School board terminates Valley Tech charter

MAT-SU — Valley Tech High School has to return to the drawing board.

The Mat-Su School Board on Wednesday voted unanimously to terminate the district’s charter contract with Valley Tech High.

Board President Sarah Welton said the decision was partially based on an assessment of risk.

“It is regrettable that things didn’t fall into place, but I’m not willing to put the district at risk,” Welton said.

She said the district is at risk any time it enters into a contract with a charter school. The school district has to ensure the school will be able to provide the education it initially proposes.

“We are responsible for making sure that [students] get what they are supposed to get,” she said.

According to the Valley Tech High Web site, the school proposes an educational institution that would provide students with an alternative to a traditional learning environment. The school’s focus was to provide research-based education and promote hands-on learning. Students would receive an education through project-based units, basic studies, community immersion, technological literacy, advisory and individualization.

Welton said the termination of the contract came as a result of deficiencies with Valley Tech’s proposed plan, including:

• A lack of tangible plans for physical housing.

• No plan to direct curriculum and instruction.

• No plan for development of certified or classified staff.

• Minimal student enrollment.

• Lack of focus.

• Incomplete plans for student routines, elements of culture and climate of the school.

Lori Edwards, chair of the school’s Academic Policy Committee, wasn’t able to attend Wednesday’s school board meeting, but did comment earlier in the day.

Edwards said she met with Superintendent George Troxel prior to the meeting to discuss the district’s concerns with the status of Valley Tech and to clarify what the district is looking for.

“From my point [of view], it was the first real positive communication we’ve had with school district in a long time,” Edwards said.

The APC chair said Troxel provided some suggestions that will help get the school back on track. Although Edwards didn’t know what the outcome of the meeting would be, she said the school still has options whether the charter is terminated or not. The APC board can try to fix the deficiencies within 30 days or take a step back and try again.

“We gave it our best effort and we’ll see what happens,” Edwards said.

With the decision to terminate the charter, now it’s a matter of regrouping and starting over.

Ken Ray, former chair of the APC board, said the meeting didn’t lead to a desired outcome, but it’s an setback he and others plan to work through.

“The school district made their decision and I’ve always said I would support their decision,” Ray said.

Despite the termination of the charter, Ray said Valley Tech High still has a chance to happen for Valley students.

“If people want this program it’s going to take grassroots support,” he said.

For more information about Valley Tech High visit www.valleytechhigh.org.