Switch To Charter Allows Epic To Operate Rural District: Oklahoma Watch

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May 2019 Page resized

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The Ardmoreite
the lake and the tornado was won t know the size or the damage to Sulphur or the
east of the county.” intensity until a survey is immediate area. SEE BEAR, PAGE 5A
OKLAHOMA WATCH
Switch to charter allows Epic to operate rural district

By Jennifer Palmer Schools, the largest attend most classes tax revenue to cover costs of
Oklahoma Watch online school in the online from home. student transportation, school
state. The school board The deal was un- buildings and sports facilities,
To save his financially im- agreed. precedented. Not like traditional school districts.
periled school district, Panola The Epic-related firm only was it one of And Epic didn’t stop at Pa-
Superintendent Brad Corcoran contributed $100,000 the first conver- nola.
in 2017 pitched a plan to convert toward Panola’s debt as sions-to-charter in Leaders at Norwood, another
the traditional public district part of the agreement. the state, it allowed small district nearly 100 miles
into a charter school. That company manag- Epic’s company to north of Panola in the town of
In becoming a charter, Panola es the small district for operate a school and Hulbert, say Epic came to them
Public Schools would turn over a more than 10 percent cut of its gain many benefits denied other last year with a nearly identical
its management to a compa- funding. Panola’s high school charter schools: It could tap proposal to convert the school
ny affiliated with Epic Charter students now have the option to into and spend local property SEE WATCH, PAGE 5A
COME IN FOR
Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
The Ardmoreite
rangement in Panola was

WATCH never intended to be used Financial Crisis
Continued from Page 1A by a virtual school. The Panola district
A 2016 change to the had been struggling
Oklahoma Charter School with its finances since at
to a charter managed by
May
e Epic. Epic planned to
consolidate the Norwood
Act allows a traditional
school district to convert
to a charter. The measure
least 2013-14. According
to court documents, 25
teachers and staff sued
ey and Panola districts, said specifically states, “A con- the district in 2015, alleg-
01 on Norwood Board President version school shall retain ing they were owed a total
to Danny Shoemaker. the characteristics of a of more than $91,000 in
ed But in December, the traditional public school.” back pay. A creditor took
2019 ke Norwood board rebuffed Sen. Ron Sharp, the the district to court
the proposal. R-Shawnee, said when over about $2,500 in un-
ile “It (the Epic propos- the bill was considered paid credit card bills.
Page ite al) would not benefit our in the Legislature, law- Then the state cut
A005 ver students, and we’re there makers didn’t discuss a school funding after a
nc- for the kids,” Shoemak- conversion school being revenue failure. The state
Clip ant er said, adding he was anything other than a Department of Education
resized n’t grateful their situation brick-and-mortar school gave the Panola school
42% n- wasn’t as dire as Pano- with regularly scheduled board an ultimatum: Bal-
rs. la’s. He questioned Epic’s classes. ance the books by July
From motives, suggesting they “This is Epic One-on- 1 or the students will be
A001 He were more about profiting One (the statewide virtual reassigned to neighboring
eir through its management school) at home under the districts.
n’t affiliate. “This was more pretense of a brick-and- The plan to convert to
uld to line somebody’s pock- mortar conversion char- a charter school seemed
Y ets,” he said. ter district,” he said. like the only option.
Ma- Epic officials have de- Some parents like the “Now we’re not going
oot nied they put profits over changes. Jessica Man- to be a charter school,”
n- education quality and ning, who lives in Wilbur- Corcoran, the superin-
es, say their school’s rap- ton, near Panola, sends tendent, told community
nd id growth is proof that her four children to the members gathered in the
ey their online and blend- school. “At first, people school’s cafeteria, accord-
nd ed models meet families’ had a mindset that our ing to a video posted to a
ily needs. Shelly Hickman, kids were going to be school district Facebook
ur a spokeswoman for Epic, staring at a computer all page. “We’re going to be a
will said Panola and Norwood day,” she said. “Elementa- conversion school, which
nd are examples of how Epic ry hasn’t changed. High means a traditional public
nd tries to make different school has more comput- school with charter rules.”
learning models work er work, but they still have Referring to the Epic
together to serve all stu- book work.” deal, Mikel Blake, then
u- dents. For the Panola deal, a Panola school board
00 But as a business, Epic Epic used a limited lia- member, said, “It bene-
ol- continues to explore bility company it formed fited them, it benefited us,
at ways of accelerating its in 2015 called Commu- it kept the school open.
rn growth. Combined, its nity Strategies-CA. Com- It didn’t make everyone
ng. own two schools — Epic munity Strategies-CA is a happy. There were people
virtual and Epic Blend- nonprofit LLC, while the who were unsettled.”
Van ed in Oklahoma City and similarly named Commu- Panola’s board unani-
ps, Tulsa — enrolled at least nity Strategies Inc. is the mously approved the plan
ne 23,000 students this year. tax-exempt nonprofit that on May 23, 2017.
w. A fourth blended center is is the legal name for Epic “Epic basically saved
Los expected to open this fall Charter Schools. us,” said Shannon Reed
near Rose State College Community Strate- Ferguson, a Panola school
in Midwest City. To at- gies-CA now receives all board member whose
ost tend, Epic students have revenue for Panola, in- daughter, Samantha, at-
re- to live in the same county cluding local property tends there.
ur as a blended center, and taxes, state aid and fed- Oklahoma Watch is a
ck the Panola school is their eral funding. nonprofit, nonpartisan
to: first foray into rural Okla- There is just one other media organization that
ox homa. conversion school in the produces in-depth and
47. Epic’s school in Califor- state: Millwood Elemen- investigative stories on
ded nia is also expanding, now tary in Oklahoma City, important issues facing
enrolling students from which converted in May the state. For more Okla-
five of the state’s most 2017, around the time homa Watch content, go to
populous counties. And Panola did. Millwood is oklahomawatch.org.
an Epic-related compa- still managed by the local
at ny is in contract negotia- school board.
na tions with Pulaski County
he Schools in Arkansas.
In the midst of that
st- growth, Epic has drawn
nd more scrutiny from law-
ver makers, the public and
ce, state and federal inves-
on tigators, the Tulsa World
on reported.
Purpose of Law
t,” One state legislator says
the law permitting the ar-
The Edmond Sun
May
Epic opportunity for
hockey players
01
2019
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PHOTO PROVIDED
Gordon Bell is giving Brighton Hendricks a private lesson at Arctic Edge earlier this month.
Hendricks is a student at Cross Timbers Elementary in Edmond.
Charter school, hockey “I want to target every single others live as far away as Yukon
kid who wants to play hockey, or Norman.
solidifies educational every single kid that wants to The school will enroll stu-
find a home,” said the school’s dents from first grade through
offering founder, Gordon Bell, a former high school — 6U through 18U
college and pro player who in hockey terms — with a
spent time with the old Central nucleus in the 9-14 age range.
BY TED STREULI Hockey League’s Oklahoma Academics will be offered
SPECIAL TO THE SUN City Blazers and Tulsa Oilers. through online charter school
Bell’s biggest challenge will Epic at a facility just west of
A new charter school set to be the shallow pool of potential Arctic Edge Ice Arena, where
open in September won’t teach students. There are only 368 students will get three on-ice
English or math before 10:30 players registered with the training sessions each week
a.m. That’s because the first Oklahoma City Youth Hockey plus a lot of hockey skills work
class of the day will probably Association, 104 of whom are in the school’s off-ice training
be Penalty Killing 101 or serious enough about hockey room.
Advanced Slapshots. to play on the organization’s Epic students see their
Welcome to Oklahoma travel teams. There is a cluster assigned teacher once per
Hockey Academy, home of the of 135 players in Edmond,
Thunderbirds. including 39 travel players, but
SEE THUNDERBIRDS | A3
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The Edmond Sun
THUNDERBIRDS: Bringing children to love hockey, ice skating

FROM PAGE A1
week, but Bell said he “He doesn’t really like “He really just has one Edge teaching their chil- there’s no direct path to the who you are and what you
expects to have a dedicated school,” said his mother, friend in Edmond and his dren how to skate. All NHL,” Bell said. “We want want to do. Hockey might
teacher on site daily along Gina Hendrickson. “He teammates in Dallas. But played in the Central that here, and we want get you in the door, but
with a teacher’s aide. loves hockey. The thought he loves hockey, and this Hockey League and were those teams filled with kids we’re going to allow you to
“The Epic model allows of putting hockey and facilitates playing on the Oklahoma City Blazers from Oklahoma.” be you. No one’s getting
kids to do some things they school together? He might team he wants to play teammates during the lost. Nobody’s getting bul-
wouldn’t otherwise be able enjoy school more.” with.” 2007-08 season before set- TEACHING MORE lied. Nobody’s getting shut
to do,” Bell said. Seth Mayes, 12, lives in tling here when their play- THAN HOCKEY out.”
In this case, that means Deer Creek but for the past RELYING ON OLD PROS ing days came to an end. But Bell is out to create a Epic is a public charter
indulging their passion for two seasons has played Bell knows a kid can love Bell plans to draw on that school that offers more school, so it’s tuition-free.
hockey. Bell said he isn’t hockey in Dallas at least hockey a lot. Even now, at talent pool to train a new than an accelerated track to Hockey isn’t. Bell said the
looking for only the most four days per week with a age 39, Bell has the TV generation of athletes. the NHL or an NCAA annual tuition will be
highly-skilled players; he Dallas Stars Elite team. He’s tuned to the NHL Network “USA hockey is like a Division I scholarship. He $6,000, giving young play-
just wants students who enrolled in Epic’s home- first thing every morning, sleeping giant just waiting said his experience running ers an extra 100 or more ice
love the game the way he school program to accom- teaches hockey lessons, to happen,” Bell said. “I a hockey camp in his sessions per season in addi-
does and want to pursue it modate his hockey sched- coaches youth hockey, and want Oklahoma hockey to hometown of West Lock, tion to the off-ice training.
in some way, whether that’s ule. attends local games as a be at the forefront of that Alberta, made him realize By 2024 enrollment
coaching, playing, broad- “It’s rigorous but it’s flexi- fan. His daughter Macey, 9, change. I feel we are the that hockey is merely a tool might reach 25-30 students,
casting or another career. ble,” said his father, Mark started skating two years people to do it and to develop leaders. His but Bell said he’s expecting
“It’s so much bigger than Mayes. “He can work ahead ago and his youngest, 3- Oklahoma Hockey school will have a daily five to 10 the first year.
hockey,” Bell said. “It’s not and he has to log in and year-old Lily, recently laced Academy is the first step.” leadership class and oppor- “For any kid who has a
just the best player on the complete his work every up her skates for the sec- Oklahoma has produced tunities for students to desire to put on his skates,
ice, it’s about the kids who day or he’s considered ond time. only one NHL player, meet successful people in who thinks about hockey,
love to play. I want them to absent. But he can do it any Bell isn’t the only former Edmond native Matt the hockey world. He also who has a desire to play
love hockey as much as time of day and can work professional hockey player Donovan, who has played envisions a nurturing, inti- hockey, it’s going to be an
they can.” from anywhere, so it’s been in town with young chil- for the New York Islanders, mate environment. incredible experience,” he
Brighton Hendrickson, a great for hockey. The down- dren. Fellow displaced Buffalo Sabres, and “Whatever’s happening said.
9-year-old who now side is that he doesn’t have Canadians Sean Connors, Nashville Predators. in your outside life, you’ll
attends Cross Timbers as many friends as he did Stacey Baumann, and “We don’t have a USHL forget about it while you’re (EDITOR’S NOTE — More
Elementary, is poised to be when he was going to Deer Marty Standish can all be hockey team, we don’t have there with us,” Bell said. information: oklahomahockeyacade-
the first to enroll. Creek. found on the ice at Arctic a Division I hockey team, “You’re going to find out my.com)
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The Norman Transcript
School’s switch to charter allows Epic to operate rural district

By Jennifer Palmer EDUCATI ON Not only was it school districts.
Oklahoma Watch one of the first And Epic didn’t stop at Panola.
“If it wasn’t for Epic, Panola
school in the state. The school conversions-to- Leaders at Norwood, another school would no longer exist
To save his financially im- board agreed. charter in the small district nearly 100 miles … We hope that more of the
periled school district, Panola The Epic-related firm contrib- state, it allowed north of Panola in the town of
Superintendent Brad Corcoran uted $100,000 toward Panola’s Epic’s company to Hulbert, say Epic came to them students that left Panola for
in 2017 pitched a plan to convert debt as part of the agreement. operate a school last year with a nearly identical Wilburton and surrounding
the traditional public district That company manages the and gain many proposal to convert the school
into a charter school. small district for a more than 10 benefits denied other charter to a charter managed by Epic. districts during our uncertain
In becoming a charter, Panola percent cut of its funding. Pa- schools: It could tap into and Epic planned to consolidate the time return to us.”
Public Schools would turn over nola’s high school students now spend local property tax revenue Norwood and Panola districts,
its management to a company have the option to attend most to cover costs of student trans- said Norwood Board President
Danny Shoemaker. Randy Conley,
affiliated with Epic Charter classes online from home. portation, school buildings and school board president
Schools, the largest online The deal was unprecedented. sports facilities, like traditional See SWITCH Page A2
The Norman Transcript
school has more computer our (local school) boards combining the local school
Switch: work, but they still have
book work.”
and superintendents and
communities that a teacher
board with Panola’s, which
would have given each
From Page A1 For the Panola deal, Epic in the classroom is where community fewer seats at F
used a limited liabil- education needs to be, and the table.
But in December, the ity company it formed in virtual can be a part of that After Norwood’s school o
Norwood board rebuffed 2015 called Community if it’s handled right.” board unanimously re- w
the proposal. Strategies-CA. Commu- Trice Butler, superinten- jected the agreement Dec. t
“It (the Epic proposal) nity Strategies-CA is a dent of Wilburton Public 13, the district’s superin- t
would not benefit our nonprofit LLC, while the Schools, which neighbors tendent Ken Bridges, who t
May students, and we’re there
for the kids,” Shoemaker
similarly named Commu-
nity Strategies Inc. is the
Panola, said she is con-
cerned that Epic is looking
Shoemaker said supported
the plan, resigned, after
h
v
01 said, adding he was grate-
ful their situation wasn’t
tax-exempt nonprofit that
is the legal name for Epic
to replicate what it’s done
in Panola in other districts.
serving six months in the
position. Bridges could not
H
a
as dire as Panola’s. He Charter Schools. Butler said her primary be reached for comment. o
questioned Epic’s motives, Community Strategies- concern is her belief that
2019 suggesting they were more
about profiting through its
CA now receives all rev-
enue for Panola, including
students at Epic are receiv-
ing a subpar education. She
Hope and uncertainty M
T
management affiliate. “This local property taxes, state cited Epic’s low high school F
was more to line some- aid and federal funding. Panola and Epic officials
graduation rates and high a
Page body’s pockets,” he said. There is just one other numbers of students leav-
declined several requests
by Oklahoma Watch to
D
Epic officials have denied conversion school in the ing Epic and returning to m
A002 they put profits over state: Millwood Elementary traditional schools with
tour Panola school and
speak to students and staff.
o
education quality and say in Oklahoma City, which academic credit insuffi- t
their school’s rapid growth converted in May 2017, cient for the time they were School board president t
Clip Randy Conley provided a
is proof that their online around the time Panola enrolled. (Epic maintains C
resized and blended models meet did. Millwood is still man- that some students come written statement saying
parents and faculty are
34% families’ needs. Shelly aged by the local school to them behind in credits
grateful for the school’s
d
Hickman, a spokeswoman board. and the school helps them m
for Epic, said Panola and catch up.) partnership with Epic, w
From Norwood are examples Epic’s presence in Panola which he said has been d
Financial crisis beneficial both financially
A001 of how Epic tries to make has also raised concerns
and academically.
w
different learning models The Panola district had about aggressive attempts c
work together to serve all to attract students and “Today, our school d
been struggling with its finances are sound and we
students. finances since at least teachers from surround-
But as a business, Epic ing school districts even in have improved (from F) r
2013-14. According to to an overall grade of ‘C’
continues to explore ways court documents, 25 the middle of the academic B
of accelerating its growth. year. from the state,” he said. o
teachers and staff sued the The letter grade is for Pa-
Combined, its own two district in 2015, alleging Panola spent $650 for I
schools — Epic virtual and postcards, and at least nola Elementary, a preK-8 t
they were owed a total of school.
Epic Blended in Oklahoma more than $91,000 in back some were sent to address- i
City and Tulsa — enrolled es in nearby Wilburton The financial uncertainty t
pay. A creditor took the the in Panola, and the transi-
at least 23,000 students this district to court over about school district, promising w
year. A fourth blended cen- a customized education tion to Epic, have caused o
$2,500 in unpaid credit many students to leave. Pa-
ter is expected to open this card bills. for students and touting
fall near Rose State College the school’s “double-digit nola’s enrollment is down t
Then the state cut school
in Midwest City. To attend, academic growth.” 35 percent from 2014, O
funding after a revenue
Epic students have to live Butler called this “preda- according to state data. It
failure. The state Depart-
in the same county as a tory marketing” and said slipped by 2.7 percent, or a
ment of Education gave
blended center, and the the statements made on three students, from 2017 o
the Panola school board
Panola school is their first an ultimatum: Balance the postcard are mislead- to 2018. i
foray into rural Oklahoma. the books by July 1 or the ing. Still, Conley says, “If it w
Epic’s school in Califor- students will be reassigned Panola elementary wasn’t for Epic, Panola b
nia is also expanding, now to neighboring districts. students did post positive school would no longer U
enrolling students from The plan to convert to a academic growth on the exist … We hope that B
five of the state’s most charter school seemed like latest school report cards, more of the students that
populous counties. And an the only option. with 80 percent of stu- left Panola for Wilburton a
Epic-related company is in “Now we’re not going dents improving between and surrounding districts y
contract negotiations with to be a charter school,” 2016-17 and 2017-18. But during our uncertain time B
Pulaski County Schools in Corcoran, the superin- only 27 percent of those return to us.” s
Arkansas. tendent, told community students scored on grade Reporter Andrea Eger of A
In the midst of that members gathered in the level, compared with 57 the Tulsa World contrib- m
growth, Epic has drawn school’s cafeteria, accord- percent in Wilburton and uted to this story. h
more scrutiny from law- ing to a video posted to a 51 percent statewide. Oklahoma Watch is a b
makers, the public and school district Facebook nonprofit, nonpartisan b
state and federal investi- media organization that
gators, the Tulsa World
page. “We’re going to be a Changes at school produces in-depth and B
conversion school, which
reported. means a traditional public investigative content on a P
Panola is so small that
school with charter rules.” range of public-policy issues g
teachers handle at least
Purpose of law Referring to the Epic facing the state. For more g
two grades apiece. It has
deal, Mikel Blake, then Oklahoma Watch content, 1
a Class B basketball team,
One state legislator says a Panola school board go to oklahomawatch.org. t
but there’s no art, physical
the law permitting the ar- member, said, “It benefited education or music, par-
rangement in Panola was them, it benefited us, it ents say. Epic’s taking over
never intended to be used kept the school open. It management of the school
by a virtual school. didn’t make everyone didn’t change that.
A 2016 change to the happy. There were people But other aspects have
Oklahoma Charter School who were unsettled.” changed. Teachers can
Act allows a traditional Panola’s board unani- work part-time at Panola
school district to convert mously approved the plan and part-time at Epic or
to a charter. The measure on May 23, 2017. another school. Super-
specifically states, “A con- “Epic basically saved us,” intendent Corcoran, for
version school shall retain said Shannon Reed Fergu- example, earned nearly
the characteristics of a son, a Panola school board $87,000 in 2018, but only
traditional public school.” member whose daughter, $4,500 was for his role at
Sen. Ron Sharp, R-Shaw- Samantha, attends there. Panola; he is actually a full-
nee, said when the bill was time Epic employee.
considered in the Legis- Concerns about Epic And Epic uses Panola as
lature, lawmakers didn’t a hub for giving standard-
discuss a conversion school Epic’s rapid rise and ized tests to its statewide
being anything other than push into school district virtual school students in
a brick-and-mortar school management has many the area.
with regularly scheduled traditional school leaders In the Norwood district,
classes. wondering what’s next. which rejected Epic’s man-
“This is Epic One-on- Pam Deering, executive agement proposal, Epic of-
One (the statewide virtual director of the Coopera- ficials deny that they were
school) at home under the tive Council for Oklahoma the ones who approached
pretense of a brick-and- School Administrators, district leaders.
mortar conversion charter said the state’s lack of in- “Norwood reached out
district,” he said. vestment in public educa- after hearing how we were
Some parents like the tion over the last decade able to financially and
changes. Jessica Manning, has contributed to many academically turn around
who lives in Wilburton, educators’ frustration with Panola,” said Hickman, the
near Panola, sends her four Epic. Epic spokeswoman.
children to the school. “At “There is a concern, yes, Shoemaker, the Nor-
first, people had a mindset that someone could swoop wood board president,
that our kids were going to in and offer a huge chunk said the company offered
be staring at a computer of change to take over laptops for students and
all day,” she said. “Elemen- a school,” Deering said. a stipend for internet
tary hasn’t changed. High “We just have to educate services, but they pitched
Stillwater NewsPress
School’s switch to
May
01
charter allows Epic to
2019
Page
operate rural district
A002 By Jennifer Palmer to them last year with a ment affiliate.
Oklahoma Watch nearly identical proposal “This was more to line
Clip
resized to convert the school to somebody’s pockets,” he
PANOLA – To save a charter managed by said.
46% his financially imperiled Epic. Epic planned to Epic officials have
school district, Panola consolidate the Norwood denied they put profits
Superintendent Brad and Panola districts, said over education quality
Corcoran in 2017 pitched Norwood Board Presi- and say their school’s
a plan to convert the dent Danny Shoemaker. rapid growth is proof
traditional public district But in December, the their online and blended
into a charter school. Norwood board rebuffed models meet families’
In becoming a charter, the proposal. needs. Shelly Hickman,
Panola Public Schools “It (the Epic proposal) a spokeswoman for Epic,
would turn over its would not benefit our said Panola and Nor-
management to a com- students, and we’re there wood are examples of
pany affiliated with for the kids,” Shoemak- how Epic tries to make
Epic Charter Schools, er said, adding he was different learning models
the largest online school grateful their situation work together to serve
in the state. The school wasn’t as dire as Pano- all students.
board agreed. la’s. He questioned Epic’s But as a business,
The Epic-related firm motives, suggesting they Epic continues to explore
contributed $100,000 were more about profit-
toward Panola’s debt as ing through its manage- See Charter, Page A8
part of the agreement.
That company manages
the small district for a
more than 10 percent cut
of its funding. Panola’s
high school students now
have the option to attend
most classes online from
home.
The deal was unprec-
edented. Not only was it
one of the first conver-
sions-to-charter in the
state, it allowed Epic’s
company to operate a
school and gain many
benefits denied other
charter schools: It could
tap into and spend local
property tax revenue to
cover costs of student
transportation, school
buildings and sports fa-
cilities, like traditional
school districts.
And Epic didn’t stop at
Panola.
Leaders at Norwood,
another small district
nearly 100 miles north
of Panola in the town of
Hulbert, say Epic came
OM FRAMES, INC.
ming

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May 2019 Page resized From
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Stillwater NewsPress
One (the statewide virtu- 18. But only 27 percent
Charter al school) at home under

the pretense of a brick-
and-mortar conversion
of those students scored
on grade level, compared
with 57 percent in Wil-
Continued from Page A2 charter district,” he said. burton and 51 percent
Some parents like statewide.
ways of accelerating its the changes. Jessica Changes at school
growth. Combined, its Manning, who lives in Panola is so small
own two schools – Epic Wilburton, near Panola, teachers handle at least
virtual and Epic Blended sends her four children two grades apiece. It
in Oklahoma City and to the school. has a Class B basketball
Tulsa – enrolled at least “At first, people had team, but there’s no art,
23,000 students this a mindset that our kids physical education or
year. A fourth blended were going to be staring music, parents say. Ep-
center is expected to at a computer all day,” ic’s taking over manage-
open this fall near Rose she said. “Elementary ment of the school didn’t
State College in Midwest hasn’t changed. High change that.
City. To attend, Epic school has more comput- But other aspects have
students have to live in er work, but they still changed. Teachers can
the same county as a have book work.” work part-time at Panola
blended center, and the For the Panola deal, and part-time at Epic or
Panola school is their Epic used a limited lia- another school. Super-
first foray into rural bility company it formed WHITNEY BRYEN/OKLAHOMA WATCH intendent Corcoran, for
Oklahoma. in 2015 called Communi- A school bus is seen parked in front of Panola High School. The rural school example, earned nearly
Epic’s school in Cali- ty Strategies-CA. Com- district was taken over by Epic Charter Schools and converted into a blending $87,000 in 2018, but only
fornia also is expanding, munity Strategies-CA is learning center where students attend classes part time and work from com- $4,500 was for his role at
now enrolling students a nonprofit LLC, while puters at home part time. Panola; he is actually a
from five of the state’s the similarly named full-time Epic employee.
most populous counties. Community Strategies tum: Balance the books management has many rates and high numbers And Epic uses Pano-
And an Epic-related Inc. is the tax-exempt by July 1 or the students traditional school leaders of students leaving Epic la as a hub for giving
company is in contract nonprofit that is the will be reassigned to wondering what’s next. and returning to tradi- standardized tests to its
negotiations with Pu- legal name for Epic neighboring districts. Pam Deering, execu- tional schools with aca- statewide virtual school
laski County Schools in Charter Schools. The plan to convert to tive director of Coopera- demic credit insufficient students in the area.
Arkansas. Community Strate- a charter school seemed tive Council for Oklaho- for the time they were In the Norwood dis-
In the midst of that gies-CA now receives like the only option. ma School Administra- enrolled. Epic maintains trict, which rejected
growth, Epic has drawn all revenue for Panola, “Now we’re not going tors, said the state’s lack that some students come Epic’s management
more scrutiny from law- including local property to be a charter school,” of investment in public to them behind in cred- proposal, Epic officials
makers, the public and taxes, state aid and fed- Corcoran, the superin- education over the last its and the school helps deny they were the ones
state and federal investi- eral funding. tendent, told community decade has contributed them catch up. who approached district
gators, the Tulsa World There is just one other members gathered in the to many educators’ frus- Epic’s presence in Pa- leaders.
reported. conversion school in the school’s cafeteria, accord- tration with Epic. nola also has raised con- “Norwood reached
Purpose of law state: Millwood Elemen- ing to a video posted to a “There is a concern, cerns about aggressive out after hearing how
One state legislator tary School in Oklahoma school district Facebook yes, that someone could attempts to attract stu- we were able to finan-
says the law permitting City, which converted in page. “We’re going to swoop in and offer a dents and teachers from cially and academically
the arrangement in Pa- May 2017, around the be a conversion school, huge chunk of change to surrounding school dis- turn around Panola,”
nola was never intended time Panola did. Mill- which means a tradi- take over a school,” Deer- tricts even in the middle said Hickman, the Epic
to be used by a virtual wood still is managed by tional public school with ing said. “We just have to of the academic year. spokeswoman.
school. the local school board. charter rules.” educate our (local school) Panola spent $650 Shoemaker, the Nor-
A 2016 change to Financial Crisis Referring to the Epic boards and superinten- for postcards, and at wood board president,
the Oklahoma Charter The Panola district deal, Mikel Blake, then dents and communities least some were sent said the company offered
School Act allows a tra- had been struggling a Panola school board that a teacher in the to addresses in nearby laptops for students and
ditional school district with its finances since at member, said, “It benefit- classroom is where edu- Wilburton school district, a stipend for internet
to convert to a charter. least 2013-14. According ed them, it benefited us, cation needs to be, and promising a customized services, but they pitched
The measure specifically to court documents, 25 it kept the school open. virtual can be a part of education for students combining the local
states, “A conversion teachers and staff sued It didn’t make everyone that if it’s handled right.” and touting the school’s school board with Pano-
school shall retain the the district in 2015, al- happy. There were peo- Trice Butler, super- “double-digit academic la’s, which would have
characteristics of a tradi- leging they were owed ple who were unsettled.” intendent of Wilburton growth.” given each community
tional public school.” a total of more than Panola’s board unan- Public Schools, which Butler called this fewer seats at the table.
Sen. Ron Sharp, $91,000 in back pay. A imously approved the neighbors Panola, said “predatory marketing” After Norwood’s school
R-Shawnee, said when creditor took the the dis- plan on May 23, 2017. she is concerned Epic is and said the statements board unanimously re-
the bill was considered trict to court over about “Epic basically saved looking to replicate what made on the postcard are jected the agreement
in the Legislature, law- $2,500 in unpaid credit us,” said Shannon Reed it’s done in Panola in misleading. Dec. 13, the district’s
makers didn’t discuss a card bills. Ferguson, a Panola other districts. Panola elementary superintendent Ken
conversion school being Then the state cut school board member Butler said her prima- students did post posi- Bridges, who Shoemaker
anything other than a school funding after a whose daughter, Saman- ry concern is her belief tive academic growth on said supported the plan,
brick-and-mortar school revenue failure. The tha, attends there. that students at Epic are the latest school report resigned, after serving
with regularly scheduled state Department of Ed- Concerns about Epic receiving a subpar educa- cards, with 80 percent of six months in the posi-
classes. ucation gave the Panola Epic’s rapid rise and tion. She cited Epic’s low students improving be- tion. Bridges could not be
“This is Epic One-on- school board an ultima- push into school district high school graduation tween 2016-17 and 2017- reached for comment.
his execution tried and the link in Lockett’s fem of the problems they In a recent interview With nitrogen inha
orig.pdf 1 01-May-19 15:17:52
Clip
01 A02 49%
Tahlequah Daily Press
Public school’s switch to charter allows Epic to operate rural district

By JENNIFER PALMER ed. Not only was it one of the Epic officials have denied
Oklahoma Watch first conversions-to-charter in they put profits over education
the state, it allowed Epic’s com- quality and say their school’s
To save his financially im- pany to operate a school and rapid growth is proof that their
periled school district, Panola gain many benefits denied oth- online and blended models
Superintendent Brad Corcoran er charter schools: It could tap meet families’ needs. Shelly
in 2017 pitched a plan to con- into and spend local property Hickman, a spokeswoman
vert the traditional public dis- tax revenue to cover costs of for Epic, said Panola and Nor-
trict into a charter school. student transportation, school wood are examples of how Epic
In becoming a charter, Pa- buildings and sports facilities, tries to make different learning
nola Public Schools would turn like traditional school districts. models work together to serve
over its management to a com- And Epic didn’t stop at Pa- all students.
pany affiliated with Epic Char- nola. But as a business, Epic con-
ter Schools, the largest online Leaders at Norwood, an- tinues to explore ways of accel-
school in the state. The school other small district nearly 100 erating its growth. Combined,
board agreed. miles north of Panola in the its own two schools — Epic vir-
The Epic-related firm con- town of Hulbert, say Epic came tual and Epic Blended in Okla-
tributed $100,000 toward to them last year with a nearly Whitney Bryen | Oklahoma Watch
homa City and Tulsa — en-
Panola’s debt as part of the identical proposal to convert rolled at least 23,000 students
agreement. That company the school to a charter man- The Panola school board meets in the cafeteria at Panola High School April 8. this year. A fourth blended cen-
manages the small district for a aged by Epic. Epic planned to ter is expected to open this fall
more than 10 percent cut of its consolidate the Norwood and posal. as dire as Panola’s. He ques- near Rose State College in Mid-
funding. Panola’s high school Panola districts, said Norwood “It (the Epic proposal) would tioned Epic’s motives, suggest- west City. To attend, Epic stu-
students now have the option Board President Danny Shoe- not benefit our students, and ing they were more about prof- dents have to live in the same
to attend most classes online maker. we’re there for the kids,” Shoe- iting through its management county as a blended center,
from home. But in December, the Nor- maker said, adding he was affiliate. “This was more to line and the Panola school is their
The deal was unprecedent- wood board rebuffed the pro- grateful their situation wasn’t somebody’s pockets,” he said. first foray into rural Oklahoma.
The Dewey County Record
Switch to Charter
Schools allows Epic to
operate rural districts
May By Jennifer Palmer to serve all students.
Oklahoma Watch But as a business, Epic
02 7RVDYHKLV¿QDQFLDOO\LP- continues to explore ways of
periled school district, Panola accelerating its growth. Com-
Superintendent Brad Corco- bined, its own two schools —
2019 ran in 2017 pitched a plan to Epic virtual and Epic Blended
convert the traditional public in Oklahoma City and Tulsa
Page district into a charter school. — enrolled at least 23,000
In becoming a charter, students this year. A fourth
A008 Panola Public Schools would blended center is expected to
turn over its management to a open this fall near Rose State
Clip FRPSDQ\ DI¿OLDWHG ZLWK (SLF College in Midwest City. To
resized Charter Schools, the largest attend, Epic students have to
46% online school in the state. The live in the same county as a
school board agreed. blended center, and the Panola
7KH (SLFUHODWHG ¿UP VFKRROLVWKHLU¿UVWIRUD\LQWR
contributed $100,000 toward rural Oklahoma.
Panola’s debt as part of the Epic’s school in Califor-
agreement. That company nia is also expanding, now
manages the small district for HQUROOLQJ VWXGHQWV IURP ¿YH
a more than 10 percent cut of the state’s most populous
of its funding. Panola’s high counties. And an Epic-related
school students now have the company is in contract nego-
option to attend most classes tiations with Pulaski County
online from home. Schools in Arkansas.
The deal was unprecedent- In the midst of that growth,
ed. Not only was it one of the Epic has drawn more scrutiny
¿UVW FRQYHUVLRQVWRFKDUWHU from lawmakers, the public
in the state, it allowed Epic’s and state and federal inves-
company to operate a school tigators, the Tulsa World re-
DQG JDLQ PDQ\ EHQH¿WV GH- ported.
nied other charter schools: It Purpose of Law
could tap into and spend local One state legislator says
property tax revenue to cover the law permitting the ar-
costs of student transportation, rangement in Panola was
school buildings and sports fa- never intended to be used by a
cilities, like traditional school virtual school.
districts. A 2016 change to the Okla-
And Epic didn’t stop at homa Charter School Act
Panola. allows a traditional school
Leaders at Norwood, an- district to convert to a char-
other small district nearly WHU 7KH PHDVXUH VSHFL¿FDOO\
100 miles north of Panola in states, “A conversion school
the town of Hulbert, say Epic shall retain the characteristics
came to them last year with of a traditional public school.”
a nearly identical proposal to Sen. Ron Sharp, R-Shaw-
convert the school to a char- nee, said when the bill was
ter managed by Epic. Epic considered in the Legislature,
planned to consolidate the lawmakers didn’t discuss a
Norwood and Panola districts, conversion school being any-
said Norwood Board Presi- thing other than a brick-and-
dent Danny Shoemaker. mortar school with regularly
But in December, the Nor- scheduled classes.
wood board rebuffed the pro- “This is Epic One-on-One
posal. (the statewide virtual school)
“It (the Epic proposal) at home under the pretense of
ZRXOG QRW EHQH¿W RXU VWX- a brick-and-mortar conversion
dents, and we’re there for the charter district,” he said.
kids,” Shoemaker said, adding Some parents like the
he was grateful their situation changes. Jessica Manning,
wasn’t as dire as Panola’s. He who lives in Wilburton, near
questioned Epic’s motives, Panola, sends her four children
suggesting they were more WRWKHVFKRRO³$W¿UVWSHRSOH
DERXW SUR¿WLQJ WKURXJK LWV had a mindset that our kids
PDQDJHPHQW DI¿OLDWH ³7KLV were going to be staring at a
was more to line somebody’s computer all day,” she said.
pockets,” he said. “Elementary hasn’t changed.
(SLF RI¿FLDOV KDYH GHQLHG High school has more com-
WKH\SXWSUR¿WVRYHUHGXFDWLRQ puter work, but they still have
quality and say their school’s book work.”
rapid growth is proof that their For the Panola deal, Epic
online and blended models used a limited liability com-
meet families’ needs. Shelly pany it formed in 2015 called
Hickman, a spokeswoman for Community Strategies-CA.
Epic, said Panola and Nor- Community Strategies-CA
wood are examples of how LVDQRQSUR¿W//&ZKLOHWKH
Epic tries to make different
learning models work together (Continued to page 9)
The Dewey County Record
Page 9, The Dewey County Rec

Continued from page 8
Charter Schools_____
similarly named Commu- handled right.” combining the local school
nity Strategies Inc. is the tax- Trice Butler, superinten- board with Panola’s, which
H[HPSW QRQSUR¿W WKDW LV WKH dent of Wilburton Public would have given each com-
May legal name for Epic Charter Schools, which neighbors munity fewer seats at the ta-
Schools. Panola, said she is concerned ble.
02 Community Strategies-CA that Epic is looking to repli- After Norwood’s school
now receives all revenue for cate what it’s done in Panola board unanimously rejected
Panola, including local prop- in other districts. the agreement Dec. 13, the
erty taxes, state aid and federal Butler said her primary district’s superintendent Ken
2019 funding. concern is her belief that Bridges, who Shoemaker said
There is just one other con- students at Epic are receiv- supported the plan, resigned,
version school in the state: ing a subpar education. She after serving six months in
Page Millwood Elementary in cited Epic’s low high school the position. Bridges could
Oklahoma City, which con- graduation rates and high not be reached for comment.
A009 verted in May 2017, around numbers of students leav- Hope and Uncertainty
the time Panola did. Millwood ing Epic and returning to 3DQROD DQG (SLF RI¿FLDOV
Clip is still managed by the local traditional schools with aca- declined several requests
resized school board. GHPLF FUHGLW LQVXI¿FLHQW IRU by Oklahoma Watch to tour
39% Financial Crisis the time they were enrolled. Panola school and speak to
The Panola district had (Epic maintains that some students and staff.
From EHHQ VWUXJJOLQJ ZLWK LWV ¿- students come to them be- School board president
nances since at least 2013-14. hind in credits and the school Randy Conley provided a
A008 According to court docu- helps them catch up.) written statement saying par-
ments, 25 teachers and staff Epic’s presence in Panola ents and faculty are grateful
sued the district in 2015, al- has also raised concerns about for the school’s partnership
leging they were owed a to- aggressive attempts to attract with Epic, which he said has
tal of more than $91,000 in students and teachers from EHHQEHQH¿FLDOERWK¿QDQFLDO-
back pay. A creditor took the surrounding school districts ly and academically.
the district to court over about even in the middle of the aca- ³7RGD\RXUVFKRRO¿QDQF-
$2,500 in unpaid credit card demic year. es are sound and we have im-
bills. Panola spent $650 for post- proved (from F) to an overall
Then the state cut school cards, and at least some were grade of ‘C’ from the state,”
funding after a revenue fail- sent to addresses in nearby he said. The letter grade is for
ure. The state Department of Wilburton school district, Panola Elementary, a preK-8
Education gave the Panola promising a customized edu- school.
school board an ultimatum: cation for students and touting 7KH ¿QDQFLDO XQFHUWDLQW\
Balance the books by July 1 or the school’s “double-digit aca- in Panola, and the transition
the students will be reassigned demic growth.” to Epic, have caused many
to neighboring districts. Butler called this “preda- students to leave. Panola’s en-
The plan to convert to a tory marketing” and said the rollment is down 35 percent
charter school seemed like the statements made on the post- from 2014, according to state
only option. card are misleading. data. It slipped by 2.7 percent,
“Now we’re not going to Panola elementary students or three students, from 2017 to
be a charter school,” Cor- did post positive academic 2018.
coran, the superintendent, told growth on the latest school re- Still, Conley says, “If
community members gathered port cards, with 80 percent of it wasn’t for Epic, Panola
in the school’s cafeteria, ac- students improving between school would no longer exist
cording to a video posted to a 2016-17 and 2017-18. But … We hope that more of the
school district Facebook page. only 27 percent of those stu- students that left Panola for
“We’re going to be a conver- dents scored on grade level, Wilburton and surrounding
sion school, which means a compared with 57 percent districts during our uncertain
traditional public school with in Wilburton and 51 percent time return to us.”
charter rules.” statewide.
Referring to the Epic deal, Changes at School
Mikel Blake, then a Panola Panola is so small that
school board member, said, teachers handle at least Quality
³,WEHQH¿WHGWKHPLWEHQH¿WHG
us, it kept the school open. It
two grades apiece. It has a
Class B basketball team, but Quick Lube
didn’t make everyone happy. there’s no art, physical edu- Since 1981
There were people who were cation or music, parents say. We service all Autos
unsettled.” Epic’s taking over manage- & Trucks (up to 2.5
Panola’s board unanimous- ment of the school didn’t ton)
ly approved the plan on May change that. 12 Brands of Oil-All Oil Filters-Over
23, 2017. But other aspects have 200 Air Filter Sizes-Differential,
“Epic basically saved us,” changed. Teachers can work Radiator, & Transmission Flushes
said Shannon Reed Ferguson, part-time at Panola and part- Eight Full Time Service People
a Panola school board mem- time at Epic or another school. No Appointments
ber whose daughter, Saman- Superintendent Corcoran, Just Drive In
tha, attends there. for example, earned nearly
Concerns About Epic $87,000 in 2018, but only Quality Products
Epic’s rapid rise and push $4,500 was for his role at Pan-
into school district manage- ola; he is actually a full-time Quality People
ment has many traditional Epic employee.
school leaders wondering And Epic uses Panola as 2600 Oklahoma Ave., Woodward
what’s next. a hub for giving standardized 580-256-4070
Pam Deering, executive tests to its statewide virtual Mon-Fri 8 am to 5:30 pm
director of the Cooperative school students in the area. Sat 8 am to Noon
Council for Oklahoma School In the Norwood district,
Administrators, said the state’s which rejected Epic’s man- "We don't give you time
lack of investment in public DJHPHQW SURSRVDO (SLF RI¿- to miss your car!"
education over the last decade cials deny that they were the
has contributed to many edu- ones who approached district
cators’ frustration with Epic. leaders.
“There is a concern, yes, “Norwood reached out af-
that someone could swoop ter hearing how we were able
in and offer a huge chunk of WR¿QDQFLDOO\DQGDFDGHPLFDO-
change to take over a school,” ly turn around Panola,” said
Deering said. “We just have Hickman, the Epic spokes-
to educate our (local school) woman.
boards and superintendents Shoemaker, the Norwood
and communities that a teach- board president, said the com-
er in the classroom is where pany offered laptops for stu-
education needs to be, and vir- dents and a stipend for inter-
tual can be a part of that if it’s net services, but they pitched

Switch To Charter Allows Epic To Operate Rural District: Oklahoma Watch

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May 2019 Page resized

Switch to charter allows Epic to operate rural district

rangement in Panola was

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THUNDERBIRDS: Bringing children to love hockey, ice skating

The Norman Transcript

School’s switch to charter allows Epic to operate rural district

One (the statewide virtu- 18. But only 27 percent

Charter al school) at home under

Tahlequah Daily Press

Public school’s switch to charter allows Epic to operate rural district

Page 9, The Dewey County Rec

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