Update Department of Education Charter School Accountability Committee has a New Member Who Works for the DE Charter Schools Network, Actually the Member is Not New She has been Serving on This Committee for a While Now

I thought Kendall Massett was replacing Chuck Taylor but she had been a member all along. I had requested from the Department of Education who would be replacing Chuck Taylor, I never received a response. I saw the updated committee 2015-2016 roster and Chuck Taylor’s name has been removed. The Charter School Accountability Committee has a new member, Kendall Massett, the Executive Director of the Delaware Charter Schools Network, she replaces Chuck Taylor. I wrote to the Department of Education back in July 2015 about Chuck Taylor being a member of the Accountability Committee and being Head of School for Providence Creek Academy, I thought it was a conflict of interest.

• The Charter School Accountability Committee (“CSAC”) is a public committee convened by the Department of Education to review information and issue recommendations for all major accountability processes for the charters for which it is the approving authority. These processes include, but are not limited to, applications for new charter schools, major modifications, renewals, and formal review.

The News Journal posted an article titled: Special interests: Who lobbies most in Dover? The Delaware Charter School Network was named #5 in who lobbies the most in Dover. The primary group advocates on behalf of Delaware’s charter schools in Legislative Hall.

How can we have the Executive Director of Delaware Charter School Network sitting on a committee who views applications for new charter schools and charter schools major modifications, renewals, and formal review?

Delaware Charter School Network is a non-profit organization created in 2001 to support the charter school movement and charter schools in Delaware and now they have a seat at the Charter School Accountability Committee.