According to the Texas Education Agency in its May 13 letter informing Metro Academy of Math and Science Superintendent Darryl Killen that the state was revoking its charter, the school was caught in "a vicious cycle all too common in failing [charter] schools."
Nearly a third of charter holders fail, according to TEA figures.They show that of the 289 charters that have been awarded since the State Legislature in 1995 endorsed a charter school provision, 85 have been revoked, rescinded, expired, abandoned or denied renewal."They just get to a point where they can't turn around and there is just no hope," said DeEtta Culbertson, spokeswoman with the TEA. "They're spending more money than they can bring in; sometimes they can't sustain enough students to make them viable. Some just decide it's too much work."Charter school enrollment figures, as of October 2010, show that there are 482 open-enrollment charter schools and campuses operating under 199 active charters, serving 134,076 students. They make up 2.7 percent of the total Texas public school enrollment of 4,933,617 students. Five charters are still valid, but not currently operating campuses.Metro does have one last State Office of Administrative Hearings appeal pending. However, its administrators are realistic."It'll be an uphill battle because there is no escaping the fact that the students are failing," Killen said.Metro Academy could have a future someday, perhaps as the private school it once was."It's an option," Killen said. "We would welcome the opportunity to have another go."-- Shirley JinkinsHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
