By Jennifer Palmer | Oklahoma Watch May 7, 2021
3 hrs ago
The stateâs multicounty grand jury delivered a message to the public this week: demand more transparency and accountability of Epic Charter Schools, the stateâs largest online charter school system.
The grand juryâs investigation of Epic began in October and isnât completed yet. But on Thursday it issued a 25-page interim report to inform the public, parents, and policymakers detailing âconcerning trends emerging in the investigation.â The grand jury wanted to make the information public before Epic receives its funding allocation for the 2021-22 school year.
No indictments were issued. But it did urge policymakers to take swift action.
The OSBI in 2019 court records accused Epic of illegally inflating student enrollment counts with children who received little to no education from the virtual charter school. Investigators alleged Chaney and Harris pocketed millions of taxpayer dollars after funneling school funds to Epic Youth Services.
Epic, Chaney and Harris have denied any illegal activity. No one has been charged with any crimes in the investigation.
The grand jury has been hearing testimony and reviewing evidence on Epic since December. Grand jurors specifically stated they are investigating whether public funds may have been used inappropriately.
The grand jury typically meets two to three days a month in Oklahoma City in closed-door sessions. It next meets June 1-3.
By: Barry Mangold
Oklahoma state regulators overseeing Epic One-on-One Charter School voted on Monday to approve a settlement agreement with the district and to cancel an upcoming termination hearing.
The vote ends a roughly seven-month-long saga between the district and its authorizer, the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board. The board threatened Epic with termination after a blistering report by the Oklahoma State Auditor & Inspector in October.
“Today’s vote moves us forward,” said SVCSB Chairman Dr. Robert Franklin after the vote to approve the settlement agreement. “It’s a clarion call to all Oklahoma public virtual charter schools that governance and oversight must be managed transparently.”
Epic Avoids Termination Hearing, Agrees To New Contract With Oklahoma State Board thebulltulsa.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thebulltulsa.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Oklahoman
A final settlement has been approved between Epic Charter Schools and its state oversight agency, closing a turbulent period for Oklahoma s largest school system.
The Community Strategies Inc. Board, the school board governing Epic, agreed Wednesday night to a settlement proposed the day before by the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board. The statewide board must vote once more to finalize the agreement.
The settlement would conclude termination proceedings that threatened possible closure of Epic One-on-One, an online learning platform that makes up 60% of Epic s total student enrollment. Like all virtual charter schools in Oklahoma, Epic One-on-One is authorized to operate through the statewide board.