News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
The Sisters Charter Academy of Fine Arts (SCAFA) has had its charter contract terminated by the Sisters School District, effective Friday, January 15.
The Sisters School Board unanimously affirmed its termination after an appeal hearing at the district offices on Monday afternoon. Board members agreed that SCAFA could not show that it can be financially viable through the rest of this year.
SCAFA had reported that it would require 22 ADM (Average Daily Membership) to be financially viable; current enrollment provides 16.5 ADM.
I just don't trust their expectation to have 22 full-time students," said board member Jeff Smith, who noted that the school told the Department of Education that it expected to have 35-38 students when seeking an enrollment-level waiver, then told the Sisters School District it cannot expect to have 25.
SCAFA provided a proposed budget to the board at Monday's hearing, but the board found it inadequate.
"I don't see how this proposed budget comes close to showing financial viability," said board vice chair Glen Lasken.
The termination may not have any immediate effect on SCAFA. The charter academy's board of directors meets Wednesday and will decide then whether to appeal the termination to ODE. By statute, the school can remain open through that appeal.
The board noted that the district has already over-allocated $20,000 to SCAFA based on overly optimistic enrollment projections. SCAFA would be obligated by law to repay those funds upon closure.
If it survives the district's termination on appeal, the school's charter comes up for renewal this summer.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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