Bibb BOE denies Macon Charter amendment request

Macon Charter Academy's journey took another turn Thursday, as the Bibb County school board denied its request for a charter amendment.

The change would've allowed MCA to work with an education services provider, specifically Renaissance School Services. Superintendent Curtis Jones said the denial would likely mean the end of the relationship between MCA and Renaissance but shouldn't affect students.

"The students will remain at the school for the rest of this school year, and until that governing board or this board decides that needs to change, it will remain that way," Jones said.

He also said the school's charter extends through 2019. From this point, MCA's governing board could either decide to run the school without a management firm or seek another service provider.

"They will probably go back and submit a request for proposals for additional ESPs," he said.

Keith Simmons, the district's chief of staff, gave a presentation about the overall findings related to the recommendation to deny MCA's request. He outlined ways the MCA governing board and Renaissance had not produced documentation for the financial feasibility of the contract between the two parties.

Further, representatives for the district had not received documentation for how Renaissance intended to improve the school's operations or academics.

"We're not able to garner artifacts pertaining to where students are in their progress," Simmons said.

That was of particular concern to board members, as was how the school's struggles would impact its candidacy as an International Baccalaureate feeder program.

"That was the vision, the focus, that we would be raising an International Baccalaureate elementary school," board member Wanda West said.

Board member Daryl Morton was candid in his assessment of the school's situation.

"I see this as a school, first, that shouldn't have opened when it opened and has been in crisis mode since day one," he said.

The board's role in turning the school around was also discussed, as board member Tom Hudson asked what the district had done to help MCA and, specifically, its students.

Jones said that district officials had conferred with both MCA board members and representatives of the Georgia Department of Education regarding the path forward for the school, but he said that it wasn't the Bibb board's place to handle aspects like student progress on assessments.

"That is truly operating the school on a daily basis, and that is not what we're about," he said.

Jones also noted that in conversations with MCA board Chairman Ed Grant, a major concern with the Renaissance deal was the cost, estimated to be around $400,000.

With the amendment denied, Bibb board President Lester Miller said it was up to MCA's board to decide its next steps.

"They need to come forward with a realistic plan to turn the school around," he said.

The board also heard from Mauldin & Jenkins regarding the district's financial audit for the 2014-15 fiscal year. Miller Edwards represented the firm and was complimentary of the district's $21 million end balance for its general fund, as well as the 10 years of data supplied for the audit.

"I think you're in pretty good shape," Edwards said. "You're kind of right where you should be."

The board is next scheduled to meet Feb. 18, beginning with its committee meeting at 4 p.m.

To contact writer Jeremy Timmerman, call 744-4331 or find him on Twitternote>.

This story was originally published January 28, 2016 at 10:08 PM with the headline "Bibb BOE denies Macon Charter amendment request ."