Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise

EDUCATION

Oct
02
School’s switch to
2019 Charter allows Epic to
Page
A001
Clip
resized
operate rural district
53% By Jennifer Palmer
Oklahoma Watch

To save his financially

imperiled school district,
Panola Superintendent Brad
Corcoran in 2017 pitched a
plan to convert the traditional
public district into a charter
school.
In becoming a charter,
Panola Public Schools would A school bus is seen parked in front
turn over its management to a of Panola High School. The rural,
company affiliated with Epic southeastern Oklahoma school
Charter Schools, the largest district is now managed by an
online school in the state. The Epic Charter Schools company. It
school board agreed. added a blending learning program
The Epic-related firm con- allowing high school students to
planned to consolidate the
tributed $100,000 toward complete most of their classes
Norwood and Panola dis-
Panola’s debt as part of the online at home.
tricts, said Norwood Board
agreement. That company
President Danny Shoemaker.
manages the small district continues to explore ways
But in December, the Nor-
for a more than 10% cut of its of accelerating its growth.
wood board rebuffed the
funding. Panola’s high school Combined, its own two
proposal.
students now have the option schools — Epic virtual and
“It (the Epic proposal)
to attend most classes online Epic Blended in Oklahoma
would not benefit our stu-
from home. City and Tulsa — enrolled
dents, and we’re there for
The deal was unprece- at least 23,000 students this
the kids,” Shoemaker said,
dented. Not only was it one year. A fourth blended center
adding he was grateful their
of the first conversions-to- is expected to open this fall
situation wasn’t as dire as
charter in the state, it allowed near Rose State College in
Panola’s. He questioned
Epic’s company to operate a Midwest City. To attend,
Epic’s motives, suggesting
school and gain many benefits Epic students have to live in
they were more about profit-
denied other charter schools: the same county as a blended
ing through its management
It could tap into and spend center, and the Panola school
affiliate. “This was more to
local property tax revenue to is their first foray into rural
line somebody’s pockets,”
cover costs of student trans- Oklahoma.
he said.
portation, school buildings Epic’s school in Califor-
Epic officials have denied
and sports facilities, like tra- nia is also expanding, now
they put profits over edu-
ditional school districts. enrolling students from five
cation quality and say their
And Epic didn’t stop at of the state’s most populous
school’s rapid growth is proof
Panola. counties. And an Epic-related
that their online and blended
Leaders at Norwood, company is in contract nego-
models meet families’ needs.
another small district nearly tiations with Pulaski County
Shelly Hickman, a spokes-
100 miles north of Panola in Schools in Arkansas.
woman for Epic, said Panola
the town of Hulbert, say Epic In the midst of that growth,
and Norwood are examples of
came to them last year with a Epic has drawn more scru-
how Epic tries to make dif-
nearly identical proposal to tiny from lawmakers, the
ferent learning models work
convert the school to a char- public and state and federal
together to serve all students.
ter managed by Epic. Epic
But as a business, Epic SEE CHARTER, A3

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise
Oct CHARTER
02 From Page A1
2019 investigators, the Tulsa
World reported.
Purpose of Law
Page One state legis-
A003 lator says the law
permitting the arrange-
Clip ment in Panola was never
resized intended to be used by a
38% virtual school.
A 2016 change to
From the Oklahoma Charter
School Act allows a tra-
A001
ditional school district
to convert to a charter.
The measure specifically
states, “A conversion
school shall retain the
characteristics of a tra-
ditional public school.”
Sen. Ron Sharp,
R-Shawnee, said when
the bill was considered
in the Legislature, law-
makers didn’t discuss a
conversion school being
anything other than a
brick-and-mortar school
with regularly scheduled
classes.
“This is Epic One-
on-One (the statewide
virtual school) at home
under the pretense of a
brick-and-mortar con-
version charter district,”
he said.
Some parents like
the changes. Jessica
Manning, who lives in
Wilburton, near Panola,
sends her four children
to the school. “At first,
people had a mindset that
our kids were going to be
staring at a computer all
day,” she said. “Elemen-
tary hasn’t changed.
High school has more
computer work, but they
still have book work.”
For the Panola deal,
Epic used a limited liabil-
ity company it formed in
2015 called Community
Strategies-CA. Commu-
nity Strategies-CA is a
nonprofit LLC, while the
similarly named Com-
munity Strategies Inc. is
the tax-exempt nonprofit
that is the legal name for
Epic Charter Schools.
Community Strate-
gies-CA now receives
all revenue for Panola,
including local prop-
erty taxes, state aid and
Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
federal funding.
There is just one other
conversion school in the
state: Millwood Elemen-
tary in Oklahoma City,
which converted in May
2017, around the time
Panola did. Millwood is
still managed by the local
school board.
Financial Crisis
The Panola district
had been struggling with
its finances since at least
2013-14. According to
court documents, 25
teachers and staff sued
the district in 2015, alleg-
ing they were owed a total
of more than $91,000 in
back pay. A creditor took
the the district to court
over about $2,500 in
unpaid credit card bills.
Then the state cut
school funding after a
revenue failure. The state
Department of Education
gave the Panola school
board an ultimatum: Bal-
ance the books by July 1
or the students will be
reassigned to neighbor-
ing districts.
The plan to convert to
a charter school seemed
like the only option.
Referring to the Epic
deal, Mikel Blake, then
a Panola school board
member, said, “It ben-
efited them, it benefited
us, it kept the school
open. It didn’t make
everyone happy. There
were people who were
unsettled.”
Panola’s board unani-
mously approved the
plan on May 23, 2017.
“Epic basically saved
us,” said Shannon Reed
Ferguson, a Panola
school board member
whose daughter, Saman-
tha, attends there.
Concerns About Epic
Epic’s rapid rise and
push into school district
management has many
traditional school leaders
wondering what’s next.
Pam Deering, execu-
tive director of the
Cooperative Council
for Oklahoma School
Administrators, said the
state’s lack of invest-
ment in public education
over the last decade has
contributed to many
educators’ frustration
with Epic.
“There is a concern,
yes, that someone could
swoop in and offer a
huge chunk of change
to take over a school,”
Deering said. “We just
have to educate our
(local school) boards
and superintendents
and communities that a
teacher in the classroom
is where education needs
to be, and virtual can be a
part of that if it’s handled
right.”
Trice Butler, super-
intendent of Wilburton
Public Schools, which
neighbors Panola, said
she is concerned that
Epic is looking to rep-
licate what it’s done in
Panola in other districts.
Butler said her pri-
mary concern is her belief
that students at Epic are
receiving a subpar educa-
tion. She cited Epic’s low
high school graduation
rates and high numbers of
students leaving Epic and
returning to traditional
schools with academic
credit insufficient for the
time they were enrolled.
(Epic maintains that
some students come to
them behind in cred-
its and the school helps
them catch up.)
Epic’s presence in
Panola has also raised
concerns about aggres-
sive attempts to attract
students and teachers
from surrounding school
districts even in the
middle of the academic
year.
Panola spent $650
for postcards, and at
least some were sent to
addresses in nearby Wil-
burton school district,
promising a customized
education for students
and touting the school’s
“double-digit academic
growth.”
Butler called this
“predatory marketing”
and said the statements
made on the postcard are
misleading.
Panola elementary
students did post posi-
tive academic growth on
the latest school report
cards, with 80 percent
of students improving
between 2016-17 and
2017-18. But only 27
percent of those students
scored on grade level,
compared with 57 per-
school board with Pan-
ola’s, which would have
cent in Wilburton and 51 given each community
percent statewide. fewer seats at the table.
Changes at School After Norwood’s
Panola is so small that school board unani-
teachers handle at least mously rejected the
two grades apiece. It has agreement Dec. 13, the
a Class B basketball team,
but there’s no art, physi-
district’s superinten-
dent Ken Bridges, who
cal education or music, Shoemaker said sup-
parents say. Epic’s taking ported the plan, resigned,
over management of the after serving six months
school didn’t change in the position. Bridges
that. could not be reached for
But other aspects have comment.
changed. Teachers can
work part-time at Panola Hope and Uncertainty
and part-time at Epic or Panola and Epic offi-
another school. Super- cials declined several
intendent Corcoran, for requests by Oklahoma
example, earned nearly Watch to tour Panola
$87,000 in 2018, but only school and speak to stu-
$4,500 was for his role at dents and staff.
Panola; he is actually a School board president
full-time Epic employee. Randy Conley provided a
And Epic uses Panola written statement saying
parents and faculty are
as a hub for giving stan-
grateful for the school’s
dardized tests to its
partnership with Epic,
statewide virtual school which he said has been
students in the area. beneficial both finan-
In the Norwood dis- cially and academically.
trict, which rejected Reporter Andrea Eger
Epic’s management pro- of the Tulsa World con-
posal, Epic officials deny tributed to this story.
that they were the ones
who approached district — Oklahoma Watch is a
leaders. nonprofit, nonpartisan
Shoemaker, the Nor- media organization that
wood board president, produces in-depth and
said the company offered investigative stories on
laptops for students and a important issues facing
stipend for internet ser- the state. For more Okla-
vices, but they pitched homa Watch content, go
combining the local to oklahomawatch.org
Home health care with care, compassion and concern.
3803 SE Nowata Rd, Ste. D I Bartlesville
918-333-4200 I caregiversofoklahoma.com
>> THIS WEEK>>
*VIVA LA FRIDA ART EXHIBIT
October 2±October 20 @ 10:00am ± Price Tower Arts Center
*OKTOBERFEST – HOSTED BY OKM MUSIC
October 5 @ 4:00pm ± Downtown Bartlesville
*ESSENTIAL OILS “101” – WITH KAYLA STANLEY
October 8 @ 12:00pm± Bartlesville Public Library, Mtg Room: A
 Clip
Oct 2019 Page resized
03 A004 53%

The Piedmont-Surrey Gazette

EDUCATION

Epic leader inducted into OAAE Hall of Fame

(3,& &KDUWHU 6FKRROV¶ and/or leader. cipal of Tulakes Elemen- and his father a pastor. EHWWHUPHQW RI 2NODKRPD
/HH5RODQGZKROHDGVWKH ³%HLQJ LQGXFWHG LQWR WDU\ LQ WKH 3XWQDP &LW\ Roland currently sits schools and student suc
school’s Principal Leader- WKH 2NODKRPD $IULFDQ Public School District. RQ QXPHURXV ERDUGV LQ FHVV DQG VDLG WKH +DOO R
ship Development pro- $PHULFDQ (GXFDWRUV +DOO The once-failing Tulakes cluding The Spero Proj- Fame could not have se
JUDP KDV EHHQ LQGXFWHG of Fame is both tremen- struggled with high sus- HFW6WURQJHU7RJHWKHUDQG lected a better individua
LQWR WKH 2NODKRPD $IUL dously humbling and en- pension rates and teacher +RSHIRU*HQHUDWLRQV+H to honor this year.
can American Educators couraging to me. There- WXUQRYHUDVZHOODVD also is a commissioner “When Lee was chosen
2$$( +DOO RI )DPH
&HUHPRQLHV ZHUH KHOG
RQ 6HSWHPEHU  DW WKH
2NODKRPD+LVWRU\&HQWHU
LQ 2NODKRPD &LW\ ZKHUH
Roland was recognized as
³$'L൵HUHQFH0DNHU´
7KH 2$$( +DOO RI
Fame recognizes and
honors African American
educators or support per-
sonnel who have made a
VLJQL¿FDQW FRQWULEXWLRQ
LQ 2NODKRPD +RQRUHHV
IRUH , ZRXOG EH UHPLVV percent free and reduced RQ WKH 2NODKRPD &RP WR EH (3,&¶V GLUHFWRU R
not to share my apprecia- lunch student population. PLVVLRQ IRU &KLOGUHQ DQG principal leadership de
tion to any and everyone 8QGHU 5RODQG¶V FDUH WKH <RXWK )XUWKHU KH XVHV YHORSPHQW ZH NQHZ KH
Lee Roland WKDW KDV SRXUHG LQWR PH school is now considered his gift of motivational would bring a lifetime o
directly or otherwise. My one of the best in Putnam speaking to travel the passion and commitmen
must have worked as an achievements are the re- &LW\ state and inspire students to improvement for which
administrator or teacher in sults of a wonderful fam- %RUQ LQ *XWKULH 5R DQGHGXFDWRUV+HEHFDPH KHLVVRZHOONQRZQ´%DQ
2NODKRPD DW WKH HOHPHQ LO\ VXSSRUWLYH FROOHDJXHV land has devoted his life (3,&¶V GLUHFWRU RI SULQ ¿HOGVDLG³7KLVLQGXFWLRQ
WDU\PLGGOHVHFRQGDU\RU and some of the absolute to public education and cipal leadership develop- into such a prestigiou
college level; have con- most amazing teachers on FRPPXQLW\ VHUYLFH DQG ment earlier this year. line of educational history
WULEXWHGWRDQGLQÀXHQFHG HDUWK´5RODQGVDLG comes from a family of (3,& 6XSHULQWHQGHQW is highly appropriate fo
the education and lives 2IKLV\HDUVLQSXE educators and community %DUW %DQ¿HOG SUDLVHG such a gifted and motivat
of the students; and have OLF HGXFDWLRQ 5RODQG leaders who did the same. Roland for devoting his ed educator. I couldn’t be
been a community worker VSHQWRIWKHPDVSULQ +LVPRWKHUZDVDWHDFKHU professional career to the more proud of him.
Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 Clip
Oct 2019 Page resized
04 0007 49%
The Oklahoma Eagle
EPIC’s Lee Roland Inducted Into Oklahoma
African American Educators Hall Of Fame
By Eagle Newswire
Oklahoma City, Okla. –
EPIC Charter Schools’ Lee
Roland, who leads the
school’s Principal Leader-
ship Development program,
has been inducted into the
Oklahoma African Ameri-
can Educators (OAAE) Hall
of Fame. Ceremonies were
held on September 27 at the
Oklahoma History Center in
Oklahoma City, where
Roland was recognized as
“A Difference Maker.”
The OAAE Hall of Fame
recognizes and honors
African American educators
or support personnel who
have made a significant con-
tribution in Oklahoma. Hon-
orees must have worked as
an administrator or teacher
in Oklahoma at the elemen-
tary, middle, secondary or
college level; have con-
tributed to and influenced
the education and lives of
the students; and have been
a community worker and/or
leader.
“Being inducted into the
Oklahoma African Ameri-
can Educators Hall of Fame
is both tremendously hum-
bling and encouraging to
me. Therefore, I would be
remiss not to share my ap-
preciation to any and every-
one that has poured into me,
directly or otherwise. My
achievements are the results
of a wonderful family, sup-
portive colleagues and some
of the absolute most amaz-
ing teachers on earth,”
Roland said.
Of his 30 years in public
education, Roland spent 12
of them as principal of Tu-
lakes Elementary in the Put-
nam City Public School
District. The once-failing
Tulakes struggled with high
suspension rates and teacher
Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
Thursday, October 4, 2019 THE OKLAHOMA EAGLE Page 7
turnover as well as a 100
percent free and reduced
lunch student population.
Under Roland’s care, the
school is now considered
one of the best in Putnam
City.
Born in Guthrie, Roland
has devoted his life to pub-
lic education and commu-
nity service, and comes from
a family of educators and
community leaders who did
the same. His mother was a
teacher and his father a pas-
tor.
Roland currently sits on
numerous boards, including
The Spero Project, Stronger
Together and Hope for Gen-
erations. He also is a com-
missioner on the Oklahoma
Commission for Children
and Youth. Further, he uses
his gift of motivational
speaking to travel the state
and inspire students and ed-
ucators. He ecame EPIC’s
director of principal leader-
ship development earlier this
year.
EPIC Superintendent
Bart Banfield praised
Roland for devoting his pro-
fessional career to the bet-
terment of Oklahoma
schools and student success
and said the Hall of Fame
could not have selected a
better individual to honor
this year. LEE ROLAND
“When Lee was chosen (Photo provided)
to be EPIC’s director of
principal leadership devel- EPIC is the state’s third-
opment, we knew he would largest public school system.
bring a lifetime of passion It serves approximately
and commitment to im- 29,000 students statewide in
provement for which he is the 2019-2020 school year
so well known,” Banfield and currently employs more
said. “This induction into than 1,100 certified teachers
such a prestigious line of ed- and principals located in
ucational history is highly every county across the
appropriate for such a gifted state.
and motivated educator. I For more information,
couldn’t be more proud of visit www.epiccharter-
him.” schools.org.
 The Shawnee News-Star

OPINION
GUEST COLUMN

Investigations
into Epic to be
concluded soon
By Sen. Ron Sharp
Oct
I
t was apparent after the September 2018
Senate interim studies on virtual schools
that Epic would assassinate the character of
08 any legislator who questioned its enrollment,
performance, or financial accounting records
even though this is our constitutionally-man-
dated duty.
2019 After reviewing Epic’s Blended Charter
School’s (BLC) student enrollment records last
legislative session, I questioned in July why
the charter school received funds for 7th-12th
Page grades? The BLC records revealed the charter
school had never provided enrollment accom-
A006 modation nor instruction in School Years 2017-
18 or 2018-19 for 7th-12th grades.
Epic responded in a July 11, 2019 release that
Clip it received funds for 7th-12th grades because it
counted “ALL” of its students residing in Tulsa
resized and Oklahoma County under its BLC. All stu-
30% dents in other counties were counted under its
Epic One on One virtual charter.
Transferring students would also result in
commingled Title I and Special Needs federal
funds. The “Contract” between the Oklahoma
Statewide Virtual Charter School Board (OS-
VCSB) and Epic Virtual prohibits the commin-
gling of state and federal funds.
While Epic reported on July 11 that it trans-
ferred all their students in Tulsa and Oklahoma
County to its BLC, Dr. Rebecca Wilkinson,
OSVCSB Executive Director, reported in an
August 12 email that 1,552 students were still
being reported as attending Epic’s virtual school
in those two counties. However, OSDE records
reveal that 3,032 students in those two counties
were counted in School Years 2017-18 and
2018-19 as attending Epic One on One Virtual
Charter. That is not “all” students.
After weeks of questioning the OSDE as to
whether Epic’s brick and mortar charter school
could use the virtual attendance policy, State
Superintendent Hofmeister explained in a
September 25, 2019, email that she was seeking
an “informal opinion” from the Attorney Gen-
HUDO¶VRI¿FH7KLVFDPHDIWHUDPRQWKRI(SLF
portraying me as a “liar.” The OSDE has consis-
tently said that the BLC cannot use the virtual
attendance policy. By statute, brick and mortar
charter schools must use the same school calen-
dar year as a traditional public school.
Since I started questioning Epic’s attendance
and enrollment policies as well as their use of
state funds, I’ve come under attack. Whether
this is a coincidence is unknown but the OSBI
is aware of harassment and actions being taken
against me. On October 25, 2018, two people
emailed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
requests to Shawnee Public Schools and Pot-
tawatomie County seeking negative information
and records on me to be returned to a nation-
al-based opposition research group. Then, in
January 2019, the Pottawatomie County District
$WWRUQH\¶VRI¿FHZDVDVNHGWRLQYHVWLJDWHP\
past, but the D.A. dismissed the request.
Epic and some of their supporters have also
attacked my online doctorate degree. Some
say I’m against virtual education but I’m not.
Having access to online education is important.
There must be full accountability and transpar-
ency to the public though. Without online ed-
ucation, I wouldn’t have been able to complete
my Ph.D. at Kensington University. The OU De-
partment of Education chair, OSDE, Shawnee
Public Schools and the California Postsecondary
Council all provided prior written approval and
acceptance of the doctorate degree before I ap-
plied in 1986. While California was compliant to
WKH86'HSDUWPHQWRI(GXFDWLRQ¶VGH¿QLWLRQ
of “accreditation” in 1986, Oklahoma was not.
When my doctorate was conferred in 1989,
it had California’s full institutional approval
and legal authorization. The problem is the
California university shut down after I received
my degree. Colleges and universities, like St.
Gregory’s and Phillips University, close all the
time for various reasons but their degrees are
still valid.
Two “Cease and Desist” letters were sent
on September 9 and 17, 2019 by Epic’s lawyer
WRP\KRPHDGGUHVVDQG&DSLWRORI¿FH,W¶V
disturbing that a school district would tell a
member of the Appropriations Subcommittee
on Education to stop doing their constitution-
ally-mandated job, which is to oversee and
ensure that all Oklahoma schools are following
WKHODZDQGHI¿FLHQWO\DQGOHJDOO\XWLOL]LQJVWDWH
funds. Hopefully, the OSDE’s independent
DXGLWDVZHOODVWKH26%,¶VDQGIHGHUDO2I¿FHRI
the Inspector General’s investigations into Epic
will be concluded soon. This has become a very
H[SHQVLYHRUGHDOWU\LQJWR¿JXUHRXWZKDWOHGWR
these questionable actions and why there hasn’t
been proper oversight of the school. Obviously,
more legislative steps need to be taken to en-
sure full accountability and transparency within
our charter and virtual charter school systems
in the future.
To contact me at the Capitol, please write
to Senator Ron Sharp, State Capitol, 2300 N.
Lincoln Blvd. Room 412, Oklahoma City, OK,
73105 or call (405) 521-5539.

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

Oct
09

2019

Page
018
Clip
resized
119%

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 The Harper County Leader

(GXFDWLRQ)DLU2SSRUWXQLW\6HW)RU
(GXFDWLRQ0DMRUV2FWREHU
Oct 4SdRPcX^]
T\_[^hTab
^aVP]XiPcX^]b
RdaaT]c[h
T]R^daPVTb
Y^Q
bTTZTab

09 V
bTTZX]V
T\_[^hTTb
WPeT
PccT]SX]V
PaT
3^SVT
c^
SaTbb
fT[[
P]S
c^
bc^_

[
P]
^__^acd]Xch
c^
V^
aXVWc
2Xch
?dQ[XR
BRW^^[b
Qh
WTa
^ĀRT
X]
5X]T
0acb

2019 ^ c^
cWT
b^daRT
Qh
PccT]SX]V
7XVW
?[PX]b
4SdRPcX^]P[
!(
XU
cWTh
]TTS
P]h
WT[_

T
cWT
UP[[
! (
4SdRPcX^]
2^^_TaPcXeT
B^dcWfTbc
_aX^a
c^
cWT
UPXa
BWT

Page
5PXa
Pc
=^acWfTbcTa]
:P]bPb
0aTP
2^^_TaPcXeT
P[b^
\Ph
QT
aTPRWTS
Pc

0012
B
> Z [ P W ^ \ P
B c P c T
0aTP
% "
D]X
TS
BRW^^[
cPfX[b^]/]f^bdTSd
Clip
resized D ] XeT a b X c h  0 [ eP
^ ]
3XbcaXRc
!$$
X]
B^dcW
5^a
\^aT
X]U^a\PcX^]

63% b
<^]SPh
>Rc^QTa
#
1PaQTa
P]S
FXRWXcP
^ a
c ^
b R W T S d [ T
P ]

ÿ
X]
cWT
BcdST]c
2T]cTa
?dQ[XR
BRW^^[b P__^X]c\T]c
eXbXc
fff
] AP]VTa
A^^\
Ua^\
)
C P h [ ^ a
F X [ b ^ ] 
]f^ b d  TS d b c d S T] c 
T P\

=^^] SXaTRc^a
^U
R^d]bT[X]V
bTaeXRTb^UUXRT^U
h
= ^ a c W f T b c T a ]
P]S
RPaTTa
bTaeXRTb
P[b^
RPaTTabTaeXRTb
^U
TSdRPcX^]
\PY^ab
PaT

T
fT [ R ^ \ T
c ^
P c c T ] S

R

T

P

cWT
UPXa
P]S
bW^d[S
QT

_aT_PaTS
c^
_a^eXST

R^_XTb
^U
aTbd\Tb
P]S

R^eTa
[TccTab
5[d
BW^cb
FT
QX[[
<TSXRPaT
P]S

a

T

T

>Z[PW^\P
TSdRPcX^]

^aVP]XiPcX^]b
RdaaT]c[h

h^da
8]bdaP]RT
bc
PccT]SX]V
PaT
0[X]T
]
2[T^
?dQ[XR
BRW^^[b

b
0[eP
?dQ[XR
BRW^^[b

h
1aXSVT
2aTTZ
?dQ[XR

h
BRW^^[b
2P[d\Tc
?dQ[XR

h

S

BRW^^[b
2[X]c^]
?dQ[XR

BRW^^[b
2^[[TVT
1^d]S

&RVWRIVKRWZLOOEH
V

R
0RPST\h
2^[[TVXPcT

7P[[
4[
AT]^
?dQ[XR

FRYHUHGE\LQVXUDQFH
^
BRW^^[b
4]XS
?dQ[XR
LIDSSOLFDEOH
^
BRW^^[b
4_XR
2WPacTa

W
BRW^^[b
6aTPc
BP[c
?[PX]b

[ 7TP[cW
2T]cTa
6dcWaXT
<TSXR
a ?dQ[XR
BRW^^[b
6dh\^]

P[
?dQ[XR
BRW^^[b
?^]RP
3adV

6XUc
T

b

2Xch
?dQ[XR
BRW^^[b

BP]S
B_aX]Vb
?dQ[XR

$'(! ""&"
c BRW^^[b
Cd[bP
;TVPRh

S
2WPacTa
BRW^^[b
D]XcTS

b
P
BcPcTb
3T_Pac\T]c
^U

0VaXRd[cdaT
=PcdaP[

)DVW)LOO&RQRFR
]
ATb^daRTb
2^]bTaePcX^]
6+Z\
T BTaeXRT
P]S
F^^SfPaS
/DYHUQH2.
?dQ[XR
BRW^^[b 
:P]bPb
PaTP
TSdRPcX^]

V

c

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

Oct Education Fair Y

¿
a

opportunity set for

10
o
2019 A
g

education majors Oct. 14

Page Q
0002
Clip
u
resized h
100%
n
Education employers seeking Creek Public Schools, Calumet
employees have an opportunity to Public Schools, Clinton Public
f
go right to the source by attending Schools, College Bound Academy,
N
the fall 2019 Education Fair at Collegiate Hall, El Reno Public
in
Northwestern Oklahoma State Schools, Enid Public Schools, Epic
o
University-Alva on Monday, Oct. Charter Schools, Great Salt Plains
14, in the Student Center Ranger Health Center, Guthrie Public
in
Room from 10 a.m. to noon. Schools, Guymon Public Schools,
s
Northwestern education majors Ponca City Public Schools, Sand
a
are welcome to attend the fair and Springs Public Schools, Tulsa
b
should be prepared to provide Legacy Charter Schools, United
r
copies of resumes and cover letters. States Department of Agriculture
a
Oklahoma education Natural Resources Conservation
p
organizations currently attending Service, and Woodward Public
are Aline-Cleo Public Schools, Schools.
b
Alva Public Schools, Bridge Kansas area education
th
organizations currently attending
b
are Dodge City Public Schools,
t

 High Plains Educational
Cooperative, Southwest Kansas
s
i
$UHD&RRSHUDWLYH$UHD8QL¿HG

 School District 255 in South Barber,
f
 and Wichita Public Schools.
f
Taylor Wilson, director of
 !! counseling and career services, also
$!
 encourages job seekers to dress well
DQG WR VWRS E\ KHU R൶FH LQ )LQH
 a
Arts 209 if they need any help prior
S
 !"#"$" to the fair. She also may be reached
in
at tawilson@nwosu.edu.
& %
 For more information or to
b
t
!"#"$" schedule an appointment visit
()* 


  www.nwosu.edu/student-services/
a
R൶FHRIFDUHHUVHUYLFHV
 +
, o

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

y County

ĊēĆęĊĊěĎĊĜ
State Sen. Ron Sharp
It was apparent after the September 2018 Senate
interim studies on virtual schools that Epic a
would assassinate the character of any legislator C
Oct who questioned its enrollment, performance, or
ÀQDQFLDODFFRXQWLQJUHFRUGVHYHQWKRXJKWKLVLV
s
(
10 our constitutionally-mandated duty.
After reviewing Epic’s Blended Charter School’s
T

(BLC) student enrollment records last legislative t

session, I questioned in July why the charter E
2019 school received funds for 7th-12th grades? The
BLC records revealed the charter school had
o
/
never provided enrollment accommodation nor a
instruction in School Years 2017-18 or 2018-19 for h
Page 7th-12th grades.
Epic responded in a July 11, 2019 release that
i
w
A05 it received funds for 7th-12th grades because it
counted “ALL” of its students residing in Tulsa
l

Clip and Oklahoma County under its BLC. All H

students in other counties were counted under H
resized its Epic One on One virtual charter.
W
29% Transferring students would also result in
l
commingled Title I and Special Needs federal
o
funds. The “Contract” between the Oklahoma
Statewide Virtual Charter School Board (OSVCSB)
and Epic Virtual prohibits the commingling of t
state and federal funds. a
While Epic reported on July 11 that it transferred s
all its students in Tulsa and Oklahoma County s
to its BLC, Dr. Rebecca Wilkinson, OSVCSB o
Executive Director, reported in an August 12
email that 1,552 students were still being reported o
as attending Epic’s virtual school in those R
two counties. However, OSDE records reveal R
that 3,032 students in those two counties were w
counted in School Years 2017-18 and 2018-19 as t
attending Epic One on One Virtual Charter. That t
is not “all” students. w
After weeks of questioning the OSDE as to i
whether Epic’s brick and mortar charter school
could use the virtual attendance policy, State f
6XSHULQWHQGHQW+RͿPHLVWHUH[SODLQHGLQD6HSW S
25, 2019, email that she was seeking an “informal p
RSLQLRQµIURPWKH$WWRUQH\*HQHUDO·VR΀FH7KLV v
came after a month of Epic portraying me as a m
“liar.” The OSDE has consistently said that the “
BLC cannot use the virtual attendance policy. By
statute, brick and mortar charter schools must m
use the same school calendar year as a traditional M
public school.
Since I started questioning Epic’s attendance a
and enrollment policies as well as their use of state n
funds, I’ve come under attack. Whether this is a F
coincidence is unknown but the OSBI is aware of t
harassment and actions being taken against me. O
On Oct. 25, 2018, two people emailed Freedom C
of Information Act (FOIA) requests to Shawnee a
Public Schools and Pottawatomie County seeking W
negative information and records on me to be t
returned to a national-based opposition research r
group. Then, in January 2019, the Pottawatomie
&RXQW\ 'LVWULFW$WWRUQH\·V R΀FH ZDV DVNHG WR
i
investigate my past, but the DA dismissed the
a
request.
P
Epic and some of its supporters have also
attacked my online doctorate degree. Some say T
I’m against virtual education but I’m not. Having
access to online education is important. There r
must be full accountability and transparency to S
the public though. Without online education, I B
wouldn’t have been able to complete my Ph.D. C
at Kensington University.
The OU Department of Education chair, OSDE, S
Shawnee Public Schools and the California W
Postsecondary Council all provided prior written m
approval and acceptance of the doctorate degree p
before I applied in 1986. While California was f
compliant to the U.S. Department of Education’s T
GHÀQLWLRQRI´DFFUHGLWDWLRQµLQ2NODKRPD t
was not. When my doctorate was conferred o
in 1989, it had California’s full institutional 5
approval and legal authorization. The problem
is the California university shut down after I a
received my degree. Colleges and universities, R
like St. Gregory’s and Phillips University, close h
all the time for various reasons but their degrees p
are still valid. M
Two “Cease and Desist” letters were sent on T
Sept. 9 and 17, 2019, by Epic’s lawyer to my h
KRPHDGGUHVVDQG&DSLWROR΀FH,W·VGLVWXUELQJ D
that a school district would tell a member of the i
Appropriations Subcommittee on Education to e
stop doing his constitutionally-mandated job,
which is to oversee and ensure that all Oklahoma R
VFKRROVDUHIROORZLQJWKHODZDQGH΀FLHQWO\DQG 1
legally utilizing state funds.
Hopefully, the OSDE’s independent audit i
DV ZHOO DV WKH 26%,·V DQG IHGHUDO 2΀FH RI WKH o
Inspector General’s investigations into Epic l
will be concluded soon. This has become a very r
H[SHQVLYHRUGHDOWU\LQJWRÀJXUHRXWZKDWOHGWR n
these questionable actions and why there hasn’t
been proper oversight of the school.
S
Obviously, more legislative steps need to
L
be taken to ensure full accountability and
7
transparency within our charter and virtual
(
charter school systems in the future.

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