Daily Archives: March 23, 2016

When the Charter School Accountability Committee Approved the Five Charter School Modifications Did They Violate the Law?

6 Replies
Williams, Kimberly (LegHall)
Tue 3/22/2016 9:12 AM
Show all 12 recipients
To:

Reardon, Allison E (DOJ);
Patterson, Gregory B. (DOJ);
Denn, Matthew (DOJ);
Siegel, Kim (DOJ);
Good Morning Allison, do you have an update with respect to our letter dated February 4, 2016 and when can we expect an answer from the DOJ? The Charter School Accountability Committee just recently approved major modifications to Delaware Public Safety and Security, Delaware Design Lab High School, First State Montessori, and Prestige Academy charter schools and a minor modification for Odyssey Charter School. Chuck Taylor, who is not a member of the Charter School Accountability Committee (Department of Education Committee), recently voted as a member of the Charter School Accountability Committee on whether or not these five charter school modifications were approved or not. Chuck Taylor is the president of the Delaware Charter Schools Network in which the News Journal reported as one of the top five lobbyists in Delaware. He is also Head of School for Providence Creek Academy Charter School. Delaware Charter Schools Network is a member of the Charter School Accountability Committee and that seat is held by Kendall Massett; she is a non-voting member without a proxy.
Members of Charter School Accountability Committee
Modifications
On February 25, 2016, Chuck Taylor was a voting member of the Charter School Accountability Committee in which they approved all five of the charter school modifications even though Ms. Massett is a non-voting member without a proxy. Mr. Taylor’s votes violated Delaware code/regulations.  
It is going on two months since we sent our letter to you. We have code/regulations in place that people are abusing. The state is allowing a lobbyist group, whose mission is to expand charter schools, the power to approve charter school applications and their modifications by allowing them to sit on a DOE committee. I find it frustrating that the state continues to allow this to go on.
I look forward to your response.
 
Representative Kim Williams
19th District
302-577-8476 Wilmington Office
302-744-4351 Dover Office
Kimberly.Williams@state.de.us
Twitter: @kimwilliamsde