FDOE commissioner blasts Hillsborough School District for not renewing several charter contracts
BayNews9 | By Laurie Davison | June 24, 2021
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Florida’s Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran is blasting the Hillsborough County School Board over its decision not to renew contracts for several charter schools.
What You Need To Know
- In letter, Richard Corcoran threatens to withold state funding from the district
- School board chairperson Lynn Gray said attorneys are looking over the letter and preparing a response.
- BELOW: Reach Corcoran’s letter
Corcoran sent a letter to the school board saying it might have violated state law and he’s threatening to withhold state funding from the district.
Last week, the school board voted not to allow two new charter schools to open and not to renew the contracts of four other schools.
According to Corcoran, the board did not give the affected schools enough notice. He also wants the board to provide documentation of “every factual and legal justification” for not renewing the contracts.
Some board members have expressed concerns about things like academic performance and financial stability.
School board chairperson Lynn Gray said attorneys are looking over the letter and preparing a response.
“Just like we all get report cards when we’re younger, the charter schools that are applying and the renewals have a report card and there are certain benchmarks that have to be achieved,” Gray stated. “So what I’m suggesting to you all is, basically, we have a formal process, we followed it.”
Corcoran has given the district until Tuesday to respond. That’s also when the school board plans to hold a special meeting to figure out its next move.
