Texas Education Agency investigators say Third Future Schools and its association have cleared HISD Superintendent Mike Miles of any wrongdoing related to the charter network’s financial activities.
Spectrum News reported earlier this year that TFS-Texas was siphoning money from charter schools in Texas and using it to support Third Future School in Colorado, where it is headquartered. Miles was co-founder and CEO of TFS, but left that position to take a state-appointed position overseeing HISD.
According to TEA’s 29-page document, “Spectrum New,” the Texas Observer and other news outlets have issued a false set of charter regulations to TFS Texas, which has charter school partnerships with Midland, Ector County and Austin ISDs. It is said that he made the mistake of applying the
TFS-Texas operates “partnerships” with school districts, which are designated as “Subchapter C charter schools,” the TEA said. Therefore, the partner school district reviews the details and oversees the contract that is entered into. TEA reviews those contracts but has no direct authority over them. This differs from the provisions of Subchapter D regarding charter schools authorized by the TEA.
“Subchapter C charter schools receive funding from school districts through partnership agreements and do not receive funding directly from the state,” the TEA wrote.
As a result, the TEA did not investigate TFS itself, but rather sent notices of investigation to Texas school districts involved in contracts with TFS.
After calls for him to resign over the Spectrum scandal, Miles released a statement in May denying any wrongdoing and stating that TFS (like most charter network organizations) was unable to provide administrative services such as accounting services. He pointed out that some of the costs have been delegated to a central office, and the costs will then be reimbursed. the work. That’s why the check was sent to Colorado.
“We appreciate the thorough investigation conducted by TEA and the confirmation that our operations are fully compliant with Texas School Law,” TFS said in a statement.
