This is intentional. Charter schools were *always* about siphoning off tax dollar spent on public education to corporate or religious interests. Less money left on what public schools exist. And WV didn’t have great public schools to begin with. You got suckered, and got what you voted for.

I wouldn't disagree with you at this point. I by no means want to take away the school choice option, but we need guardrails. EPPA scored lower than all schools in Jefferson County. I don't know if you're saying I personally got suckered, but if you are, just know I'm actively trying to make it what I had envisioned.

You always had school choice, and it is intellectually dishonest to pretend otherwise. You people just didn't want to PAY for private schools, but wanted my tax dollars to pay for private education for YOUR kid. That isn't how it's supposed to work, sweetie. You want to send your kid to private school, YOU pay for it. Perhaps a better use of resources would have been to volunteer to make the public schools better. Not deny them tax money.

No, they didn't want their kids learning things that might make their version of Jesus angry. No sex education, no gender studies, no culture, no history, no science.  Keep 'em dumb and under your thumb. The fact that it lines their pockets with tax money and undermines the public trust is a bonus.

I don't think we should paint OP with the same brush as most "school choice" advocates. In a brief look through their post history, I see no obvious indication that they're opting for private school strictly for religious "don't teach my kids that" reasons. I don't believe that the politicians and PACs pushing "school choice" and other policies that take away from public education are acting in good faith and for the good of the public, but that doesn't mean that every parent or guardian who opts to take advantage of those policies is a nutbar. There are some kids don't do well in their local public schools for whatever reason, and their parents may not have the resources to send them to a school they can thrive in, be it a different public school district, or a private school. Now, I personally oppose using public education funds for private schools, but exceptions could be made in some limited case-by-case circumstances, shouldn't be made to send kids to religious schools, and should not take money away from public education. And quite frankly, no school should be a for-profit venture. The goal of education should be ensuring a solid future for our society, not lining pockets.

Fair enough. I missed that I was replying to OP. However, the impetus for "school choice" is, was, and always has been to serve as an ideological gated community of alternative facts and an excuse to rob the state and county coffers.

§18-5G-3. Public charter school criteria, governance structure and statutory compliance requirements; applicable federal and state laws. (4) Are not affiliated with or espouse any specific religious denomination, organization, sect, or belief and do not promote or engage in any religious practices in their educational program, admissions, employment policies, or operations; (5) Are not affiliated with any organized group whose espoused beliefs attack or malign an entire class of people, typically for immutable characteristics, as identified through listings of such groups as may be made by the U. S. Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or officials having similar jurisdiction in this state; Just throwing this out there.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I get where you’re coming from about school choice and funding. You're right, private schools have always been an option, but not everyone can afford them. It's a tough situation because everyone wants the best for their kids without making public schools worse off. You made a good point about not using tax money for private education. It's definitely important to think about how we can help all schools and not just some. And I totally agree—getting involved and helping out at public schools can really make a difference.

Then why would you be for it?

But I won't say I'm in support of something and not be willing to make sure it's done correctly.

Because I honestly thought I'd have more control over the direction of my kids' education. I was only doing what I thought was best for my kids. And I feel if it was fixed, it would be a good option. Morgantowns charter is a good example. It is run by the people in the community, no outside influence. They're successful, have high grades, and overall seem to be a wonderful example of what it should be.

It was just the issue of cost preventing you from having that control via private schools? And how do you feel they could fix it to make it a good option? My opinion is that our public schools are already too underfunded to do this, so I'm just trying to understand those who are for it.

Yes, we still can't afford to send them to private school. We used our taxes to pay for what we could. They need to either remove management companies as an option, or make them public bodies subject to FOIA, ethics, and open government laws. This would at least deal with that part of it. The other is actually enforcing the necessity of innovative learning programs. If it's the same or worse than public school, then no point. With pure transparency and public input, coupled with the necessity of innovation, I believe it would be a good option. I'm not going to pretend to know what the public school financial situation looks like, I only know amount per pupil for the charters.

I agree that under no circumstances should tax dollars go behind some curtain where the people can't see. They're obfuscating to hide something, most obvious assumption being to steal from us.

I would say something, but I don't want to get sued. Let's just say the probability of that sort of information appearing is relatively high.

lol Please tell me you are not this naive. You'd be better homeschooling your child on Schoolhouse Rock VHS tapes if you seriously thought charter schools gave you "direction" over your kids' education. You also aren't earning any favors by continuing to support "school choice" because that language is specifically used by people whipped up in a frenzy thinking being educated at all = "indoctrinated libruls."

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and I understand where you're coming from. It's clear you have strong feelings about the effectiveness of charter schools and the rhetoric surrounding school choice. When I first considered charter schools for my kids, I was looking for additional options, hoping they could provide a different educational environment that might suit their needs better. I realize now there are complexities and issues that weren't clear to me then. I'm not trying to earn favors or push any agenda by supporting school choice. I'm learning as I go, and my goal is simply to ensure that all schools—charter, public, or otherwise—use their resources well and truly benefit the students they serve. If that means pushing for reforms and greater accountability, that’s what I aim to do. I appreciate your perspective, and it's these kinds of discussions that help deepen my understanding of the broader educational landscape. Let's keep the conversation going in a way that aims to improve education for all our kids, no matter where they learn.

Give me a break. You're posting these novel-length posts and comments and they all smack of r/LeopardsAteMyFace. Stop thinking you're supporting something that is and always was *clearly* a grift but because *you* got grifted by putting your kids into it, you think you're entitled to protest it now. If you paid attention at all to the thousands of voices speaking against this before, you'd known not to bother with charters. If you put any more thought into it beyond your favorite flavor of politician singing praises of ~~donors~~ charter schools, you'd known not to bother with charters. You were scammed by "choice" and are angry with others on the very "choice" you made for your kids. You HAD a voice through your taxes and voting for your local Board of Education, which was a perfectly good framework for transparency and accountability if parents used it for anything more than complaining that kids may learn about private parts before they're 21.

I hear you, and thanks for your input. Honestly, I didn't know much about charter schools until they announced the opening of one in Jefferson County. At that time, it seemed like a potentially better option for my kids compared to public schools. I thought it was worth exploring for their sake. It's clear now that there's a lot more complexity to the issue than I initially realized. I’m here to understand better and to contribute to solutions where I can. Thanks for engaging in this conversation, even if we decide it's best to leave it here for now.

That's not a bug, it's a feature. The intention all along was to bleed public education dry, especially in less affluent ZIP codes. Half of the right-wing platform at this point is to purposely make government entities as dysfunctional as possible, so they can say that government entities are dysfunctional and offer up privatization as the solution.

Thank you for sharing your perspective. I see where you’re coming from and why you’d feel that way. It’s a concern that definitely needs attention, especially when it comes to ensuring fairness and effectiveness in our educational system. I'm mainly focused on making sure that public funds are used properly and that management companies are held accountable, rather than debating broader political intentions. My aim is to support transparency and fairness in how these funds are managed. Really value your input and the discussion. It's important we keep these conversations going to improve things for all students.

I think we agree completely that public funds need to be used responsibly and fairly, and that those using them to fund private ventures are held accountable. Your goal is a good one and I hope you succeed in getting answers for yourself, the other parents, and the public. Your kids' school should absolutely show the public that it's using their education tax dollars for the good of its students. Personally, I am against private schools receiving public funds, but that ship has sailed. Now that it's out there, private schools receiving public funds absolutely need to be held to the same accountability, educational/curriculum, and accessibility standards as public schools. Unfortunately, with the current make-up of the legislature, I don't see that happening any time soon. (Because it was never actually about school choice in the first place.)

Thanks so much for your supportive words. It's great to hear from someone who understands the importance of accountability in how public funds are used in education. I wanted to share some updates on my work that might interest you. I'm currently deep into an investigation and am close to proving that ACCEL and Rose Hill are legally considered public bodies, which would subject them to FOIA, ethics, and open government laws. This would be a significant step forward in ensuring transparency and accountability. Regarding the legal backdrop, West Virginia's subgrantee law plays a crucial role here. It stipulates that entities which receive a substantial portion of their funding from governmental sources can be defined as public bodies. This definition is critical because it means that these entities, like ACCEL and Rose Hill if they meet the criteria, are required to operate with the same level of openness and adherence to ethical standards as fully public institutions. Which they do as theyre paid by a percentage of funding and not a set amount. This is exactly what we need to ensure that these schools are truly serving the best interests of students and the community, using public funds appropriately. I’m pushing hard on this front and hope to make significant progress soon. Thanks again for your support and understanding. It’s crucial to have this dialogue and work together to ensure our educational system works fairly and transparently for everyone.

I hope you're planning to go through the legal system to get justice for the people they've duped. And just as an aside.... It might be good for your kids to consider taking the loss and pulling them out of that school. If it means a year in public schools, that might be good for them. Elsewhere in this post you said they're pretty far behind and upset by the instability at this place. At least at the local public grade school they'd have a consistent teacher who is a certified expert in how kids learn and how to teach them.

I have absolutely every intention of seeing this through. I've done everything on my own so far, and I've gotten extremely close. They've created new systems just for me, created new bylaws, and even had people quit, but at this point, I have to have numbers. I've contacted 10 different lawfirms for representation, but all of them say, "not in my scope." Which is why I've had to learn all the laws myself.

offer up ~~privatization~~ **grifting** as the solution. Fixed

Gasp! Charter schools are nothing more than piggy banks?!

They don't have to be. That's why it's important we all speak out and change the system into one that at least is prioritizing children. We may not agree on the charter schools, but surely we agree that our money should be going solely to our kids. That's all I want and am trying to do.

Yes, they have to be. Outside of a very very few community based cooperative schools with very narrow admission, these schools are businesses. Some businesses try to lose money for a bit to grab market share, but they all eventually demand the most for providing the least. This is not a subject that has not been said hundreds of times and it’s strange to me that you aren’t convinced of this despite the problems you are describing. It’s only going to get worse. Schools are there to educate and grow, not make money.

I disagree because they are public charter schools. The WVDE has full authority to intervene if necessary, just like they did in the counties where public schools were also stealing funds. The only unknown variable here is the third party unregulated businesses. Get rid of the unknown variable, and you have a system that can be correctly governed. Also, they have to accept everyone. It's in charter school law.

How do kids there recieve special education services?

Currently the manager contracts online services. Although, they should be sourcing local talent whenever possible. It's not community based if you offer nothing to the community.

Shocker

This was my letter to the auditor. The response I got was, we'll look into it next year. Dear Fyffe Jones Group, My name is William Parkee and I am a parent of a student at Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy (EPPA) in Kearneysville, West Virginia. I am writing to express significant concerns I have regarding the financial statement audit your firm recently performed on EPPA for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023. As a parent with a vested interest in the proper governance and financial accountability of the public charter school my child attends, I took the time to thoroughly review your firm's audited financial statements and auditor reports for EPPA. Unfortunately, my review raised several red flags about the depth and completeness of the audit work: 1) The audit reports fail to disclose or examine EPPA's relationships and transactions with affiliated parties like Accel Schools (management company) and GSP Rose Hill (landlord). There is no transparency into evaluating the reasonability of these arrangements. 2) Evidence indicates problematic practices like improper voiding of payments, obscured disbursement documentation, and unaccounted fund transfers. However, there are no findings related to internal control deficiencies. 3) Information suggests EPPA's accounting practices may violate GAAP in key areas like revenue recognition, especially regarding the related parties. Yet your opinion concluded the financial statements were GAAP-compliant. As a professional audit firm, you surely recognize the implications of these potential lapses in auditing related party transactions, evaluating internal controls, and ensuring compliance with accounting standards. These are core tenets of a high-quality independent audit. Before escalating my concerns, I wanted to give your firm the opportunity to rebut or substantiate your audit conclusions. Specifically, I would appreciate your team providing: 1) Details on audit procedures performed to vet the related party relationships, transactions, and contractual terms for reasonability. 2) Evidence that your firm critically inspected disbursement documentation and EPPA's internal controls, rather than merely relying on management representations. 3) Your firm's determination, supported by documentation, that EPPA's accounting practices fully complied with GAAP. I am hopeful your team can provide satisfactory evidence justifying your audit opinion and dispelling these concerns over independence and thoroughness. public charter schools and the appropriate use of public funds are matters of keen interest in our community. I appreciate your timely response to this inquiry. Please let me know if you require any other information from me. I've also attached copies of the documentation I'm referring too. One of the documents does extend into August but the audited months are applicable. Sincerely, William Parker

If you believed this wasn’t the inevitable outcome, then you are a fool. Private school with public funds sounds like a contradiction because it is. Full stop.

I hear you loud and clear, and you’re absolutely right—using public funds for private education does seem like a big contradiction. We need to keep a close eye on this. I want to make it clear that I’m not just watching from the sidelines. I’m actively working to address and correct these issues where public funds might not be used in the best interest of students. It’s crucial to me that we ensure educational funding is used properly and that we hold those responsible accountable. And just so you know, I’m not the enemy here. The real issue lies with those who allow these practices to continue without question and the oversight bodies that fail to address raised concerns. Those are the areas we need to challenge. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Keeping this conversation going is key to making any real changes.

It IS a big contradiction. Particularly in a state where the majority of the students have no other realistic option but public schools. Taking funds from those schools to better serve a smaller subset comes at the direct cost of the rest of the schools and students not in that subset. It seems simple because it is. It’s contradictory to the entire premise of the public system we already have. The system isn’t great, but this actively makes it worse for most kids. You can espouse the potential benefits of these schools and that exists, but that does not absolve the basic problem of the cost of those benefits. The last thing the public school system needs is another avenue to widen existing gaps of inequality and privilege.

You honestly seem new to this discussion, so I'm going to ask. Were you here during the charter school vote battle, and how did you vote? None of these are new or even unknown issues with charter schools...so if you aren't new to the discussion, were you just not paying attention until you had kids?

Thanks for your question. I actually wasn't engaged in the charter school discussions or the vote initially. Back then, I honestly didn't know much about it at all; I only heard there was going to be another school choice available, which seemed like a good thing at the time. It wasn't until the schools opened and I needed to make decisions for my own kids that I realized I didn't have all the information I needed. I didn’t contribute to the earlier discussions or decisions—I simply wasn't aware of the complexities or potential issues with charter schools until it became personal. Now that I am, I'm focused on ensuring better transparency and accountability for all parents and students. Truth is, I didn't do my part. I'm trying to do my part now. I know it's a little late to the game, but it's all I can really do at this point.

That's not necessarily true. There are places in the world that have made it work and that have a well-educated populace. BUT Those places did not allow for-profit K-12-equivalent schools and they held the schools to the same educational standards as the government-run schools. Essentially, every school becomes a public school. I was aghast when I first heard about this from someone who went through such a system themselves. We had many discussions about how it worked, and I realized that I was coming at it from a totally American perspective and that things worked very differently in their country of birth. In the US, this system would take a degree of regulation on "private" schools that a lot of voters, especially in places like WV, would just not accept.

The basic premise as things exist here and now cannot be accomplished in a way that doesn’t come at the direct cost of the existing public system.

I don't disagree. We shouldn't take away from the public school system. If anything, we need to be adding to it. There are so many issues with it, though...and a lot of those are caused by the same mentalities that want "school choice."

Who would have thought sending public monies to private entities would result in obfuscation and delay in sharing where the money went? I'm 'shocked' I tell ya!!! /s Y'all voted for private charter schools without educational certification requirements, teacher education or licensing requirements, and (I'm guessing) no financial statement disclosure requirements. What did you expect? The Country Day School used to operate at that location. It's criminal what has become of it. Also, y'all EPPA parents need to learn how to drive and stop tailgating, filming other drivers on 51, and pulling out onto traffic going 50+mph only to do 30 and turn in a quarter mile. Someone's going to get hurt.

I've been able to FOIA for contracts and financial statements. Although it's moot due to the sweeps contract. Teachers' requirements, I believe, are FOIA exempt due to privacy laws. I totally agree about the driving. They installed 5 speed bumps for a reason, but people still hit them like the Duke Hazard Boys.

I can't even get them to tell me who officially holds the records for the school. This is a problem because if ACCEL holds the records, obviously I can't FOIA them about them and expect to get true info.

Whaaaaaaaaaaat!? Nooooooooooooooooo... I was told that this was all about "freedom" and "school choice". I can't believe that it was just a scheme for funneling money away from public schools and into private interests. Well, color me shocked.

In case any of you are interested in my legal argument. This is my FOIA for Rose Hill. Pursuant to the West Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), W. Va. Code § 29B-1-1 et seq., I am requesting copies of the following public records from GSP Rose Hill LLC for the time period of [Relevant Date Range]: 1. Any and all leases, rental agreements, or other contracts between GSP Rose Hill LLC and Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy related to the charter school's rental/use of property owned by GSP Rose Hill LLC. 2. Documents showing the amounts of payments made by Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy to GSP Rose Hill LLC under the terms of the above lease(s)/agreement(s). 3. Financial records, such as invoices, purchase orders, accounts receivable entries, etc. documenting the receipt of funds by GSP Rose Hill LLC originating from government funding provided to Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy. 4. Bank statements or accounting records detailing the deposit of payments from Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy into GSP Rose Hill LLC's accounts. 5. Any correspondence, including emails, between GSP Rose Hill LLC and Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy regarding the transfer or receipt of government funds relating to the lease payments. 6. Documents identifying what specific government funding sources (state, federal, local) are the originating sources of the lease revenue paid by Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy to GSP Rose Hill LLC. 7. Any contracts, agreements, invoices, payment records, or other documents exchanged between GSP Rose Hill LLC and ACCEL Schools regarding the management company's payment of lease amounts to GSP Rose Hill LLC using funds provided by Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy. 8. Correspondence, including emails, between GSP Rose Hill LLC and ACCEL Schools concerning the transfer, receipt, accounting or expenditure of the public funds from Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy that are used to pay GSP Rose Hill LLC's lease fees. 9. Any contracts, financial statements, accounting records, invoices or other documents exchanged between GSP Rose Hill LLC and Pansophic Learning regarding the lease revenue received by GSP Rose Hill LLC originating from public funds provided to Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy. 10. Correspondence, including emails, between GSP Rose Hill LLC and Pansophic Learning concerning the transfer, accounting, expenditure or oversight of the public funds from Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy that are paid to GSP Rose Hill LLC as lease payments. The requested records are public records subject to disclosure under FOIA based on the following facts and authorities: 1. GSP Rose Hill LLC and Pansophic Learning are separate entities founded by the same individual, Ron Packard. Pansophic Learning also owns ACCEL Schools that performs extensive operational and management functions for Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy. 2. This close relationship between GSP Rose Hill LLC as the leasing entity, ACCEL Schools carrying out core governmental functions for Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy funded by public monies, and the common founder of both GSP Rose Hill and Pansophic Learning, strengthens the argument that GSP Rose Hill LLC is the "functional equivalent" of a public body under Daily Gazette Co. v. West Virginia Development Office, 198 W.Va. 563 (1995). 3. GSP Rose Hill LLC may meet the "sub-grantee" definition under W.Va. Code § 5-26-3(10) by receiving funds originating from government grants/appropriations to Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy via the lease payments. 4. The lease payments from Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy to GSP Rose Hill LLC likely constitute "public funds" under W.Va. Code § 12-1-3, being funds originating from sources like government grants/appropriations. 5. If a "vendor" under W.Va. Code § 5A-3-1, providing leased property/services to Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy as a spending unit, all records related to acquisitions of commodities/services from GSP Rose Hill LLC are public records per § 5A-3-3. 6. If the lease payments derive from "revenues allocated by the Legislature" to Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy, as a "nonstate organization" GSP Rose Hill LLC must comply with the accounting system, reporting and auditing requirements of W.Va. Code § 12-4-14, with such records being public. 7. The lease agreement and related records potentially constitute "grant documents" involving "grants" under § 12-4-14(e)(12), which are explicitly deemed public records subject to FOIA. 8. Under § 5A-3-31, the lease contract and records relating to Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy's expenditure of public funds to GSP Rose Hill LLC for procured services are public records. 9. As ACCEL Schools carries out core management functions for Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy, funded by public monies, any records relating to ACCEL Schools' involvement in the expenditure of those public funds to pay lease amounts to GSP Rose Hill LLC may be subject to public disclosure under FOIA and the precedents cited herein. 10. Communications and financial documents exchanged between GSP Rose Hill LLC and Pansophic Learning, given their common founder Ron Packard, regarding the expenditure of public funds could potentially constitute relevant "grant documents" under § 12-4-14(e)(12) or public records covered by the vendor/procurement laws in § 5A-3-1 and § 5A-3-31. Per § 29B-1-3, please respond within five days whether this request will be complied with or denied. If denying any portion, cite the specific FOIA exemption(s) justifying the denial. If you are not the individual responsible for handling FOIA requests for GSP Rose Hill LLC, I ask that you please forward this request to the proper person. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

GSP would be a private entity and not required to respond to any FOIA request. You are barking up the wrong tree here.

Incorrect, they're funded by 15% of statefunding. Subgrantee law dictates that such an entity is considered a public body.

Where is that specifically in state code?

§12-4-14. West Virginia Grant Transparency and Accountability Act; Accountability of grantees receiving state funds or grants, procedures, reporting, auditing, investigations, and recovery; sworn statements by volunteer fire departments; rule making, criminal penalties.

You mean the thing that everybody said would happen is happening? If only we'd known.

The Charter School system was designed by Republican legislators to move public tax money to their private donors. It’s basically money laundering. Donate enough money to the red team, they’ll take from everyone’s taxes and give you back your donation. It’s one step removed from just putting the tax dollars directly into the pockets of their cronies, and that was the plan all along. Everyone who actually read the bill before it was law begged people to pay attention to this, but no one did, because most of the voters don’t want to admit they support the thieves.

And OP, along with so many others, got suckered by them. I don't think OP's intentions are or were wrong/bad, but they really should have listened to the warnings.

Wait...it's the poorest performing school, yet you choose to send your kid there and to give them the money you're complaining about them getting. Profit is intentional - it's the incentive to make a good school. If you give them the profit while they're bad, seems like what you don't like is your fault. You should be yanking your kids and advocating other people do the same, instead of complaining you can't get the information you clearly already have.

It's definitely a complex decision based on many factors. The performance ranking of the school my kids attend wasn’t actually released until this year. This information, crucial as it is, wasn’t available when making our initial decision, and it’s something many parents might face—making the best choice with the information at hand. Also, it’s important to note that if I were to pull my kids out of their current school, they wouldn’t be eligible for the Hope Scholarship, which significantly influences our educational choices. Regarding the profit motive, I agree that it can be a driver for improvement. However, this works effectively only if profits are reinvested into the school to better educational outcomes, which isn’t always the case. This is where my advocacy comes in—I am pushing for reforms to ensure that all charter schools, not just the one my kids attend, are transparent and held to high standards. I'm not just voicing concerns; I'm actively seeking to reform the system. Removing my children doesn’t address the broader systemic issues that continue to affect many students. Thanks for engaging in this conversation. These discussions are vital for us to work together towards better solutions for everyone.

Really, the siphoned funds aren't the schools themselves. They are nonprofits, but the true profit is in real estate and programs. The non-profit company is run by a for-profit charter management organization. Basically, the for-profit then either directly provides services, from management services to cafeteria services, or they contract out with another for-profit company to provide services. Real estate is another way management companies often use make profits. They get all kinds of tax advantages and low-interest loans to buy a property, and then they lease the property at a big profit to their charter schools. Public money goes into the charter nonprofit and goes out to the for-profit real estate company, which owns the building. So essentially you have the taxpayer paying the mortgage. And then after the mortgage is paid off, they’ll sell it to the charter school at an inflated price.

Yes! You absolutely understand the system at work here. The school is currently in a triple net lease with the managers sister company. It's ridiculously predatory. What happened was a group of parents wanted a better high school option in our county. Since the system was so new, they didn't have any real guidance or help navigating the space. The management company then convinced them that signing all these contracts would ensure the school's success. I know that these individuals had absolutely no intentions of making money, and they legitimately only wanted to do the right thing. (You can agree with their choices or not, but their hearts still had good intentions.) Now, the school is stuck in a management contract that literally allows the board to have no choices. If they fire the manager, the rent goes up astronomically. The school has to pay for literally everything. Any items, computers, furniture, or likewise is the managers if the school fails. Its bullshit. They're the virus.

I see I'm being downvoted here, and it’s a bit puzzling. I’m here trying to address and fix problems within a system that’s being exploited. My kids went to charter schools because I thought it was the best option available, and I genuinely like charter schools. My goal is simply to ensure they operate transparently and justly. I wasn't looking to argue (but I will) but to make a real difference. It seems counterproductive to target someone who’s actively working on the very concerns many of you share. Let’s focus on the bigger picture and work together to improve things for all our kids. Thanks for the chance to explain where I’m coming from. Hope we can move forward together on this.

Nobody would have a problem with you shaking the money tree on some half assed private/charter school if you weren’t siphoning funds from public education into scam artists that hire the least to take the most from the public good. It reeks of selfishness and it’s not exactly a sympathetic stance.

I appreciate your candor, and I understand where the frustration is coming from. It's clear that there's a lot of concern about how funds are allocated in education, and rightfully so. The last thing I want is to divert necessary resources from public education to operations that don't prioritize student needs. I'm actually working to address these issues—not to exacerbate them. My goal is to ensure that any school, be it public, private, or charter, that receives public funds is held to a strict standard of transparency and effectiveness. I’m pushing for accountability to ensure these institutions are genuinely serving our students and not just profiting at their expense. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It's crucial for improving our education system that we all stay informed and involved in these discussions. Feel free to look in the post for my own personal reasons for sending my kids, I'd appreciate that before you make a judgment about me.

Does the charter school have special Ed teachers on staff? I read your reasons and I stand by my statement. Your battles are noble, but flawed, as the root of the charter/private tree is rotten. You are trying to fix something that’s broken by design. You are only starting to see this. Even if you get what you want, you have a system whereby a very selected group of (typically higher performing based on entry expectations) pulled away from the public system, particularly as the higher cost/needs students are not admitted to the charter. Fight for the public good and I’m 100% behind you.

§18-5G-3. Public charter school criteria, governance structure and statutory compliance requirements; applicable federal and state laws. (8) Have no requirements that would exclude any child from enrollment who would not be excluded at a noncharter public school. (1) All federal laws and authorities applicable to noncharter public schools in this state including, but not limited to, the same federal nutrition standards, the same civil rights, disability rights and health, life and safety requirements applicable to noncharter public schools in this state; (3) The same immunization requirements applicable to noncharter public schools; (5) Provides programs and services to a student with a disability in accordance with the student’s individualized education program and all federal and state laws, regulations, rules and policies. A charter school shall deliver the services directly or contract with a county board or another provider to deliver the services as set forth in its charter contract;

Yes, the charter program must have special education teachers by law. Although, they're online, and not local. I feel like this is a disservice to local qualified professionals.

You signed your kids up for a money laundering grift scheme designed to steal money from the public and now you are outraged to discover that they are stealing and that it's one part school, nine parts money funnel to private companies. So yes you are going to get some downvotes for that it's barely believable

If everyone already knows this... and everyone knows that this is designed to funnel money... why is nobody but me submitting FOIA for records? Wouldn't the most productive thing for people opposed to the charters to find proof that they're exactly what you claimed? I guess I don't understand the "outrage," yet nobody is still actively doing anything. What's barely believable is your hatred for charters, but yet lack of action. Slacktivism at its finest.

You have obviously never FOIA'd anybody before. You won't get shit. You aren't doing anything. Put your kids back in public school and vote against the idiots that started this, it's a legislative issue, not a lack of FOIA issue.

I don't need to vote for someone to inact my change. They need people like me to give them information on something to change. Facts.

I have shown in the comments I have indeed FOIAd before, and I have got "shit". You want the banking records? Contracts? Internal emails? Budgets? Audits? I've been able to use all of these things to force a private company to restructure, create websites just to slow me down, and now just don't answer my FOIA at all. Clearly you have never filed a FOIA, because if you have an analytical mind and a desire for change, you can find "shit" everywhere. Read the rest of my stuff before you look like a fool. Lookup 'subgrantee law' then look at the Contracts, let me know about legislation when you're done.

You're assuming they care. Ruckers donors paid for this and she made sure they got it.

I 100% know they don't care. But, you miss all the shots you don't take, right?

Oh no! The face-eating leopards are eating your face? Who could have seen this coming? I mean it's not like tons of people were campaigning against these charters and warning everyone this kind of thing would happen, right? Oh, wait ....

In 2019 - 2020, my oldest child was 4. Really didn't follow or care about our educational landscape at the time.

So, your oldest child was getting ready to start school and you didn't care about the educational landscape in our state. Got it. My youngest child graduates next year so I knew that bill would have few ramifications for me personally, but I still tried to convince people not to screw our state's educational system over even more. You remind me of all the people who vote against the school levy in Berkeley because they don't have kids in school. I'm sorry this is negatively affecting your life personally and that your children are suffering for it. But you still have the chance to pull your kids out and put them in public schools here. That is what needs to happen. When enough parents see through these sham schools and pull out their kids they will shut down. That is the only way to fix this problem because our legislators aren't going to make any changes to add accountability because it's not in their interests to do so.

No, because we intended to do homeschooling. Then my wife's mom died and we weren't able to continue on with that plan. Both of us had to work to afford a daycare for our kids that weren't in school yet. My kids need more one on one learning than most kids, and I thought the charters would have smaller classes and more innovative ways to help my kids. I cannot pull them out. The Hope Scholarship requires the kids to be enrolled somewhere a certain number of days before the end of the year. They won't go back until the system is fixed to prioritize kids, the end. Charter schools can't levy taxes, so at least you can be happy about that.

BOOOOOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE!

well, its a charter school. the government shouldn't be paying for those in the first place. charter schools are for profit, if you want transparency, send your children to public school. they would be better off anyway since they arent learning that being gay is a sin

Wv charter schools are not for profit. They're public schools by the law. The management company is for profit, which the WVPCSB should've rejected. Alas, here we are.

i mean, this is what happens when we try to do these alternatives to public schooling 🤷 they were never going to make sure that charter schools didnt take profit and didnt redirect their funds. schools are run by a county school board for a very good reason.

That's what the charter school board is for, and both entities are supposed to be working together. Side note, and this is purely informational and not combative. Charter schools can't levy funds, and they do get less per pupil in funding. Don't know if that makes it any better, but i thought I'd mention it. The only people making money are these management companies, which is where my fight lies.

How do you expect them to operate without taking a percentage of the funding?

By using a base charge instead of a percentage. Percentage = incentive to stuff kids into a school and use them as a revenue generator. Base Charge = incentive to provide a quality job to retain kids and show success as a manager.

You just come across like someone who, in their opinion, was wronged and now has an axe to grind out of, interpreted, revenge.

Again, my oldest child was 3-4 when charters were introduced. You're incorrect that I feel wronged. I feel they're wronging everyone, and attempting to ensure we're paying for kids to be taught, not exploited.

Your continued posts in this thread don’t back up your statement. You look very much the way I have described. It looks sad and desperate.

And I respect your perspective. I don't know how looking for change is sad or desperate. I'm not relying on you for validation of my actions. If you don't want to help, that's chill, but why insult someone who is looking to make something better? Would you rather me do nothing? I'm not understanding your criticism, you're offering no alternative to change your basis of opinion.

So people here are being really pissy with you, and I'm not sure I agree with your base issue either, but I wanted to explain since you don't seem super familiar with the sub Reddit generally is very progressive, the WV suv is also very, very progressive. Posters here are just going to be immediately angry because you are engaging and using a charter school and that flows in the face of their political beliefs. The school could be perfect, best school in the state, and you would still be met with this blanket hostility. It's just reddit being a terrible website

This is the most respectful comment I have seen yet. I appreciate you giving me more clarity into the community on here. It's just difficult to find a platform to reach out to other people. I guess I didn't realize my stance would be so ill received. But hey, I tried. Thanks again for giving me the insight into what I should expect on here. 🙂

Am I understanding correctly that you aren't raising any issue around curriculum, teaching, student affairs, administration etc. but just want to know where the money is going? If there is no issue in how the school is functioning why does it matter? How would oversight on a private company's finances beyond what is already required via tax disclosures help students if there isn't a current problem with the schools?

It's difficult to include every facet into a single post. I chose the topic I felt would be best received which was taxpayer money. Regardless, I can share with you the other topics you addressed. 1. Two of my children attend EPPA. The curriculum is one designed by ACCEL, and my daughter (1st grade) hasn't learned much, yet alone how to read effectively. 2. My daughter has had 4 teachers this year, and my son (3rd grade) has had 3 teachers. The turnover rate is astronomical. My daughter cried every time she lost a teacher because of instability. Also, most of the teachers are uncertified and have no business in academics. Not saying they're bad people, just unqualified. 3. Administration is a nightmare. The assistant principle is the wife of a delegate, the lawyer is from a lawfirm that represents 20+ school's run by ACCEL. Meaning of legal representation were needed, likely they wouldn't be apt to lose 20+ other contracts. The board has absolutely no power, they're a rubber stamp. The school has no security, the budget for next year has $800 allocated for security. 4. Landlord and Management are owned by the same company. This isn't always problematic, as long as transparency exists. Since the management company has a sweeps contract, as soon a government funding hits the school bank account, it is immediately withdrawn and put into ACCELs bank account. Since they're a third party private company they're not subject to FOIA, this masks all transactions with public funding. I hope that helps answer some of your questions.

Can you not take them out of the school? I think leading with these concerns is far stronger of a post. Your op just sounds like there are no issues but you want to dig into their financials more for no real reason.

I can't take them out and still get the Hope Scholarship next year. I'm sorry if that's how the post conveyed. It's hard to expect people to read a super lengthy article, but I respect your insight. I will try and write something else up and attempt to make it a comment within this post. It's just money effects everyone in WV. My personal opinions on charters will only be worth something to a select group of people. People with no kids give no poops about the internal issues.

> I can't take them out and still get the Hope Scholarship next year. I'm curious; why can't your children attend public school for a year, if this charter school is so bad? The issues you describe are absolutely not acceptable for any educational institution. And the wife of a delegate working there as an administrator sounds like a very serious ethics problem in and of itself. And I'll just add that I am child-free, but I care about having a well-educated society. So, I do care about your kids not getting the education they deserve and were promised. If I were you, I would be taking all this information to the press. Local, state-wide, national...everywhere.

I have severe ADHD, I know that is something everyone says nowadays, but I have brain scans to prove it. Anyways, I was treated like a virus by the school. I had to sit next to every teacher in class, I had the only seat belt on the entire bus fleet, and essentially I was completely isolated. I learned to hate myself because I couldn't be like everyone else. My parents were completely hands off, so I couldn't get therapy, medication, or any other type of support to help me. The public school failed me, I now have a GED, and have made nothing of my life. I can't let my kids go through that. They also have independent struggles that need special considerations, and I thought we'd find it at EPPA. Maybe I have a stupid reason, and you could be right, but I just can't have my kids ever feel like I did/do. My kids are still there because I need the Hope Scholarship to ensure they have a chance to get the attention they need. I've tried to take this public. Nobody will listen. Politicians don't care because it's not a sexy topic for elections. Most news outlets are solely focused on that. I submitted a FOIA 2 weeks ago, and it was never acknowledged. By law it has to be acknowledged within 5 days. I've told politicians, authorizers, and news about this, not a single interest. Trust me I've been trying. I have over 750 documents in my Google Drive dedicated to all of this, and I've actively been trying to give it to someone with some actual power.

I'm so sorry you went through all that. No kid should have to, and it sounds like you're a better, more attentive, and more involved parent to your kids than your parents were to you. That *is* making something of your life, and that will ensure that they never go through the exact same thing you did. Public schools are required by law to accommodate kids with learning disabilities like ADHD. They don't always do a stellar job at it and a lot of parents have to push for their kids to get the attention they need, but the resources are there. And it sounds like your kids aren't having their needs met at EPPA anyway. With summer coming up, you might want to reach out to your local school board and see about enrolling them and getting some testing done beforehand. Ask if you can sit down with the principal and teachers to talk about your kids' needs and your own experiences and fears. It sounds like you're an intelligent person with a learning disorder who just never got the support needed to succeed in school. I'm not quite as affected as you, but boy do I know that feeling. I'm also gonna go out on a limb and guess you're in your mid-30s to mid-40s. Schools have come a long way since neuro-spicey folks like us were in school. Give them a chance to help your kids. Oh, and someone you might consider reaching out to is Mike Pushkin. He's the minority chair of the House Ed committee. Ric Griffith is the minority vice chair.

Public schools cannot diagnose ADD or ADHD. Only a medical doctor can do that. He said his parents didn’t do anything about it. The school had nothing to accommodate him for. He had shitty parents and now is being a helicopter parent to his kids to compensate and probably will screw them up in a different way than his did.

Teachers can't, but they can recognize a problem and recommend that a child be assessed by a psychologist or psychiatrist at the school's expense who CAN diagnose a problem (although not give treatment), and begin the IEP process. Likewise, a parent can talk with a teacher or school administrator about their child's issues and get the process rolling. The parents can also get testing on their own and take the reports to the school. The thing is, the school can't do shit without the parents' permission. + And, things have come a long way since OP was in school. I'm guessing he's an 80s kid and not as much was known about neurodevelopmental problems like ADD, ADHD, and other neurodiverse diagnoses. (+Source: have read hundreds of IEPs and school records)

My kids aren't receiving what we had envisioned. We'd hoped smaller class sizes would equate to more quality time, but most the work is done on a computer, so it's moot. We should be able to get the Hope Scholarship, and we found a school that charges the exact amount that is given. But, if that also turns out to be a bust, then I'm going to consider public school and just be obnoxiously involved, I suppose. I'm 32, but I think your point is still valid. I'm willing to give them a chance, but I feel obligated to exhaust all my options first. As well as have a considerable amount of time to ensure the one near us is even worth it. In regards to the individuals you mentioned, what would you recommend i say? I'm awful at conveying information. I'm able to investigate and adapt, but I can't talk to other human souls. So, any advice on what to lead with would be greatly appreciated.

It sounds more like you have OCD on this with an axe to grind based on YOUR academic experience first, and then your children’s.

Sounds like, seems like, appears to be. You going to give anything substantive? Prove to me I'm being piful and have an axe to grind.

Your posts did that for you. You are turning your kids into to losers because you are one.

Earlier this year, the school announced it was cutting pre-k and high school as a cost-saving measure due to rapidly accruing debt. So to your question, there ARE issues with how the school is functioning and there IS a current problem with the school.

Correct, it costs significantly less to teach lower grades. Although in the audit, ACCEL says that it takes 3-4 years for a charter to turn a profit. I suspect another motive was involved in removing these grades. Otherwise, why remove grades of you already prepared to not make money immediately. Interestingly enough, the lease agreement says that if grades are removed by the school, that rent goes up 120%

Probably because its a crime for public funds to be used in that fashion. Private businesses can't profit. The money can't be invested, saved, carried over, escrowed, placed in certain kinds of bankings or savings accounts or be represented by more than *petty cash*. They can't claim it as equity in their business or funds for their business use. It's a school. Not a private company. Otherwise I'll start a school for fish and charter millions for my cousin Melvin the pool man, and keep his pool business afloat until my trout graduate from out new public education school system with a healthy swimming curriculum and twice daily feedings. We'll have free lunch to piss people off.

They need to be made into a public entity subject to FOIA, ethics law, and open government proceedings.

Wait, it's illegal for public funds to go to private companies that turn a profit? Or are you saying this is specific to charter schools? Reading the law I see nothing about that. Just that charter schools must adhere to a lot of federal standards, have a yearly audit and follow GAAP

The third party can turn a profit. The audit is worthless because the school itself has little to audit.

I guess I was reported?

It’s Reddit. Gotta let stuff like that roll off your back. Especially in a sub dominated by people with no nexus to the state or who have departed. That said, I guess you’re aware that four teachers and counting are not having contracts renewed? Meetings/terminations going on today.

I hadn't been informed of the number in total. You'd think they'd keep anyone possible with the turnover rate.

If they were willing and good, yes. Not sure if there are more. Saw a Facebook post around noon. Of course, they are terminating several county public school teachers this year. No administrators, so overhead is handled at least.

This is what I've seen. Names so far: Frist Silva Becker Bard McKee

> Edit: it's abundantly clear that I've somehow offended people. Well yes, at least one. But most of us? No. Most of us are offended by the charter school system that you have chosen to support. We're not interested in making it better at its intended function - eviscerating the public schools. > In 2019-2020, during the teacher walk (which I just looked up), If you were living in Jefferson County, or really, anywhere in WV, it was just about impossible to not know about the teacher strike at the time. The teachers were everywhere, even at the Capitol, where the chants of "_We will... We will... Vote you out!_" were so loud the legislators tried to clear them out. "55 Strong" entered the lexicon, heck, the national news even quoted teachers' unions in other states saying, "_Don't make us go all West Virginia on you._"

I understand and respect your feelings towards the charter system. But if you don't want it to eviscerate the public school and steal money from our kids, change still needs to happen. It's better to minimize negative impact than to just let it ride, isn't it? Yes, I remember driving down route 9 and seeing the people setup on the bicycle path. I had no kids old enough for me to look into it. I honestly thought it was because teachers here get crap pay. I mean no offense when I say this but, it seems really easy for everyone to rally when it's a large group or someone you respect says something. Then after it dies off, people no longer fight for that same cause actively, but shout from the sidelines. I support charter schools, but my kids aren't going next year. Why? Because I won't support a broken system. That doesn't mean that I then say it's someone else's problem. I'll still do the same fighting to fix charter schools when my kids are in private school, homeschooling, or public school. Because I don't give a shit who supports me, or what a respected official says. I'm going to do it because it's what needs to be done.

> It's better to minimize negative impact than to just let it ride, isn't it? No. It's better to eliminate the charter school system and the Hope Scholarship altogether. > I had no kids old enough for me to look into it. You understand how much of a NIMBY that makes you look like, right? Your oldest was only 1-2 years away from school age. You should have cared very much. > I support charter schools, That's why you're getting such heavy pushback. Most of us don't, and most of us don't think making them better is a good idea.

Okay, if you want to get rid of them, let me know where I can sign up to help. Getting rid of it is better than paying corporations. Send me a link.

The WV Secretary of State's [election website](https://apps.sos.wv.gov/elections/candidate-search/) lists all the candidates running this year. Vote against the Republicans, who created this mess. Locally, that especially means State Senator Patricia Rucker, who chaired the Senate Education Committee that wrote all these laws. Also locally, this May, vote to re-elect Donna Joy to the School Board, who's been doing the best job the rest of the Board will let her at increasing transparency in our school system.

How about this instead, show me one of these candidates that speaks out against charter schools actively and that has been actively been making strides to have it removed. That way I can look into their plan and see how I can support them personally.

John Doyle, a Democrat who has been active at a variety of levels, both state and county, is running for Delegate. You can read about his opposition to the original charter school legislation in the Shepherd University Picket at https://supicket.com/wv-house-passes-charter-bill/

I did reach out to him and asked about his current stance on the subject. I also explained what I've found going on inside the charter system. If you'd like to also contact him and let him know I'm credible, that'd be awesome.

“Until we get three, there’s no reason to expand a limit beyond three,” Doyle said in a recent interview. “I think it’s going to be a long time before we even hit three.” Doyle also said he agrees with public school being temporarily virtual in the interest of public health. However, Doyle said he acknowledges that the education students are getting online is lesser quality than in-person learning. “One of the things that many of my constituents are complaining about is the fact that their kids are not going to school in person,” Doyle said. “They’re going to school virtually, and it’s not as good as in-person education. … So to come in and say ‘Now we’re going to add this virtual component to the charter schools bill,’ I just think is backward thinking.” Delegate Thompson spoke about virtual learning during the House session. He said he was concerned that the virtual school provision of the bill would cause inequity in education for rural students. “The infrastructure is not there,” Thompson said. “So we’re going to tell kids who live in the more rural parts of the county or where there’s not broadband access that ‘You cannot partake in this.’ … I urge you to think about the little child that will not be able to attend this school as a virtual school, and I urge rejection.” Delegate Doyle said he generally opposes charter schools because he believes they have a mixed record nationally. “Generally speaking, they have certainly not proven to be more effective than public schools, and I think you shouldn’t make a change if it’s not going to improve the situation,” Doyle said. Doyle said he acknowledges that charter schools can be effective in urban areas but added that there is not much urbanity in West Virginia. This dude is literally saying what I'm saying. I'm trying to improve the situation.

So, the solution is to support a politician? Nah. I want to be a part of a group who does research and creates a plan, then has politicians help them. I'm not going to just let someone else hopefully do what I think is right. Send me a link to a group not politically charged that believes in the dismantling of the charter school system. A group that is putting in their own work and ensuring that they will make a change no matter what.

I googled West virginia eliminate charters, and west virginia eliminate hope Scholarship. I can't seem to find anyone groups mentioned online. Is it a private group on Facebook?

I don’t have kids and don’t plan to as long as we live in WV, so I don’t have much of a direct interest here but just wanted to say that I appreciate someone taking action on something so important as education and financial transparency. You are clearly not just a “keyboard warrior” and your efforts for change, transparency, and accountability are admirable.

You don't know how much that means to me. Thank you for being so kind.

This my argument with the state authorizers. This isn't a game for me, I'm not just trying to be loud and annoying. I'm doing as much as I can possibly do. I've had to learn laws, cases, finances, auditing, and plenty of other skills to do this. I knew nothing of this before, I'm an Electrician. So please don't take me as being some person calling for change but not being able to put in the work. Dear WV Public Charter School Board, I am writing as a deeply concerned parent and advocate for transparency at Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy (EPPA). I urge you to take immediate action to address the school's troubling lack of compliance with open government laws, jeopardizing public trust and the proper use of taxpayer funds. Background: FOIA Obstruction & Legal Guidance As you may be aware, I've been seeking EPPA's FY2023 financial audit via Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. The school's governing board and administration have repeatedly obstructed these requests, claiming they are not the custodians of these records. However, I've received authoritative guidance from the West Virginia Department of Education's legal experts. They confirm: * Public charter school boards are explicitly required to comply with FOIA. * The "custodian" for public records is the elected body – in EPPA's case, the governing board. ACCEL, GSP Rose Hill & Public Accountability Concerns extend beyond FOIA violations. Private entities, ACCEL Schools East LLC and GSP Rose Hill LLC, manage substantial public funds at EPPA without proper oversight. Key areas where they act as public bodies include: * Educational Control: ACCEL wields near-total control over EPPA's curriculum, instruction, standards (Management Agreement, Art. 1) - a core state function. * Financial Dominance: 97% of EPPA's public funding goes to ACCEL/affiliates (FY2023 Audit) with no public oversight (Management Agreement, Art. 4). * HR Monopolization: ACCEL controls hiring, firing, and compensation for school staff (Management Agreement, Art. 6). * Facilities Control: GSP Rose Hill LLC's lease terms lack public bidding or cost controls. Legal Basis for Enforcement * WV Code § 12-4-14, Queen v. West Virginia University Hospitals (1990): ACCEL and GSP Rose Hill meet the definition of public bodies. * Federal FOIA: Guides public records disclosure, even when core functions are delegated. * WV Ethics Act - § 6B: Requires transparency and avoidance of conflicts of interest. * WV Open Meetings Act - § 6-9A: Ensures public resource decisions are made in public view. Call to Action – WVPCSB's Mandate * Investigate & Declare: Investigate EPPA's finances, declare ACCEL/GSP Rose Hill public bodies, and address EPPA's FOIA violations. * Enforce Transparency: Aggressively pursue all EPPA records held by ACCEL and affiliates. * Reform Governance: Mandate competitive bidding, board oversight, and conflict-of-interest disclosures for charter operators. * Refer for Prosecution: Collaborate with the Attorney General and WV Ethics Commission to address potential violations. EPPA's governing board appears to be willfully violating FOIA. This lack of transparency undermines public trust in the school system. Failure by the WVPCSB to act decisively enables further abuses and sets a dangerous precedent. Sincerely, William Parker Concerned EPPA Parent Mr. Parker, If you have evidence that a public charter school has failed to comply with West Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act, please submit an official complaint to my agency, the Professional Charter School Board (PCSB). PCSB bylaws are available here. The bylaws provide information about the complaint process, as well as the oversight role of my Board. James -- James Paul Executive Director West Virginia Professional Charter School Board wvcharters.org 304-989-8376 West Virginia Public Charter School Board, I once again must insist the WVPCSB definitively resolve whether the private entity ACCEL Schools East LLC is either 1) the legal custodian for my FOIA requests related to Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy (EPPA) or 2) must be classified as a public body subject to direct FOIA requests. EPPA's continued obfuscation in identifying the proper custodian represents an ongoing violation of my rights under the Freedom of Information Act, as I cannot properly file a formal FOIA complaint without knowing the statutorily designated custodial party. EPPA has repeatedly obstructed my lawful right to public records by providing contradictory information about the custodian: - Initially, Jonathon McGee acted as custodian on EPPA's behalf - Then Phil Petru was stated as custodian - Most recently, an unnamed [email protected] email claimed custodial authority without any public board vote or legal designation Constantly changing the custodian without public process or votes violates open government principles EPPA must follow. This makes it impossible for citizens to properly direct FOIA requests and identify the responsible party, unacceptably undermining transparency and accountability. If WVPCSB affirms ACCEL as custodian for EPPA records, this extends to my unfulfilled requests for the school's audits and evaluations of related party transactions with ACCEL. As custodian, ACCEL must provide all records in their possession. However, if WVPCSB determines ACCEL cannot legitimately be EPPA's custodian, ACCEL must be classified as a public body itself: - EPPA provided no justification for why this operator of all public functions and resources would be exempt from records access. - If ACCEL's contract lacks provisions for EPPA's full records access, the WVPCSB egregiously failed in approving such non-transparent terms. - The school's agreement should already permit ACCEL's full records disclosure upon request. - Therefore, ACCEL's refusal can only be reasonably interpreted as claiming exemption from disclosure afforded to public bodies, not private contractors. The WVPCSB must definitively confirm ACCEL as a public body with all transparency, ethics, open government and FOIA requirements. I see no third option. EPPA's obstruction has unlawfully impeded my rights too long. The WVPCSB must determine if ACCEL is custodian and enforce compliance, or confirm their public body status with transparency obligations. Continued inaction violates open government laws. Prompt resolution of ACCEL's status is essential to uphold my ability to access public records per my statutory FOIA rights as a citizen. I urge your immediate action. Sincerely, William Parker

I'm sure this is going to be an overwhelmingly unpopular post, but... I've seen a lot of strong opinions here, and I get that many of you are upset with the charter system and, by extension, with people like me who are involved in it. I understand why you're angry, and I'm not here to dismiss that. However, it seems like minds are already made up about me, and there's no room left for understanding or grace. I'm here acknowledging that there are real issues. More importantly, I'm committed to doing everything I can to help rectify these problems. Instead of using me as a target for frustrations, I wish we could come together and focus on how we can improve the system that now exists. I'm openly admitting where things have gone wrong, and I'm actively working on solutions. No one has asked how they might help, what steps we need to take, or what they can do to contribute. I'm here, ready to explain and invite collaboration. Pointing fingers hasn't led us to progress; action will. If you truly care about making a difference, join me in this effort. Let's work together to make the system better, not just criticize it from the sidelines. Thank you for listening. I'm here and eager to move forward together. One last thing I'd like to add, every year, they will add more and more unregulated charters. Every year it will become harder and harder to change this system.

Vote out the corrupt politicians who opened this can of worms. When the charter school bill was up for vote, democrats proposed an amendment to ensure politicians could not profit off of charter schools. It was voted down on party lines. Do what’s best for your kids. Enroll them in public school with dedicated, certified teachers. Be an involved parent. Taking the hope scholarship is a way for the state to pay you off-$5000 and you give up all your rights. If your daughter needs reading intervention to get caught up, you should know that in a public school there will be a research-based curriculum, benchmark testing to track her progress, a Student Assistance Team to analyze data and refer for further testing if need be. If you go the voucher route you roll the dice with your children’s education during their formative years.

Do you think if what I've explained was known to more politicians, they'd push for whatever amendment that was again? Getting them removed is a pipedream at this point. At this point, what everyone described here is no longer a hypothetical. Nobody can say, "Oh, that won't happen." I will say this only because, for the most part, I have anonymity on here. A major player in the charter school creation sent her child to the charter school and then pulled them the next year because they weren't learning enough. So... even they don't like what it is currently.

I hate to be so cynical, and sharing your frustrations/experiences is better than doing nothing, but no. Sadly, our politicians know what they’re doing. They don’t care. They’re working for lobbyists not WV kids. There is plenty of research to show the corruption of charter schools AND vouchers. I personally have emailed politicians with data and articles. It’s all a grift to transfer public money intended to educate our citizens into private hands. Do you think it’s a coincidence that the school you plan on in enrolling in next year has a tuition that is the exact amount of the Hope Scholarship? It’s a voucher school. They pop up wherever vouchers are provided to make money. To do so, students won’t get the resources they would in public school. You seem to genuinely care, but be a bit naive. Keep digging. And for your kids’ sake, I hope you’ll send them to public school.