The Franklin School Board is asking the State Board of Education to revoke the charter for Franklin Career Academy.
The Career Academy was the first charter school approved in the state.
The Franklin school board says the charter school is financially unstable and not fulfilling its mission.
New Hampshire Public Radio's Amy Quinton reports.
The Franklin School Board unanimously approved a letter that asks the State Board of Education to review the charter for Franklin Career Academy.
The charter school opened its doors in September of last year, serving about 35 students in grades seven through 12.
But Franklin School Board Chair Kathy Fuller says the school is having serious money problems.
we strongly believe that the financial stability of the career academy is very fragile and is uncertain and we feel there are a number of students atttending the school that I’m not too sure that they’re parents are aware of the stability of the institution
The letter asks the state board to consider revoking the school’s charter.
Like most charter schools in the state, funding for the career academy comes from a federal start up grant and state education aid.
But so far, the Franklin school district has refused to turn over the charter’s share of state aid.
Career Academy Founder Bill Grimm says without that aid – about 77-thousand dollars - the school’s financial future is uncertain and may lead to its closing.
it’s a level of hubris that you have to give them credit for, they are the cause for the financial instability now they’re pointing to that as to why it ought to be closed, I would point to it as that as a reason why they should transfer adequacy aid money that’s state law
But the Franklin School Board says problems with the school go beyond the issue of state adequacy money.
They say the school’s original mission – to help low-achieving students or those at risk of dropping out has now shifted to helping any student.
And School Board Chair Kathy Fuller says the school wants to expand to 60 students next year without the money to do it.
As we move toward next year, even if the city were to grant adequacy money as the school board recommended to them, there is not enough money to do what they’re projecting for their budget next year.
Career Academy Founder Bill Grimm says the school cannot refuse any student, despite its mission to focus on at-risk students.
But Grimm admits that’s he’s counting on more money from the state to continue operating in the future.
State Board of Education Chair Dave Ruedig says that’s part of the problem.
When the state board approved Franklin Career Academy, the charter was never given enough financial scrutiny.
The financing was not totally clear the budget had some open ended parts to it. And subsequently we’ve learned that the founders were counting on substantially infusion of state aid as operating money I was never aware that that was a possibility or one of their desires.
Reudig says the state board didn’t evaluate the charter school application, it could only check to make sure it was complete.
He says it was the intent of the legislature to make it easy for charter schools to be approved.
The State Board of Education has scheduled a meeting with the attorney general’s office tomorrow to find out if they have authority to revoke Franklin Career Academy’s charter.
For NHPR news, I’m Amy Quinton.
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