A longtime charter school in Durham, North Carolina, has won a reprieve and will stay open after it had been previously ordered to close at the end of the school year.
The Raleigh News & Observer reports that the N.C. Charter Schools Review Board has given a three-year renewal to the Community School of Digital and Visual Arts in return for a list of requirements the school's leaders must meet. The Review Board had voted in January to reject the school's request for charter renewal.
The renewal requirements include:
- Present a governance, academic and financial report to the Review Board at a minimum of once a year.
- Provide monthly meeting minutes of the school's board of directors to the Office of Charter Schools.
- Submit an annual audit on time.
- All members of the Community School's board will go through a minimum of two trainings a year and provide documentation.
- Provide monthly updates to the Office of Charter Schools regarding the school's potential move.
The Community School of Digital and Visual Arts opened in 1998 and was previously called Carter Community School.
In its earlier vote to reject charter renewal, the Review Board cited concerns such as the school not having financial audits for 2022-23 and 2023-24 and not posting full and accurate board minutes. The late audit reports have since been filed.
The Community School appealed the non-renewal to the State Board of Education, citing the school's academic track record. The school exceeded academic growth expectations on state exams last school year and met growth targets the prior two years.
The state board asked the Review Board in March to reconsider the non-renewal.
Community School's leaders have put together a restructuring plan that addresses the Review Board's concerns.
