Sponsored message
Logged in as
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen

This archival content was originally written for and published on KPCC.org. Keep in mind that links and images may no longer work — and references may be outdated.

KPCC Archive

2 Celerity charter schools shut down by California board of education

Empty school desk chairs sit in an elementary school classroom
Empty school desk chairs sit in an elementary school classroom
(
Photo by Derek Bruff via Flickr Creative Commons
)

One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.

Two schools run by Celerity Educational Group — the Los Angeles charter school operator under federal investigation — are shutting down.

The California State Board of Education voted unanimously Thursday to let the charters for the campuses expire. The state board was the schools' last chance. L.A. Unified school board members had already voted to deny renewal petitions for the schools.

In January, federal agents raided Celerity's home offices in South L.A. Their warrant is under seal, so it's not clear what investigators were looking for, but LAUSD officials had previously expressed concerns about ties between Celerity Educational Group and a separate, related entity: Celerity Global Development.

There are four other Celerity schools in L.A. and one in Compton. Two more are set to open next year.

One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.

If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible donation today