NEW ORLEANS — NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) has announced its plans to relocate students from James M. Singleton Charter School following a finalized recommendation that the Dryades YMCA Charter be revoked.
On Wednesday, the school district announced that students attending the school will have guaranteed spots at First Line Live Oak Academy once the revocation process is complete. However NOLA-PS adds that families wishing to place their students in a different school during summer enrollment do not have to wait until the process is finalized.
In the upcoming days, families will receive information from the school district about additional support through EdNavigator to provide additional support in helping families explore other school options.
FirstLine has shown it can provide uniforms and necessary supplies to help accommodate new students.
To aid current Singleton teachers in their search for new employment opportunities, NOLA-PS has included New Schools for New Orleans and the Greater New Orleans Collaborative of Charter Schools in the conversation.
The revocation stems back to concerns of potential financial mismanagement, including 13 citations of noncompliance against the school operator — seven of which occurred in the past school year. The school district adds that the Dyades YMCA has been repeatedly asked to provide evidence or documentation to explain allocating more than $1.1 million the organization’s own audits show it owes the school. So far, the school has not received any documentation.
NOLA-PS further commented on the revocation process in a press release, stating:
“Combined with consistently poor academic performance, these financial red flags prompted the Superintendent to act on the students’ behalf before the charter expires in June 2022.
NOLA-PS informed the Dryades YMCA on Monday via email and conversations that Dr. Lewis would recommend revocation. A formal notice of the Superintendent’s intent was sent to the Dryades YMCA on Tuesday, June 29. NOLA-PS publicly shared an update of its revocation plans with the Orleans Parish School Board on Wednesday, June 30.
The Dryades YMCA has been given ample opportunities to come to the table with NOLA-PS and provide an explanation, evidence, or the requested documents to instill confidence in their capability to run this school. The operator has not availed itself of any of these opportunities, and with the new school year just around the corner, now it is time to act for the sake of these students and their families.”
“Our students are our top priority, and they deserve to be in a school that prioritizes their education and overall well-being,” added Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis Jr. “We understand change is hard, and we are here to support our families through this transition process.”