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Charter school faces closure after judicial ruling

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Illinois

The future of a Lake County charter school is uncertain after a judge this week ruled that a state commission was wrong in giving the school approval to operate for another five years.

The Illinois Charter School Commission’s decision to extend the charter for Prairie Crossing Charter School in Grayslake was “clearly erroneous and is reversed,” Cook County Judge Thomas Allen wrote in his Monday ruling. […]

Prairie Crossing was established in 1999 and has long been a source of controversy. The school’s creation was approved by the state over the opposition of its feeder districts, Woodland Community Consolidated District 50 in Gurnee and Fremont Elementary School District 79 in Mundelein.

* This is why the districts sued…

Because of the way charter school funding is set up, Prairie Crossing siphoned off about $3.1 million of District 50’s $3.5 million in state funding, said James Petrugaro, attorney for District 50. In a district where 30 percent of students are from low-income families, that money is crucial to providing services for a population with a lower property tax base, the other primary source of school funding, Petrugaro said.

Yet while nearly one-third of District 50’s Woodland’s students are from low-income families, only 1.8 percent of Prairie Crossing students fit that category, Petrugaro said. District 50 has argued that the charter school “has long significantly failed to enroll low-income and other at-risk students in its program,” according to a district news release.

* React…

Prairie Crossing Executive Director Geoff Deigan said in a letter to parents that Woodland is trying to close the school in an effort to “miraculously cure years of mismanaged budgets by their administration and their school board.” Deigan said he expects Prairie Crossing will prevail in appellate court.

Yes, we get almost all their state money, but they’re mismanaging their budgets!

* More…

Illinois State Charter School Commission members voted 5-4 in favor of renewing Prairie Crossing through the 2018-19 academic year. Commission member Milton Wharton, a retired circuit judge from the East St. Louis area who voted against the renewal, criticized Prairie Crossing at length for the lack of diversity.

Woodland has about 31 percent low-income students compared to Prairie Crossing’s 0.5 percent, according to the state report card.

* Not to mention that Woodland’s Latino student population is 26.6 percent, while Prairie Crossing’s is just 0.5 percent. And check out this statement by the Woodland district…

The money isn’t following the children that Prairie Crossing was created to serve based on Illinois Charter Schools Law, which states that charter schools in Illinois were created with a “special emphasis” on educating at-risk students.

* From the statute…

The General Assembly further finds and declares that this Article is enacted for the following purposes:

(1) To improve pupil learning by creating schools with high, rigorous standards for pupil performance.

(2) To increase learning opportunities for all pupils, with special emphasis on expanded learning experiences for at-risk pupils, consistent, however, with an equal commitment to increase learning opportunities for all other groups of pupils in a manner that does not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, creed, color, gender, national origin, religion, ancestry, marital status, or need for special education services.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 11:33 am

Comments

This charter school seems to be very effective in separating one set of kids from another set of kids.

Comment by Joe Biden Was Here Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 11:44 am
“But..but.. how can we keep our scores up if we have to accept “them” into our special school!”

Charter schools are a scam to provide profits from taxpayer’s dollars for a few connected individuals. The fact they are taking literally one out of every three state educational dollars to serve a few elite (only .5% are low income in an area that over 30% qualify as such shows their bias). Keeping out at-risk pupils is the only way to pad their “success” scores is pretty typical for the charter school profiteers. The more people realize this, the less likely they are to support this b.s.

Comment by Roadiepig Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 11:47 am
Seems to be the model for what charter schools should not be, and why they engender such strong opposition. They might have a place in public education policy, but this one isn’t filling it.

Comment by walker Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 11:48 am
close them down! the entire concept of “charter school” is full of crock. if parents don’t like public schools, pay for private tuition/tutors.

Comment by Mattman Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 11:51 am
Operating like this is a crock.

Comment by A guy Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 11:52 am
What Roadiepig said. …

Comment by Crispy Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 11:52 am
0.5% low income students? Unbelievable.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 11:53 am
===Woodland has about 31 percent low-income students compared to Prairie Crossing’s 0.5 percent===

I would assume Bruce would say “not my problem”.

Comment by PublicServant Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 11:57 am
Are teachers at this charter school union or non-union?

Comment by Precinct Captain Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 11:59 am
Public Servant at 11:57 FTW

Comment by Roadiepig Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 12:03 pm
C’mon. Because one is bad is a long stretch to all are bad. I’ve never understood the virulent opposition of some to charter schools that play by the rules and do a good job for their students. Explain it to me, someone.

Comment by steve schnorf Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 12:05 pm
BVR would check with noted global thinker George Ranney to see what should be done. Ranny created the enclave about 20+ years to provide a utopia for 1%ers and their staff `

Comment by anonin' Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 12:07 pm
==I’ve never understood the virulent opposition of some to charter schools that play by the rules and do a good job for their students.==

Because they aren’t open to all. That’s my problem. Don’t take dollars away from my kid’s public school for a school that restricts access.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 12:08 pm
No more charter schools should be allowed. Existing charter schools should get no more PER STUDENT then the local school district.

Comment by DuPage Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 12:11 pm
Demoralized, are none of them open to all? If so, what groups are excluded?

Comment by steve schnorf Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 12:21 pm
“the virulent opposition of some to charter schools that play by the rules and do a good job for their students”

But they don’t play by the “same” rules.
In the end - their major concern if profit.

Comment by Rufus Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 12:26 pm
Spelling goof

In the end - their major concern is profit.

Comment by Rufus Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 12:28 pm
@Steve Schnorf,

Many restrict enrollment to non-disabled students (IE not handicapped), low income, or students with discipline histories.

IF you are going to accept public money, you should be required to accept all public students. It’s not difficult to show ’success’ when you only allow students in that are already excelling.

Comment by How Ironic Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 12:29 pm
As might be expected, [Bruce Rauner] celebrated their high test scores, and [Diane Ravitch] responded that they get those scores by excluding students with serious disabilities and English language learners, as well as pushing out those whose scores are not good enough. His reaction: so what? “They are not my problem. Charters exist to save those few who can be saved, not to serve all kinds of kids.”

Comment by Jocko Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 12:38 pm
==Demoralized, are none of them open to all? If so, what groups are excluded?==

I guess I should have been more clear. I can’t just go into to a charter school and enroll my child. Not everybody that may want to go can go. At a public school if my kid lives in the district they can go.

I would prefer that the state worry more about utilizing whatever tools the charter schools are using in the public schools rather than encouraging more charter schools.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 1:18 pm
“I want my little precious to go to the best and most exclusive school possible, and I want taxpayers to pay for it all”

Comment by Johnnie F. Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 1:21 pm
As a charter school, this outfit has been little more than a scamm-even stooping to “gently sugggesting” high dollar amount donations from parents. At one point, their governing board was so dysfunctional, members would be “absent” so there was no quorum and no business could be conducted. The remedy for that was to eliminate elected parent positions and replace them with appointed like-minded subdivision residents-all on at the expense of the two districts. There are two districts, by the way, because the subdivision overlaps neighboring districts, and this school has really only been about those families in the subdivsion.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 1:56 pm
Good riddance to one charter school scam, anyway.

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 2:04 pm
“global thinker George Ranney. LOL.

Comment by kimocat Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 2:16 pm
I’m very much in favor of Charter Schools, especially in areas where public schools have been failing badly. This school in particular, is something else. It should absolutely be reasonably close to the demos in the entire district. This one is entirely something else. Get right or get gone.

Comment by A guy Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 2:17 pm
Charter schools are bad news, and should all be forced to fund themselves if they want to choose their students. I would support funding them if they would maintain an enrollment equal to the public districts low-income students, but this isn’t in the charter school model.

Comment by BlameBruceRauner Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 2:27 pm
Concept with their ties to both Madigan and Turkey, UNO, and countless others. They’re public entities when it suits them and when it doesn’t they’re private.

Comment by Carhartt Representative Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 2:28 pm
Interesting comments. I’m not really super informed about charter schools, but I don know somethings. One, they’re not all for-profit. Two, for-profit by itself isn’t a bad word. Three, the specific school noted here should be busted, and good if the information we read is correct. Four, not all charter schools are like this one. So I still don’t understand the heated opposition to all or any charter schools.

Comment by steve schnorf Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 3:52 pm
Let me please clarify….this charter school provides a wonderful and caring environment for my children unlike what was experienced in Woodland. The teachers, administrators and other parents care as much about other children as they do ours. Prairie Crossing has done nothing wrong…every year residents from both school districts are encouraged to register for the PUBLIC lottery with the only preferences given to children with siblings already at the school. Sadly we do not attract those looking for “free” lunch as our students do not have a lunch program…parents pack a lunch daily for their children. There is also no bus service. As for the money being “stolen” we get and are entitled to the money that Woodland spends per student. They continue to collect tax money, major donations from the village and park district as well as pay their employees well… Their lowest paid teacher still makes more money than some of our highest paid. Please check your facts… Woodland also has referendum up not for operating fees but for air conditioning and iPads.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 4:55 pm
Illinois law also requires no charter school to have open enrollment. Also, I think A Guy pointed out that these are great because of the failing public schools. So those kids that are stuck there deserve that? I pay tax so my lad goes to a public school. I choose to stay involved with the school not only for my lad but for all of them. Anonymous, your experience notwithstanding a judge felt differently about them.

Comment by Mad Brown Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 6:10 pm
It sounds like I should just stop working. It is better to be in low income group because government is going to care more about me.

Comment by Anynomouse Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 7:19 pm
Anonymouse, you’ve discovered the secret. I congratulate you on your brilliance.

Your personal gain in choosing unemployment and poverty will be the private sector’s great loss of a beautiful mind.

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Mar 26, 15 @ 7:28 pm
As the judge stated in his decision this whole case is about the people who aren’t that school. Talking about how well this school performs or how great the teachers or how your child perform there are irrelevant to the case.

Comment by marchloon Saturday, Mar 28, 15 @ 4:45 pm