KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
Einstein Academy officials were dealt another blow Monday, when their ex parte hearing was denied in a Los Angeles County Superior courtroom.
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The judge found attorneys and officials for the school “failed to exhaust administrative remedies” and gave an “insufficient showing of a likelihood of success on the merits of their case,” a court official said, stating the court’s findings.
Einstein Academy officials did not respond to a request for comment Monday.
The charter school organizations currently operates a seventh- through 12th-grade junior high and high school chartered through the Hart district.
From a previous story: Einstein Academy, Hart District Have Court Hearing Monday On Charter School
However, William S Hart Union High School District officials turned down Einstein Academy when the school sought to extend operations beyond its current contract with the school, which expires June 30, 2017. The school was given a five-year renewal in 2012.
However, when the district reviewed the renewal application in March, the staff recommendation was to deny, which the Governing Board supported unanimously.
(The decision would not affect the K-6 charter school operations, which are overseen by the Acton Agua Dulce Unified School District.)
From a previous story: Hart District To Vote On Einstein Academy Charter School Petition
The Hart district’s decision was upheld on an appeal by AEA officials who sought a second opinion from the Los Angeles County Board of Education, which turned down the charter school with a vote of 4-3.
The state’s Department of Education would be the next appeal option for the charter school with approximately 450 students in grades seven to 12. However, now it remains unclear whether the school will be able to seek a reprieve from the state.
State education officials have said it’s unlikely the charter school would be able to get on the agenda for an appeal before the state board’s meeting in September.
In response, school officials were hopeful an ex parte hearing — a hearing requested by one side in order to obtain a temporary ruling before a scheduled hearing date — would enable them to have the Hart district’s rejection set aside.
Education officials have said in the past the school would be expected to close its doors in June unless a stay is granted.
The Acton Agua Dulce Unified School District approval was for a K-12, although a K-6 is the only campus currently operating under that charter agreement.
Do not for one second forget that this school teaches real students, embraces real families, employs real teachers. My heart breaks for the students who are a year or two away from graduation and for those students who have bounced around from school to school in search of a perfect fit. I feel for the teachers and staff who have put their hearts and souls into those students. Someone screwed up, but it wasn’t the students or the teachers; Unfortunately, they are the ones paying the price.
We were on the waiting list when it opened, strongly considering it. We went to the intro meeting with the head reps for the school, and we received a very negative feeling. They were overtly secretive and vague about the future operations, refusing to give details. Partly due to the uncertainty, but the uncertainty and lack of a sound business plan is exactly what’s led to their ongoing problems over the last several years. It was a mismanaged project from the beginning. Yes students and teachers are the victims, but the management at the school are completely to blame imo… Thank goodness we opted to stay with our public school…
Parent
This school was definitely a good school but unfortunately, when their original Principal left, things kind of went south from there. My kids went through a lot with this school and my whole family is praying for all the teachers and students who will be displaced because of poor management and a whole lot of red tape.
The several times I’ve been there as a guest lecturer, I was very impressed with the professionalism of the staff, teachers, general school structure and the motivation of the students to learn. Through my psychotherapy practice, I’ve met many students and parents and hear nothing but stellar things. This school is truly an SCV treasure. I suspect if it wss a Christian Charter school, meeting the personal agenda of some of the school board members, approval would have been made months ahead of schedule!
with the lack of funding for public schools I understand the reluctance from the newhall district to give up some of its money to charter schools. I would assume that is the main concern behind this legal fanfare and that denying a renewal would pour more dollars into the newhall school district….not fair to the parents and students and teachers who are looking for alternative schools that will be more inclusive of their needs. I hope they can overturn this somehow and make it right for everyone. By the way how many charter schools has the board approved? A quick look on the internet shows 3: one in castaic, ae, and another in canyon country. which would leave newhall district without a charter school. meanwhile los angeles city has at least 30 i could find. My theory is there’s more to it than meets the eyes and this district is just trying to keep charter schools out of the way. It’s not about education it’s about $$$$$. It’s sad that the children once again will be the victims of a greedy game.
Exactly true. Greed of the local public school districts.