Ada News

Oct
17

2019

Page
A001
Clip
resized Whitney Bryen | Oklahoma Watch
49% A sign is seen outside of 50 Penn Place in Oklahoma City where Epic
Charter Schools leases 40,000 square feet for administrative use.

Epic parents sue,

arguing dual
enrollment is legal
By Jennifer Palmer | Oklahoma Watch

Six Oklahoma City-

area parents have sued
Epic Charter Schools,
saying the virtual school
violated the state Con-
stitution when it un-
enrolled their students
because the children
were simultaneously
attending Epic and a
private school.
Although Epic’s
contract with state
regulators prohibits the
virtual charter school
from providing instruc-
tion to private school of
home-school students,
the parents argue that
this violates the consti-
tutional requirement
that Oklahoma provide
a system of free public
schools that “shall be
open to all the children
of the state.”
Two of the families
suing Epic enroll their
children two days a
week in a private school
in addition to Epic.
Another family enrolls
WKHLUFKLOGUHQ¿YHGD\V
a week in a private
school plus Epic.
7KHODZVXLW¿OHG
in Oklahoma County
District Court, also
alleges Epic violated
the Oklahoma Charter
Schools Act’s ban on
discrimination when
Epic unenrolled their
children. The parents
say it amounted to
“discrimination against
those students that have
the income level to at-
tend private school.”
Epic has supported
dual enrollment in
its virtual school and
private school or
home-school programs,
DFFRUGLQJWRḊGDYLWV
¿OHGLQFRXUWE\DVWDWH
investigator looking into
Epic’s practices. Epic’s
OHJDO¿OLQJUHVSRQGLQJ
to the parents’ lawsuit
ḊUPVWKDWVWDQFH%XW
SEE OKWATCH, PAGE A6

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 Clip
Oct 2019 Page resized From
17 A006 51% A001
Ada News
OKWATCH:
From Page A1
in April, the Statewide Virtual Charter
School Board told Epic the practice was
not allowed.
Epic started prohibiting dual enroll-
ment and “has been vetting previously
enrolled students in Epic that are dual
enrolled,” an attorney for Epic wrote in
LWV¿OLQJ,ISDUHQWVFKRRVHWRNHHSWKHLU
NLGVLQSULYDWHVFKRRO(SLFXQHQUROOV
the students.
At issue is a clause in Epic’s contract
that states: “Under no circumstances
shall the Charter School and/or its
program of instruction … be used to
provide or otherwise supplement in-
struction of home-schooled students or
students enrolled in private schools, or
used as a method of generating revenue
for students who are being home-
schooled or are enrolled in private
schools.”
The parent’s lawsuit stresses that the
2NODKRPD&KDUWHU6FKRROV$FWGRHV
not prohibit dual enrollment. The act
states that a charter can’t be “used as
a method of generating revenue for
students who are being home-schooled
and are not being educated at an orga-
nized charter school site.” The parents
deny they used Epic to generate money
Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
for students.
The Act does not elaborate on what
generating revenue means, or whether
the reference is referring to generating
revenue for the charter school.
Epic, the state’s largest virtual charter
school, is under investigation by state
and federal agencies over allegations of
¿QDQFLDOZURQJGRLQJDQGIUDXG'XDO
enrollment and the practice of enroll-
ing “ghost students” – or private or
home-school students who received no
instruction from Epic – are part of the
investigators’ inquiry.
Parents Andrew and April Grieb,
$QG\DQG$P\%URRNVDQG-DFREDQG
&KDULVVD'HDUPRQDUHSODLQWL̆VLQWKH
lawsuit. Their children were all with-
drawn from Epic’s rolls in August or
September, according to the lawsuit.
Their children fully participated in
(SLFDQGGLGQRWDVNIRUWKHLURQOLQH
FXUULFXOXPWREHPRGL¿HGVRWKH\FRXOG
also attend a private school, the lawsuit
states. They say no public money was
used for the private education.
(SLFVSRNHVSHUVRQ6KHOO\+LFNPDQLQ
0DUFKZDVDVNHGZKHWKHU(SLFDOORZHG
dual enrollment. She said she believed
some students participated in private
VXSSOHPHQWDOVHUYLFHVOLNHWXWRULQJDQG
co-ops, but that if they were dual-en-
rolled full-time, they had not disclosed
it.
 Clip
Oct 2019 Page resized
17 A001 64%
The Ardmoreite
Epic parents sue, arguing
dual enrollment is legal
By Jennifer Palmer
Oklahoma Watch
Six Oklahoma City-area
parents have sued Epic
Charter Schools saying the
virtual school violated the
state Constitution when it
unenrolled their students
because the children were
simultaneously attending
Epic and a private school.
Although Epic’s contract
with state regulators prohib-
its the virtual charter school
from providing instruction
to private school or home-
school students, the parents
argue that this violates the
constitutional requirement
that Oklahoma provide a
Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
system of free public schools
that “shall be open to all the
children of the state.”
Two of the families suing
Epic enroll their children
two days a week in a private
school in addition to Epic.
Another family enrolls their
children five days a week in a
private school plus Epic.
The lawsuit, filed in
Oklahoma County District
Court, also alleges Epic vio-
lated the Oklahoma Charter
Schools Act’s ban on dis-
crimination. When Epic
unenrolled their children,
the parents say, it amounted
to “discrimination against
those students that have the
income level to attend private
school.”
If the parents prevail, Epic
also wins.
“This lawsuit benefits
them (Epic), absolutely,” said
attorney Matthew Frisby,
who is representing the par-
ents. He said there could be
200 families or more in the
same situation as the six par-
ents who filed the suit.
Epic is not disputing the
facts in the lawsuit, accord-
ing to its response.
“There is simply a disagree-
ment between the parties on
what Oklahoma law says
about dual enrollment and
students’ ability to enjoy
both aspects of the public vs.
private education at the same
time,” Frisby said.
Epic has supported dual
enrollment in its virtual
school and private school
or home-school programs,
according to affidavits filed
in court by a state investigator
looking into Epic’s practices.
Epic’s legal filing responding
to the parents’ lawsuit affirms
that stance. But in April, the
Statewide Virtual Charter
School Board told Epic the
practice was not allowed.
See EPIC, A5
 The Ardmoreite
EPIC
From Page A1
Oct
17
Epic started prohibit-
2019 ing dual enrollment and
“has been vetting previ-
Page ously enrolled students
A005 in Epic that are dual
Clip enrolled,” an attorney for
resized
68% Epic wrote in its filing.
From The school did this by
A001 adding a question to the
enrollment form asking
if a family was enrolled
in private school full- or
part-time, said Shelly
Hickman, a spokes-
woman for Epic.
“This question was
added following a year
of discussions with our
authorizer because the
issue of dual public-pri-
vate school enrollment
is not addressed in
state law,” she said
Wednesday. “We look
forward to this issue
gaining legal clarity.”
At issue is a clause
in Epic’s contract that
states: “Under no cir-
cumstances shall the
charter school and/or
its program of instruc-
tion … be used to provide
or otherwise supplement
instruction of home-
schooled students or
students enrolled in pri-
vate schools, or used as
a method of generating
Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
revenue for students who
are being home-schooled
or are enrolled in private
schools.”
The parent’s law-
suit stresses that the
Oklahoma Charter
Schools Act does not
prohibit dual enroll-
ment. The act states that
a charter can’t be “used
as a method of generating
revenue for students who
are being home-schooled
and are not being edu-
cated at an organized
charter school site.” The
parents deny they used
Epic to generate money
for students.
The act doesn’t
elaborate on what gen-
erating revenue means,
or whether the language
is referring to generating
revenue for the charter
school.
Epic, the state’s largest
virtual charter school, is
under investigation by
state and federal agen-
cies over allegations
of financial wrongdo-
ing and fraud, which
the school denies. Dual
enrollment and the prac-
tice of enrolling “ghost
students” – or private
or home-school students
who received no instruc-
tion from Epic – are part
of the investigators’
inquiry.
Parents Andrew and
April Grieb, Andy and
Amy Brooks, and Jacob
and Charissa Dearmon
are plaintiffs in the law-
suit. Their children were
all withdrawn from
Epic’s rolls in August or
September, according to
the lawsuit. The private
school or schools they
have attended are not
identified in the lawsuit.
They fully partici-
pated in Epic and did not
ask for their online cur-
riculum to be modified so
they could also attend a
private school, the law-
suit states. The parents
say no public money
was used for the private
education. The private
school or schools the
children have attended
are not identified in the
lawsuit.
“The parents aren’t
asking for any money
for their private school”
Frisby said. “Why can’t
they get both?”
Hickman, the Epic
spokesperson, in March
said she wasn’t aware
of students who were
dual-enrolled full-time,
but that some students
participated in private
supplemental services
like tutoring and co-ops.
Oklahoma Watch, at
oklahomawatch.org,
is a a nonprofit media
organization that covers
significant public policy
issues facing the state.”
 Clip
Oct 2019 Page resized
17 0007 73%

Atoka County Times

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 Clip
Oct 2019 Page resized
17 A002 49%
The Express-Star
\ ([SUHVV 6WDU
Epic parents sue, arguing dual enrollment in charter, private schools is legal
By Jennifer Palmer |
Oklahoma Watch
Six Oklahoma City-area
parents have sued Epic
Charter Schools saying the
virtual school violated the
state Constitution when it
unenrolled their students
because the children were
simultaneously attending
Epic and a private school.
Although Epic’s contract
with state regulators prohib-
its the virtual charter school
from providing instruction
to private school of home-
school students, the parents
argue that this violates the
constitutional requirement
that Oklahoma provide a
system of free public schools
that “shall be open to all the
children of the state.”
Two of the families suing
Epic enroll their children
two days a week in a private
school in addition to Epic.
Another family enrolls their
children five days a week in
a private school plus Epic.
The lawsuit, filed in Okla-
homa County District Court,
also alleges Epic violated
the Oklahoma Charter
Schools Act’s ban on dis-
crimination when Epic
unenrolled their children,
the parents say, it amounted
to “discrimination against
those students that have the
11 year old killed in overnight
1HZV
income level to attend pri-
vate school.”
Epic has supported dual
enrollment in its virtual
school and private school or
home-school programs,
according to affidavits filed
in court by a state investiga-
tor looking into Epic’s prac-
tices. Epic’s legal filing
responding to the parents’
lawsuit affirms that stance.
But in April, the Statewide
Virtual Charter School
Board told Epic the practice
was not allowed.
Epic started prohibiting
dual enrollment and “has Whitney Bryen/Oklahoma Watch
been vetting previously
enrolled students in Epic A sign is seen outside of 50 Penn Place in Oklahoma City, where Epic Charter Schools leases 40,000 square
that are dual enrolled,” an feet for administrative use.
attorney for Epic wrote in its The parent’s lawsuit virtual charter school, is Their children fully par-
filing. If parents choose to stresses that the Oklahoma under investigation by state ticipated in Epic and did not
keep their kids in private Charter Schools Act does and federal agencies over ask for their online curricu-
school, Epic unenrolls the not prohibit dual enrollment. allegations of financial lum to be modified so they
students. The act states that a charter wrongdoing and fraud. Dual could also attend a private
At issue is a clause in can’t be “used as a method enrollment and the practice school, the lawsuit states.
Epic’s contract that states: of generating revenue for of enrolling “ghost students” They say no public money
“Under no circumstances students who are being – or private or home-school was used for the private edu-
shall the Charter School home-schooled and are not students who received no cation.
and/or its program of being educated at an orga- instruction from Epic – are Epic spokesperson Shelly
instruction … be used to nized charter school site.” part of the investigators’ Hickman in March was
provide or otherwise supple- The parents deny they used inquiry. asked whether Epic allowed
ment instruction of home- Epic to generate money for Parents Andrew and April dual enrollment. She said
schooled students or stu- students. Grieb, Andy and Amy she believed some students
dents enrolled in private The Act does not elaborate Brooks, and Jacob and Cha- participated in private sup-
schools, or used as a method on what generating revenue rissa Dearmon are plaintiffs plemental services like
of generating revenue for means, or whether the refer- in the lawsuit. Their chil- tutoring and co-ops, but that
students who are being ence is referring to generat- dren were all withdrawn if they were dual-enrolled
home-schooled or are ing revenue for the charter from Epic’s rolls in August full-time, they had not dis-
enrolled in private schools.” school. or September, according to closed it.
Epic, the state’s largest the lawsuit.
OBITUARIES
Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 Enid News & Eagle

Oct
17 Parents sue Epic over dual enrollment ban
By Jennifer Palmer have attended are not identi- woman, in March said she
Oklahoma Watch fied in the lawsuit. wasn’t aware of students who
2019 They fully participated were dual-enrolled full-time,
Six Oklahoma City- in Epic and did not ask for but that some students partic-
area parents have sued Epic their online curriculum to be ipated in private supplemen-
Charter Schools saying the vir- modified so they also could tal services like tutoring and
Page tual school violated the state attend a private school, the co-ops.
Constitution when it unen- lawsuit states. The parents say
A005 rolled their students because no public money was used for Oklahoma Watch is a nonprofit, tax-
the children were simultane- the private education.
exempt, 501(c)(3) corporation whose
Clip ously attending Epic and a pri- “The parents aren’t ask-
mission is to produce in-depth and
resized vate school. ing for any money for their
Although Epic’s contract private school” Frisby said. investigative journalism on public-policy
33% with state regulators prohibits “Why can’t they get both?” and quality-of-life issues facing the
the virtual charter school from Hickman, the Epic spokes- state.
providing instruction to pri-
vate school or home-school
students, the parents argue
this violates the constitutional
requirement that Oklahoma
provide a system of free pub-
lic schools that “shall be open
to all the children of the state.” A sign is seen outside of 50 Penn Place in Oklahoma City where Epic Charter Schools leases 40,000 square
Two of the families suing feet for administrative use. (Whitney Bryen/Oklahoma Watch)
Epic enroll their children
two days a week in a private for Epic wrote in its filing. tion of home-schooled stu- means, or whether the lan-
school in addition to Epic. The school did this by add- dents or students enrolled in guage is referring to gener-
Another family enrolls their ing a question to the enroll- private schools, or used as ating revenue for the charter
children five days a week in a ment form asking if a family a method of generating rev- school.
private school plus Epic. was enrolled in private school enue for students who are Epic, the state’s largest vir-
The lawsuit, filed in full- or part-time, said Shelly being home-schooled or are tual charter school, is under
Oklahoma County District Hickman, a spokes- enrolled in private investigation by state and
Court, also alleges Epic vio- woman for Epic. schools.” federal agencies over allega-
lated the Oklahoma Charter “This question The parent’s law- tions of financial wrongdoing
Schools Act’s ban on dis- was added following suit stresses that the and fraud, which the school
crimination. When Epic a year of discussions Oklahoma Charter denies. Dual enrollment
unenrolled their children, the with our authorizer Schools Act does not and the practice of enrolling
parents say, it amounted to because the issue of prohibit dual enroll- “ghost students” — or private
“discrimination against those dual public-private ment. The act states or home-school students who
students that have the income school enrollment is that a charter can’t received no instruction from
level to attend private school.” not addressed in state be “used as a meth- Epic — are part of the inves-
If the parents prevail, Epic law,” she said Wednesday. od of generating revenue tigators’ inquiry.
also wins. “We look forward to this issue for students who are being Parents Andrew and April
“This lawsuit benefits gaining legal clarity.” home-schooled and are not Grieb, Andy and Amy Brooks
them (Epic), absolutely,” said At issue is a clause in being educated at an orga- and Jacob and Charissa 126 A North Oakwood Road in Enid
attorney Matthew Frisby, who Epic’s contract that states: nized charter school site.” Dearmon are plaintiffs in the 1HZRIÀFHLQ/D0HVD:HVW6KRSV
is representing the parents. “Under no circumstances The parents deny they used lawsuit. Their children were
He said there could be 200 shall the charter school and/ Epic to generate money for all withdrawn from Epic’s Upcoming Classes:
families or more in the same or its program of instruction students. rolls in August or September, October 12 & 13, 26 & 27
situation as the six parents … be used to provide or oth- The act doesn’t elaborate according to the lawsuit. The
erwise supplement instruc- on what generating revenue private school or schools they November 9 & 10, 23 & 24
who filed the suit.
Epic is not disputing the
facts in the lawsuit, according
to its response.
“There is simply a dis-
agreement between the par-
ties on what Oklahoma law
says about dual enrollment
and students’ ability to enjoy
both aspects of the public vs.
private education at the same
time,” Frisby said.
Epic has supported dual
enrollment in its virtual
school and private school
or home-school programs,
according to affidavits filed
in court by a state investigator
looking into Epic’s practices.
Epic’s legal filing responding
to the parents’ lawsuit affirms
that stance. But in April, the
Statewide Virtual Charter
School Board told Epic the
practice was not allowed.
Epic started prohibit-
ing dual enrollment and
“has been vetting previously
enrolled students in Epic that
are dual enrolled,” an attorney

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 The Madill Record

po
MPS SCHOOL BOARD al
ce
Oct
17 ar

2019 Madill Gets it,

sm
if
Page
A001
Clip
resized
Updates at sp
sa

Meeting ex
81%

old
re
to
By Shalene White
The Madill Record ÀU
se
The Madill School Board of
Education held the monthly
meeting on October 14. Madill
Superintendent Larry Case
gave an updated report about
the going ons in the school
district.
Case said the Fine Arts
building is nearing completion.
“The Fine Arts building is
getting closer to being done,”
Case said.
Case also informed the board
and the residents in attendance
that the number of students
this year is down slightly from
2018. The superintendent said
the decrease is due to a blended
learning school.
“We have lost about 19 to 20
kids to Epic Charter School,”
Case said. “Norman’s numbers
are better because they have
started online classes.”
According to the website,
Epic Charter School “is a fully
accredited school on the same
level as most public schools in

(See BOARD, page 2A)

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 The Madill Record

Scrambled eggs, biscuits and

gravy, sausage, bacon, hash

Oct
17
BOARD
(Continued from page 1A)

2019 the state of Oklahoma.”

The site also claims “that
Page our students are receiving an
A002 education that meets and/or
Clip exceeds the expectations of
resized Oklahoma State Department
71%
of Education. Credits and
From coursework received at Epic are
A001
valid should a student transfer
to another program and when
applying for higher education.”
Case said the Madill district
is looking to experiment and
dabble in the blended online
learning environment. He said
the district needs to “step out
RIWKHER[µDQGÀJXUHRXWZKDW
works for Madill because the
online learning world is not a
RQHVL]HÀWVDOO
Once the reports were done,
and the students of the month
were announced, the board
changed gears and discussed
the possibility of employing
a support personnel for the
remainder of the 2019-2020
school year. The board voted
unanimously to offer Jesse
Holt an employment support
personnel contract.
The board also voted to ap-
prove contract additions and
addendums for extra duty con-
tracts. This is for any personnel
that may have earned a Masters
Degree and is due a raise.
Members of the board also
had to decide which College and
Career Readiness Assessment
test will be used annually, the
ACT or the SAT test. Board
members voted to keep it as the
ACT test, as in the past.

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 Clip
Oct 2019 Page resized
17 A004 53%
McAlester News-Capital
Parents sue Epic Charter Schools
■ Argue dual
enrollment in charter,
private school is legal
By JENNIFER PALMER
OKLAHOMA WATCH
Six Oklahoma City-ar-
ea parents have sued
Epic Charter Schools
saying the virtual school
violated the state Con-
stitution when it unen-
rolled their students be-
cause the children were
simultaneously attend-
ing Epic and a private
school.
Although Epic’s con-
tract with state regula-
tors prohibits the virtual
charter school from pro-
viding instruction to pri-
vate school of home-
school students, the par-
ents argue that this vio-
lates the constitutional
requirement that Okla-
homa provide a system
of free public schools
that “shall be open to all
the children of the state.”
Two of the families su-
ing Epic enroll their chil-
dren two days a week in
a private school in addi-
tion to Epic. Another
family enrolls their chil-
dren five days a week in
a private school plus
Epic.
The lawsuit, filed in
Oklahoma County Dis-
trict Court, also alleges
Epic violated the Okla-
schooled or are enrolled
in private schools.”
The parent’s lawsuit
stresses that the Okla-
homa Charter Schools
Act does not prohibit
dual enrollment. The act
states that a charter
can’t be “used as a meth-
od of generating revenue
for students who are be-
ing home-schooled and
are not being educated
at an organized charter
all withdrawn from Ep-
school site.” The parents
WHITNEY BRYEN | Oklahoma Watch deny they used Epic to ic’s rolls in August or
generate money for stu- September, according to
A SIGN IS SEEN outside of 50 Penn Place in Oklahoma the lawsuit.
dents.
City where Epic Charter Schools leases 40,000 square Their children fully
The Act does not elab-
feet for administrative use. participated in Epic and
orate on what generat-
homa Charter Schools Epic started prohibit- ing revenue means, or did not ask for their on-
Act’s ban on discrimina- ing dual enrollment and whether the reference is line curriculum to be
tion when Epic unen- “has been vetting previ- referring to generating modified so they could
rolled their children, the ously enrolled students revenue for the charter also attend a private
parents say, it amounted in Epic that are dual school. school, the lawsuit
to “discrimination enrolled,” an attorney Epic, the state’s larg- states. They say no pub-
against those students for Epic wrote in its fil- est virtual charter lic money was used for
that have the income ing. If parents choose to school, is under investi- the private education.
level to attend private keep their kids in pri- gation by state and fed- Epic spokesperson
school.” vate school, Epic unen- eral agencies over alle- Shelly Hickman in
Epic has supported rolls the students. gations of financial March was asked wheth-
dual enrollment in its At issue is a clause in wrongdoing and fraud. er Epic allowed dual en-
virtual school and pri- E p i c ’s c o n t r a c t t h a t Dual enrollment and the rollment. She said she
vate school or home- states: “Under no cir- practice of enrolling believed some students
school programs, accord- cumstances shall the “ghost students” – or pri- participated in private
ing to affidavits filed in Charter School and/or vate or home-school stu- supplemental services
court by a state investi- its program of instruc- dents who received no like tutoring and co-ops,
gator looking into Epic’s tion … be used to pro- instruction from Epic – but that if they were du-
practices. Epic’s legal vide or otherwise sup- are part of the investiga- al-enrolled full-time,
filing responding to the plement instruction of tors’ inquiry. they had not disclosed it.
parents’ lawsuit affirms home-schooled students Parents Andrew and
that stance. But in April, or students enrolled in April Grieb, Andy and • Oklahoma Watch, at
the Statewide Virtual private schools, or used Amy Brooks, and Jacob oklahomawatch.org, is a nonprofit
Charter School Board as a method of generat- and Charissa Dearmon media organization that covers
told Epic the practice ing revenue for students are plaintiffs in the law- significant public policy issues
was not allowed. who are being home- suit. Their children were facing the state.
Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 The Norman Transcript

Oct
17

2019

Page
A003
Clip
resized
51%

Whitney Bryen / Oklahoma Watch

A sign is seen outside 50 Penn Place in Oklahoma City, where Epic Charter Schools leases 40,000 square feet for
administrative use.

Epic parents argue dual enrollment is legal

By Jennifer Palmer “discrimi- to provide or otherwise received no instruction
Oklahoma Watch nation supplement instruction of from Epic — are part of the
against home-schooled students investigators’ inquiry.
Six Oklahoma City-area those stu- or students enrolled in Parents Andrew and
parents have sued Epic dents that private schools, or used as April Grieb, Andy and Amy
Charter Schools saying the have the a method of generating rev- Brooks, and Jacob and Cha-
virtual school violated the income enue for students who are rissa Dearmon are plain-
state Constitution when it level to being home-schooled or are tiffs in the lawsuit. Their
unenrolled their students attend enrolled in private schools.” children were all withdrawn
because the children were private school.” The parent’s lawsuit from Epic’s rolls in August
simultaneously attending Epic has supported dual stresses that the Oklahoma or September, according to
Epic and a private school. enrollment in its virtual Charter Schools Act does the lawsuit.
Although Epic’s con- school and private school not prohibit dual enroll- Their children fully par-
tract with state regulators or home-school programs, ment. ticipated in Epic and did not
prohibits the virtual charter according to affidavits filed The act states that a ask for their online curricu-
school from providing in- in court by a state inves- charter can’t be “used as a lum to be modified so they
struction to private school tigator looking into Epic’s method of generating rev- could also attend a private
of home-school students, practices. Epic’s legal filing enue for students who are school, the lawsuit states.
the parents argue that this responding to the parents’ being home-schooled and They say no public money
violates the constitutional lawsuit affirms that stance. are not being educated at was used for the private
requirement that Oklahoma But in April, the Statewide an organized charter school education.
provide a system of free Virtual Charter School site.” The parents deny Epic spokesperson Shelly
public schools that “shall be Board told Epic the practice they used Epic to generate Hickman in March was
open to all the children of was not allowed. money for students. asked whether Epic allowed
the state.” Epic started prohibiting The Act does not elabo- dual enrollment.
Two of the families suing dual enrollment and “has rate on what generating She said she believed
Epic enroll their children been vetting previously revenue means, or whether some students participated
two days a week in a private enrolled students in Epic the reference is referring to in private supplemental
school in addition to Epic. that are dual enrolled,” an generating revenue for the services like tutoring and
Another family enrolls their attorney for Epic wrote in charter school. co-ops, but that if they were
children five days a week in its filing. If parents choose Epic, the state’s larg- dual-enrolled full-time, they
a private school plus Epic. to keep their kids in private est virtual charter school, had not disclosed it.
The lawsuit, filed in school, Epic unenrolls the is under investigation by Oklahoma Watch is a nonprofit,
Oklahoma County District students. state and federal agencies nonpartisan media organiza-
Court, also alleges Epic vio- At issue is a clause in over allegations of financial tion that produces in-depth and
lated the Oklahoma Charter Epic’s contract that states: wrongdoing and fraud. investigative content on a range
Schools Act’s ban on dis- “Under no circumstances Dual enrollment and the of public-policy issues facing the
crimination when Epic un- shall the Charter School practice of enrolling “ghost state. For more Oklahoma Watch
enrolled their children, the and/or its program of students” — or private or content, go to oklahomawatch.
parents say, it amounted to instruction … be used home-school students who org.

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.