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Kern County board rescinds notice of violation for Central Academy of Arts and Technology after county staff say financial concerns were remedied
Summary
After months of review and public comment, the Kern County Board of Education voted to rescind a notice of violation issued to Central Academy of Arts and Technology after county staff said the charter corrected cash‑flow, ending fund balance and enrollment assumptions.
The Kern County Board of Education voted to rescind a notice of violation issued to Central Academy of Arts and Technology (CAAT), after county superintendent staff reported the charter had addressed key fiscal concerns.
Kern County Superintendent of Schools staff presented an analysis concluding CAAT had “remedied each of our primary fiscal concerns,” citing revised cash‑flow projections, lender commitments and adjusted average daily attendance (ADA) forecasts. The board then moved and approved rescission of the notice by voice vote.
The county’s review, presented by Jonathan Medina of Kern County Superintendent of Schools staff, said the charter’s revised cash‑flow no longer relies on a single $2,000,000 infusion that had previously pushed projections into positive territory. Medina said the charter provided a revised plan with smaller infusions spread through the year and “positive cash flow each and every month.” He added that CAAT’s lender and back‑office provider had confirmed aligned financials and ongoing support.
On ending fund balance, Medina said CAAT’s accounting method initially showed a negative balance but that the lender had affirmed a commitment to fund the charter during its start‑up period and the school expects to repay the loan within three years. On enrollment, Medina described revised ADA projections as the remaining risk but said CAAT provided lists of enrolled students and updated projections: the charter’s projection was now 428 ADA (from 186 reported earlier) and a second‑year projection of about 470 ADA.
Parents and community speakers urged the board to rescind the notice. Mary Johnson, a CAAT parent, told the board, “CAT has changed my and my family's lives for the better,” and described improvements her children made after enrolling. Peter Wangel, a retired teacher, urged the board to keep an open mind about alternative models of instruction. Cassidy Shepherd, a labor relations representative with the California School Employees Association, opposed rescinding the notice, saying CAAT had “ignored the county's countless attempts to bring CAT in compliance with the law and the MOU” and urging the board to take the matter “very seriously.”
Representatives of the charter described corrective steps taken since the violation letter. CAAT's leadership said the school had implemented a multi‑year funding plan, revised multi‑year projections, governance improvements (including corrected agendas and minutes), and had increased registration for the coming year. CAAT reported 533 students registered for next year and said the school and its board were negotiating an additional lease to expand facilities.
The board approved rescission by voice vote after a motion and second; the transcript records a voice vote and the chair announcing the item carried. The board did not record an individual roll‑call vote in the meeting transcript.
Board members and county staff said they will continue to monitor CAAT’s finances and enrollment closely, noting that enrollment and attendance remain the most significant risk to the charter’s long‑term stability.
The board’s action restores CAAT to regular oversight without the formal notice in effect; county staff said they will maintain oversight and receive periodic updates from the charter.
