Representational image of the financial scrutiny surrounding Elite Academic Academy.
Meghan Freeman has resigned as CEO of Elite Academic Academy following an investigation into the organization’s financial practices. Concerns have been raised over compensation structures and accountability, especially regarding significant salaries amidst operational deficits. Ashlea Kirkland-Haynes will succeed Freeman as CEO. Investigative reports suggest a need for reforms within California’s charter school oversight system, highlighting issues of financial transparency and ethical concerns within similar networks.
San Diego – Meghan Freeman, the former Chief Executive Officer of Elite Academic Academy charter schools, has officially resigned amid increasing scrutiny over the organization’s financial practices and management. Freeman’s resignation, which took place last month, followed shortly after a detailed investigation into the network’s operational and financial issues was published. The board of Elite has maintained that her departure was unrelated to the investigation, citing it as a planned career shift.
Elite Academic Academy is a small network of publicly funded, privately operated schools that provide hybrid educational options and online schooling for around 1,800 students. These services particularly cater to families through homeschooling facilitated by parents or outside vendors. Recent reports have raised ethical concerns regarding the financial benefits received by Freeman and the founder of Elite, Brent Woodard, particularly in light of their substantial salaries and associated benefits.
The investigation uncovered details about the compensation structures at Elite, which suggest a misalignment between financial practices and the educational goals of the institution. For example, in its first year operating in 2018-2019, Woodard was compensated $335,700 with an additional $67,400 in benefits, despite the school operating at a deficit with only 389 students enrolled. By 2023, Freeman’s compensation was noted at $328,000, coupled with $52,800 in benefits.
Brent Woodard founded Elite in 2018 after previously leading a Los Angeles-area school district, which had faced scrutiny over a revenue-generating strategy involving charter schools that prompted an audit. Woodard has continued to profit from his involvement with Elite, earning over half a million dollars from a consultancy firm he established, Prime Educational Solutions, from 2021 to 2023. This entity manages various operations for Elite while operating outside state transparency requirements, raising further questions about accountability and usage of public school financing.
Both Freeman and Woodard reside in Whitefish, Montana, where they reportedly co-own a luxurious $3.9 million home situated on nine acres, which Freeman purchased in 2019. Throughout her tenure, Freeman continuously defended Elite against the allegations brought forth in the investigation, asserting that the compensation and strategies employed by the organization were intended to enhance operational efficiency.
With Freeman’s resignation, Ashlea Kirkland-Haynes is appointed to succeed her as CEO, set to begin her role on July 1, 2023, with an annual salary of $250,000 plus benefits. Investigations into Elite reveal potential conflicts of interest in its financial dealings, especially with many of its administrators living outside California, which further complicates regulatory oversight.
Investigative reports have also generated concerns about Prime Educational Solutions, which holds significant influence over Elite’s operations and the allocation of public funds. While Elite has been recognized for its innovative educational approaches, criticism surrounding its administrative compensation and operational practices has intensified.
The scrutiny surrounding Elite Academic Academy reflects a larger issue within the charter school oversight system in California, prompting calls for comprehensive reforms and improved auditing processes. The investigation into Elite is viewed as part of an emerging trend focused on identifying and correcting similar issues present across various charter school networks within the state.
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