Insight School of California Apollo Group Special education, recruitment, public school Internet
My son is enrolled in Insight School in California. Insight has online high schools in 8 states. They are public charter schools and receive public funds. Yet, they are owned by the Apollo Group, a huge corporation, which also owns Phoenix University and 3 other adult education private colleges. Insight is chartered in California for two locations. The first is in Southern California, and it is called Los Angeles Online High School, even though they advertise as Insight School of Los Angeles. They are chartered in Southern California by a small school district, and yet they are authorized in 5 very large counties, including San Bernardino, Orange and LA. In No. CA, they are chartered by a different small district, but for 7 huge counties, including Sonoma and Sacramento.
The only special education services they provide are through a company called Valencia Tutors in Southern CA. How do they intend to provide special education to students in Northern California? The districts that charter them have agreements that Insight will provide special education services. My child has had no services or assessments since he started with Insight. I believe that Insight has no ability to provide special education and don't care. Although they have 2 supposedly separate schools, with 2 separate non-profit corporations, the 2 schools have the same principal, teachers and students from Southern and Northern CA attend the same classes.
I am hoping to file a class action lawsuit on behalf of special education students who were enrolled or applied in Insight Schools. I am seeking input from people in other states.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Hari
California,United States of America
Do not consider all charters are equal
#3General Comment
Mon, January 30, 2012
The above user is angry at this ripoff report since it is against a charter school. Even though user has not claimed that his/her daughter is attending the same charter, his/her rant is baseless. This user just supports all charters, even the ones like insight which has a mediocre record. My son also goes to a wonderful charter run by a non-profit where teachers are responsive but he has also gone to public schools which were excellent.
The charter in question, Insight schools of California has a API score of 670. They have a 2* rating by parents in the greatschools. Compare that to solid 5* and 820 API score of my son's charter chool. Compare that to public schools: most public schools in the area serviced by Insight has an API score of 750+. In short, this school performs worse than most public schools in this area. My point is that there are many for-profit organizations that set up the charter schools just for stealing tax payer dollars. I am not accusing Insight to be stealing taxpayer money but it is unwise to think that all charter schools are a success.
I am also offended by your rant on special education / english learners. Special education kids are there because of a disability (or most cases a gift we consider as curse) and as a community it is our responsibility to help them integrate into the community. Some one else may think that a math challenged girl like your daughter is using too much of resources and they may not like spending extra tax dollars on your daughter.
Robo
United States of AmericaWhat is wrong with you.
#3General Comment
Fri, August 26, 2011
So you've filed a report about this school when you don't have any association with them? You admit you don't have a special needs student that may or may not have gotten service? Do you think this is ok? You want to be involved in a class action lawsuit where there could not have been harm to you or your student? You understand what you've written makes no sense and that this site should delete your comment right? It wouldn't surprise me if you were a public school teacher who's upset that charter schools are changing the education paradigm. It couldn't happen soon enough. If our public schools didn't have to waster so much money catering to 'special needs' and 'english as a second language' programs our kids might actually get an education worthy of the amount of money we pump into the grossly inefficient system we currently have. My daughter was enrolled at a charter school last year and I couldn't believe how responsive they were compared to the public school she was in prior. Instead of the response I got from a public school teacher when she was having trouble in geometry, which was, "It's not my problem if she doesn't understand, hire a tutor." By the way you could barely understand his broken engrish (no that's not a typo). The charter school teacher texted and called her at her cell phone and actually taught her to understand and complete the problems. Wow, who'd have thunk it.