NC charter school closes after 'financial irregularities' found

Bridges Academy, located in State Road, near the Virginia border in Wilkes County, enrolled 171 students in kindergarten through eighth grades this year.

The school is one of the state’s older charter schools, opening in 1996.

That consultant, in a review, found “irregularities within the school’s operations,” the letter states. Soon after, the State Auditor's Office began a separate investigation into the school.

“These irregularities were concealed from the Board of Directors and have resulted in insurmountable financial challenges,” the letter states.

On Monday, the North Carolina Charter Schools Advisory Board voted to accept the charter relinquishment. That board reports its votes to the State Board of Education for final approval.

“Obviously this is a very serious matter,” Charter Schools Advisory Board Chairman Alex Quigley said prior to the vote.

The board discussed the item for less than two minutes, and Bridges Academy representatives weren’t present.

“We did not make this decision lightly, and we recognize the uncertainty this creates for our families,” the letter to parents states. “We will continue to share information with our community as the investigations move forward, and we will do whatever we can to assist families in next steps.”