NC education board upholds Torchlight Academy charter revocation
The North Carolina State Board of Education has upheld its decision to close a Raleigh charter school at the end of June.
Torchlight Academy serves 557 K-8 students. Since the state board revoked its charter in March, the school has fired its top leadership.
But state Department of Public Instruction officials and the State Board of Education have remained concerned that the lack of oversight from the school’s board of directors and ongoing conflicts with former management — who hold the lease to one of the school buildings and have kept financial records away from new management — continue to pose too many problems to the school. They have also been concerned that the school was prepared to adequately provide special education services.
The State Board of Education approved upholding the revocation without dissent Thursday, among a package of voting items. The board did not discuss the matter during their public sessions Wednesday or Thursday.
The school’s closure means current students will have to enroll in their local school system, likely the Wake County Public School System, or enroll in another school they may have applied to. School officials are tasked with helping families enroll students elsewhere.
The school is just the latest among a handful of charter schools to close or be ordered to close following heightened financial scrutiny from state officials.
New leaders appealed the State Board of Education’s March decision to revoke the school’s charter. The appeal was denied last week by a three-member panel of the state board, comprised of Amy White, Wendell Hall and Jill Camnitz.
The school had presented a plan for turning the troubled school around, amid leadership turnover, financial uncertainty, continued inquiries into operations and lingering turmoil with the top leaders the school board recently fired.
After nearly two hours, the Education Innovation and Charter Schools committee deliberated and voted unanimously against the school.
