A Charter School Regulator Plays the Blame Game

“It is the responsibility of the school to follow the law and its authorizer to ensure this is done to the extent possible.”

- Debra Duardo, Superintendent

Los Angeles County Office of Education

Last November, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) rejected the North Valley Military Institute’s (NVMI) charter renewal. As allowed by California law, the school appealed the decision to the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE), whose staff also recommended a rejection. However, the county board ignored its staff’s findings and approved the renewal. They did so without having a current, certified copy of the school’s required annual independent audit.

While Debra Duardo, the Superintendent of LACOE, does recognize that California Education Code “EC 47604.33 does require charter schools to submit the annual audit to their authorizer, the county office and the state”, she blames the LAUSD for not ensuring that the school was in compliance. She is correct in her assertion that, as the previous authorizer, the LAUSD ignored its responsibility to ensure that the audit was filed since a review of the several Notices of Concern and Notices to Cure issued…