MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, Mich. — The Muskegon Heights Public School Academy System Board introduced a resolution to fire the school’s charter management company at a special meeting on Thursday.
The academy system board alleges New Paradigm for Education (NPFE) failed to fulfill its contractual obligations, causing a “detrimental impact on its staff and students.”
Due to the amount of debt accrued by the district years ago, the Muskegon Heights school system is run by a charter system.
READ: Muskegon ISD on Muskegon Height's schooling issues
“I’m not saying that they've not done some things well, but not enough to lift our students up to where they need to be as far as the academic process and also just their overall development,” said Dr. Rose Hunt, president of the academy system board.
NPFE was hired last July.
At the start of the school year, community members began to voice concerns with the company over a number of issues such as a lack of teachers and supplies.
The academy system board says NPFE violated its contract at least 15 times.
READ MORE: Muskegon Heights BOE continues push for action plan amid ongoing issues
Alleged violations include not providing the academy system board with financial statements and not supporting 26 of 33 high school seniors who reportedly are not on track to graduate.
“NPFE’s failure to perform its duties shocks the conscience,” wrote the academy system board in a letter to NPFE. “Worse, NPFE’s failures and incompetence have inflicted such serious damage to MHPSAS, that its future is now in jeopardy.”
The academy system board has given NPFE 30 days to resolve the alleged breaches, but “given the low probability that New Paradigm will cure its breach,” members also exercised its 90-day notice to terminate its contract with NPFE without cause.
Hunt voted in favor of the resolution, alongside members David Fox and Patricia Minott.
Leslie Slater, the board’s vice president, was not in attendance. Neither was Ralph Bland, the CEO for NPFE.
In November, the National Charter Schools Institute (NCSI), a consulting group hired by the academy system board, sent a letter on their behalf to NPFE, pushing for more information and communication.
The company did not respond, but NCSI says Thursday’s action holds more weight since it was approved by the academy system board and triggers the contractual process.
“I think what the board's hoping is that this will get New Paradigm’s attention, [that] they will come with remedies and resolve those,” said Jim Gunner, NCSI president and CEO. “If they don't, then the board will have to take action to get control of its school district back.”
The board resolution breach and termination can be found below:
The cover letting notifying NPFE of material breaches can be found below:
Exhibit A listing material breaches of NPFE can be found below:
Exhibit B of NPFE's duty to provide records and information can be found below:
Thursday's meeting can be watched below:
NPFE CEO Ralph Bland shared the following termination letter with FOX 17:
Letter to Dr. Hunt Payment.1.29.2023 by WXMI on Scribd
Bland also released the following statement:
"When we took over management of MHPSAS, we knew that the changes the System needed would not happen overnight, and we are proud of the progress we have made during our short time managing the System. Despite the best efforts of our team, long-standing obstacles from within the System made it clear that a long-term partnership was not feasible.
"On January 29, we provided the System Board with notice of our decision to terminate our agreement. The Board confirmed receipt of our notice on February 1.
"We know that we have left the System in a better place than we found it, specifically in terms of putting in place academic and financial systems and structures where none had existed before. Moving forward, it is our hope that the System and its leaders will address persistent systemic challenges in order to provide the students of Muskegon Heights the educational experience they need and deserve."
This is a developing story.
