Torchlight Academy, a K-8 charter school in Raleigh, has had it charter revoked by the state. | Shutterstock
Torchlight Academy, a K-8 charter school in Raleigh, has had it charter revoked by the state. | Shutterstock
The North Carolina State Board of Education (NCSBE) voted recently to revoke the charter for Torchlight Academy’s K-8 600-student school in Raleigh, following a closed-door session one day before the vote.
According to a report by WRAL News, issues raised about the school focused on the management of its program for exceptional children. Amy White, chairwoman of the NCSBE’s education innovation and charter school’s committee, told WRAL that a “thorough investigation” by the Department of Public Instruction had led to the decision.
“This is not a decision that has been made lightly,” White told WRAL.
Three schools managed by Torchlight Academy Schools, LLC, have had their charters pulled in the last year. The Charter School Board made its decision, maintaining that the school violated laws and regulations, including some for special education. It also violated the school’s charter by failing to ensure transparency, failing to adhere to fiscal management guidelines and allowing conflicts of interest to go unchecked.
Discussions prior to the decision focused on financial records and self-management, with the state noting that Donnie McQueen, executive director of the school and owner of its for-profit management firm, is paid nearly $3 million in that position.
When questioned, the school’s board claimed it didn’t know what was going on, and officials sidestepped questions about management of the school, choosing to point out that the school had achieved “C” performance grades and had exceeded goals in student growth. WRAL says the school's academic performance was not a factor in the decision to revoke its charter.
Alerts Sign-up