Midwest City Beacon

Jul
15

2020

Page
A010
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resized
60%

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 Clip
Jul 2020 Page resized
30 0006 65%

The Oklahoma Eagle

n optometrist near them at one of my highest priori- The current COVID-19 ocacy to find your legisla-
s https://oklahoma.aoa.org/. ties, and I look forward to pandemic illustrates why tor.

-
s
e
Epic Releases County-by-County Enrollment Numbers
e Virtual Public School Hits 40,631 Students In 77 Counties
-
- By Eagle Newswire tual learning, which include giving tainty of the times, and we hope to be
e our parents a lot of choices and sup- a bridge for the families who have
l Epic Public Charter Schools re- porting our faculty through competi- chosen to start the school year with
r leased county-by-county enrollment tive compensation and low class sizes. us.”
k data today on the heels of last week’s We’re ready to meet the challenges of EPIC begins its school year, as it
s announcement that the virtual charter the upcoming school year and do our does every year, the day after Labor
t school is now the largest public school part to help our state.” Day, September 8.
- district in the state. Hickman said the school’s internal A county-by-county breakdown of
- The virtual public charter school data shows about 60 percent of new EPIC students can be found here:
has students in all 77 counties in Okla- enrollments are due to the pandemic, https://drive.google.com/drive/fold-
n homa. Current total enrollment for while 40 percent of new enrollees ers/1VWJZNaZwq9xzgxgJgP8E7I_lb
d the upcoming school year is 40,631 have indicated their enrollment is un- AUNN-u4?usp=sharing.
- students, and hundreds more are en- related to COVID-19. EPIC’s school model provides free
t rolling each day. “Whatever their reasons for coming choice of online curriculum, technol-
- “The shift to distance learning hap- to us are, we’re ready,” Hickman said. ogy (laptops, tablets, etc.) and wi-fi
d pened slowly and then all at once,” “We serve kids and families in Okla- service for students who need it, eas-
c EPIC Assistant Superintendent Shelly homa City and Tulsa, but we also ing the technology burden for families
s Hickman said. “EPIC has had 10 serve kids from places like Guymon that opt for distance, blended learning.
years to sharpen best practices for vir- and Atoka. We understand the uncer-

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 Clip
Aug 2020 Page resized
01 A001 50%
Enid News & Eagle
Enrollment shifting online as digital divide lingers
By Janelle Stecklein
CNHI Oklahoma Reporter
OKLAHOMA CITY — The
state’s largest virtual public charter
school is seeing hundreds of new stu-
dents from across the state enrolling
each day.
So many students enrolled recent-
ly that administrators with Epic Public
Charter Schools now expect it will
become the largest public school dis-
trict in the state when classes resume
in September.
Shelly Hickman, an assistant
superintendent, said about 60%
of new families say the COVID-
19 pandemic is the reason they’re
ditching traditional brick-and-mor-
tar public schools in favor of Epic,
which has specialized in virtual edu-
cation for about decade.
“How much we are going to
spend on technology is very fluid
right now because of the enrollment
spike,” she said.
Its model prioritizes purchas-
ing new devices and ensuring inter-
net connectivity for every student.
Hickman said the school expects to
spend at least $30 million on technol-
ogy, hardware and connectivity.
Statewide, more districts are offer-
ing distance-based learning options
Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
to students who don’t computer to every stu- gy to support remote learning, some
want in-person instruc- State Superintendent Joy dent and the poorest districts are telling parents they’re on
tion. School leaders say Hofmeister announced districts that don’t. their own if they choose that option.
enrollment and interest that 175 school districts Donna Campo, Campo’s organization aims to
in distance-based learn- were given mobile inter- executive director of integrate technology to transform
ing options is growing. net access devices to Oklahoma Technology teaching and learning in schools.
However, education help ensure all students Association, said dis- “There have not been the discre-
advocates say it’s an needing distance or tricts already are grap- tionary (state) funds to be able to
expensive proposition hybrid learning models pling with budget cuts. invest in technology like we normally
for districts, which now have access. District funding woes would if we had good, solid bud-
are facing unexpected, are exacerbated by gets,” Campo said. “That’s something
unfunded and mounting technology the pandemic, the resulting economic we’ve been talking about a long time
tabs that state lawmakers didn’t cover. shutdowns and the struggling oil and in Oklahoma. It is a situation where,
Advocates fear that distance-based gas industry. unfortunately, we are going to have to
learning initiatives could widen the Many districts are just trying to rely on the federal government to pass
gap between the wealthiest districts make ends meet, she said. Without the
that have the tax bases to provide a funds to buy the necessary technolo- See DIGITAL DIVIDE, Page A3
 Enid News & Eagle
DIGITAL DIVIDE
Continued from Page A1
Aug legislation that puts money into
01 the school districts.”
At the start of the pandem-
2020 ic, Campo said she urged law-
makers and election officials
Page to offer more election dates
A003 for districts that needed to pass
Clip bonds to pay for technology.
resized There was little interest.
64% “It is certainly an issue
From when the school can’t pro-
A001 vide technology to be able
to access the virtual option,”
Campo said.
On Friday, state Superin-
tendent Joy Hofmeister an-
nounced that 175 school
districts were given mobile
internet access devices to help
ensure all students needing
distance or hybrid learning
models have access.
“The pandemic has under-
scored the inequities of the dig-
ital divide that hinder oppor-
tunities for so many of our
children,” she said. “We know
one-fourth of our students lack
reliable home internet access.”
She said many districts
already used a portion of fed-
eral coronavirus relief money
to purchase devices.
“But a device without con-
nectivity is like a book in a
pitch-dark room,” Hofmeister
said.
Districts that receive the
hotspots must pay a “nominal
monthly fee” for unlimited
services for at least six months
and ensure the devices are
assigned only to low-income
students. School systems can
purchase additional hotspots
for teachers, staff and other
students.
Chris Brewster, superin-
tendent of Santa Fe South
Schools, said about 20% of
Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
the families attending his out a device,’” Brewster said.
south Oklahoma City char- “I don’t know what parents
ter school expressed interest are going to do if they haven’t
in full-time virtual education already figured out how to get
because of the rapidly evolv- a device at home in districts
ing COVID-19 situation. that are not already providing
For safety reasons, the those.”
school decided to have only
25% of the students pres-
ent at any given time. On
days when stu dents will
not attend in person, they’ll
attend virtually.
Brewster’s district is trying
to purchase technology for all
3,600 students so each child
will have a Chromebook, the
software and internet access
needed to run it from home.
Nearly 93% of the district’s
students are at or below the
poverty line.
Brewster said he’s applied
for a hotspot grant to help
offset COVID-19 expens-
es, which are already into the
seven-figures. He’s expecting
nearly $1.5 million to $2 mil-
lion in unanticipated costs for
his small district.
With hundreds of thou-
sands of districts all compet-
ing for the same technology,
Brewster said he’s run into
another unanticipated problem
— order backlogs.
“The type of pressure on
the supply and demand is enor-
mous right now,” he said.
With school scheduled to
start in days, he’s still 300 to
400 devices short, and doesn’t
know when his final orders
will arrive.
Other districts may have to
wait until Christmas to receive
their orders, he said.
“(Some districts) are sim-
ply saying, ‘Parents, you’re on
your own. You’ve got to figure
 McAlester News-Capital

Aug
01

2020 Enrollment shifting online

Page
A001
Clip
resized
56%
as digital divide lingers
By JANELLE STECKLEIN
CNHI STATE REPORTER

OKLAHOMA CITY — The state’s

largest virtual public charter
school is seeing hundreds of
new students from across the
state enrolling each day.
So many students enrolled
recently that administrators
with Epic Public Charter
Schools now expect it will be-
come the largest public school
district in the entire state when
classes resume in September.
Shelly Hickman, an assistant
superintendent, said about 60
percent of new families say the
COVID-19 pandemic is the rea-
son they’re ditching traditional
brick-and-mortar public schools
in favor of Epic, which has spe-
cialized in virtual education for
about a decade.
“How much we are going to
spend on technology is very
fluid right now because of the
enrollment spike,” she said.
Its model prioritizes purchas-
ing new devices and ensuring
internet connectivity for every
student. Hickman said the
school expects to spend at least
$30 million on technology, hard-
ware and connectivity.
Statewide, more districts are
offering distance-based learn- Staff file photo
ing options to students who
don’t want in-person instruc- MOST FAMILIES who newly enrolled students with Epic Public Charter
t i o n . S c h o o l l e a d e r s s a y Schools say the COVID-19 pandemic caused them to ditch traditional
schools for the virtual school, according to assistant superintendent
>> See DIVIDE // Page A2 Shelly Hickman.

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 McAlester News-Capital
ties of the digital divide partner in the OSDE at least six months and grant.
Divide ...
Aug << CONTINUED from Page A1
01
enrollment and interest
in distance-based learn-
2020 ing options is growing.
However, education ad-
vocates say it’s an expen-
Page sive proposition for dis-
A002 tricts, which are now
facing unexpected, un-
Clip funded and mounting
resized
technology tabs that
48% state lawmakers didn’t
cover.
From Advocates fear that
A001
distance-based learning
initiatives could widen
the gap between the
wealthiest districts that
have the tax bases to
provide a computer to
every student and the
poorest districts that
don’t.
Donna Campo, execu-
tive director of the Okla-
homa Technology Associ-
ation, said districts al-
ready are grappling with
state legislative budget
cuts. District funding
woes are exacerbated by
the pandemic, the result-
ing economic shutdowns
and the struggling oil
and gas industry.
Many districts are just
trying to make ends
meet, she said. Without
the funds to buy the nec-
essary technology to
support remote learning,
some districts are telling
parents they’re on their
own if they choose that
option.
Campo’s organization
aims to integrate tech-
nology to transform
teaching and learning in
schools.
“There have not been
the discretionary (state)
funds to be able to invest
in technology like we
normally would if we
had good, solid budgets,”
C a m p o s a i d . “ T h a t ’s
something we’ve been
talking about a long
time in Oklahoma. It is
a situation where, unfor-
Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
EPIC CHARTER SCHOOL’S Tulsa offices at 3810 South
103rd East Avenue.
tunately, we are going to
have to rely on the fed-
eral government to pass
legislation that puts
money into the school
districts.”
At the start of the pan-
demic, Campo said she
urged lawmakers and
election officials to offer
more election dates for
districts that needed to
pass bonds to pay for
technology. There was
little interest.
“It is certainly an issue
when the school can’t
provide technology to be
able to access the virtual
option,” Campo said.
On Friday, state Su-
perintendent Joy Hof-
meister announced that
175 school districts were
given mobile internet
access devices to help
ensure all students
needing distance or hy-
brid learning models
have access.
“The pandemic has un-
derscored the inequities
of the digital divide that
hinder opportunities for
so many of our children,”
she said. “We know one-
fourth of our students
DYLAN GOFORTH | The Frontier
lack reliable home inter-
net access.”
She said many dis-
tricts already used a por-
tion of federal coronavi-
rus relief money to pur-
chase devices.
“But a device without
connectivity is like a
book in a pitch-dark
room,” Hofmeister said.
Districts that receive
the hotspots must pay a
“nominal monthly fee”
for unlimited services for
at least six months and
ensure that the devices
are assigned only to
low-income students.
School systems can pur-
chase additional hotspots
for teachers, staff and
other students.
Chris Brewster, super-
intendent of Santa Fe
S o u t h S c h o o l s, s a i d
about 20 percent of the
families attending his
south Oklahoma City
charter school expressed
interest in full-time vir-
tual education because
of the rapidly evolving
COVID-19 situation.
For safety reasons, the
school decided to have
only 25 percent of the
students present at any
g i v e n t i m e. O n d ay s
when students will not
attend in person, they’ll
attend virtually.
Brewster’s district is
trying to purchase tech-
nology for all 3,600 stu-
dents so each child will
have a Chromebook, the
software and internet
access needed to run it
from home. Nearly 93
percent of the district’s
students are at or below
the poverty line.
Brewster said he’s ap-
plied for a hotspot grant
to help offset COVID-19
expenses, which are al-
ready into the seven-fig-
ures. He’s expecting
nearly $1.5 to $2 million
in unanticipated costs
for his small district.
With hundreds of thou-
sands of districts all
competing for the same
technology, Brewster
said he’s run into anoth-
er unanticipated prob-
lem — order backlogs.
“The type of pressure
on the supply and de-
mand is enormous right
now,” he said.
With school scheduled
to start in days, he’s still
300 to 400 devices short,
and doesn’t know when
his final orders will ar-
rive.
Other districts may
have to wait until Christ-
mas to receive their or-
ders, he said.
“(Some districts) are
simply saying, ‘Parents,
you’re on your own.
You’ve got to figure out
a device,’” Brewster said.
“I don’t know what par-
ents are going to do if
they haven’t already fig-
ured out how to get a
device at home in dis-
tricts that are not al-
ready providing those.”
• Stecklein covers the
Oklahoma Statehouse for CNHI’s
newspapers and websites. Reach
her at jstecklein@cnhi.com.
 Muskogee Phoenix

Student
Aug
01
enrollment
2020
shifting
Page
A001
online
Clip
resized
Epic Public Charter
52% Schools expected to
become largest district
By Janelle Stecklein
CNHI State Reporter

OKLAHOMA CITY —
The state’s largest virtual
public charter school is
seeing hundreds of new
students from across the
state enrolling each day.
So many students
enrolled recently that
administrators with Epic
Public Charter Schools
now expect it will become
the largest public school
district in the entire state
when classes resume in
September.
Shelly Hickman, an
assistant superintendent,
said about 60 percent
of new families say the
COVID-19 pandemic is
the reason they’re ditch-
ing traditional brick-and-
mortar public schools in
favor of Epic, which has
specialized in virtual edu-
cation for about decade.
“How much we are go-
ing to spend on technology
is very fluid right now
because of the enrollment
spike,” she said.
Its model prioritizes
purchasing new devices
and ensuring internet
connectivity for every stu-
dent. Hickman said the
school expects to spend
at least $30 million on
technology, hardware and
connectivity.
Statewide, more dis-
tricts are offering dis-

(See EPIC, 2)

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 Muskogee Phoenix

Aug
01 Epic: Some fear widening of wealthy, poor gap
2020 Continued from Page 1 tricts are telling parents learning models have ac- dents so each child will
tance-based learning op- they’re on their own if cess. have a Chromebook, the
tions to students who don’t they choose that option. “The pandemic has un- software and internet ac-
Page want in-person instruc- Campo’s organization derscored the inequities cess needed to run it from
A002 tion. School leaders say aims to integrate technol- of the digital divide that home. Nearly 93 percent
enrollment and interest in ogy to transform teaching hinder opportunities for of the district’s students
Clip
resized distance-based learning and learning in schools. so many of our children,” are at or below the pover-
47% options is growing. How- “There have not been she said. “We know one- ty line.
ever, education advocates the discretionary (state) fourth of our students lack Brewster said he’s ap-
From say it’s an expensive prop- funds to be able to invest reliable home internet plied for a hotspot grant
A001 osition for districts, which in technology like we access.” to help offset COVID-19
are now facing unexpect- normally would if we had She said many districts expenses, which are
ed, unfunded and mount- good, solid budgets,” Cam- already used a portion of already into the sev-
ing technology tabs that po said. “That’s something federal coronavirus relief en-figures. He’s expecting
state lawmakers didn’t we’ve been talking about a money to purchase de- nearly $1.5 to $2 million
cover. long time in Oklahoma. It vices. in unanticipated costs for
Advocates fear that is a situation where, unfor- “But a device without his small district.
distance-based learning tunately, we are going to connectivity is like a book With hundreds of
initiatives could widen the have to rely on the federal in a pitch-dark room,” thousands of districts all
gap between the wealth- government to pass leg- Hofmeister said. competing for the same
iest districts that have islation that puts money Districts that receive technology, Brewster said
the tax bases to provide a into the school districts.” the hotspots must pay a he’s run into another
computer to every student At the start of the pan- “nominal monthly fee” for unanticipated problem —
and the poorest districts demic, Campo said she unlimited services for at order backlogs.
that don’t. urged lawmakers and least six months and en- “The type of pressure on
Donna Campo, ex- election officials to offer sure that the devices are the supply and demand is
ecutive director of the more election dates for assigned only to low-in- enormous right now,” he
Oklahoma Technology districts that needed to come students. School said.
Association, said districts pass bonds to pay for tech- systems can purchase With school scheduled to
already are grappling with nology. There was little additional hotspots for start in days, he’s still 300
state legislative budget interest. teachers, staff and other to 400 devices short, and
cuts. District funding woes “It is certainly an issue students. doesn’t know when his fi-
are exacerbated by the when the school can’t Chris Brewster, super- nal orders will arrive.
pandemic, the resulting provide technology to be intendent of Santa Fe Other districts may
economic shutdowns and able to access the virtual South Schools, said about have to wait until Christ-
the struggling oil and gas option,” Campo said. 20 percent of the families mas to receive their or-
industry. On Friday, state Super- attending his south Okla- ders, he said.
Many districts are just intendent Joy Hofmeister homa City charter school “(Some districts) are
trying to make ends meet, announced that 175 school expressed interest in full- simply saying, ‘Parents,
she said. Without the districts were given mobile time virtual education be- you’re on your own. You’ve
funds to buy the necessary internet access devices to cause of the rapidly evolv- got to figure out a device,’”
technology to support help ensure all students ing COVID-19 situation. Brewster said. “I don’t
h remote learning, some dis- needing distance or hybrid For safety reasons, the know what parents are
h school decided to have going to do if they haven’t
h only 25 percent of the already figured out how
h students present at any to get a device at home in
h given time. On days when districts that are not al-
h students will not attend ready providing those.”
in person, they’ll attend Stecklein covers the
virtually. Oklahoma Statehouse for
Brewster’s district is CNHI’s newspapers and
trying to purchase tech- websites. Reach her at js-
nology for all 3,600 stu- tecklein@cnhi.com.
8
0

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 Ada News
In Oklahoma, Epic’s operator
refuses to release spending records
Aug In California,
04
records are public
2020 By Jennifer Palmer | Oklahoma Watch
Page
A006
Clip
This story is part of
resized a collaboration with
FRONTLINE, the PBS
25% series, through its Local
Journalism Initiative,
which is funded by the
John S. and James L.
Knight Foundation and
the Corporation for
Public Broadcasting.
The company that
manages Epic Charter
Schools in Oklahoma
refuses to provide state
auditors details about
how it spends millions
of dollars provided by
the state to pay for stu-
dents’ extra activities.
The dispute is a cen-
tral part of a legal battle
between the school’s
management company,
Epic Youth Services,
and state auditors. At-
torneys for the com-
pany have said it has no
desire to be secretive,
but releasing the in-
formation publicly will
compromise its entire
business model.
But Epic’s virtual
school in California has
already supplied details
about similar spending
to the Orange County
Department of Educa-
tion. The department
provided two years of
data, for 2017-18 and
2018-19, to Oklahoma
Watch in response to a
public records request.
The records show
the amounts that Epic
paid per student to
vendors through its
“learning fund,” which
Epic describes as a way
for families to select
books, supplemental
items, technology and
extracurricular lessons
LQVSRUWVDQG¿QHDUWV
Families request the
items or classes, and
Epic makes the pur-
chase using state dol-
lars the school receives
per student.
According to the
records, Epic Charter
School California in
2017-18 paid more than
a half-million dollars
from its learning fund
to a home-school co-op
WKDWR̆HUVVHFWDULDQDQG
non-sectarian programs
— accounting for 72% of
spending from the fund.
The following year,
the same co-op and a
private “enrichment
center” that also caters
to students who are
home-schooled received
more than 70% of the
funds.
Home schooling
families and groups are
among those Epic has
recruited in Oklahoma
to join the school by
R̆HULQJWKHOHDUQLQJ
fund, an Oklahoma
State Bureau of Investi-
gation agent alleged in a
VHDUFKZDUUDQWḊGDYLW
¿OHGODVWVXPPHU
Epic and its support-
ers say the learning
fund gives its students
access to the kinds of
activities that students
in traditional school
districts receive. It
does so by outsourcing
those services to private
vendors.
Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
y g
Jessica Ruiz | For Oklahoma Watch
State Rep. Epic Charter School California has offices in Anaheim and is authorized to operate as a virtual charter school in five counties by the Orange County Board of
SHEILA DILLS Education.
Students, parents unable to obtain re- vendor contracts, the case is ongoing. under an Open Re-
DQGVFKRROṘFLDOV cords of the funds paid school emails, records ,QDFRXUW¿OLQJ(SLF cords Act request. The
have said the learning to Epic Youth Services. on various fees and Youth Services says it company also wants
fund is a major draw to The company refused learning fund revenues is willing to provide assurance it will not
enroll in Epic. Stu- to comply with audi- and expenditures. learning-fund records be penalized for not
dents receive $1,000 in tors’ subpoenas, which The auditor has asked to the state auditor if adhering to public ac-
Oklahoma and $1,500 requested bank and a judge to order the the state pledges to not
in California and can credit card statements, documents’ release, and release the information SEE RECORDS, PAGE A7
receive bonuses for
referring additional stu-
dents to the school.
Oklahoma regulators
are pushing to examine
the spending, saying the
information should be
public.
One model,
Two states
Epic operates as a
public online charter
school in both states,
but its student popula-
tion is much larger in
Oklahoma. Epic Cali-
fornia had 626 students
in 2019; in Oklahoma,
Epic reports a current
enrollment of 40,810
students – and growing
daily as families seek
out an online option
amid the COVID-19
pandemic.
7KH¿QDQFLDOVWDNHV
in Oklahoma are much
higher.
In California, Epic
Charter School’s total
budget was about $7
million in 2019-20.
Over a two-year span,
Epic paid a total of $1.4
million to 165 learning
fund vendors. Payments
to the vendors are made
by the school, said Paul
MacGregor, the school’s
executive director.
The school is man-
aged by Community
Strategies-CA, a not-
IRUSUR¿W//&WKDWLVD
subsidiary of the Okla-
homa school.
Epic’s Oklahoma
school has a budget of
$262 million this year.
Of the total funding
Epic receives each year,
a portion – 10% – is
SDLGWRWKHIRUSUR¿W
Epic Youth Services for
management services.
The Oklahoma school
has paid Epic Youth
Services about $114
million since 2015,
according to an attor-
ney representing the
VWDWHDXGLWRU¶VṘFH
Of that, $69 million
went to the company’s
bank account to be
used to make purchases
through the learning
fund. The other $44
million was for its man-
agement fee.
The school’s co-
founders, David Chaney
and Ben Harris, jointly
operate the company.
Oklahoma auditors
SURELQJ(SLF¶V¿QDQFHV
at the request of Gov.
Kevin Stitt have been
 Ada News

Aug Whitney Bryen | Oklahoma Watch

Epic Charter Schools co-founders Ben Harris, left, and David Chaney, right,
04 attended a school board meeting on Jan. 15, 2020. Chaney stepped down
from his position as superintendent of the school in 2019 following a new
state law that made Chaney’s position a conflict of interest because he also
had an ownership stake in the for-profit company that manages the school.

2020

Page
A007
Clip
resized
26% Whitney Bryen | Oklahoma Watch
Rows of Epic-branded laptop cases were lying against a wall in a classroom
in early 2019 at Panola Public Schools, which until recently a company
From affiliated with Epic Charter Schools managed. In Oklahoma, parents can use
learning-fund dollars to purchase laptops or tablet computers.
A006

RECORDS: Epic previously had

paid dues and fees for
home-school organiza-
vendor’s religious ties,
MacGregor said stu-
dents do not need to be
Friends of Willow Tree
enrolled in Epic last
year because they felt
From Page A6 tions, in violation of Jewish to attend Young it was too much online
counting standards. the Oklahoma Charter Lamplighters and all ZRUN&KḊQVDLG
Epic Youth Services’ School Act, the inves- the services, materials, Information withheld
attorneys argue that tigator alleged. He programs and activi- The California
funds it receives from also found at least two ties provided to Epic school’s learning fund
the state are no longer instances where Epic students are secular. details were released
Whitney Bryen | Oklahoma Watch
public once they are entered into relation- “Young Lamplighters to Oklahoma Watch
Rebecca Wilkinson, executive director of the Statewide Virtual Charter
paid to the company. ships with convicted LVDQRQSUR¿WRUJDQL]D- by the Orange County School Board, talks to the Epic Charter Schools board on Jan. 15, 2020. The
A growing number of felons; one of those was tion that provides home Department of Educa- state board was established by the Legislature in 2015 to authorize and
SXEOLFṘFLDOVGLV- a vendor advertised as schooled students and tion, which oversees 16 oversee all statewide virtual charter schools.
agree. Rep. Sheila Dills, a personal trainer. Epic students of non-class- charter schools, includ-
R-Tulsa, has authored denies wrongdoing, and room based indepen- ing Epic.
several laws to regulate no criminal charges dent study programs If the Oklahoma
virtual charter schools KDYHEHHQ¿OHG opportunities for indi- school’s authorizer, the
and increase transpar- The only public in- vidual subject tutoring, Statewide Virtual Char-
ency. She said she’s formation about Epic’s enrichment classes, and ter School Board, had
especially concerned learning fund vendors activities,” MacGregor similar learning-fund
about Epic’s learning is on its website. More wrote. “Just because ¿JXUHVWKHLQIRUPDWLRQ
fund. than 1,400 private the director of Young might also be obtain-
“When you move that learning-fund vendors Lamplighters is a rabbi able through a public-
money into the private are listed by Epic in does not mean their records law request
company, you have no Oklahoma and 300 organization will only because it’s a govern-
transparency,” Dills in California, where serve Jewish people.” ment agency. But the
said. “There’s just a lot (SLFRSHUDWHVLQ¿YH The second largest board has failed to gain
of hidden information counties. But it’s not a vendor is Friends of access to the records.
that I think taxpay- comprehensive list. Willow Tree, a former Rebecca Wilkinson,
Jessica Ruiz | For Oklahoma Watch
ers have a right to see. In California, the charter school that now the board’s director,
The entryway to Epic Charter School’s offices in Anaheim, California
They (Epic) can argue vendor that received operates as an “enrich- said she reviewed some
most of the learning ment center,” though learning fund details in 2015. “Because the school
all day long those aren’t
funds over two years its current and earlier DWWKH(SLFṘFH Learning fund spend- contracts these func-
public dollars, but they
was Young Lamplight- Facebook pages refer to in Oklahoma City but ing is not the only tions to a private entity,
are public dollars.”
ers Co-op, a home- it as a “private school.” doesn’t have a copy. information Epic has the data you have re-
The Statewide Virtual
school organization In 2018-19, the center, In response to the declined to make public quested is proprietary
Charter School Board,
located in Santa Monica located in Fallbrook, audit, Epic Youth citing its management to Epic Youth Services,
which oversees state-
wide online schools, and led by a rabbi and received $131,280 in Services says it has ¿UP¶VULJKWWRFRQ¿- a private company,”
his wife. The co-op learning fund dollars provided some records dentiality. Epic denied Ben Wadley, director
recently joined the state
received $886,787 over for at least 64 students. but State Auditor Cindy Oklahoma Watch’s of legal services for
DXGLWRU¶VOHJDOH̆RUWWR
two years for tutoring Director Bethany Byrd said the company request for the number the school, wrote in
force the management
services, enrichment &KḊQVDLGFKDUWHU has not provided suf- of students enrolled in an email to Oklahoma
company to turn over
classes, exercises and students who also at- ¿FLHQWUHFRUGVWRJHW each of the dozens of Watch in June.
learning fund records.
excursions for Epic stu- tend Willow Tree can a complete picture of curriculum choices that The arrangement has
Board Chairman
John Harrington says dents, school records attend the main classes LWV¿QDQFHV7KH6WDWH (SLFR̆HUVWRVWXGHQWV DOVRNHSWDVFRQ¿GHQWLDO
show. or electives, such as art, Chamber of Oklahoma saying Epic Youth the salaries of Chaney
the school’s contract
But Young Lamp- woodwork or music, but KDV¿OHGDQDPLFXV Services handles the and Harris, joint op-
requires it to provide
lighters isn’t on the aren’t allowed to attend brief in the case sid- purchasing and has the erators of Epic Youth
spending records,
publicly available list, four days a week. ing with Epic; it argues records. Services.
including the learning
fund. and it wasn’t in 2017 “We are not their that allowing auditors
either, according to an full-time educators. to subpoena private
“This is the informa-
tion that any of our archived version of the They have to use the businesses would be a
charter schools have site. MacGregor, the Epic curriculum, or any “dangerous expansion”
agreed to provide, and school’s director, said other charter they are of the auditor’s power
we expect to see that vendors have a choice enrolled with, as their under state law.
type of information,” he about whether to be main focus,” she said. Epic is now subject
said. listed on the website, Friends of Willow to stronger account-
and Young Lamplight- Tree follows Waldorf ing standards. A 2019
An internal auditor at
Epic recently completed ers chose not to. principles, which cau- proposal by Dills, the
an audit of the learning Young Lamplighters’ tion against screen legislator, led to a
fund but its scope was website describes the time for young chil- change in state law that
more limited than what group as running an dren and recommend now requires itemized
the state auditor is “academic enrichment strict limits for older spending by an edu-
tasked with. The audit sectarian and non- children – placing it cational management
sectarian program for in sharp contrast to company to be reported
examined one ran-
domly selected learning students.” Epic’s model, which to the state Depart-
fund purchase made by ,WVFKLHI¿QDQFLDOṘ- R̆HUVIXOOWLPHRQOLQH ment of Education. But
20% of the students in cer is Rabbi Verachmiel curriculum and instruc- auditors have asked for
Oklahoma and Tulsa “Chaim” Teleshevsky; tion. Fewer students at documentation back to
counties over two years. his wife, Shira Cunin, is
The audit found fewer FKLHIH[HFXWLYHṘFHU
according to Califor-
than 20 small instances
nia Secretary of State
of inaccuracies and
records.
recommended tighter
procedures. The couple are direc-
tors at Chabad on Mon-
Vendors in California
tana, a “center for Jew-
Auditors have not
ish life and education,”
said publicly what
at the same mailing
exactly they would look
address as the school
for in records about
co-op attended by
learning fund spending.
Epic students. Several
But in a pair of search-
phone messages left for
ZDUUDQWḊGDYLWV¿OHG
Teleshevsky were not
last summer, an inves-
returned.
tigator questioned some
Addressing the
practices.

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 Tahlequah Press
Aug
04
Enrollment shifting online as digital divide lingers
2020
By JANELLE STECKLEIN
Page CNHI State Reporter
A10 OKLAHOMA CITY –
Clip The state’s largest virtual
resized public charter school is
52% seeing hundreds of new
students from across the
state enrolling each day.
So many students en-
rolled recently that ad-
ministrators with Epic
Public Charter Schools
now expect it will become
the largest public school
district in the entire state
when classes resume in
September.
Shelly Hickman, an as-
sistant superintendent,
said about 60 percent of
new families say the CO-
VID-19 pandemic is the
reason they’re ditching tra-
ditional brick-and-mortar
public schools in favor of
Epic, which has special-
ized in virtual education
for about decade.
“How much we are go-
ing to spend on technol-
ogy is very fluid right now
because of the enrollment
spike,” she said.
Its model prioritizes
purchasing new devices
and ensuring internet
connectivity for every stu-
dent. Hickman said the
school expects to spend at
least $30 million on tech-
nology, hardware and con-
nectivity.
Statewide, more dis-
tricts are offering distance-
based learning options to
students who don’t want
Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
in-person instruction.
School leaders say enroll-
ment and interest in dis-
tance-based learning op-
tions is growing.
However, education
advocates say it’s an ex-
pensive proposition for
districts, which are now
facing unexpected, un-
funded and mounting
technology tabs that state
lawmakers didn’t cover.
Advocates fear that
distance-based learning
initiatives could widen the
gap between the wealthi-
est districts that have the
tax bases to provide a
computer to every student
and the poorest districts
that don’t.
Donna Campo, ex-
ecutive director of the
Oklahoma Technology
Association, said districts
already are grappling with
state legislative budget
cuts. District funding woes
are exacerbated by the
pandemic, the resulting
economic shutdowns and
the struggling oil and gas
industry.
Many districts are just
trying to make ends meet,
she said. Without the
funds to buy the neces-
sary technology to support
remote learning, some
districts are telling parents
they’re on their own if they
choose that option.
Campo’s organization
aims to integrate technol-
ogy to transform teaching
and learning in schools.
“There have not been
the discretionary (state)
funds to be able to in-
vest in technology like
we normally would if we
had good, solid budgets,”
Campo said. “That’s some-
thing we’ve been talk-
ing about a long time in
Oklahoma. It is a situation
where, unfortunately, we
are going to have to rely on
the federal government to
pass legislation that puts
money into the school dis-
tricts.”
At the start of the pan-
demic, Campo said she
urged lawmakers and
election officials to offer
more election dates for
districts that needed to
pass bonds to pay for tech-
nology. There was little in-
terest.
“It is certainly an issue
when the school can’t pro-
vide technology to be able
to access the virtual op-
tion,” Campo said.
On Friday, state Super-
intendent Joy Hofmeis-
ter announced that 175
school districts were given
mobile internet access
devices to help ensure all
students needing distance
or hybrid learning models
have access.
“The pandemic has
underscored the inequi-
ties of the digital divide
that hinder opportuni-
ties for so many of our
children,” she said. “We
know one-fourth of our
students lack reliable
home internet access.”
She said many districts
already used a portion of
federal coronavirus relief
money to purchase de-
vices.
“But a device without
connectivity is like a book
in a pitch-dark room,”
Hofmeister said.
Districts that receive
the hot spots must pay a
“nominal monthly fee”
for unlimited services for
at least six months and
ensure that the devices
are assigned only to low-
income students. School
systems can purchase
additional hot spots for
teachers, staff and other
students.
Janelle Stecklein covers
the Oklahoma Statehouse
for CNHI’s newspapers
and websites.
Give A Voice to an
Abused Child
Volunteer
Court Appointed
Special Advocates
FOR CHILDREN
CASA OF CHEROKEE COUNTRY
918-456-8788
201 E. Delaware Street
h k
 Woodward News

Aug
04

2020 Enrollment shifting online as digital divide lingers

By Janelle Stecklein instruction. School lead- “There have not been book in a pitch-dark er unanticipated problem simply saying, ‘Parents,
CNHI State Reporter
Page ers say enrollment and
interest in distance-based
the discretionary (state)
funds to be able to
room,” Hofmeister said.
Districts that receive
— order backlogs.
“The type of pressure
you’re on your own.
You’ve got to figure out
A003 OKLAHOMA CITY learning options is grow- invest in technology like the hotspots must pay a on the supply and a device,’” Brewster
— The state’s largest ing. However, education we normally would if “nominal monthly fee” demand is enormous said. “I don’t know what
Clip virtual public charter advocates say it’s an we had good, solid for unlimited services right now,” he said. parents are going to do
resized school is seeing hun- expensive proposition budgets,” Campo said. for at least six months With school sched- if they haven’t already
36% dreds of new students for districts, which are “That’s something and ensure that the uled to start in days, he’s figured out how to get a
from across the state now facing unexpected, we’ve been talking devices are assigned still 300 to 400 devices device at home in dis-
enrolling each day. unfunded and mounting about a long time in only to low-income stu- short, and doesn’t know tricts that are not already
So many students technology tabs that Oklahoma. It is a situa- dents. School systems when his final orders providing those.”
enrolled recently that state lawmakers didn't tion where, unfortunate- can purchase additional will arrive.
administrators with Epic cover. ly, we are going to have hotspots for teachers, Other districts may Stecklein covers the
Public Charter Schools Advocates fear that to rely on the federal staff and other students. have to wait until Oklahoma Statehouse
now expect it will distance-based learning government to pass leg- Chris Brewster, Christmas to receive for CNHI's newspapers
become the largest pub- initiatives could widen islation that puts money superintendent of Santa their orders, he said. and websites. Reach her
lic school district in the the gap between the into the school dis- Fe South Schools, said “(Some districts) are at jstecklein@cnhi.com.
entire state when classes wealthiest districts that tricts.” about 20 percent of the
resume in September. have the tax bases to At the start of the families attending his
Shelly Hickman, an provide a computer to pandemic, Campo said south Oklahoma City
assistant superintendent, every student and the she urged lawmakers charter school
said about 60 percent of poorest districts that and election officials to expressed interest in
new families say the don’t. offer more election full-time virtual educa-
COVID-19 pandemic is Donna Campo, execu- dates for districts that tion because of the rap-
the reason they’re ditch- tive director of the needed to pass bonds to idly evolving COVID-
ing traditional brick-and- Oklahoma Technology pay for technology. 19 situation.
mortar public schools in Association, said dis- There was little interest. For safety reasons,
favor of Epic, which has tricts already are grap- “It is certainly an the school decided to
specialized in virtual pling with state legisla- issue when the school have only 25 percent of
education for about tive budget cuts. District can’t provide technolo- the students present at
decade. funding woes are exacer- gy to be able to access any given time. On
"How much we are bated by the pandemic, the virtual option,” days when students will
going to spend on tech- the resulting economic Campo said. not attend in person,
nology is very fluid right shutdowns and the strug- Recently, state they’ll attend virtually.
now because of the gling oil and gas indus- Superintendent Joy Brewster’s district is
enrollment spike," she try. Hofmeister announced trying to purchase tech-
said. Many districts are just that 175 school districts nology for all 3,600 stu-
Its model prioritizes trying to make ends were given mobile inter- dents so each child will
purchasing new devices meet, she said. Without net access devices to have a Chromebook, the
and ensuring internet the funds to buy the nec- help ensure all students software and internet
connectivity for every essary technology to needing distance or access needed to run it
student. Hickman said support remote learning, hybrid learning models from home. Nearly 93
the school expects to some districts are telling have access. percent of the district’s
spend at least $30 mil- parents they’re on their “The pandemic has students are at or below
lion on technology, hard- own if they choose that underscored the the poverty line.
ware and connectivity. option. inequities of the digital Brewster said he’s
Statewide, more dis- Campo’s organization divide that hinder applied for a hotspot
tricts are offering dis- aims to integrate tech- opportunities for so grant to help offset
tance-based learning nology to transform many of our children,” COVID-19 expenses,
options to students who teaching and learning in she said. “We know which are already into
don’t want in-person schools. one-fourth of our stu- the seven-figures. He’s
dents lack reliable home expecting nearly $1.5 to
D eath N otice internet access.”
She said many dis-
$2 million in unantici-
pated costs for his small
tricts already used a por- district.
tion of federal coron- With hundreds of
avirus relief money to thousands of districts all
purchase devices. competing for the same
“But a device without technology, Brewster
connectivity is like a said he’s run into anoth-

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 Clip
Aug 2020 Page resized
05 0001 45%

Eastern Times Register

Epic Charter Schools Releases Enrollment Numbers

Epic Public Charter
Schools released county-
by-county enrollment data
ton July 28 on the heels of
last week’s announcement
that the virtual charter
school is now the largest
public school district in the
state.
The virtual public char-
ter school has students in
all 77 counties in Okla-
Virtual Public School Hits 40,631 Students in 77 Counties
homa. Current total en-
rollment for the upcoming
school year is 40,631 stu-
dents, and hundreds more
are enrolling each day, ac-
cording to a press release.
In Sequoyah County,
452 students have already
enrolled.
“The shift to distance
learning happened slowly
and then all at once,” EPIC
Assistant Superinten-
dent Shelly Hickman said.
“EPIC has had 10 years to
sharpen best practices for
virtual learning, which in-
clude giving our parents a
lot of choices and support-
ing our faculty through
competitive compensation
and low class sizes. We’re
ready to meet the challeng-
es of the upcoming school
year and do our part to help
our state.”
Hickman said the
school’s internal data shows
about 60 percent of new
enrollments are due to the
pandemic, while 40 percent
of new enrollees have in-
dicated their enrollment is
unrelated to COVID-19.
“Whatever their reasons
for coming to us are, we’re
ready,” Hickman said. “We
serve kids and families in
Oklahoma City and Tulsa,
but we also serve kids from
places like Guymon and
Atoka. We understand the
uncertainty of the times,
and we hope to be a bridge
for the families who have
chosen to start the school
year with us.”
EPIC begins its school
year, as it does every year,
the day after Labor Day,
September 8.
EPIC’s school model
provides free choice of on-
line curriculum, technol-
ogy (laptops, tablets, etc.)
and wi-fi service for stu-
dents who need it, easing
the technology burden for
families that opt for dis-
tance, blended learning.

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 Vian Tenkiller News

the years.
art-
405-
the Epic Charter Schools
Aug the
05 mp- Releases Enrollment Numbers
2020
ww.
cu- Epic Public Charter of the upcoming school
Page ol_ Schools released county- year and do our part to
0003 ate_ by-county enrollment help our state.”
Clip
resized data ton July 28 on the Hickman said the
67% heels of last week’s an- school’s internal data
nouncement that the shows about 60 percent
n virtual charter school of new enrollments are
is now the largest pub- due to the pandemic,
lic school district in the while 40 percent of new
state. enrollees have indicated
k to The virtual public their enrollment is unre-
charter school has stu- lated to COVID-19.
e is dents in all 77 counties “Whatever their rea-
take in Oklahoma. sons for coming to us
era- Current total enroll- are, we’re ready,” Hick-
hem ment for the upcoming man said. “We serve kids
school year is 40,631 and families in Oklaho-
ng a students, and hundreds ma City and Tulsa, but
d to more are enrolling each we also serve kids from
rton day, according to a press places like Guymon and
release. Atoka. We understand
un- In Sequoyah County, the uncertainty of the
and 452 students have al- times, and we hope to be
riv- ready enrolled. a bridge for the families
ilies “The shift to distance who have chosen to start
learning happened slow- the school year with us.”
rag- ly and then all at once,” EPIC begins its school
one EPIC Assistant Superin- year, as it does every
o do tendent Shelly Hickman year, the day after Labor
vent said. Day, September 8.
rus,” “EPIC has had 10 years EPIC’s school model
to sharpen best prac- provides free choice of
tices for virtual learning, online curriculum, tech-
which include giving our nology (laptops, tablets,
parents a lot of choices etc.) and wi-fi service
and supporting our fac- for students who need
ulty through competitive it, easing the technology
compensation and low burden for families that
class sizes. We’re ready opt for distance, blended
n to meet the challenges learning.

orig.pdf 1 Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.04-Aug-20 23:20:54