Young America Works Public Charter School


Washington, D.C. — The D.C. Public Charter School Board (PCSB) voted in an emergency meeting March 5, 2010, in favor of a proposal to begin the process of revoking the charter of Young America Works Public Charter School.  The Board said the school had violated applicable law and has materially violated the terms set forth in its charter agreement…

The violations include:
Violation of Applicable Law - School Reform Act § 38-1802.04:
1. Young America Works (YAW) failed to maintain the health and safety of all students attending such school…

The PCSB reviews were supplemented by complaints from parents, guardians, and students regarding the safety level at the school.

The PCSB directed the school’s leadership to submit a site-specific safety plan by December 21, 2009 that would address the need for a complete climate overhaul. The PCSB directed the school’s leadership to provide quarterly updates as well.  The school has not complied with either mandate.  Instead, the school copied an already developed generic plan and forwarded it to the Board with no subsequent updates. Consequently, the climate and culture of the school continue to be dangerous and volatile.

2. YAW fails to have a Board of Directors that is in compliance with the School Reform Act.

Specifically, Young America Works Public Charter School’s Board, at the date of the Program Development Review, November 1, 2009, did not include two parents with children who were currently enrolled in the charter school.

Violations of Charter Agreement

1. YAW failed to operate in accordance with the mission statement provided in its application.  Specifically, PCSB has documented that YAWPCS has experienced unacceptably low rates of attendance and high levels of truancy.  During the 2008-2009 school year, the school had a 72% truancy rate and a 16% suspension rate resulting in 83% of students not attending classes…

Further, PCSB transcript reviews have documented irregularities that compromise the educational program’s viability, as it relates to scheduling students with a comprehensive, authentic academic program for a reputable high school diploma…

Over the past four years, YAWPCS student proficiency rates in mathematics have been profoundly low…

The Secondary Records Audit conducted during the summer of 2009 revealed that only 14 of the 91 freshmen enrolled at YAWPCS were on track to graduate on time, having been scheduled for and passed all of the required course work for promotion to grade 10. Fifty-three students of the 91 freshmen enrolled had either failed Algebra I or were never scheduled to take Algebra I while in grade 9.

Historically, reading proficiency scores have been unacceptably low on the DCCAS…

2. YAW failed to design and implement the educational program described in its application.

Specifically, PCSB reviews have documented no evidence of a fully developed curriculum to deliver instruction to students or assessments to measure student outcomes based on a fully developed curriculum aligned with the mission of the school…

3. YAW failed to adopt content and performance standards for all subject areas at all grades and other performance levels served by the school.

Young America Works Public Charter School does not have a curriculum aligned with industry standards to teach the vocational education program agreed upon in the charter.

4. YAW failed to submit to the PCSB Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes.

Specifically, Young America Works Public Charter School has failed to submit timely board minutes.

Other Findings in Violation of Board Policies
1. Failure to provide the PCSB with other reports as the PCSB shall reasonably request…

2. Lack of sufficient books and other supplies for all students attending the school, and failure to develop and provide curriculum materials to all teachers at the school…
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ZONING COMMISSION PICK WITH TIES TO CHARTER SCHOOL UNAWARE OF INVESTIGATION, March 17, 2007. D.C. Examiner (Washington D.C.)
Mayor Adrian Fenty’s pick for the D.C. Zoning Commission said he was not aware that a federal grand jury was investigating a public charter school where he served on the board.

Geoff Griffis said school founder Brenda Williams asked him to serve on the board at Young America Works Public Charter School to help draft bylaws. He has served on the board since Williams founded the school in 2004.

“To be honest, I haven’t been active on the board,” Griffis said. “I wasn’t aware of it.”

Williams had a personal relationship with Brenda Belton, who has been accused of shuffling money to herself, her family and her friends through a series of companies during her tenure as executive director of the Board of Education’s charter school office. [Belton was eventually charged with stealing, pleaded guilty, and received a 35-month sentence, also HERE.] 

Griffis, an architect who has served a tumultuous tenure as the Board of Zoning Adjustment chair, has faced an uphill challenge to his new appointment. Critics have accused Griffis of siding too often with land developers and being arrogant in his dealing with the public…

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why are you re-posting this dusty old drivel? It's from 2007. You are screwing up my Google search.

The Perimeter Primate said...

Because it's more crap about charter schools.

Boo hoo for you.