Troubled charter school opens for classes

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The colorful "welcome" sign and students hard at work gave no hint that a legal fight clouds the future of Banneker Charter Academy of Technology.

The school's sponsor, Central Missouri State University, revoked the 2-year-old school's charter last month.

But the Banneker board challenged the ruling, asking a Jackson County Circuit Court judge to review the revocation. Judge John M. Torrence issued a stay on the revocation and that allowed the school to open Friday.

About the only sign of trouble the first day was the school's considerable decrease in enrollment, down to about 100 children in kindergarten through seventh grade. It had about 300 students when the previous school year ended in August.

A hearing is planned for Sept. 19, as board members and teachers fight to keep their school open.

The school's charter was revoked after university officials contended the Banneker board failed to monitor the school's financial situation, broke state law requiring open board meetings and allowed classes to meet for an entire year in an unsafe building.

A group of educators and parents started the school when the Missouri legislature approved charter schools for Kansas City and St. Louis in 1998. Charter schools operate with public money but are run by independent boards.

Watching finances closely

Attorneys for the school stress that the board is now watching its financial situation more closely and following state laws.

The school also has found a new building, a former day-care center and Hebrew school. Teachers moved classroom supplies from the old location at the Paseo and Meyer Boulevard.

Doug Thomas, an education professor at Central Missouri State who oversees the university's 11 charter school contracts, said he thought the revocation was warranted.

"The school had two years of poor fiscal management, did not meet statutory requirements and operated in a building that was not safe," he said.

Banneker has submitted a revamped charter. It is similar to the previous charter, except that it no longer mentions the school's former management company, School Futures Research Foundation.

The foundation and the school parted ways earlier this year after the school attributed most of its organizational problems to the out-of-state company.