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State Warns 2 Albuquerque Charter Schools ; Boards Could Face Suspension

Posted on: Tuesday, 23 August 2005, 12:00 CDT

The Reader's Digest article that put Albuquerque Charter Vocational High School in the national spotlight was titled "Fixing America's Schools."

Oddly enough, the national story prompted a local inquiry that has landed school founder Danny Moon -- and the charter school's governing board -- in hot water. Now the state wants the problems fixed. Evidence has surfaced that Moon misused school funds and property and directed staff to keep "ghost students" on attendance logs to collect tens of thousands of dollars that Charter Vocational High School and a sister school weren't entitled to.

On Friday, state Public Education Department Secretary Veronica Garcia said she was dissatisfied with the oversight of the schools.

She threatened to suspend the governing boards' authority, saying they failed to obey various laws, rules and standards related to issues raised in the two-month investigation.

The inquiry was conducted by the Albuquerque Public Schools office of inspector general, a private investigation firm and her agency.

In an eight-page letter, Garcia gave the boards of Charter Vocational High School and Charter Vo-Tech Center 30 days to correct serious failures or she would initiate the suspension process.

"Based on the preponderance of information that was provid- ed me, I felt that I have to exercise my duties in holding accountable all schools, and we have to ensure the public trust and be proper stewards of the public resources that are entrusted to us," she said in an interview Friday evening.

The intervention didn't sit well with at least one of the board presidents.

Mike Chrestman, president of the Vo-Tech school board, said school officials have done nothing wrong. He questioned the motive behind the inquiry and Garcia's action.

"There's a faction at APS (Albuquerque Public Schools) that would love to shut down all these schools" because they are so successful, Chrestman said.

About 44 charter schools operate in New Mexico. Typically, they focus on a specialty, such as helping potential dropouts complete school or instructing students in advanced sciences or performing arts.

High-profile school

The Albuquerque Charter Vocational High School is one of the state's most high-profile charter schools and has even been touted by Gov. Bill Richardson.

The Reader's Digest article in May called the school a place that "could transform America's classrooms."

The magazine praised Moon for getting the "hardest-toreach" students interested in learning.

Some of Moon's neighbors read the article with interest, especially the part that mentioned students had built sheds as part of their schoolwork.

Moon had a storage shed on the Paradise Hills lot where he was building a new house, the neighbors noticed. They contacted state Sen. Joe Carraro, R-Albuquerque, with their suspicions after also watching vehicles with government license plates going back and forth from the construction site.

Carraro contacted Garcia.

Moon is a former industrial arts instructor at APS who opened the Albuquerque Charter Vocational High School in 2002. Vo-Tec Center is to open its new building this month so students can learn the heavy trades, such as homebuilding.

Moon is superintendent of both schools at an annual salary of $175,000.

Investigators concluded Moon used a state vehicle and credit card for personal use and took home a student-built storage shed without paying for it.

Garcia's letter to the governing boards also cited other allegations.

Enrollment counts

"Upon information and belief," her letter stated, "Mr. Moon has intentionally caused or directed subordinate staff" to report students as enrolled even though they had dropped out or were no longer in class.

The inflated enrollment counts resulted in the schools collecting tens of thousands of dollars extra each semester. The state pays roughly $3,000 per student enrolled.

Garcia's letter also criticized the boards for permitting Moon to hire family members as contractors.

"I am informed that Mr. Moon hired his daughter and paid her $17,000 to write a student handbook although other charter employees actually completed the work," Garcia wrote.

She said Moon also hired and paid his wife $19,000 to "draft a vocational curriculum which was neither used by nor given to charter school teachers."

Neither Moon nor family members could be reached by the Journal for comment.

Garcia said, as far as she knows, the governing boards took no steps to discipline Moon or any other employee based on the findings.

The governing boards "felt they had a rationale for everything that had transpired," Garcia said.

Garcia wouldn't say what remedy the boards should take but said it was "more complex" than simply removing Moon.

Chrestman said there was no criminal intent on Moon's part. He said Moon had board permission to take home the vehicles and school equipment because of vandalism at the school.

Chrestman said only small amounts of money were involved when Moon inadvertently used the school credit card for personal purchases. Moon ultimately repaid the school for the value of the shed and the purchases.

As for allegedly inflated attendance figures, Chrestman said the school wanted to prevent dropouts and kept students on the books to give them every chance to return to school.

News reports state that Albuquerque Charter Vocational High School opened with 300 students and 25 faculty members in 2002. The school, with its Vo-Tech Center, recently reported a combined enrollment of about 650 and more than 30 faculty.

Schools to stay open

Garcia on Friday said her agency wanted to reassure parents and staff that the schools' operations won't be affected by her action.

"As far as I can tell, the curriculum and the foundations of the schools are sound," she said.

Her agency will contact the schools' principals on Monday and ask them to meet with teachers "to assure them that school will go on as normal. And further to send a letter home to the parents so they can allay their concerns."

"I think it's important that the public know that I take my responsibility seriously, and secondly, I would not use or abuse my powers or use them in a capricious manner," Garcia said in an interview.

She added: "As you read the letter, there are significant findings there."

Source: Albuquerque Journal

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