Dive Brief:
- The Center for Popular Democracy and Integrity in Education released a new report detailing ways in which charter schools are susceptible to waste, fraud, and mismanagement "totaling over $100 million in losses to taxpayers."
- The report zeroes in on six different types of abuses of power and waste within charters, giving specific examples from 15 of the 42 states with the schools.
- While the report gives detailed accounts of how money has been mismanaged, it also concedes the lack of transparency and accountability means “the fraud and mismanagement that has been uncovered thus far might be just the tip of the iceberg.”
Dive Insight:
The report breaks charter mismanagement down into six categories: Charter school operators using public funds illegally for personal gain; school revenues used illegally to support other charter operator businesses; mismanagement that puts children in actual or potential danger; charter schools illegally requesting public dollars for services not provided; charter operators illegally boosting enrollment to boost revenues; and charter operators mismanaging public funds and schools.
According to The Center for Popular Democracy & Integrity in Education, the most prevalent type of mismanagement is the use of public funds for personal gain by charter operators. The report is not all negative, however, and has several oversight, transparency, and governance suggestions for lawmakers, schools, and parents who want to improve the situation.