Children’s Village Academy, a K-8 charter school in Kinston, is facing closure at the end of this month after the North Carolina Board of Education rejected its appeal for a fresh start. State officials cited a myriad of issues including financial mismanagement, legal violations, and charter violations that have plagued the school for years.
The school, which opened in 1997, has been under scrutiny during its latest renewal process. The state flagged low test scores and raised concerns about finance and governance, including conflicts of interest involving board members. A lengthy investigation uncovered misspent federal grant money, padded enrollment numbers, and violations of state laws.
Despite efforts by school leaders to turn things around, the Charter Schools Review Board and the Board of Education unanimously voted to cut off public funding, effectively forcing the school to close. This decision will impact approximately 150 students who will need to find a new school for the upcoming academic year.
The closure of Children’s Village Academy marks the second charter school closure in North Carolina this year, following the denial of a charter renewal for Ridgeview Charter School in Gastonia due to low academic performance.
It remains unclear how the federal grant money will be repaid and whether any further action will be taken against the school’s leaders. The school’s assets and records will be transferred to the Lenoir County school system as it prepares to shut down.