From The Los Angeles Times: In an attempt to fight off a looming closure of its schools in Los Angeles, officials with a charter school organization caught in a cheating scandal have fired the group founder. The leaders of Crescendo schools also have threatened to sue the Los Angeles Board of Education, if necessary, to stay open. Crescendo, which operates six schools south of downtown Los Angeles, had its operating charter revoked this week by the Los Angeles school board, which was reacting to the cheating and Crescendo's response when it was discovered.
FEBRUARY 2011...from The Los Angeles Times: The Los Angeles Board of Education has voted to shut down six charter schools that were accused of widespread cheating on last year's standardized tests. In revoking the charter of the Crescendo organization, the board cited the malfeasance and the insufficient response to it. The vote came despite a recommendation by the district administration to reauthorize Crescendo for another five years. District staff had said they believed that the charter board had taken adequate steps to deal with the scandal.
From The Los Angeles Times: Last year, administrators and teachers at the six Crescendo charter schools in Los Angeles were caught cheating: using the actual test questions to prepare students for the state exams by which schools are measured. Nonetheless, the Los Angeles school board is scheduled this week to act on a staff recommendation to reauthorize Crescendo's charter, giving the organization another five years to operate. The district says it os satisfied that Crescendo's governing board has taken appropriate steps since the cheating was uncovered.
