7 filing with the advisory board, that it made attempts to provide the state with every record requested, that the state had marked the school as “compliant” for exceptional children programming in its overall 2020 performance review, that the state’s findings are based on little information and that the state is hindering the school’s ability to make corrections. In its recommendation, the advisory board found the school had been “grossly negligent” in its oversight of the exceptional children program, did not properly implement the program as required by the federal Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA), altered and falsified student records, falsely reported training compliance, did not provide adequate access to student and finance records, and had unqualified staff. It reported enrolling 618 total students this fall. In a presentation to the Charter School Advisory Board earlier this month, the school reported 42 students receiving exceptional children services this fall and another three students still completing the referral process. The North Carolina State Board of Education will meet in called session Thursday afternoon to discuss, among other things, taking action against the school for nearly two years of identified issues within their exceptional children program for students with disabilities. Instead, the Charter School Advisory Board of the State Board of Education recommended the school be moved to “governance probationary status.” Under that, if the school did not come into compliance within 30 days, the advisory board recommended “more severe action” against the school, which could include a revocation of its charter. Torchlight Academy, which enrolls about 600 kindergarten through eighth grade students, is currently under “governance cautionary status” for noncompliance.Įarlier this month, state charter school officials determined the school hadn’t done enough to be removed from that status. Continued issues after that, the advisory board recommended, should result in more severe action, which could include revocation of the school's charter.īut the State Board of Education voted Thursday to move the charter school to the third level - 'governance noncompliance status' - which gives them 10 calendar days to fix their noncompliance issues.Ī Raleigh charter school is facing probationary status for what state education officials say is noncompliance with federal special education laws. That would have given the school 30 more days to fix its problems.

Last week, the North Carolina Charter Schools Advisory Board recommended the state board move them to the second level, probation.

The charter school was already under 'governance cautionary status' - the first level of noncompliance. They noted the school had a new director of the school's exceptional children program and called the state's actions unprecedented and unfair. School officials did not speak publicly during Thursday's virtual board meeting but argued their case last week before the North Carolina Charter Schools Advisory Board. Federal law requires an annual review of each student's program. 'The State Board of education is deeply concerned about the ongoing, longstanding and widespread failure of Torchlight Academy to comply with federal special education laws,' Chairman Eric Davis said.ĭavis noted findings from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction's Exceptional Children Division, which accused the school of falsifying students records to make it appear as though the school was reviewing students' individualized education programs annually.

Torchlight academy news