Exclusive: MSDE Grants to Charter School. Where Did the $1.2 Million Go? Anyone Got a Clue?

Don't expect the Montgomery County Board of Education to discuss this.  It's only taxpayer dollars. No one in Montgomery County cares about how tax dollars are allocated and spent. 

Former MCPS Elem School today after Charter School Shut Down

The letters shown below document that the failed MCPS Charter School (Crossway) had been given Grants from the Maryland State Department of Education and from the federal government totaling $1.2 million dollars. 
Where did that money go?
The MCPS Charter School barely lasted one year. 

The public school building that the Charter School was using has had a fabulous renovation since the Charter School closed. Was that renovation paid for with these state and federal funds?

Don't count on the Montgomery County Inspector General or the Montgomery County Council or the Montgomery County Executive to investigate and report on what happened to these state and federal grants. It's only money. They can get more.

Former MCPS School Building in Kensington Being VACATED. Charter School Failed. Crossway Program Failed. School Can Now Be Used for Public School Again.

Former MCPS Pleasant View Elementary School today.

Petition:   https://www.change.org/p/department-of-housing-and-community-affairs-office-of-the-general-inspector-remove-ceo-kathleen-guinan-and-administration-from-crossway-community

FACTS:
HOC and DHCA has an started an open investigation against Crossway Community May 2014 from all the complaints against this Non Profit Organization by the women and teachers.
Housing Opportunities Commission of Montgomery County is no longer partners with Crossway Communities as of June 1, 2015 

[That means the former Pleasant View Elementary School building will be VACANT and available for re-use as a PUBLIC school. Contact Ike Leggett today and tell him to give this building back to PUBLIC school students!]

Megan Rome CEO of District Desserts, partnership with CEO Kathleen Guinan as of June 19, 2015, stopped taking customer orders because she was not going to be part of any more lies and refused to continue to operate in a commercial kitchen that was not inspected; furthermore this is the same kitchen was built for the women and was to be used for educational classes yet in reality it was used to conduct business to make cookies and treats. More information on Megan Rome.. This bakery had false ads on community involvement in regards of employing women that live in crossway community on her website.... http://districtdesserts.com
ALL current living women and children are leaving from Crossway Community, last day of stay will be 7/31/2015

Please check out the Facebook page "The Truth about Crossway Community"
https://www.facebook.com/groups/299280646948133/
And a Blog of many mothers and families stories about Crossway Community
http://raiseyourvoicewomenofcrosswaycommunity.weebly.com/about.html

Breaking: Inspector General Investigation into MCPS Charter School Operator

In October, 2014, an individual contacted the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) to lodge numerous allegations regarding the school and residency programs at Crossway Community, Inc. (Crossway). This individual expressed concern about alleged abuse of children in the day care program and that program participants who complained were retaliated against and/or kicked out of the school or residency programs.
Several other program participants subsequently expressed similar concerns to our office.

...

Inquiry and Outcome:
Mr. Nelson advised us that DHCA had been made aware of assertions that Crossway residents were threatened with the loss of their project-based Housing Choice Voucher Program subsidy if they did not complete the Crossway Family Learning Academy (FLA) program and enroll eligible children in the Crossway Community Montessori School childcare facility. HOC had previously advised the OIG that if true, this could be a violation of HUD rules.

...

Full memorandum at this link: 

 http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/OIG/Resources/Files/PDF/IGActivity/FY2015/mcdhca_mchoc_crossway_community_pim15002_12_dec_2014.pdf

Over 20 Unused Public School Sites controlled by Montgomery County Government

Here is a partial list of closed MCPS schools.  

There are over 20 properties on this list, each representing a former MCPS school that was closed when enrollment declined. These former MCPS schools are currently under the control of Montgomery County government.  We know that at least 2 of these school buildings will have empty classrooms this year.

Now that enrollment has increased have any of these sites been evaluated for re-opening?  Public school construction funds already paid to build these public school buildings, but they aren't benefiting public school students in need of classroom space today. 

Where is the long range planning for public school classrooms? That process was gutted in 2005. Why do any long range planning? 


Read what Montgomery County has to say about closed school sites at this link. (June 2017 Update:  Montgomery County has taken down this link since this blog post was written. The link now goes to an archived screen shot of the County's website page on unused school sites and buildings.)

Closed Schools Peary High School 13300 Arctic Avenue Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy Lease Aspen Hill Elementary School 4915 Aspen Hill Road Sheppard Pratt Health Systems, Inc. Lease Alta Vista Elementary School 5615 Beech Avenue Beth Country Day School Lease Brookmont Elementary School 4800 Sangamore Road Washington Waldorf School Lease English Manor Elementary School 4511 Bestor Avenue The Children's Learning Center Lease Lower Parkside Elementary School 9504 Burnett Avenue Acorn Hill School, Inc. Lease Forest Grove Elementary School 9805 Dameron Drive Holy Cross Hospital Lease Dennis Avenue Health Center 2000 Dennis Avenue Spanish Catholic Center, Inc. Lease Holiday Park Senior Center 3950 Ferrara Drive Mental Health Association Lease 1st Amendment Holiday Park Senior Center 3950 Ferrara Drive Interages Lease Lone Oak Center 1010 Grandin Avenue Centers For The Handicapped Inc Lease 1st Amendment Fernwood Elementary School 6801 Greentree Road The Woods Academy Lease Gude Drive Shelter 600 E Gude Drive Mobile Medical Care, Inc. Lease Randolph Junior High School 11710 Hunters Lane Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School Lease Montgomery Hills Junior High School 2010 Linden Lane Yeshiva of Greater Washington, Inc. Lease Congressional Elementary School 300 Lorraine Drive The Hebrew Home of Greater Washington, Inc. Lease Hillandale Elementary School 10501 New Hampshire Avenue Centers For The Handicapped Inc Lease Colesville Elementary School 14015 New Hampshire Avenue Maryland Child Services Lease 1st Amendment Colesville Elementary School 14015 New Hampshire Avenue Casa de Montessori Lease Colesville Elementary School 14015 New Hampshire Avenue Kappa Alpha Psi Lease Colesville Elementary School 14015 New Hampshire Avenue Colesville Council of Community Congregations, Inc. Lease 1st Amendment Colesville Elementary School 14015 New Hampshire Avenue Montgomery Volunteer Dental Clinic, Inc. Lease 1st Amendment Colesville Elementary School 14015 New Hampshire Avenue Raising Hispanic Academic Achievement, Inc. Lease Colesville Elementary School 14015 New Hampshire Avenue Bethah Associates Lease Clara Barton Community Center 7425 MacArthur Boulevard Clara Barton Day Care Inc. License 1st Amendment 2nd Amendment Arylawn Elementary School 5650 Oakmont Avenue YMCA Lease 1st Amendment 2nd Amendment Georgetown Hills Elementary School 11614 Seven Locks Road The Ivymount School Lease 1st Amendment MacDonald Knolls Elementary School 10611 Tenbrook Drive Centers For The Handicapped Inc Lease 1st Amendment Broome School 751 Twinbrook Parkway Threshold Services, Inc. Lease Pleasant View Elementary School 3015 Kensington Blvd, Kensington Crossway Community Master Lease with HOC Program Management Agreement Amendment to Program Management Agreement