By: News 9
The State Board of Education will meet to discuss the terms of probation for the Western Heights School District.
The board sent a letter to the district last week asking that representatives – including Superintendent Mannix Barnes – be in attendance.
Earlier this month the board placed the district on probation after series of complaints including misusing funds, discontinuing meal services for students, and failing to offer in-person learning options for over a year.
Parents and students protested asking for an in-person learning option along with calls for the superintendent and members of the school board to resign.
The letter sent by the State Board of Education said the district must correct several issues within 90 days or face a possible loss of accreditation. It must also implement a plan to address the issues.
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Kyla Molina briefs the State Board of Education on Sovereign Community School during a special meeting on Friday.
In a five-hour special meeting on Friday, the Oklahoma State Board of Education voted to keep an indigenous-led charter school on probation and to place an Oklahoma City district on probation.
The board could have terminated Sovereign Community School’s contract, but they praised operations director Stacie Thrasher and founding board member Kyla Molina for working to improve its governance and solve financial problems.
Enrollment has consistently fallen short of projections, leaving the school short on funds, and Sovereign Community School pursued a merger with fellow charter Santa Fe South Schools, accepting a $300,000 loan. Molina told the state board they want to get the question of financial solvency off of the state’s plate.