Horizon Science Academy expanded investigation announced by Ohio State Auditor

CLEVELAND -- Bombshell allegations made against a charter school company that runs several schools right here in Northeast Ohio. As we reported in June, the FBI raided several Horizon Science Schools in this area -- and WKYC learned that the Ohio Auditor has launched a special audit into Horizon-Concept schools. This comes as former teachers went before the Ohio Board of Education today with allegations of test-tampering, sexual misconduct and racial slurs against African American students. About a month ago, we told you that the FBI raided some of our local schools-- and now more investigations. "School officials were filling in bubbles on standardized tests, they claimed that it was because students didn't fill in circles dark enough," says Matt Blair, a former teacher. The allegations today were limited to the Horizon Science Academy in Dayton. Concept Schools charter chain runs 19 schools in Ohio, all will be part of a special audit by the Ohio Auditor's office. Teachers said they witnessed racial slurs, sexual activity among students that wasn't reported to parents and unsafe building conditions. The Ohio Department of Education has also said it will investigate the complaints. No Cleveland schools were implicated in the testimony today. Horizon Science Schools in Cleveland have had strong academic records even being named Blue Ribbon Sch

Concept Schools FBI Search and Seizure extends to 19 Schools Horizon Science

FBI, FCC, and DOE search and seizure under the E-Rate technology grants expands to 19 Gulen operated Concept Schools mostly in Ohio.  See below for staff e mails to warn teachers, parents what to say to media.  

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Federal authorities in Cleveland are examining an Illinois company that manages the local Horizon Science Academy schools and several others in the Midwest, and they have seized documents from several locations in the past week, including here in Ohio.

FBI agents in Cleveland, along with the U.S. Department of Education and the Federal Communications Commission, searched 19 locations, including three in Northern Ohio, regarding Concept Schools, according to interviews and published reports.

Vicki Anderson, an FBI agent in Cleveland, said the search warrants involved "a white-collar matter,'' but she would not specify. The search warrants are sealed.

Anderson said the case "did not involve violence or threats against the school, faculty or students.'' She would not identify the places searched.

The Indianapolis Business Journal reported last week that authorities are looking at financial records from schools managed by Concept Schools, an Illinois-based company.

Almost two-thirds of the 30 schools are in Ohio. Most are science and technology-themed schools, including several Horizon science academies in Northeast Ohio.



In addition to a highly regarded campus of an elementary, middle and high school near E. 60th Street and Interstate 90's Marginal Road, there is a Horizon elementary and middle school on Columbus and Denison avenues in Ohio City. 

Concept also runs Noble Academy at 1200 E. 200th St. in Euclid.



The federal education department named Horizon Science Academy in Cleveland a Blue Ribbon School in 2009, one of eight Ohio "Needles in a Haystack" - schools that succeed even in difficult urban areas.

In 2010, it was cited by the Thomas Fordham Institute. In 2011, the Ohio Department of Education made it one of 122 "Schools of Promise.''

Teachers and educators from across Concepts School were just in Cleveland in March for the network's annual STEM conference.

 On May 30, Eric Waldo, executive director of Michelle Obama's Reach Higher initiative, spoke at the school's graduation ceremony.

The Indianapolis Business Journal quoted a spokeswoman from an Indianapolis school, who said agents requested documents that were part of an audit the U.S. Department of Education was conducting of federal "e-rate'' grant programs.

"Earlier this week we were asked to provide information to U.S. Department of Education officials as part of a larger federal audit of e-rate technology grants," the school official said in a statement.

"Those officials indicated they are auditing the funds dispersed to various schools to verify that work paid for with e-rate grants was completed as reported.''

Plain Dealer reporter Patrick O'Donnell contributed reporting for this story.

http://www.cleveland.com/court-justice/index.ssf/2014/06/fbi_agents_in_cleveland_examin.html

 

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