LA Mandarin immersion charter closes abruptly
From: The Los Angeles Times
On the fourth day of its second school year, an Eagle Rock charter school closed its doors this week, leaving parents and students disappointed, angry and tearful — and bucking the usual narrative of ceaseless charter growth.
PUC iPrep Charter Academy had dual-language programs in English and either Spanish or Mandarin — the sort of offerings that are usually popular. But it was in an area with too many good school options, and it enrolled too few students.
It may or may not have been a factor that the school was part of Partnerships to Uplift Communities, the group of charter schools co-founded by Ref Rodriguez, who resigned from the Los Angeles Board of Education in July after pleading guilty to criminal charges related to his campaign for office.
The school aimed to enroll 275 students this year, although the organization told parents it would try to make things work with 200. But by Wednesday, it had only 114 students — and PUC’s board voted to shut it down.
Please read more here.
22 AUG CLOSURE OF PUC IPREP CHARTER ACADEMY
Dear PUC iPrep Families,
The PUC Schools Board of Trustees unanimously voted tonight, August 22, to close PUC iPrep Charter Academy because enrollment in the first days of school fell far short of what was needed to be financially sustainable. The board made this difficult decision now to ensure our families could find the right school for their children for the 2018-2019 academic school year. This decision means that the campus will be closed effective Thursday, August 23, 2018.
The decision came on the heels of our collective efforts to do everything in our power to keep the doors open. We are humbled by the families who supported this school and rallied to reach the enrollment needed to keep it open. We know this news is disappointing for you as it is for all of us.
We had committed to keeping the school open with 200 students, but as of today, August 22, we had 114 students attend school. Enrollment is the largest source of funding for the school and with this level of enrollment, the program is not viable. With so few students, it’s impossible to continue to operate and provide the types of programs that the students deserve.
We remain committed to your families and are here to help during this transition. There are high-quality public schools nearby. We have compiled a list of local elementary and middle school options. Click here for the list of local elementary schools. Click here for the list of local middle schools.
Please email l.lopez@pucschools.org or call (323) 287-8485 if you have any questions or would like to obtain information about student records.
For media inquiries, please contact p.frias@pucnational.org.
Thank you for your support and for welcoming us into the community. It has been an honor serving your children.
Mandarin Immersion Parents Council 