Opinion ID: 2051750
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Milburn

Text: Milburn was granted a charter to operate effective July 1, 1998. [3] The charter included sections on accountability, reporting requirements and revocation among others, which mirror the various statutory provisions of the School Reform Act. Although the charter did not specifically describe the revocation procedures, it indicated that such procedures will be governed by the School Reform Act. In a letter dated August 2, 2001, the Board informed Milburn that the Board's Committee on Teaching and Learning planned to hold a special meeting on August 6, 2001, and possibly August 8, 2001 regarding its charter. At the August 6, 2001 meeting, a draft report prepared by a consultant and entitled Monitoring of the Richard Milburn Public Charter Alternative High School on June 7, 2001 (monitoring report) was made available to Milburn. The data contained in the report was based on the December 5, 2000 and June 7, 2001 monitoring team visits, and referred to the outcomes of earlier monitoring team visits to the school. [4] The problems catalogued in the draft monitoring report include the following: little indication that Milburn's Trustees were playing a viable role as legal and fiduciary agents of the school; a lack of school books, instructional materials and supplies; poor record keeping with respect to student progress; a lack of documentation identifying students who require special education and related services; a failure to submit an accountability plan to the Board despite the fact that such a plan had been due since August 1998, and had been requested during a December 1999 monitoring visit; a failure to provide information to the Board concerning the school's accreditation process, the provision of which is a term of their Contract; disparities between information in the Annual Report submitted by Milburn for School Year (SY) 1999 2000 and information received during monitoring visits on December 6, 1999 and June 1, 2000, concerning that school year; the unavailability of information concerning contracts; a lack of information as to the use of federal program grants; the submission of a cash management plan that was broad and lacked sufficient detail to ensure the availability of funds throughout the school year; and the failure to prepare regularly profit and loss statements. The monitors found that Milburn's failure to submit independently audited financial statements for Fiscal Years (FYs) 1999 and 2000, and the reference to Milburn as a Virginia corporation in its Certified Corporate Resolution for Depositing Authorization rose to the level of serious violations of its charter. At the August 6, 2001 meeting, the Board initially voted to place Milburn on probation rather than propose the revocation of its charter. Several Board members believed that this would be the best course of action since their discussions concerning Milburn had not been as extensive as those concerning World and New Vistas Public Charter School, the other charter schools being considered for revocation; Milburn's infractions were considered less egregious than the other faltering charter schools; and there was concern that the student population at Milburn would have no other alternatives in the event that Milburn's charter was revoked. Those in favor of revocation pointed to Milburn's violations of the law in failing to make records available to the Board, and evidence of fiscal mismanagement as reflected by the lack of school supplies and unaddressed maintenance problems. After discussions, the motion to place Milburn on probation was withdrawn and a motion to decide on either probation or revocation at the next Board meeting on August 8, 2001, was approved. On August 8, 2001, the Board voted unanimously to revoke Milburn's charter. In a letter of that same date, the Board informed Milburn's Board of Trustees that it had begun the process of revoking the school's charter. The letter specifically listed fourteen findings constituting violations of the School Reform Act and Milburn's charter, which served as the basis for the revocation. The Board also informed Milburn that it had the right to request an informal hearing with respect to the proposed revocation provided that the request was made within fifteen days. The violations noted by the Board were based on the findings from the December 5, 2000 and June 7, 2001 monitoring team visits. In response, on August 22, 2001, Milburn took exception to the Board's informal hearing procedures, and informed the Board that the charter school had the right to a contested hearing under the DCAPA, D.C.Code § 1-1509. Milburn's letter referenced the District of Columbia Council's overlapping legislation regarding public charter schools, which provides for a formal hearing pursuant to D.C.Code § 31-2820(c)(1) and (3). In addition, Milburn argued that a contested case hearing was also required by the due process clause of the Fifth Amendment. The Board was not persuaded and, in an August 23, 2001 letter, scheduled an informal hearing for August 27, 2001, and explained the procedures which would govern the proceeding. Pursuant to these procedures, Milburn would have thirty minutes to present oral testimony, including an opening statement, and one hour would be allowed for questions and answers. The Board also requested the submission of written testimony, as well as written responses to the list of fourteen reasons that served as the basis for the proposed revocation. The list of reasons included with this letter is a mirror image of the list included in the Board's August 8, 2001 letter informing Milburn of the proposed revocation decision. On the same day that Milburn was informed that the informal hearing had been scheduled for August 27, 2001, the school requested a continuance. The Board granted the continuance, and rescheduled the meeting for August 30, 2001. On August 28, 2001, Milburn filed a Petition for Review of Agency Action with this court challenging the Board's August 23, 2001 decision denying Milburn's request for a contested case hearing. On the same day, Milburn filed an Emergency Application for a Stay of Agency Action, requesting an immediate stay of the Board's informal hearing regarding the proposed revocation while this court considered the Petition for Review.