Cambridge Lakes Charter School faces ‘time crunch’

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Updated: August 4, 2011 4:20PM

CARPENTERSVILLE — The creation of new charter schools jumped 9 percent across the U.S. last year, the Center for Education Reform announced Tuesday.

But there could be one less charter school — in Pingree Grove — at the end of the current 2010-11 school year, based on discussion at Monday night’s Community Unit School District 300 Board of Education meeting.

Cambridge Lakes Charter School is in a bit of a “time crunch,” according to District 300, as a result of charter holder Northern Kane Educational Corp.’s delay in answering requests from the Illinois State Board of Education.

“We’re starting to get into a time crunch — or, he’s (Northern Kane CEO Larry Fuhrer) starting to get into a time crunch,” said District 300 attorney Brian Crowley.

Last year, the school board renewed the charter for Cambridge Lakes in Pingree Grove through 2014, but ISBE asked Northern Kane for more information in January before it certified the district’s action. Specifically, it asked the charter holder to more accurately reflect its relationships with the school district and other partners, Crowley said.

But Northern Kane didn’t get that amended agreement to the district until August. And, in a discussion at Monday night’s board meeting, District 300 board members expressed discomfort signing off on the amended charter school agreement, which also includes some “significant” changes, according to the district’s attorney.

Those changes include extending the charter another year, through 2015; expanding the school from the current preschool to eighth grade up to grade 12; and expanding its virtual learning program to educate those high school students.

“I’m not against the virtual high school. I’m not against 9-12,” board member Monica Clark said. “I’m a little leery about seeing it all wrapped up into one agreement.”

Board member Karen Roeckner agreed. “I don’t know that I’ve seen enough information to approve this 9-12 virtual learning.”

Board President Joe Stevens suggested splitting the changes on the amended charter school agreement into three motions at a future board meeting: a motion to approve the agreement to renew the charter through 2014 with the additional information ISBE requested; a motion to approve the charter extension through 2015; and a motion to approve a 9-12 virtual learning program.

Even if the district approved all those changes, Crowley noted, “I don’t know what ISBE will say.”

If the school board doesn’t approve the amended agreement soon, or if ISBE asks for further information on the new additions, Cambridge Lakes could run out of time. Without a renewal, its current charter expires at the end of this school year.

Board members expressed frustration with the position that put them in.

“(Fuhrer) dragged his feet on it so long that now we have to vote on the changes we’ve just received. That’s not our fault,” Clark said.

Stevens made clear his support for the charter school and its current preschool-to-eighth-grade program. But he added that the board’s frustrations weren’t new when it came to the charter school’s leadership.

“Mr. Fuhrer gives me the impression he does not feel the obligation to comply with governmental authorities,” he said.

“It’s a year delay because of his actions, not because of the board’s actions.”

Fuhrer did not returns calls seeking comment by The Courier-News Tuesday.