Charters' mess is state's

Florida has been a big proponent of charter schools. Now, the state needs to be bigger proponent of charter-school accountability.

The Palm Beach County School District is dealing with financial and academic problems at some of the county's charter schools. An audit committee just recommended that the district hire staff to more closely examine charter schools' books. The district also closed two charter schools as the new year began.

Those schools, Delray Boynton Academy and Riviera Beach Academy, earned consecutive F's based on FCAT scores. State policy required the district to close them. But as Superintendent Art Johnson pointed out, the district has no authority over the schools' curriculum or personnel. The school board objected to being cast as the villain, but it had no choice after the state threatened to withhold millions of dollars from the district. The decision still will cost Palm Beach County, which now has to fend off lawsuits from the two schools.

Timing couldn't be worse. Charter operators kept operating even after they were ordered to close. With the students in limbo, the state's appeal putters along. A new system that settles such issues well before school starts is needed.

Districts also have had to assume more financial oversight as charters have run into problems across the state. Again, the responsibility comes without sufficient financial authority. This should be a state issue. But the Legislature refused to pass reforms requiring that the board overseeing each charter school have at least one financial expert. Lawmakers also wouldn't outlaw board member conflicts of interest, even though the need is demonstrated by TerraNova Academy Charter School in West Palm Beach, which went into debt and closed in debt last year after paying its principal, Leo Cardona, $36,000 in a lease agreement he arranged. Miami-Dade County, apparently unaware of that history, then granted Mr. Cardona a charter.

Charters are booming. Port St. Lucie and other cities have talked about starting them. Districts don't have the time, authority or resources to sort out competent charters from incompetent ones. The state should take responsibility for the pet projects it created.