Cyber charter is on the block
Friday, June 19th, 2009
By: Bill Hangley
bhangley@whyy.org
Allegations of financial misdeeds mean one of Pennsylvania's largest online charter schools could be forced to close. State officials say the Devon-based Agora Cyber Charter School can either replace its board or lose its license.
Pennsylvania education officials say Agora founder June Brown misused millions of taxpayer dollars. They say Brown packed the online school's board with friends and relatives, who then gave a three million dollar contract to Brown's own management company. State officials say that's a violation of the online school's charter. Michael Race is a spokesman for the department of education.
Race: We've asked that their board of trustees be replaced with trustees approved by the department of education, and who have no personal or family relatinships with June Brown.
Race says the school must also cancel its contracts with Brown's company. If the school doesn't comply, state officials will move to revoke its charter. Attorneys for Agora deny any wrongdoing, saying the state has known about the contracts since 2006. They're still not sure how they'll respond to the state's demands. Their deadline is Monday.
