wednesday to provide documentation such as purchase orders, bank receipts and standardized evaluations of student performance.
"We feel that they have not provided the information that is required of the cure and correct letter," Superintendent Lou Obermeyer said. "It's information that they should have and should be able to provide by this time."
After the meeting, Obermeyer said she believes the board satisfied the education code by voting to issue a statement of facts at the same time as a notice of intent.
Parada said the board acted prematurely and that she would be sending tapes of Thursday's meeting to the school's attorney.
The district must schedule a public hearing on the possible revocation within the next 30 days. Within 30 days of that meeting, the board must decide whether the school should keep its charter. That decision could be appealed to county or state education authorities.
The school, which serves students in grades six through 12, will not lose its charter before the end of the school year.
Staff writer Shayna Chabner contributed to this report.
Contact staff writer Colleen Mensching at (760) 739-6675 or cmensching@nctimes.com.
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Beth wrote on May 12, 2008 12:33 PM:Valley Center School District has failed Native American students for years. Finally there is a school that is doing everything possible to give these kids a chance they have never been given before in ANY public school system from Valley Center or Escondido.
The entire staff at ATAICS gives their all to these kids. They pour their hearts and souls into helping the kids from local tribes.
The kids receive personalized attention and an education presented to them in a way that they are able to learn, with understanding of their cultural need and differences.
No one has given more to the kids of ATAICS than Ms Parada and Ms Donohue, often times more than their own parents have given or even cared about for some of these children.
Shame on Valley Center schools for being so eager to take all that away from some of the most educationally needy kids in the area.
The community should be rallying to help save ATAICS in any way possible.
Volunteer your time. Help in the class rooms, help in the office. Don't sit there clucking your collective tongues and shaking your heads.
When I lived in Valley Center and volunteered in my kids classrooms frequently I saw the double standard. Native American children were frequently "marked off" as hopeless or slow learners. There is a marked prejudice still yet running rampant and a jealousy of the casinos on the reservations. I no longer live in the area but my kids do, one of whom attends ATAICS and will graduate this yaer. She's going to a top university in the fall. A chance that was given to her by ATAICS.
By the desire to improve education for Native American children and the dedication of a staff of caring people who have given of themselves freely.
So where's the rest of the community now when they need help??
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