Area charter school sponsor may close Cleveland site

9/17/2005

The Lucas County Educational Service Center, the largest sponsor of charter schools in Ohio, said it plans to shut down one of Cleveland s oldest and largest charter schools unless its administrators devise a plan to boost test scores and correct financial troubles.

The agency served the International Preparatory School with an intent-to-suspend notice.

The school, which received about $6 million in taxpayer dollars last academic year, has failed to pay its employees, post data for the state education department, and had low test scores. It also had a staff retention rate of only 37 percent.

The educational service center s five-member governing board is expected to vote on the school s suspension on Tuesday.