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 El Reno Tribune

Virtual charter school founders ramp up political contributions

By JENNIFER PALMER Chaney’s and Harris’ Epic’s two leaders the entire Enid Public the state’s revamped
Oklahoma Watch donations include a also outspent Schools District. Epic’s school performance
Leaders of the state’s combined $23,800 for the political action size will place it on par report cards are
largest virtual charter Joy Hofmeister, state committee for the with the fourth or fifth expected to be released
school contributed superintendent of largest teachers largest school district next month.
Dec at least $145,000 total public instruction; union, the Oklahoma in Oklahoma when Ziebarth said
to the campaigns of more than $11,000 for Education Association, 2018-19 enrollment virtual charter schools
23 dozens of candidates Mike Hunter, state which has 35,000 numbers are released currently aren’t
this year, records attorney general; members across the by the state. Epic is serving students or
reveal, a show of $5,000 total to John state. The association’s statewide and enrolls taxpayers well. The
increasing political Paul Jordan, a former Fund for Children and students living in every growth in students
2018 muscle as the school is legislator who Public Education county. is driven in part by
experiencing dramatic was running for a contributed $117,000 to But the school’s aggressive marketing.
in a joint statement
growth. district judge seat; candidates this election expansion may not Epic uses giveaways
provided by
Page The contributions and gubernatorial
spokeswoman cycle, compared with be what’s driving the of big-ticket items
by David Chaney candidates Chaney and Harris’ political spending. like concert tickets
A004 and Ben Harris, Mick Cornett, Gary
Shelly Hickman,
said their donations $145,000. The donations to reward referrals,
co-founders of Epic Richardson and Kevin Further Growth also could indicate and recently opened
were customary.
Clip Virtual Charter School, Stitt. They also donated
“As thousands of Ahead? the school’s leaders a heavily branded
resized as well as Chaney’s to the campaigns of Chaney and Harris are trying to soften children’s play area at
other Oklahomans
wife, Kristin, were more than 50 declined to elaborate criticism of student Penn Square Mall.
35% routinely do, individual
made legally and not legislative candidates. on their political academic performance, Where the
members of our
with school funds, they The totals include all strategy. But their said Todd Ziebarth, Money Went
team donated, from
say. But the amounts donations except those giving may indicate senior vice president Of the 50 legislative
their own pockets,
far exceed those given less than $1,000 made an impending push for state advocacy at candidates to whom
to candidates who
by comparable school after Oct. 22. for laws allowing the National Alliance Chaney and Harris
support public
leaders. Chaney and Harris, the school to further for Public Charter donated, seven were
education,” they said.
“This is not unlike expand, said Eric Schools, a national pro part of the so-called
other school leaders Proctor, a state charter school group teacher caucus, a wave
Jesus is the Reason in Oklahoma as well
as education advocacy
lawmaker and former
teacher who termed
that advocates for
improving the quality
of current and former
educators running for
out of office this year. of virtual schools. office in Oklahoma.
for the Season! organizations and their
lobbyists who donate to
campaigns.”
Already, the school
is experiencing
“There are very
significant problems
Notably, Epic
leaders donated to the
substantial growth. with the performance re-election campaigns
This holiday season our hearts are warmed as we recall A check of
Epic has 21,000 of the (virtual) of four lawmakers who
the good times we’ve spent serving people like you! Oklahoma Ethics
Commission records, students enrolled so far schools,” he said. voted against the tax
Merry Christmas and thanks! however, found that in 2018-19 through its “One of the strategies package, known as HB
none of the 10 highest two models — a fully to remaining open is 1010xx, that funded the
paid superintendents virtual school and making donations.” teacher pay raise and
gave more than a blended version He pointed to virtual went into effect this
$1,000 total to political offering online classes schools’ high rates of fall.
candidates and and optional in- churn, low graduation Other groups
political action person instruction, rates and lagging supporting public
committees, and some said Hickman. student proficiency education did the
didn’t give at all. That’s up from and growth. opposite, targeting
13,000 in 2017-18 — Oklahoma schools lawmakers who voted
an increase of 8,000 haven’t received a no and supporting
students, the size of grade in two years, but their opponents.
A number of those
incumbents were
defeated.
The Oklahoma
Education Association

JKM, Inc.
fund didn’t contribute
to any of those four
candidates. There
262-1055 were about a dozen
candidates favored by
101 N. Bickford Chaney and Harris
405-262-1463 320 S. Rock Island Ave. who also received
contributions from the
www.rockislandcu.com association fund.
Merry Christmas to all of you from For some donations,
Chaney and Harris’
Scared Heart Catholic Church, El Reno employer is listed as
Epic Youth Services, a
for-profit company that
manages the school;
for others, it’s Epic
Charter School. On
others, there are other
business entities listed.
Chaney is the
superintendent of Epic
1536 A SW 27TH ST., EL RENO and owner of Epic
404-295-1428 Youth Services; Harris’
title is co-founder but
he’s involved in the
school’s administration
and its 2016 expansion
to California.
K12 Inc., the
country’s largest
virtual charter school
operator, based in
Virginia, didn’t
donate directly to any
Oklahoma candidates

H is future coming was proclaimed by all the prophets.

The virgin mother bore Him in her womb with love beyond
all telling.
in 2017 or 2018 despite
operating two virtual
schools in Oklahoma.
Records show one
John the Baptist was his herald and made Him known when at donation of $15,000 in
last he came. 2016 to Majority Fund,
an independent
In His love Christ has filled us with joy as we prepare to expenditure group. K12
celebrate His birth, has spent millions of

‘Tis the Season

dollars on lobbying and
So when He comes He may find us watching in prayer, Our campaign donations in
hearts filled with wonder and praise. other states.

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.