http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-943170.mp3
Tallahassee, FL – Tallahassee will be losing a charter school in June. As Lynn Hatter reports, the Life Skills Center will be handed back to Leon County's school district because the company that manages it has pulled out.
White Hat Management Company notified the charter school that it wouldn't be renewing its contract. The company was charged with running the school's day-to-day operations and hiring the principal and school personnel. Beverly Owens is Leon Country's Director of School Management. She says the company offered two reasons for canceling its contract with the school's board.
"That was one reason, they didn't make the profit they made in other districts," she said. "They also cited low student performance as a reason for not renewing, low student performance. And I find it interesting that they would have given that for any type of reason because that was their responsibility."
Life Skills is a school for at-risk students. The management company was supposed to hire teachers to provide direct instruction, but Owens said that never happened. In June the district will take control of the center and it will become an alternative school.