High-Scoring Calif. Charter School’s Finances Investigated

A nonprofit-run Oakland, Calif., charter school is facing closure after an audit found alleged financial irregularities, including hundreds of thousands of dollars in public funds paid to the school’s founder, his wife, or businesses he owns, reports the San Francisco Chronicle.

The American Indian Charter School II ranks second on California’s Academic Performance Index. It is one of the three Oakland charters headed by Ben Chavis, who has won national attention for the schools’ results and for their highly regimented and discipline-heavy approach to inner-city education.

The Oakland school district recommended that the state deny the school’s renewal application based on the preliminary audit findings.

Mr. Chavis, who officially serves only as the school’s landlord, collected $100,000 a year in salary and benefits and signed $500,000 in checks to firms he owned for school construction work, according to the audit. His wife, Marsha Amador, who is on the payroll as financial administrator, was paid $150,000 for bookkeeping.

Mr. Chavis said the school’s finances are sound and that he has acted in students’ interest. “Did I do things differently? Sure did,” he said. “Whatever we did, [the charter’s] board approved us. … I’m about getting results.”