Challenge Charter School

“Newton charter school owes $165K for insurance, rent.” Newton Citizen (GA), 3/27/2013

COVINGTON -- Challenge Charter Academy owes about $165,000 to local and state groups.

The Georgia Department of Community Health, which provides state health insurance benefits for employees, notified the school and Newton County Board of Education on Monday about the school's delinquency of $116,477.57. The department also notified the state Board of Education and the Georgia Charter School Commission about the matter, according to a letter sent to the school...

Additionally, the school owes $48,000 for eight months of rent to the Cousins Community Center, which is a nonprofit entity that was established to preserve the former Cousins campus, from which it rents its building on Geiger Street...

In October, school Principal Ernetta Dailey-Worthy told the Newton County school board that her staff would work to incorporate changes, and she hired a new chief financial officer for the school to develop a strategic plan and help better promote the school.The charter school is expected to close at the end of this school year, after officials with the school decided earlier this month to withdraw the school's petition that would have renewed the charter school for the next three years. In February, the Georgia Department of Education notified the school's foundation that the school's petition would be submitted to the state Board of Education with a recommendation for denial...

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“Newton charter school to close after this year.” Newton Citizen (GA), 3/9/2013

COVINGTON -- Challenge Charter Academy will close at the end of this school year.

#The Newton County School System announced Friday that the school will close, after officials with the school decided to withdraw the school's petition that would have renewed the charter school for the next three years.

Officials with the Georgia Department of Education notified the Challenge Foundation last month that the school's petition would be submitted to the state board of education with a recommendation for denial, according to NCSS.

On Friday, the GaDOE provided a recommendation letter it sent the school on Feb. 27. The letter lists some of the major reasons for its intent to suggest the denial:

-- The school was not able to articulate why it required a charter; there are no ascertainable uses of flexibility and the school appears to function as more of an educational program rather than a school.

-- The governing board is relatively new but knows very little about the operation of the school. The school also lacks a succession plan and board training program.

-- There is no clear separation between the governing board and a proposed school leader, although there is a requirement that the board be autonomous.

-- The school is not able to provide the level of services and programs required of a high school in order for the students to succeed.

-- Student performance does not meet expectation for charter schools and higher accountability, and there no discernible plan to increase student performance...