The Escambia County School Board and Charter Schools USA are at a standstill, and the board approved a closure plan for Warrington Middle School while it awaits how the State Board of Education reacts.
Why this matters: Education Commissioner Manny Diaz can either support the board’s position on ensuring slots for middle schoolers living in the WMS attendance zone or recommend punishment for the Escambia County School District.
Diaz can find probable cause and have the State Board of Education withhold funds from the District or recommend the Legislature take other punitive actions.
The closure plan would bus the 600+ WMS students to Bailey and Workman middle schools starting in August.
School district general counsel Ellen Odom told the school board that the plan “is not worth the piece of paper it’s written on” unless the State Board and Department of Education approve the plan.
School Board Chairman Paul Fetkso said Diaz already told the school district that closing WMS is not an option.
Dig Deeper:
ECPS braces for ruling from State Board of Education; plans WMS closure
By Tom St. Myer
The Escambia County School Board unanimously approved a closure plan for Warrington Middle School, pending what the State Board of Education rules during its meeting this Tuesday.
The State Board of Education will consider the compliance of Escambia County Public Schools and Warrington Middle School. Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. will report his finding of probable cause for the Escambia County School District under the provisions of section 1008.32, Florida Statutes.
The statute states that if the State Board of Education determines that a district school board “is unwilling or unable to comply with law or state board rule within the specified time,” the state board possesses the authority to:
- Recommend action be taken by the Legislature.
- Withhold the transfer of funds including state, discretionary grant, discretionary lottery or any other specified as eligible by the Legislature until the school district complies with the law or state board rule.
- Declare the school district ineligible for competitive grants.
- Require monthly or periodic reporting related to noncompliance until remedied.”
“Either the Department of Education and commissioner will have had a conversation with Charter USA and they will come with a signed contract or the commissioner will say Escambia County Public Schools, the school board and superintendent have failed to live up to its plan and we recommend it goes to the Legislature for punitive actions,” School Board Chair Paul Fetsko said.
The turnaround option plan approved by the school board during an emergency meeting on Friday states, “The district shall close the school and reassign students to higher-performing schools with a C or higher in the district.” The two middle schools eligible for students in the Warrington attendance zone are Bailey and Workman. The turnaround plan states the school district will provide additional academic and leadership support to the Bailey and Workman leadership teams.
“The best option is for us to have a school in the Warrington zone, where it’s a community school for our kids,” Escambia Superintendent Tim Smith said. “That breeds consistency and stability. We want to have stable environments for them to go to school.”
The plan to ship students to Bailey or Workman faces obstacles. School district general counsel Ellen Odom told the school board that the plan “is not worth the piece of paper it’s written on” unless the State Board and Department of Education approve the plan.
Fetkso said Diaz already told the school district that closing WMS is not an option. The State Board and Department of Education instructed the school district to submit a signed contract with Charter Schools USA on May 1. The school board approved an agreement that day, but negotiations with Charter USA broke down afterward over three sticking points.
Charter USA requested to operate without paying any fees to facilitate Warrington Middle. The school district responded with a request that Charter USA pay 2% the first two years, 3% in its third year and 4% the fourth year and beyond. School officials pointed out that the magnet school Beulah Academy of Science pays 4%. Charter USA rejected that proposal and insists on zero fees.
The second point of contention concerns discretionary capital funds for building construction renovations. Legislation for charter schools to receive a portion of the millage rate paid by taxpayers is pending approval from Gov. Ron DeSantis. The school district anticipates the governor signing the legislation into law and proposes increasing the amount by 20% each year until hitting the 100% threshold by the fifth year. Charter USA is countering that 100% be paid by the second year.
The final point of contention is over the attendance zone. The school district requested that Charter USA promise 200 seats per grade level to middle school students who live in the attendance zone. Charter USA added details about K-5 students. The education management organization plans to eventually turn Warrington into a K-12 magnet school.
“I don’t want the closure. I want the charter school,” Smith said. “But we have to be able to work (together). It’s been so unpredictable when you say here’s what we want to do and something new comes back.”
The Florida State Board of Education and DOE ordered that Warrington either close or transition to a charter school by the 2023-24 school year. The order came after Warrington earned yet another D this past school. Warrington last earned a C in the 2010-11 school year. Only Charter USA agreed to partner with the school district.
Smith said he is optimistic there will be resolution by Tuesday night. The school board holds its regular meeting that same day.
“I get the sense of urgency because my sense of urgency is probably greater than anyone’s because I need to be able to tell my parents and my kids what’s going to happen next year and it makes me very nervous that we don’t have it decided,” Smith said.
