Woodland Prep

Since Soner Tarim of Sugarland, Texas, has management contracts for both Woodland Prep and LEAD Academy charter schools, I watched with great interest when he appeared before the Texas Board of Education on June 14 trying to get approval to open eight new charter schools in Austin and Houston. Board member Georgina Perez of El … Continued

Last year, the Alabama Charter School Commission gave approval to a Washington County charter school known as Woodland Prep. It gave that approval despite the National Association of Charter School Authorizers, which was contracted by the Alabama State Department of Education to review charter school applications, writing in its review of Woodland that the school’s … Continued

For months, state superintendent Eric Mackey has said he has no jurisdiction over the state charter school commission. However, as we have pointed out numerous times, the charter law of 2015 clearly says, “The department shall oversee the performance and effectiveness of all authorizers established under this act.” Furthermore, the guidelines written to govern the charter … Continued

The gentleman who made this statement was one of 200 people who came to the Washington County high school in Chatom on Monday night, April 29.  He was probably in his 60’s.  His face was weathered and he wore a baseball cap and work shirt. Like everyone else in the auditorium, he had sat attentively as … Continued

Woodland Prep is a charter school horror story — and it hasn’t even been built yet. Located in rural Washington County, Woodland Prep, which will open as a K-7 school this fall and add a grade level each year, is everything state leaders assured us could never happen under Alabama’s charter school laws. Its land … Continued