Dr. Scott Grant, CAA’s Post

Why We Are Appealing This Case? We are appealing this case to highlight the numerous disparities in the NC Charter Authorization process. Minority charter applicants are subjected to more scrutiny and even flat out disrespect on public record as part of the NC Charter Authorization Process. We want to raise awareness about this. We also want a formal legal review of our case going back to 2017. The NC Charter Schools Review Board will have to answer for their apparent flip flop on our latest application. They sang our praises last November and December…now this. They will have to answer for their decision to ignore the legal documents and other evidence that was presented as part of a formal reconsideration process. This is NOT lawful or morally just. NC children are losing educational opportunities because of these practices. We worked for months on that application. We paid $1000 for a thorough and fair review process. We have NOT received this. They say they don’t believe our board can do this. Last year, they praised this board. Our board has not one, but three doctors. We all have extensive educational, leadership, business, and finance experience. This is NOT the same board that was in Bertie County. It’s time to stop playing games that favor for-profit charter school management companies in NC. We need to get back to the original legislative intent behind the NC Charter Law. We plan to exhaust any and all legal appeal and review processes afforded to us to challenge the unfair and discriminatory practices in the NC Charter Authorization Process. Dr. Kashi Bazemore Board Chair Heritage Collegiate Leadership Academy-Wake https://lnkd.in/g8y-mB-v

Why We Are Appealing This Case? We are appealing this case to highlight the numerous disparities in the NC Charter Authorization process. Minority charter applicants are subjected to more scrutiny and even flat out disrespect on public record as part of the NC Charter Authorization Process. We want to raise awareness about this. We also want a formal legal review of our case going back to 2017. The NC Charter Schools Review Board will have to answer for their apparent flip flop on our latest application. They sang our praises last November and December…now this. They will have to answer for their decision to ignore the legal documents and other evidence that was presented as part of a formal reconsideration process. This is NOT lawful or morally just. NC children are losing educational opportunities because of these practices. We worked for months on that application. We paid $1000 for a thorough and fair review process. We have NOT received this. They say they don’t believe our board can do this. Last year, they praised this board. Our board has not one, but three doctors. We all have extensive educational, leadership, business, and finance experience. This is NOT the same board that was in Bertie County. It’s time to stop playing games that favor for-profit charter school management companies in NC. We need to get back to the original legislative intent behind the NC Charter Law. We plan to exhaust any and all legal appeal and review processes afforded to us to challenge the unfair and discriminatory practices in the NC Charter Authorization Process. Dr. Kashi Bazemore Board Chair Heritage Collegiate Leadership Academy-Wake https://lnkd.in/g8y-mB-v no

Christine Downing is my hero. Let's start there. No single person in this state has done more or better work gathering #educator perspectives on the current Ed 306 rules rewrite, and any contrary or alternative claim lacks credibility, utterly. Similarly lacking credibility are any claims that Christine's work is part of the process run under the #NH Dept of Ed. The whole purpose of her many educator review sessions, and her ON POINT documentation and analysis of feedback, was to fill the gap left by the NHDOE. NHDOE Commissioner Frank Edelblut is a smart guy and knows the flawed process of rewriting the Ed 306s has a lot of stink on it - that's why he keeps trying to fudge the facts and fold Christine's unimpeachable work into the process he is leading by fiat. Remember, her work is a response to his, a correction or improvement, an example of what ought to have taken place from the start, in the open. But the process has been troubling from the start, when the Commissioner entered NHDOE into a first-of-its-kind no-bid contract with a private company to draft the rules. He has refused to produce interim drafts or documents on the basis that they are protected by that contract, even refusing requests via NH's right-to-know law. Things have not improved with time. Anyway, I'll leave you with this excerpt from the article below (which you should read, and that goes for all the links inside!): Edelblut noted that Downing’s series of educator review sessions should be considered part of the transparency process. “I don't get paid by the Department of Ed,” Downing said. “I don't get paid by NCCBL. They don't own my work. I own it, because I'm doing it completely as a volunteer — as a 30-plus-year educator who's concerned about how our public schools are under attack.” https://lnkd.in/d6mUfQWc

🌟Update for Illinois Education! Get ready, Illinois! Starting in 2025, there's a potential switch on the horizon: from the SAT® to the ACT® for high school testing. With the Illinois State Board of Education leading the charge, this change is set to shake up standardized testing in the state. This transition sparks curiosity, especially regarding which test students will tackle. Plus, with Chicago schools on a different path, there's much to discuss. #IllinoisEducation

Per a recent article by The New York Times — out of 1.4 million ACT high school test-takers this year, 43% “did not meet any of the subject-matter benchmarks…”. Unfortunately, a downward trend for the past six years. We might not be able to pinpoint the exact problems, but we do have a suggestion that leads to a constructive solution … #AcademicCoaching — where we enable middle school and high school kids to get involved in sports, and teach them emotional and intellectual intelligence at the same time. This will help performance in and out of the classroom, leading to better outcomes, such as independence as an adult. We can do better than this! https://lnkd.in/gc5BzNsj

Victory for education in Connecticut! SB 1, the Transparency in Education Act, is a monumental win for mental health, school climate, and funding. Big thanks to the Connecticut Black and Brown Student Union for their crucial role in shaping this transformative legislation! #SB1

Let the Record Reflect Our Version of Current HCLA Events… State Board of Education panel to hear appeal of Charter Schools Review Board decision | NC Newsline Great article! I just wish that they would share what was in my appeal documentation about what Amy White’s input being “moot” because it was from 2017. We appealed those so-called Findings of Fact with legal representation in 2017 and in 2018, we all agreed to go before Office of Administrative Hearings [OAH] prior to going to superior court. Our charter was NOT revoked; it was voluntarily assumed. The assumption would not have occurred except with the majority vote from the HCLA board. The HCLA Board voted for the voluntary assumption in May 2018 as a part of a mediated settlement agreement between HCLA’s Board and the State Board of Education with an OAH mediator who was a former judge. He said he has never seen such rude behavior as what he witnessed by the SBE Representatives’ treatment towards us. Our temporary “Financial Noncompliance” was ONLY due to a late audit. As soon the audit was submitted, the financial noncompliance status was removed. I have provided evidence of this. 70% of our teachers were highly qualified our last year. This is 10% higher than the statutory requirement for charter schools. I have provided evidence of this. We have now shared all the Office of Administrative Hearings legal files as part of the memo that I sent in preparation for the appeal. I refuse to be defined by these negative narratives moving forward. As a currently licensed and employed NC public educator, I want specificity on record. Due process requires this. My leadership is at the heart of why we are still fighting this fight five years after our school closes in Bertie County. What we did in Bertie County was a miracle. Our former students are proof that the foundation with us paid off. We have a high number of Early College High School students in all the counties we served among our former students. We also met growth in reading and math in our last year of operation (2018). We also kept 168 students and almost 100% of our staff through all of our struggles. We received favorable NC Teaching Working Conditions Survey results with 100% of our staff completing the survey. We had a nationally recognized competitive debate program. I just want to end the disrespect that I’ve endured for 5 years. I’m a highly qualified educator and principal in NC. I guarantee you that I’m one of only a few NC charter school leaders…past or present, who can say that they are highly qualified in this role. Please join me in praying for a fair and thoughtful review process. God’s will be done. Dr. Kashi Bazemore Board Chair HCLA-Wake, a proposed K-8 public charter school for Northeast Raleigh and surrounding communities https://lnkd.in/gb5RkKMz

Let the Record Reflect Our Version of Current HCLA Events… State Board of Education panel to hear appeal of Charter Schools Review Board decision | NC Newsline Great article! I just wish that they would share what was in my appeal documentation about what Amy White’s input being “moot” because it was from 2017. We appealed those so-called Findings of Fact with legal representation in 2017 and in 2018, we all agreed to go before Office of Administrative Hearings [OAH] prior to going to superior court. Our charter was NOT revoked; it was voluntarily assumed. The assumption would not have occurred except with the majority vote from the HCLA board. The HCLA Board voted for the voluntary assumption in May 2018 as a part of a mediated settlement agreement between HCLA’s Board and the State Board of Education with an OAH mediator who was a former judge. He said he has never seen such rude behavior as what he witnessed by the SBE Representatives’ treatment towards us. Our temporary “Financial Noncompliance” was ONLY due to a late audit. As soon the audit was submitted, the financial noncompliance status was removed. I have provided evidence of this. 70% of our teachers were highly qualified our last year. This is 10% higher than the statutory requirement for charter schools. I have provided evidence of this. We have now shared all the Office of Administrative Hearings legal files as part of the memo that I sent in preparation for the appeal. I refuse to be defined by these negative narratives moving forward. As a currently licensed and employed NC public educator, I want specificity on record. Due process requires this. My leadership is at the heart of why we are still fighting this fight five years after our school closes in Bertie County. What we did in Bertie County was a miracle. Our former students are proof that the foundation with us paid off. We have a high number of Early College High School students in all the counties we served among our former students. We also met growth in reading and math in our last year of operation (2018). We also kept 168 students and almost 100% of our staff through all of our struggles. We received favorable NC Teaching Working Conditions Survey results with 100% of our staff completing the survey. We had a nationally recognized competitive debate program. I just want to end the disrespect that I’ve endured for 5 years. I’m a highly qualified educator and principal in NC. I guarantee you that I’m one of only a few NC charter school leaders…past or present, who can say that they are highly qualified in this role. Please join me in praying for a fair and thoughtful review process. God’s will be done. Dr. Kashi Bazemore Board Chair HCLA-Wake, a proposed K-8 public charter school for Northeast Raleigh and surrounding communities https://lnkd.in/gtTJs32i

Explore this incredible article highlighting the transformative efforts our Clubs and the Portage School of Leaders are bringing to life. Together, we are revolutionizing our approach to education and providing vital support to students in our community. https://lnkd.in/gGRYfrAf