ASD requests board terminate charter for Anchorage Family Partnership school

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - The Anchorage School District is recommending termination of Family Partnership Charter School’s charter and transitioning the school into an alternative, correspondence school.

In a memo to the Anchorage School Board, ASD Superintendent Dr. Jharrett Bryantt explained the reasoning for the request.

“Unfortunately, for a number of years, Family Partnership’s Academic Policy Committee (APC) has been engaged in repeated breaches of its charter and other unacceptable behavior. The APC has violated the laws, regulations and rules that govern the operation of charter schools. The Anchorage School District has repeatedly admonished the APC to take corrective action,” Bryantt’s letter said.

The Academic Policy Committee — comprised mostly of parents — makes decisions on how the school will operate. ASD accuses the committee of in-fighting and conflicts of interest. In February the district sent the APC a demand letter saying it was considering termination of the school’s charter. It asked for explanations of actions taken by the APC, as well as assurances “that the misconduct would stop.” The district said it wasn’t satisfied with the APC’s answers to its questions.

Over the weekend the APC drafted a letter to the school board which states that it recognizes “significant board training that needs to happen,” adding that a plan was in place to address the situation. The letter asked the board for patience and asked it not to dissolve its charter. It added “We are deeply concerned by the allegations in this memo and there seem to be significant differences in perception of how events transpired.”

The Anchorage School Board will review the district’s request at their March 20 meeting. It expects to vote on April 3.

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