Excellence Academy Charter School Third-Year Review

Review Prepared for Superintendent Brent Vidrine

Monroe City School District

April 5, 2017

Submitted by: Kathleen Padian and Sarah Morgan Ripski

GENERAL INFORMATION

SCHOOL NAME: Excellence Academy Charter School for the Performing Arts

LOCATION: 809 & 811 Washington Street, Monroe, LA

OPENING YEAR: 2013-2014 (Currently in 4th year of operation of a 5 year contract)

CHARTER TYPE: 1 (school is included as part of the Monroe City LEA)

AUTHORIZING BODY: Monroe City School Board

GRADE STRUCTURE: 6-8

SCHOOL CHARACTERISTICS: The mission of the school is to provide rigorous classroom

instruction for students of the Monroe City School System while providing an intense program
of performing and visual arts

STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS:
Year Total Enrollment % SPED % Economically
Disadvantaged

2013-14 233 10% 64%

2014-15 238 14% 95%

2015-16 226 13% 97%

2016-17 196 * *
*data not publicly available

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REVIEW SUMMARY/RECOMMENDATION: The review team recommends that Monroe City
School Board not renew the contract of Excellence Academy. Should the district permit the
school to remain in operation during the 2017-2018 school year, we recommend the following
requirements:
The district shall select 3 independent auditors with charter school experience which the
charter schools board may select from for future financial audits. A list of experienced
auditors is also available from the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools
The Executive Director must either remain at the school (as a salaried employee with an
annual performance review conducted by the governing board) or may continue to be
employed by the lessor/owner of the facility. He may not retain both roles.
All members of the charter school's governing board must provide evidence of their
attendance at governance trainings before the start of the 2017-2018 school year.
The school must produce a plan for improving academic performance prior to the start
of the 2017-2018 school year. This plan must be approved by the Superintendent and
implementation will be monitored monthly by Monroe City School District staff.
The school must hire a qualified business manager who meets the minimum standards
in the LAUGH guide for a Lead School Business Administrator/Chief Financial
Officer/Business Manager (Local School Districts and Charter Schools)

REVIEW PROCESS: In January, 2017 Superintendent Vidrine and the Monroe City School Board
(MCSB) contracted TenSquare to conduct a charter contract extension review for Excellence
Academy. The basis of this evaluation are the metrics for charter extension described in the
MCSB Charter Policy, Charter Term: Extension Review section (pp. 6-7). Per this policy, contract
extensions are reviewed based on academic, financial, and organizational performance data. To
assess performance, evaluators reviewed all available data (referenced throughout this
evaluation) including all available board meeting agendas and minutes, interviewed the
Principal, toured the school and observed nearly every classroom. The evaluators planned to
attend a meeting of the Excellence Academy Board, but the intended meeting was canceled at
the last minute without notification.

SUMMARY ANALYSIS: Based on the MCSB Charter Policy, Excellence Academy fails to meet
charter contract extension standards.

Excellence Academy meets the district standard for student academic performance, with a
School Performance Score of a D in 2015-16 .

The school does not meet the standard for financial performance. The review provided no
evidence of significant audit findings, problems with balanced budgets and fund balances, or
untimely submission of fiscal reports. However, enrollment at the school has steadily declined

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over the past 3 years. The current Business Managers expertise does not comply with state
regulations. Additionally, there is a potential conflict of interest in school contracts with
companies managed by the Executive Director and his son.

The school does not meet the standard for organizational performance. Reviews of the student
enrollment process and student handbooks presented no evidence of noncompliant enrollment
or discipline practices. Similarly, a tour of the school and document review presented no
evidence of noncompliant health and safety or special education practices.

Sufficient evidence exists to suggest board governance is both noncompliant and not aligned
with best practice. For example, board meetings are not scheduled consistently nor have they
been posted in advance in accordance with public meetings law. An annual board meeting
calendar should be posted at the beginning of each fiscal year. Meetings should occur monthly
at a time and location that is conducive to parent and community attendance and participation.
Some board meeting minutes and future committee and meeting dates have recently been
made available on the school website but it is difficult to know if minutes are missing from
meetings since they do not follow a consistent monthly pattern.

Additional concerns:
The governing board regularly engages in management activities, such as contract
negotiations with classroom instructional staff.
The decision to employ the facility lessor as the Executive Director of the school
presents an inherent conflict of interest.
The Executive Director who is unpaid and not contracted is also serving as a teacher but
does not ever appear to have been evaluated via COMPASS as required
The high cost of the use of the facility places an unnecessary financial burden on the
school.
There does not appear to be a facility plan beyond June 30, 2018 when the current
facility reverts back to the owner.
There is no evidence that the current FInancial Officer possesses the minimum
qualifications to act as the Lead School Business Administrator per the Louisiana
Accounting and Uniform Governmental Handbook (LAUGH)

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ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

MCSB STANDARD: Performance data must reveal that the charter school is achieving one of the
following student performance standards:
The school has earned a D letter grade or higher based on performance data from the
schools third year of operation,
The assessment index based on performance data from the schools third year of
operation is the equivalent of a D letter grade or higher, or
Assessment index increase of 15 points from the pre-assessment index.

EXCELLENCE ACADEMY PERFORMANCE: MEETS THE STANDARD

2016 Letter Grade D

2016 Assessment Index 50.2

Assessment Index Increase (2015 to 4.3

2016)

ADDITIONAL FINDINGS:
SPS Data compared to District and State (prior 3 years): Excellence Academy has shown
improvement in its school performance score in the past year. This stated, each of the past 3
years, the school performance score has been below the district and state performance scores.
For detail, see chart, below:

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LEAP Scores compared to District and State (most recent school year): Average student
proficiency rates in grades 6-8 were calculated for the school, district, and state. Proficiency is
defined as the % of students scoring at or above Basic on each grade-level state exam (LEAP).
Excellence Academys most recent average proficiency rates fall below both district and state
averages in all core subject areas. For detail, see chart, below:

Classroom Observation: The reviewers visited the school on February 14, 2017, touring
approximately 6 classrooms during core content periods across each grade level. At the time,
the review team made the following observations:
Student conduct in hallways and classrooms was cordial.
Hallways and classrooms were, for the most part, tidy and displayed student work.
All classroom doors were kept locked during instructional periods.
There was no evidence of direct instruction in any classroom. Student work appeared
self-led, on either ipads or in binders. Teachers were passive participants, merely
monitoring behavior but providing no guidance to students.
Within any given classroom, it appeared that 25-50% of students were actively on task.
Within any given classroom, it appeared that 50-75% of students were in attendance.

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FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

MCSB STANDARD: Financial performance of charter schools are evaluated according to the
indicators described in the districts financial risk assessment:

EXCELLENCE ACADEMY PERFORMANCE: DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS

Student Enrollment Factors: DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS

As noted on p. 2 of this report and evidenced by School Report Cards published by the
Louisiana Department of Education, enrollment at Excellence Academy has declined
each of the past two years.

Trends in Fiscal Conditions: N/A

According to public Louisiana Revenue and Expenditure data, average City/Parish Per
Pupil expenditures were $12,612 in the 2014-2015 school year. That same year, average
per pupil spending at in the City of Monroe Schools was $14,164; at Excellence Academy
average per pupil spending was $10,860.
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 There is no evidence that per pupil spending and accountability scores are related for
any district or for Excellence Academy.

Future Obligations: DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS

Per the 2016 audit, 31% of school employees have 15+ years of experience as educators.
According to her resume, the current Business Manager does not meet the minimum
qualifications required by R.S. 17:84.2.

Fiscal Management / Behavior: APPROACHES EXPECTATIONS

The Monroe City School Board has not received timely submission of all required
financial reports over the full period of the charter contract.
No opinion expressed on the effectiveness of Excellence Academys internal control
(2016 Audit, p. 14).
For each of the three years between 2014-2016, an independent auditor reported the
same General Fund finding:
I could not complete this test because the Charter School does not receive a
proper accounting from its oversight agency, the Monroe City School Board, for
special revenue funds. The accounting is only provided in a summary amount based
upon the current state formula for the Minimum Foundation Program. All state and
local special revenue funds pass through the Monroe City School Board, and,
therefore, the Charter School is totally dependent upon the Monroe City School
Board to provide the restrictions as it relates to local sales taxes and ad valorem
taxes.
No audits show evidence of known material fraud.
Although the audit produced no findings, the reviewers did find the following evidence
indicating that financial management practices are not sound:
Each audit report highlighted Related Party Transactions showing that the
Executive Director and his son have both received payments from the school by
way of contracts with other organizations who are their employers.
The school board entered into a lease agreement that requires the school to
finance all improvements to the school but gives the school no stake in the
facility and no pathway for a reduction in annual cost over time.
The Executive Director of the school is also employed by the owner/lessor,
presenting a conflict of interest.

Identified Problems Having Fiscal Impact: MEETS EXPECTATIONS

No evidence from the audits or fiscal monitoring from the school board provided
evidence of questioned costs.

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Auditing Outcomes: MEETS EXPECTATIONS
No evidence from each of the three audits provided evidence of opinions across the
indicators defined in the policy.

Problems with Balanced Budgets and Fund Balances: MEETS EXPECTATIONS

No evidence from each of the three audits provided evidence of not meeting general
fund targets.

Additional Findings
According to the professional experience provided by the school for the current Financial
Officer, this individual does not meet the Minimum Requirements to act as the Lead School
Business Administrator/Chief Financial Officer/Business Manager for a Charter School. Per the
LAUGH guide, the Minimum Requirements are one of the following:
1. A baccalaureate degree with a minimum of 24 hours of business-related courses,
such as accounting, finance, or management.
2. A Certified Public Accountant licensed in Louisiana.
3. A Masters degree in Public or Business Administration.

ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE

MCSB STANDARD: Financial performance of charter schools are evaluated according to the
indicators described in the districts financial risk assessment:

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EXCELLENCE ACADEMY PERFORMANCE: DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS

Special Education and ELL Program: MEETS EXPECTATIONS

A school tour; interviews with the authorizer and school principal; and review of school
demographics, test scores, and audits offer no evidence of Excellence Academys
policies and programming for exceptional and ELL scholars functioning outside of state
or federal law or contract provisions.

Student Enrollment: APPROACHES EXPECTATIONS

A school tour; interviews with the authorizer and school principal; and review of school
student handbook and audits offer no evidence of Excellence Academys enrollment
policies and practices functioning outside of state or federal law or contract provisions.

Student Discipline: MEETS EXPECTATIONS

A school tour; interviews with the authorizer and school principal; and review of school
audits offer no evidence of Excellence Academys student discipline practices
functioning outside of state or federal law or contract provisions.
A detailed review of Excellence Academys Student Handbook shows the schools
discipline policy is aligned with the state regulations as described in Bulletin 741.

Health and Safety: MEETS EXPECTATIONS

A school tour; interviews with the authorizer and school principal; and review of school
demographics, test scores, and audits offer no evidence of Excellence Academys health
and safety policies and practices functioning outside of state or federal law or contract
provisions.

Governance: DOES NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS

A review of financial disclosure form submissions on the Louisiana Board of Ethics
website reveals:
Robert Tanzy, Board President - Forms filed (timely, with the exception of 2016)
Ed Biersmith - Forms filed (timely, with the exception of 2013 and 2016)
Brian Reed - Forms filed (timely, with the exception of 2016)
Jackie Johnson - No forms filed
Brenda Wade - Forms filed (timely, with the exception of 2013)
Emma Jones - No 2016 form filed, other forms filed (timely, with the exception of
2013)
According to the Board of Ethics, Excellence Academy has 6 board members.
The Excellence Academy website was updated in March 2017 to include some
compliance with Open Meetings Law - publicly posted board meeting dates, times and

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 agendas at least 24 hours in advance of meetings. This information was not available
during January and February of 2017 (the beginning of this review period). The website
does not include a current list of board members with contact information nor does it
include agendas or meeting minutes past the date of June 11, 2016.
The review team planned to attend the February meeting for the Excellence Academy
board but it was canceled without notice.
The Excellence Academy governing board has engaged an independent auditor each of
the prior 3 years. There is no evidence of failure to comply with the Local Government
Budget Act.
According to minutes of several board meetings, board members regularly engage in
management (rather than governance) activities; approving employee contracts
including salaries, approval of advertisements for soliciting vendors and vendor
contracts beyond budget approval.
There is no indication that the Excellence Academy Board has attended Charter School
Governance training as required.
The current management structure, with an unpaid Executive Director leading the
organization, presents several concerns:
There is no evidence the performance of the Executive Director is evaluated by
the board.
The Executive DIrector has, at times, held a teaching position at the school.
There is no evidence of the required Compass evaluation during his time in this
role.
The Executive Director is also the lessor. Though the Executive Director is unpaid
in his role at the school, this still presents evidence of a potential conflict of
interest, as the school and its board is charged with negotiating the lease.

Facilities: APPROACHES EXPECTATIONS

Excellence Academy occupies a permanent facility and two T buildings located at 809
and 811 Washington - on property owned by the New Tabernacle Baptist Church. There
is no existing lease or purchase agreement between the two entities. The only
document that exists is an MOU executed on November 10, 2013 stating that the Tab N
Action non-profit will pay New Tabernacle Baptist Church $348,500 per year in monthly
installments. Tab N Action/Excellence Academy Charter School is responsible for
utilities, maintenance, insurance, security and all repairs to the facility. It is not clear if
this MOU was reviewed by counsel to the school prior to execution. (Of note - the audit
performed by Rosie Harper lists the lease amount as $363,000/year and an original
execution date of June 30,2013 which is not consistent with the document provided to
this reviewer)

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 Separation terms in the MOU are non-existent however, according to Board meeting
minutes and as noted in the audit, at the end of the 5 year term (June 30, 2018) the
facility reverts to the owner. There is no evidence in Board meeting minutes that
there has been any discussion of a new location at the end of the 2017-18 school year.
Excellence Academy is responsible for all maintenance, capital repairs, security, utilities
and technology for their campus even though they are paying a monthly fee that is
higher than normal lease rates in the area.
During an interview with the Principal, the reviewers learned of a separate agreement,
for an additional fee, for the use of the modular T buildings that also occupies the
property owned by New Tabernacle Baptist Church. Lease amounts for these temporary
facilities are $1,845.45 monthly and $1,664.86 monthly for an additional annual amount
of $42,123,72
The school of less than 200 students is currently spending $390,623.72 on facility leases.
The specific amount expended on maintenance, repairs, insurance, security, etc. is not
known.

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