Corruption Galore! The Wild West Of Ed $180 Million Absconded By Charter Tony Thurmond MIA

Corruption Galore! Wild West Of Education In CA $180 Million Absconded By Charter Tony Thurmond & CTC MIA
https://www.abc10.com/article/news/investigations/highlands-entire-board-resigns-state-requests-180-million-back/103-6f8a33b8-94c8-489f-819f-cd438bd60af7

SACRAMENTO AREA CHARTER SCHOOL LOSES ITS ENTIRE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AFTER IMPROPERLY RECEIVING $180 MILLION IN STATE FUNDS
TUE, 07/29/2025
https://www.calschoolnews.org/2025/07/sacramento-area-charter-school-loses-its-entire-board-directors.html
An adult charter school in the Sacramento area has lost its entire board of directors after a June 24 audit found the school had improperly received more than $180 million in state funds.
For years, there have been rumblings about possible malfeasance at Highlands Community Charter and Technical Schools (Highlands) in the Twin Rivers Unified School District (TRUSD). Highlands operates two charter schools serving adults without high school diplomas—Highlands Community Charter School (HCCS) and California Innovative Career Academy (CICA).
According to the audit, Highlands received $177 million in funding which it was not eligible for during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 fiscal years. The review found that Highlands also misreported attendance figures, which allowed it to take in millions more in overpayments.
On July 7, the board of directors voted to remove member Sonja Cameron. All remaining members — Ernie Daniels, Matt Powers, Rick Jones, Sharon Rocco, Mike Reid, and Mary DeChance — then resigned at the request of Highlands' new executive director Jonathan Raymond.
“This moment is about accountability at every level,” Raymond said in a statement. “I asked for these resignations because I believe Highland's future depends on a clean break from past governance failures.”
The California Department of Education (CDE) has asked that Highlands return all of the funds that it improperly received.

Audit fallout: Highlands entire board resigns, state requests $180 million back

Entire Highlands Charter board resigns after audit finds legal violations, nepotism, and misuse of funds. State demands $180M in repayment.
https://www.abc10.com/article/news/investigations/highlands-entire-board-resigns-state-requests-180-million-back/103-6f8a33b8-94c8-489f-819f-cd438bd60af7

Author: Andie Judson
Published: 6:21 PM PDT July 8, 2025
Updated: 11:19 AM PDT July 10, 2025

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The entire board of directors overseeing Highlands Community Charter and Technical Schools (HCCTS) announced their resignations Monday, just weeks after an audit by the California State Auditor released its findings on the charter school.
The 171-page audit, released on June 24 and prompted by ABC10's two-year investigation "The Wild West of Education," found the school improperly received more than $180 million in public education funding as well as intentionally misreported attendance, violated the law with gifts of public funds and conflicts of interest, used public funds for luxury travel, avoided transparency, and that its board - entrusted to oversee policies, procedures, and the spending of public funds - failed to provide proper oversight at multiple levels.

During a special board meeting Monday, trustees first voted to remove board member Sonja Cameron. The motion was made in relation to the HCCTS' board policy regarding nepotism.
According to the state audit, Cameron's daughter "benefited from nepotism" when she was hired as Highlands' Director of Attendance and Admissions - a leadership position with a $145,860 salary - despite lacking minimum qualifications, including a bachelor's degree. Auditors said during board meetings to approve her daughter's position Cameron "did not recuse herself from the approval decision and, in fact, made the motion to approve the consent item."
The motion to remove Cameron passed with five board members voting yes, and two no - one of which was Cameron herself.

"Well obviously this is not what I was hoping for this meeting," Cameron said, adding it's time to "right the ship."
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Immediately after that vote, the six remaining board members - Ernie Daniels, Matt Powers, Rick Jones, Sharon Rocco, Mike Reid, and Mary Dechance - one-by-one announced their own resignations and departures. At least three members will remain until replacements are appointed to ensure the school remains legally operational.
"I will depart as soon as I know you have a suitable person or persons coming in here and run the helm," said Reid, the recently-appointed President of Highlands' Board, replacing Daniels.
HCCTS recently appointed former Sacramento City Unified Superintendent Jonathan Raymond as executive director. With the board stepping down, Raymond will be entrusted to find new board leadership.

"This moment is about accountability at every level," Raymond said in a statement. "I asked for these resignations because I believe Highland's future depends on a clean break from past governance failures. Our community deserves a school governed with integrity, guided by transparency, and built to serve those who've historically been left behind. These changes allow us to reset and rebuild from a stronger foundation."
STATE REQUESTS OVER $180 MILLION REPAYMENT FROM HIGHLANDS

Meanwhile, the California Department of Education has requested Highlands repay over $180 million that the audit says the school - including its in-person and online division - "inappropriately" received.

Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, the chair of the state's Assembly Education Committee and one of four lawmakers who requested the audit, called the development a validation of whistleblower's concerns.
"Those were taxpayer dollars that were wrongfully received by Highlands' operators," said Muratsuchi. "So it's only right they have to pay that money back."
In a statement to ABC10, the California Department of Education said their agency "takes the appropriate use of education funds very seriously and has previously expressed concern over the lack of measurable student outcomes at Highlands Charter schools. We will continue to be supportive of increased, effective oversight."
Raymond provided ABC10 with the following statement in response to CDE's request:
"We're still reviewing the letter and Highlands' legal options, including appeal. While we acknowledge gaps in attendance reporting and have instituted sweeping reforms, it's simply false to suggest no instruction took place for two years - thousands of students showed up, learned and graduated. Let's be clear: any suggestion that Highlands could give back $180 million is political theater and would force the school to close. Lawmakers, regulators and CDE cannot let that happen - not to tens of thousands of immigrants, refugees, and second-chance students who count on Highlands as a lifeline."