Pasco board approves annual charter reviews after debate over Union Park’s finances and compliance

The Pasco County School Board approved its annual charter-school reviews and a separate capacity request for a high-performing charter after extended discussion about finances and compliance.

Board members debated the annual compliance reports (agenda item 10.5) and a related enrollment request (item 10.7) during the regular meeting. Concerns centered on several charters operating in a net deficit and one school’s low audit score for special-education compliance.

The discussion focused on Union Park Charter Academy, which charter-office staff reported had a net deficit of about $1.9 million for fiscal year 2023 and $1.5 million the prior year. Charter office staff member Youngman said the district’s review shows a handful of schools in deficit, naming Innovation Preparatory Academy, Learning Lodge Academy and Pepin Academy Pasco among them. Youngman told the board that the district’s monitoring follows the requirements in Florida statute 1002.345 (as cited during the meeting).

Board members pressed staff on whether the deficit numbers reflected operating cash available to meet near-term obligations. Superintendent Legg noted that a negative net position can reflect capital investments and depreciation: “When a charter school opens up, I mean they're building a, you know, a $13,000,000 building day 1. They're out of deficit no matter what because the building is gonna start to depreciate,” he said, adding that district reviewers should emphasize trend lines and fund-balance ratios rather than government-wide net-position figures.

Legg also pointed to Union Park’s fund balances in context: “In Union Park’s case, they have a 24% fund balance compared to the district’s 6% fund balance,” he said, arguing that fund-balance measures give a fuller picture of near-term capacity to pay obligations.

Board members raised separate compliance concerns. Union Park recorded a 60% score on an ESE (exceptional student education) audit, and several charters were marked for missing or late emergency-drill uploads and fingerprinting documentation. Board members asked that charter administrators be required to acknowledge monitoring line items and that district staff send formal notices to charters with unresolved deficiencies.

Charter-office staff described the district’s monitoring process and timelines: the food-service management contract with SLA Management is monitored in February with a spring follow-up, and drill reporting uses the district’s charters.link compliance system. Youngman said he had not received substantive negative reports from charter task-force meetings about food service and noted observed improvements from the prior year.

After debate, the board voted to approve the annual charter reviews (item 10.5) and the related capacity allocation (item 10.7). Board members said the district will continue monthly financial monitoring, send deficiency letters where warranted and develop a fuller review matrix that adds academic performance, long-term financial trends and whether charters are fulfilling their stated mission or educational niche.

The board directed staff to refine the charter-monitoring checklist and to return with a recommended review framework that includes academics, multi-year financial trends and demographic context for each charter.

The decisions were procedural approvals of the reports and allocation formulas; no charter openings or revocations were adopted in this meeting.

Ending: The board approved the items after the discussion and directed staff to follow up with targeted letters and an enhanced monitoring framework so trustees have trend-based information for future reviews.