Most Charter Schools Do Well on Audits

Los Angeles charter schools have performed almost flawlessly in a series of audits on attendance reporting prompted by abuses in an Apple Valley charter school operation.

In audits of seven schools chartered under the Los Angeles Unified School District, the state controller’s office found problems at only one. That school, Montague Charter Academy in Pacoima, must reimburse the state $14,155 for over-reported attendance, an auditor concluded.

Auditors found no reporting errors at Accelerated Charter School, Fenton Avenue Charter School, Open Magnet Charter School, Vaughn Next Century Learning Center, Watts Learning Center and Westwood Charter School.

State Controller Kathleen Connell said she ordered the audits of charter schools in Los Angeles and other districts after a January 2000, inquiry found that the Apple Valley Unified School District in San Bernardino County received more than $5 million for attendance improperly reported by the Cato II School of Reason. Cato operated schools across Southern California under a charter from the Apple Valley district.