Sacramento Schools Board Resigns Following Audit Findings
The entire board of Sacramento Schools, dedicated to teaching English to adult immigrants, has resigned after a state audit uncovered serious issues such as mismanagement, fraud, and the improper use of educational funds.
This resignation took place on Monday when the board of directors at Highland Community Charter and Technical School (HCCT) stepped down after a detailed audit revealed significant fraud concerns in a 171-page report by the California State Auditor’s Office.
The report indicated that the school had raised around $180 million from state education funding, but it was not either prequalified or fully qualifying for those funds.
Established in 2014, the school was meant to assist adult immigrants, particularly from Afghanistan, in achieving comparable high school diplomas to enhance their job prospects in the U.S. According to reports, this was a key goal.
During the board meeting on Monday, initial proceedings included a vote to hire an ineligible daughter of board member Sonya Cameron for a role overseeing Highland attendees and admissions.
However, shortly after this vote, the remaining six board members resigned, with three out of the six indicating a willingness to facilitate a transition.
The auditor’s findings suggested that nepotism played a role in hiring practices, specifically with Cameron’s daughter. It also flagged inflated student numbers for funding, lack of financial transparency, misuse of funds for personal expenses among board members, and purchases of luxury items including meals and travel.
Among the troubling practices was the misclassifying of students. While the state charter permits enrollment of immigrants over 22 without a high school diploma, the audit identified individuals below this age and those who already held a diploma as being enrolled.
State officials assert that these violations were intended to artificially boost enrollment and thus increase state funding based on attendance figures.
In response to these findings, some state officials are demanding that the school repay $180 million in misallocated funds. However, local activists warn that such repayments could lead to the closure of schools, impacting hundreds of current students and leaving many future learners without English education opportunities in the region.
