Renaissance Academy (Nevada)

“Former charter school administrator arrested.” KTNV Las Vegas (NV), 4/9/2013

Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) -- A man at the center of a Contact 13 investigation is facing charges that he defrauded the state and stole $1.3 million tax dollars all under the guise of education.

Chief investigator Darcy Spears first broke the story last July.

For charter schools, more kids means more money.

And it seems Roy Harden knew that.

Instead of diplomas and educated kids, his legacy includes allegations of theft, forgery and a shut-down school.

Renaissance Academy was an online charter school that barely got off the ground before it was shut down by the state...

As Contact 13 first reported last summer, the State Public Charter School Authority found forged and doctored documents from attendance logs to student transcripts.

The man running Renaissance was Roy Harden, who started the school as administrator at the age of 26.

"He was never a teacher. He was never an administrator. I don't even know if he finished college," former Renaissance teacher Katherine von Collenberg told us last July.

Harden now stands accused of theft and multiple counts of forgery by the Nevada Attorney General.

The criminal complaint they filed about a week ago says Harden lied to the Nevada Department of Education, falsely inflating Renaissance's student enrollment.

That resulted in an over-payment of $1.3 million tax dollars...

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Quest Academy (NV)

“Quest Academy board considers disciplining other school employees.” KTNV 13 News (NV), 1/30/2013

Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) -- It was another late night on Tuesday at Quest Academy...

Principal Connie Jordan was fired for abusing her authority and using taxpayer dollars for personal gain...

A former employee wrote a letter to the board saying the high school administration is incompetent and self-serving...

Also facing action Tuesday night was business manager Robin Vitiello and office manager Melissa Hester. Board members told Hester that school video cameras caught her and Jordan destroying records in Jordan's office last Monday when the school was closed for Martin Luther King Day.

The auditor that Quest hired found checks cut to Robin Vitiello that appeared to be unapproved bonuses. There are also allegations that she was forced to kick some of that money back to former principal Jordan.

Board member Linda Kuhn pointed out, however, that they're not the only entity investigating allegations and that this may be far from over as the case is in the hands of the Attorney General...

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“Quest Academy audit sparks emergency action.”KTNV 13 News (NV), 1/22/2013

Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) -- ... Contact 13 began reporting on Quest in November amid allegations from Miller and other parents and staff about misuse of school money.

Though the State Public Charter School Authority investigated the allegations and found evidence of fiscal malfeasance and abuse of authority, the Quest governing board hired a private auditor to investigate further.

Almost $270,000 tax dollars are in question.

Contact 13 obtained the just-released forensic audit of Quest's finances...

Some of the report centers around Quest Principal Connie Jordan and $15,000 she took in June 2011. The auditor found her explanations for that money are bogus...

In October, 2011, Quest credit cards show more than $4,300 in travel expenses and more than $500 at Walmart for three Kindles, food items and gift cards.

On Connie Jordan's card in November 2011, he found more than $1200 spent on meals, postage, travel, gift cards, a frame, food and tools.

And Jordan spent $5600 more of your tax dollars. At Barnes and Noble she bought eight Nooks and Nook accessories.

At Best Buy: DVDs, a Nintendo DSi and two Turtle Beach Call of Duty video game headsets.

At Walmart: a blu-ray player, movies, clothes, board games, music, Wii games and a lava lamp...

The auditor also found tens of thousands in irregular payments to Jordan and several other school administrators: checks that circumvented the normal payroll process and the board.

The auditor says those checks may indicate that Jordan forced a few employees to kickback money to her from their paychecks...

Reacting to the auditor's findings, the Quest board took emergency action Monday to secure and protect the school.

They took away Principal Jordan's ability to hire and fire, and froze all of her access to school money...

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“You Paid for It: Quest Academy.”KTNV Las Vegas (NV), 11/19/2012 

Teachers quitting, parents enraged and demanding answers, and students caught in the middle. That's what's going on at a local school under investigation by the state. And it's raising issues of abuse of authority and waste of your tax dollars...

Teachers are quitting, citing a hostile work environment. Five have left in just the last month...

It all stems from allegations against Quest Academy Principal Connie Jordan and most of the school's governing board.

Multiple school employees and one board member have filed formal complaints with the State Public Charter School Authority.

In a Nov. 2 letter to the Quest board, the authority says the issues raised in those multiple complaints suggest "among other transgressions, fiscal malfeasance on the part of the school's administrator and a lack of governing body oversight of the school."...

Lucretia Glidewell was contracted as Quest's financial manager. She told the state in her complaint that she was forced to kickback $1,000 a month out of her paycheck to the principal in order to keep her contract.

She also told the state she was "asked to help cover up illegal practices" regarding three $5,000 checks, which she calls an unapproved "bonus" the principal gave to herself...

[Principal] Connie Jordan told the crowd to wait for the state's findings...

She's also facing allegations that she "falsified documents" to the state -- altering her contract to explain the checks as a payout of unused personal time off...

... One week after [assistant principal ] made allegations of wrongdoing to the board, she was placed on paid administrative leave...

While the Charter School Authority conducts its investigation, the Quest governing board will be spending more tax dollars to hire outside companies to audit and investigate their school...

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A website devoted to this situation @ http://questacademylvexposed.blogspot.com/

Letter (11/2/2012) to Quest Academy Governing Body President from State Public Charter School Authority:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/113454427/state-letter-to-QUEST-ACADEMY

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Las Vegas Charter School of the Deaf

“Charter school for deaf signs off in bankruptcy.” Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV), 3/5/2012

Caroline Bass sinks behind a mountain of markers and student artwork and watches as her charter school is dis­assembled Thursday...

The Las Vegas Charter School of the Deaf, in the northwest valley, went bankrupt this summer after just three school years, said Bass, who's on the board of the school that took 10 years of planning to open. Even worse, board members are now $90,000 in debt because of the school's costs, which govern­ment funding didn't come close to covering...

Of the nine Nevada charter schools that have closed since 2000, none were for poor student performance, but for financial problems or bad record keeping...

The state provides about $5,000 per student to charter schools. For the deaf school, that amounted to about $55,000 a year at its peak, which wasn't even enough to pay its two teachers, an aide and a director...

The $5,000-per-student funding rate is the same at normal public schools, but charter schools have to start from scratch, finding a building, books and equipment.

"Your money is eaten up immediately," Bass said.

That's especially true at a school as small as the deaf school, where state funding doesn't cover operational costs, said Dan Tafoya, coordinator of the Clark County School District's Office of Charter Schools.

"You need a large number of students to stay operational," said Tafoya, noting that the district's smallest charter school is the Delta Academy, which has 225 students. Odyssey Charter School has about 1,500 students. "You really have to watch your P's and Q's."...

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Imagine School in the Valle

“Battle Rages Between Charter School and Management Company.” KLAS-TV 8 News (NV) 6/30/11

LAS VEGAS -- With budget battles brewing over schools and how much should be spent on them, many parents are turning to charter schools as another option. A charter school is a school that is publicly-funded by the state, but run privately by its own governing board.

Often, those schools will get help from an Education Management Organization to handle things like book-keeping and setting the curriculum. But what happens when the school decides it doesn't need the management anymore?

The Imagine School in the Valle opened in 2008, using just a few rooms at a YMCA. They had help from an EMO called Imagine that took care of hiring and accounting, and even found the school a building in Centennial Hills.

Three years later, the school's enrollment is in the hundreds and they are looking to get rid of Imagine.

"Imagine has tried to usurp our authority on many occasions, but this is the board's charter school," said school treasurer Ann Barnes...

"Imagine Schools took the financial risk, the financial up-front risk to secure that building long-term. The board is not at risk for that long term lease," said Imagine Schools co-founder Eileen Bakke...

At this point, there is no agreement between the two sides. Imagine is looking for a new school board and new kids to pay the rent on the building. The board has two years to re-up with Imagine or get out -- an option Anne Barnes says is fine with her.

"I feel relieved. I don't have to worry about the blood battles. We've had some real tough negotiations with Imagine and I'm relieved we don't have to go through that in the future," she said.

The state Board of Education says the Valle board is completely within its rights to operate the school without the management company, but they really do need a building. The possibility exists if they can't find one in two years, the school may have to dissolve, and neither side wants that.

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“Disputed charter school can’t be barred.” Las Vegas Sun (NV) 5/1/08

Nevada Education Department officials do not want an out-of-state company opening a second charter school in the Las Vegas Valley this fall, but they can’t prevent it...

At issue is Imagine School in the Valle...

In the past few months, state education officials have become increasingly concerned about Imagine Schools’ management of the North Las Vegas campus, citing a lack of qualified teachers, poor student performance and shoddy bookkeeping.

Charter schools receive the same per-pupil state funding as traditional public campuses, and officials say there have been enough problems at 100 Academy to convince them that spending taxpayer money on another Imagine school is a bad idea.

But in October 2006, when 100 Academy was just a month old, the state Education Board approved sponsorship of Imagine School in the Valle. So far, no one’s found an escape hatch that would allow the state to cancel the sponsorship. Education officials say the situation highlights yet another problem with the way the charter school approval process works.

“There are so many holes in the system to be patched,” said State Board of Education member Cindy Reid, chairwoman of the charter schools subcommittee. “Right now, it seems we are locked into sponsorship, despite new information that’s come to us after the fact.”...

...Imagine Schools has applications pending to open two additional campuses in the Las Vegas Valley.

The Nevada Education Department is recommending rejection of both applications, citing “serious deficiencies,” including Imagine’s shaky track record both locally and in other states. The charter schools subcommittee meets today, with a full board vote set for Saturday.

In October, the Clark County School Board considered revoking 100 Academy’s charter, but backed off when Imagine Schools forgave $285,000 in debt the school owed for its management. School Board members said they weren’t pleased that 100 Academy was spending 25 percent of its per-pupil funding — $1.2 million — on rent. The landlord is School House Finance LLC, an affiliate of Imagine Schools. Board members also wanted 100 Academy’s principal to report to the governing body, rather than be an Imagine Schools employee...

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Coral Academy of Science - Reno

REACTION TO ATTEMPTED KIDNAPPING AT CORAL ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL. MyNews4 (Reno, NV) 12 May 2010 

…A 15 year old girl was approached by a man, who grabbed her arm and tried to kidnap her. The girl screamed, struggled and pulled away. Then the man ran away.

The girl reported the crime, and Coral Academy on East 9th Street was put on lockdown for two hours.

"We were scared someone on campus was trying to kidnap one of the students, it was kind of scary thinking it could've been one of us instead of person who it was," said Alexis…

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NEVADA SCHOOL ATTACKS PROFANE SPEECH IN POEM.  Free Speech Matters 22 April 2006 

UPDATE:

April 22nd, 2006: after winning a restraining order in federal court — so that administrators at Coral Academy of Science could not prevent him from reciting the poem of his choice — Jacob Behymer-Smith won 2nd place in the Nevada state finals of the "Poetry Out Loud" contest with his recitation of W.H. Auden's "The More Loving One." His performance wins the school a $1000 prize to support literary programs. For details and commentary, visit the Nevada State Arts Council website or local blog Reno & its Discontents.

April 11, 2006: Coral Academy of Science student Jacob Behymer-Smith won the district "Poetry Out Loud" competition (a national recitation contest co-sponsered [sic] by the Poetry Foundation and the National Endowment of the Arts) with his recitation of W.H. Auden's "The More Loving One." As he prepares to compete in the state finals on April 22nd, the school administration has sought to keep Behymer-Smith from reading that poem, citing concerns that it contains "profane" language (click here for the text of the poem). Below is NCAC's statement to the school, with support from the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, PEN American Center, and the National Council of Teachers of English…

The More Loving One
W. H. Auden

Looking up at the stars, I know quite well
That, for all they care, I can go to hell,
But on earth indifference is the least
We have to dread from man or beast.

How should we like it were stars to burn
With a passion for us we could not return?
If equal affection cannot be,
Let the more loving one be me.

Admirer as I think I am
Of stars that do not give a damn,
I cannot, now I see them, say
I missed one terribly all day.

Were all stars to disappear or die,
I should learn to look at an empty sky
And feel its total dark sublime,
Though this might take me a little time.

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Read the restraining order HERE.

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Read about the Gulen charter schools in Nevada HERE.

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Additional reading: Coral Academy of Science - Evidence of affiliation with the Gulen Movement  http://gulencharterschools.weebly.com/coral-academy-of-science.html

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Gulen charter schools in Nevada

STATE	# ACTIVE	# PENDING	# INACTIVE*	TOTAL
NV	3	0	2	5

* Denied, withdrawn, closed, or unknown status

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TOTAL ENROLLMENT IN 2010-2011 = 1684 STUDENTS

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SCHOOLS

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CORAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCE – RENO ELEMENTARY
Status	ACTIVE, opened 2000-2001
Management	Coral Education Corporation
Authorizer	Washoe County School District
Location/District	1701 Valley Road, Reno / Washoe County School District
Website	http://www.coralacademy.org/elementary/default.asp
Enrollment	Grades K-5; 357 students in 2010-2011
Notes	Yildiz Ak, executive director (2010-11); Board members: Feyzi Tandogan, Hanifi Oguz, Janice Huntoon, Mary E. Tagle, Mehmet H Gunes, Murat Yuksel, and Selcuk Ozdemir (on website accessed May 2011)

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CORAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCE – RENO MIDDLE / HIGH SCHOOL
Status	ACTIVE, opened 2000-2001
Management	Coral Education Corporation
Authorizer	Washoe County School District
Location/District	1350 E 9th St., Reno / Washoe County School District
Website	Elementary http://www.coralacademy.org/elementary/default.asp Middle http://www.coralacademy.org/middle/default.asp High http://www.coralacademy.org/high/default.asp
Enrollment	Grades 6-12; 445 students in 2010-2011
Notes	Yildiz Ak, executive director (2010-11); Board members: Feyzi Tandogan, Hanifi Oguz, Janice Huntoon, Mary E. Tagle, Mehmet H Gunes, Murat Yuksel, and Selcuk Ozdemir (on website accessed May 2011)

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CORAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCE – LAS VEGAS
Status	ACTIVE: ,opened 2007-2008
Management	Coral Education Corporation
Authorizer	Nevada State Department of Education
Location/District	8185 Tamarus Street, Las Vegas / Clark County School District
Website	www.coralacademylv.org
Enrollment	Grades K-11; 882 students in 2010-2011
Notes	Feyzi Tandogan, executive director (2010-11); Board members: Abdullah Akturk, Ann Diggins, Erdinc Acar, Fatih Ozer, Hasan Deniz, Matt G. Aten, and Seyhmus Baloglu (on website accessed May 2011)

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CORAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCE – CARSON CITY
Status	INACTIVE: DENIED in 2011; see http://nde.doe.nv.gov/BoardEd/Meetings/2011/2011-01-25_Minutes_OrientationCharterSub.pdf
Management	Coral Education Corporation
History	Presented to the Nevada State Board of Education by Feyzi Tandogan and Fatih Ozer
Notes	Reason for denial: “troublesome fiscal concerns”

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CORAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCE – VALLEY
Status	UNKNOWN: attempted in 2010
Management	Coral Educaion Corporation
History	See http://www.leg.state.nv.us/Division/Research/Library/Documents/ReportsToLeg/2009-2011/77-11.pdf
Notes	Reason for denial: “Failed to achieve completeness/compliance”

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MANAGEMENT

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CORAL EDUCATION CORPORATION
Federal Tax ID	EIN 880442692
Website	http://cecnv.org
History	“…founded in 1999 by a group of Graduate Students dedicated to contribute to our society by means of science education.” (website accessed May 2011)
Individuals involved	Eray Idil, Fatih Yilmaz, Feyzi Tandogan, Hakan Kardes, Nihan Aldis, and Vokhan Akbas (source: IRS Form 990s for 2006-2009).

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SERVICE PROVIDER

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ACCORD INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATION RESEARCH
Federal Tax ID	EIN 260658913
Website	http//www.accordeducation.org/
Location	13950 Milton Ave. Suite 200A, Westminster, CA (same address as the Magnolia Educational and Research Foundation, operator of Magnolia Public Schools in CA).
Services	The schools purchase program development, curriculum, professional development, and financial services from AIER. The fee is not known.
Individuals involved	Adem Oksuz, Ali Korkmaz, Ertan Salik, Faruk Taban, Hasan Deniz, Murat Arbas, Osman Sen, Suat Utku Ay, Carol Barkley, Suleyman Bahceci, and Yasin Cetindilin (source: IRS Form 990s for 2007 and 2008, and website accessed May 2011)

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NOTE: Learn more about the Coral Academy of Science HERE.

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