Parents and teachers contest abrupt closure of Constellation Charter School; board cites safety concerns

The Alachua County School Board’s decision on May 6 to close Constellation Charter School drew sharp public criticism from parents, teachers and the Waldo community, who called the closure abrupt and disruptive to students’ education.

Board attorney and district staff told the board the decision followed a series of safety concerns that the district raised with the charter school and, ultimately, with Florida Department of Education (FDOE) safety officials. Board counsel said state officials had expressed “serious concern” about Constellation’s compliance with state safety law and that recent staff resignations at the charter left the school out of compliance with required personnel.

Why it matters: The closure affects about 89 students, according to public commenters, and several teachers who told the board they expect to lose pay or employment because the charter’s shutdown removes the positions that funded their salaries. Parents said the sudden notice — delivered with little time to make alternate arrangements — left students emotionally distressed and families scrambling for placements.

What the district said Board counsel Mr. Delaney told the board the district’s safety team had been in regular contact with Constellation leadership for months and that state officials convened district staff for a meeting on April 25 to discuss unresolved safety compliance issues. Delaney said the school board has a statutory duty to act swiftly if there is a credible threat to student safety.

What parents and staff said Dozens of parents and staff spoke during public comment. Teachers described collecting students’ materials in trash bags after being told they had one hour to clear classrooms. A music teacher said she and colleagues had been told they would not receive a paycheck the next pay period because school payroll was funded by the local 1‑mill tax that supports arts positions.

Waldo community leaders described the closure as another blow to a small town that had recently regained a local school. The city manager of Waldo told the board the closure felt “devastating” and compared it to the 2015 closure of a different local school that uprooted families.

Questions about process and notice Several public speakers and parent leaders said the emergency board meeting was publicized in ways that did not reach families and that neither the school’s board nor most parents were notified before the vote; speakers said they received calls and texts only after the closure was announced. Speakers disputed the board’s characterization that the closure was solely about immediate safety concerns, saying some critical information came from a small group of disgruntled staff.

Board’s posture and next steps Board counsel and district staff said they would provide more detail about the factual basis for the safety concerns to the extent allowed by law, and the board said it would follow state reporting and safety procedures. Parents asked the board to re‑open dialogue with the Constellation board and reconsider the closure while a fuller, on‑site investigation occurs.

Ending The closure set off appeals from families and local officials. Several speakers asked the school board to reopen communications with Constellation’s governing board and to provide clarity about pay and continuity of education for the affected students.