Flores sees herself as a representative of Academica, according to emails obtained by WLRN through a public records request. His official title is Academicas director of community relations, and hes on loan from the charter-school company to lead the foundation, he said.

[11], Academica came under controversy as its owners also own significant real estate assets, which house the charter schools that are exempt from property tax.

. We cannot turn around this school.

In 2010, the owners of Academica own more than 20 companies doing business with Academica schools. Rick Scott was weighing whether to sign the bill.

Hamilton C. and Doris Forman Downtown Campus.

Flores $150,000 salary makes her the ACE Foundations highest-paid employee, according to federal tax forms. But I heard that there were 15 arrests. Daniel Diaz doesnt take a salary for his work at the ACE Foundation.

warranties, either express or implied, concerning the information contained on or linked from

He said he was asked to get involved because of his experience leading a turnaround effort at Miami Central Senior High School, a traditional public school that was at risk of closure in 2009 after five years of Fs. The Academica umbrella schools are from networks including Somerset Academy, Doral Academy, Pinecrest Academy and Mater Academy.

His architectural firm had financial ties to Academica and his brother-in-law was Fernando Zulueta. [3][12], In 2007, Miami-Dade school district auditors asked the Miami-Dade state attorneys office to investigate a multi-million construction contract to build an Academica charter school given to a contractor which served on the same school's board.

A conflict of interest ethics complaint was filed against him in 2011 for voting on a proposal that would give benefits to some charter schools, and in the 2016 legislative session he fast-tracked a bill to force Florida public school districts to share their construction tax money with charters. Flores left her position as the colleges president around that time to work instead for the ACE Foundation, which raises money for charter schools, mostly those run by Academica.

www.Cashinginonkids.org.

So the Democrats argued they hadnt been offered the opportunity to prepare the specific financial questions they had hoped to ask.

Then a committee chairman in the state House of Representatives, Diaz was instrumental in making the districts transition to charter schools possible. If one more senator had voted no, it would have failed on a tie. Rodriguez said all of his work for Somerset has been pro bono and he has received no compensation from the charter school network except for reimbursement for travel expenses.

The emails showed that, in June 2017, Rodriguez alerted the departments transition team that he and the president of Somerset Academy would be traveling to the Canary Islands, where they were opening a new Somerset school, but would be available by phone and email. Manny Diaz is receiving money from the charters. Current Employee - Private School Teacher, I have been working at Charter Schools USA full-time, None, great experience and would recommend. Jefferson County awarded it to them, he said. In particular, Senate education committee chair Manny Diaz, Jr., a Hialeah Republican, helped secure legislation and funding in 2017 that aided Somersets efforts in Jefferson County. Members, I would ask that we were trying to have a conversation here on the financials..

Can you elaborate on what happened? begun Rep. Larry Lee, a Democrat from Port St. Lucie.

Some Academica client schools sent electronic alerts to parents offering them volunteer hours if they wrote letters to Scott asking him to sign the bill, the Miami Herald reported at the time. I don't like rumors, so I always like to go to the source. Diaz interrupted, stopping the Somerset leaders from answering Lees questions. Manny's heart is in the right place.

The visitor uses the information provided herein at his/her own risk. The tiny school district in rural North Floridas Jefferson County had suffered a decade-long academic and financial decline at the hands of local elected officials. He also chaired and participated in several legislative committee meetings in 2017 examining the charter school takeover, during which he shielded Somerset leaders from tough questions. Academica employees rated their Overall Rating, Academica employees rated their Career Opportunities, Academica employees rated their Work-life balance, Academica employees rated their Senior Management, Academica employees rated their Culture & Values, Academica employees rated their CEO Approval, Academica employees rated their % Recommend to a friend, Academica employees rated their Positive Business Outlook.

In the more moderate chamber, House Bill 7069 passed 20-to-18. He sponsored the original draft of the bill, introduced the final version that included the schools of hope program, and then he answered questions about it and defended it during debate on the House floor.

Academica was founded on the principle that each charter school is a unique educational environment governed by an independent Board of Directors that best knows the right path for its students. While it appeared as if the move to the ACE Foundation put distance between Flores and Academica, in fact, the two entities are inextricably linked, according to interviews and a WLRN review of tax, corporate and property records.

[8][9][circular reference] The future of the public education system in Florida is in grave danger, Brigham said.

[3], Between 2013 and 2014, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the US Department of Education has conducted an audit of the relationship between charter schools and ESP's, including Academica's schools in Florida, identifying related party transactions between the for-profit Academica and a real estate company that leased both buildings and security services to the schools. Glassdoor has millions of jobs plus salary information, company reviews, and interview questions from people on the inside making it easy to find a job thats right for you.

He is the guy who solves the problems, pushes the agenda.. In addition to being an influential legislator, Diaz works as chief operating officer of Doral College, which is affiliated with the for-profit charter school service provider Academica.

Florida has a part-time Legislature where members have other jobs, and its not unusual for legislators to make policy that relates to their outside work. Still, throughout his time in the Legislature, Diaz has faced scrutiny for his ambitious leadership on behalf of charter schools.

Daniel Diaz explains all of the connections between the ACE Foundation and Academica as simply a reflection of the fact that Academica is the charitys main sponsor.

The district needed the money about $552,000 to pay sick and vacation time it owed to teachers and staff who were being fired because Somerset, the charter school company, decided not to keep them.

He changed his vote only minutes later, but it was too late to affect the final tally.

He also worked extensively behind the scenes to whip votes in the House, as shown in text messages he and his staff sent while it was under consideration.

Lead point person on charter school takeover is also top lawmakers boss. She responded to a staff member that she already planned to go. Lawmakers arent allowed to put state money in their own pockets or directly aid their employers. In the Public Interest and the American Federation of Teachers make no One of the lawmakers who got the bill over the finish line: Miami Republican Sen. Anitere Flores.

So the Legislature helped bankroll a takeover by a charter school operator based nearly 500 miles away in South Florida. At a June 2017 event when Scott signed the bill into law, Corcoran named Diaz as one of two lawmakers who "helped shepherd it through the legislative process.

Committee members had heard about the fight and wanted to find out more.

Daniel Diaz said he hired Flores because she has been passionate about children and committed to educational causes throughout her career. Diaz also spent much of his career as a traditional public school teacher and administrator in Miami. Something went wrong.

Other prevalent charter school chains in South Florida are also under the Academica umbrella, as leaders have described it.

"I am participating as part of the ACE Foundation and Academica schools also :), Flores wrote.

And those things cost more.

He recruited Ruth Jacoby, who had over twenty years experience with Miami-Dade County Public Schools to be the first principal for Somerset Neighborhood School, a non-profit Charter school authorized by the Florida legislature in 1996. The Charter Schools of Excellence is serviced by Academica. provided herein. Thats correct.

The criticism that he is doing this for some reason other than the right reason, for children, is unfair to him, Rodriguez said.

For example, he said, the foundation helped some students visit New York City to attend an award ceremony where they were being honored. The two offices are owned by separate limited liability companies that are managed by the same person: Rosanne Wright, a former Academica officer and the current registered agent for more than a dozen LLCs established by Academica founding partner Ignacio Zulueta.

And Diazs boss the president of Doral College has led the transition to charter schools in Jefferson as a consultant for Somerset. Public Interest and the American Federation of Teachers, their officers, agents, or employees specifically I don't see what a conflict would be there, Diaz said. Doral College was created in 2010 to offer advanced courses at charter schools, including Somerset Academy schools.

South Florida legislators who earn six-figure salaries in the charter school industry played a key role in the unprecedented private takeover of a long-struggling public school district, flaunting apparent conflicts of interest.

She did not reply to an emailed list of questions or a text message asking for a response. Months before Jefferson Countys new charter schools opened their doors, legislators seized on the school district of fewer than 800 students as a poster child for public school failure ripe for private intervention. Rodriguez was a part of the state Department of Educations transition team that planned the charter school takeover in Jefferson County.

Corcoran said two Miami-Dade Republicans then-Reps. Manny Diaz, Jr., and Michael Bileca had been recruiting charter networks to open more schools in Florida and had assured them more money was on the way through the schools of hope program, although the legislation had not yet been approved. Somerset alone pays Doral College more than $100,000 a year in public money for delivering college-level courses at the networks schools, including in Jefferson County.

And he said he was not aware while negotiating the bill that Somerset Jefferson would ultimately receive millions of dollars because of it. Southern Strategy Group, a lobbying firm that wields considerable power in Tallahassee, is another sponsor.

Flores was the founding president of the Academica-affiliated Doral College and presided over the school until 2015. As an education service provider (ESP), it services over 200 public charter schools in the United States.

Diaz, who is now a state senator and chair of the upper chambers education committee, argued there was nothing wrong with him sponsoring and voting for the provisions of law that helped Somerset. Rodriguez acted as a liaison between Somerset and the school district, and he asked the state to intervene at times when he believed the district was treating the charter schools unfairly. Her title is director of development.

The law that helped bankroll the states first all-charter school district sailed through the conservative Florida House of Representatives. Please make this a priority, Rodriguez wrote. The ACE Foundation doesnt benefit at all from Flores position as a legislator, he said. When Somerset Jefferson leaders were frustrated about their interactions with the countys elected superintendent, Rodriguez volunteered to seek the Department of Educations help. Public Charter School Alliance of South CarolinaPhysical Address: 990 Morrison Drive, Charleston, SC 29403Mailing Address: P.O.

Rick Scott might veto it. WLRN questioned whether more records were owed or if the estimate had been inflated. Thanks for subscribing!

Please check your email for further instructions.

[3] Moreover, it was claimed that the school boards, which approve the real estate contracts, are financially connected to Zulueta.

To anybody looking at the situation, it's a conflict of interest., Learn more about the extra state funding awarded to Somerset.

Academica was the first company in the state to seek SACS accreditation for the schools it serves, and all of the schools it serves are either fully accredited or in the process of obtaining accreditation. Students from all backgrounds and socioeconomic groups have access to a free, high-quality education from Kindergarten through 12th Grade.

Academica offers engaging digital learning opportunities domestically (AVE) and internationally (AIS). Academicas services include facilities, finance, staffing and human resource coordination, as well as bookkeeping, budgeting, regulatory compliance and financial forecasting. There aren't enough reviews matching this company to generate pros and cons. It is your prerogative, but theyre standing right here, sir, Newton replied, stressing the legislators should be allowed to ask anything they wanted.

By comparing employers on employee ratings, salaries, reviews, pros/cons, job openings and more, you'll feel one step ahead of the rest.

The groups research associate, Ben Wilcox, said theres a high bar for what constitutes a conflict of interest in Florida state government. That money never ended up getting to Jefferson County, though, because Scott vetoed the line item for that bill.

supports HTML5 video, A legislator who 'makes it rain' for Academica schools. He had also worked as a Academica lobbyist prior to his election. Millions of taxpayer dollars flow through the charter-school network, Somerset Academy, Inc., to its for-profit contractor Academica. Jefferson County: a failure factory, he said. One meeting in November 2017 took place just days after a major fight broke out on campus at Somerset Jefferson, leading to the arrests of 15 students. Still, he said, to the public, it does not look good, he said.

Academica serves the largest number of high-performing schools of any charter school management organization in Florida.

This charter school org was ready, FCSA, Member Schools and Marketplace partners play key role in the 2019 Florida Charter Schools Conference, Charter Principal, Florida A&M Hall of Famer Honored.

Rodriguez was a celebrated principal in Miami-Dade County Public Schools before leaving to work in charter schools.

It is now a C school.

Its hard to prove that lawmakers or their outside employers profited as a direct result of legislative action.

And he's the current Senate Education Chair, said Patricia Brigham, executive director of The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan advocacy group that promotes government transparency and has often opposed the Legislatures agenda to establish private alternatives to public education.

Floridas first all-charter school district in Jefferson County is a prime example of the fruits of the special relationship between Academica and the Legislature. All salaries and reviews are posted by employees working at Charter Schools USA vs. Academica.

Box 80444, Charleston, SC 294161-800-691-7133, 2022 HR Training for Charter School Professionals.

Two charter schools, BASIS Chandler in Chandler, AZ (#7), and Haas, Mater Academy, a network of high performing public charter schools in Florida, among the grant recipients April 10, 2020 WASHINGTON U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced today $65 million in new grant awards that will fund the creation and expansion of more than 100 high-quality public charter schools in underserved communities, RedefinED.org Ron Matus March 26, 2020 About a decade ago, Fernando Zulueta was making a presentation to school district officials in Florida about why his charter school support company, Academica, needed to expand into online learning.

I will return to Jefferson on Monday the 26th of June, and remain there the entire week, Rodriguez wrote.

With central headquarters in Miami, Florida, Academica has offices in major regions, working with communities and educational institutions to provide high-quality educational programs across the globe. By integrating technology with groundbreaking educational initiatives, Academica creates a top-notch educational experience for any child. During an interview in his office at the Capitol earlier this year, Diaz told WLRN he did not personally communicate with Somerset leaders about schools of hope the program that entices charter schools to open in neighborhoods where traditional public schools have failed. Jefferson was the only district that got singled out.

Thank you to the lawmakers who continue to put families and quality public school choice, April 26, 2001 U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in education rankings, just released their 2021 Best High Schools list. The Miami Herald reported it was an accident.

Their appearance was not on the published agenda, though.

This Charter School Organization Was Ready, Principal, Teachers Deliver Honor Roll Signs to Students, Punching Above Their Weight: Charter Schools are Disproportionately Represented in U.S. Newss Top 100 Best Public High Schools, US DOE Awards $65 Million to Create, Expand Public Charter Schools in Areas of Greatest Need, Switch, now, to online learning? He said the Somerset leaders could answer questions submitted in writing. The department explained, The actual cost incurred was much lower than originally estimated, hence the refund.

2020 academicanv.org | All Rights Reserved.

Diaz responded, It's my prerogative to ask people to speak during the public-comment portion of the committee meeting, whether theyre listed on the agenda or not. Located only 25 miles from the state capital but isolated from Floridas power centers, the district had been among the worst in Florida for about a decade.

The, Press Release National Alliance for Public Charter Schools Washington, D.C. April 21, 2020 Today, U.S. News & World Reports (U.S. News) 2020 rankings of the best public high schools recognize charter schools are among the best high schools in the country. Rodriguez who is Diazs boss at Doral College was tapped to lead the transition to an all-charter school district in Jefferson.

Alternative Teacher Certification | . iteachNEVADA is now a preferred online ARL teacher preparation provider for Academica Nevada. While serving the in Florida Legislature, Anitere Flores and Manny Daz Jr. both worked as corporate officers at Doral College[10] and helped ease restrictions on charter schools.

It went to the county. Theres another link between Manny Diaz, Jr., and Somerset Academy Jefferson County: Doral College President Doug Rodriguez. So there was no Somerset money there.. and the general public.

Without this funding, the charter school takeover could have bankrupted the district, which was already in a state of financial emergency. Flores would not agree to an interview with WLRN, after multiple requests through her office and a spokeswoman. The alerts included links to a petition posted by Flores ACE Foundation although she told the newspaper she didnt know about it. And the fact that we have legislators who are essentially in bed with these charter companies is disgraceful., A plan to multiply charter schools, with industry leader as shepherd.

Jefferson County was easy to make an example of.

She also earns $29,300 from the Legislature. A nonpartisan nonprofit government watchdog group called Integrity Florida named both Sens.

For one thing, he told them, charter schools serviced by Academica must better serve students who need, Orlando, FL, April 21, 2020 Students from Pinecrest Preparatory Charter School in Orlando who made the Honor Roll, Principals Honor, or Student of the Month received a special delivery this week.

It allowed the school district, for just one year, to use money typically earmarked for construction projects to pay for personnel costs instead. Diaz, who chaired the House PreK-12 appropriations subcommittee at the time, played a leading role in enacting the schools of hope law, known as House Bill 7069.

In early 2016, Flores got an invitation to attend a fundraiser for programs serving people with autism. In the He said the fact that shes a state senator had nothing to do with why he hired her.

Yes, Diaz responded, thats a hard one for them to miss.. It has since earned accreditation from a national group that evaluates online schools.

Louisiana Educational Leadership Certification Process.

Another committee member, Rep. Wengay Newton, a Democrat from St. Petersburg, asked whether the demographics of the staff at Somerset Jefferson reflected the majority-black student population.

Academica's mission is to facilitate each Governing Board's vision to implement a quality educational program for all children.

The Company was founded in 1999 on the principle that each charter school is a unique educational environment governed by an independent Board of Directors that best knows the right path for its school, and Academicas mission is to facilitate that Governing Boards vision.

I have asked [state education commissioner Pam Stewart] to intervene and she wants everything. Already in the schools Hall of Fame for her accomplishments on the schools basketball team, now a plaque with her image will be placed in the Al Lawson Multipurpose Center. The recognition, 2021 Education Bill Expands Public Ed Choice, 21% of the Top 100 Public School in Florida are Charter School, Two National Reports: Charter Schools Successfully Transition to Remote Learning in the Spring, Switch, Now, to Online Learning?

During the 2017 legislative session, Republican lawmakers frequently referenced Jefferson in anecdotal arguments for then-House Speaker Richard Corcorans major priority: schools of hope.. In response, the department refunded WLRN $406.05 three-quarters of the cost estimate. I work for Academica as my day job, and this is my other day job, I guess, Daniel Diaz explained. Academica has a proven track-record developing growing networks of high performing charter schools.

Details about Rodriguezs role with Somerset Jefferson are revealed in more than 800 pages of emails WLRN obtained from Somerset and the state Department of Education through separate public records requests.

Hes getting a six-figure salary.

Academica is one of the nation's longest-serving and most successful charter school service and support organizations.

The county [school district] received those monies, to be clear, in order to fulfill their obligations to those teachers, Diaz said.

Somerset did receive the schools of hope funding, though, as Corcoran had predicted.

[6][7]

Academica supports a dynamic network of high-performing public charter schools.

In 2011 it reported $158 million in revenue.

After the Legislature passed House Bill 7069, administrators of Academica-affiliated charter schools were worried that then-Gov.

The Senate was different. You name it and I want it..

And Academica allows me to allot time to the ACE Foundation.. The foundation was created because leaders of Academica-affiliated schools wanted to raise funds for monetary needs that were hard to predict, Diaz explained.

Your team is dealing with so much. When WLRN first requested records from the state Department of Education, in June 2018, officials estimated it would cost tens of thousands of dollars to fulfill.

In early 2015, Doral College was facing public scrutiny for using taxpayer funds to offer courses while being unaccredited, which meant any credits students earned would generally not transfer to other schools.

They are, Diaz snapped back in the tense exchange.

I work for the ACE Foundation because I believe in its mission. Basically, the school board threw up their hands and said, We give. Academica is one of the nations longest-serving and most successful charter school service and support organizations.

All five ACE Foundation board members hold leadership positions at Academica or its affiliated charter schools: One is the chief operating officer of Academica Nevada.

[4] Zuluete incorporated Academica in 1999 as a for-profit provider of services to charter schools.

Academica is a for-profit private education company headquartered in Miami, Florida. Diaz acknowledged how crucial that money was for Jefferson County in text messages he exchanged with staff as then-Gov. Somerset Jefferson was the first schools of hope recipient, getting a $2.25 million award in the 2018-19 school year that accounted for almost 20 percent of the charter-districts roughly $12 million overall budget.

Corcoran pointed to Jefferson County while pushing schools of hope during an interview with public televisions The Florida Channel in April 2017. Some of the foundations sponsors, listed on its website, lobby the Legislature, including Uber, Lyft and the Florida Health Care Association.

During the 2021 Florida legislative session, lawmakers passed an extensive Education Bill (SB1028). From providing charter school authorizing abilities to Florida College System institutions to updating application submission requirements, this bill absolutely impacts every charter school in our state.

He represented the schools at legislative meetings including one where he was questioned by then-Rep. Manny Diaz, Jr. Diaz said he doesnt believe interviewing his boss, Rodriguez, during a legislative meeting was improper.

A line in the budget specified at least $300,000 should fund the services at Jefferson Countys schools.

And discipline is time-consuming..

In addition to the schools of hope program, the nearly 300-page omnibus bill also included a little-noticed provision that applied only to Jefferson County. Like Diaz, Flores has been criticized for her ties to the charter industry and her history of promoting the privately run schools while in the Legislature.

Her salary of $150,000 remained the same. Doral College is associated with Academica. For one thing, he told them, charter schools serviced by Academica must better serve students who, October 2019 The Florida Charter School Alliance (FCSA) is a proud partner of the Florida Charter Schools Conference.

, Learn more about the fight in Nov. 2017 at Somerset Jefferson. The address listed for the foundation is not even 500 feet away from Academicas headquarters.

See more Charter Schools USA salaries (876), Read more Charter Schools USA reviews (566). Charter school networks served by Academica are among the nations highest achieving. Corcoran was clear some of the funding was intended for Somerset in Jefferson County: One of the high-performing charters [Somerset] came in [to Jefferson County], made the bid, knowing that were working towards this school of hope program, knowing that theres going to be an opportunity to draw down additional funds so that they can succeed, they can bring in the best and brightest teachers.

The ACE Foundation lists Academicas phone number on its federal tax forms.

What President Rodriguez does on his separate time, not involving the college, is something that he does as a consultant, Diaz said, arguing that Rodriguezs position with Somerset was unrelated to their shared work at Doral College.

This website and the information contained herein are provided as a service to concerned citizens Diaz rejects the notion that his role in facilitating the charter school takeover constitutes a conflict of interest. Diazs interest in Somerset Academy Jefferson County didnt end with legislation.

After months of negotiations scaling down the scope of the request, department officials quoted $541.40 to provide more than 2,100 emails they said were exchanged over a period of nearly three years by the states top education administrators and three people tied to Academica: the principal of Somerset Jefferson, a lobbyist and a spokeswoman.

Flores and Manny Diaz, Jr., in a 2018 report as examples of current and former lawmakers who have helped charter school companies profit off of taxpayers. Academica has an experienced team of professionals to provide services and solutions for every aspect related to the establishment and operation of educational institutions. disclaim any and all liability from damages which may result from the utilization of the information