Charter School on the Brink: Potential Closure Due to Poor Academic Performance

The Arizona State Board for Charter Schools announced their intention to revoke the charter for Primavera, also known as American Virtual Academy, following three consecutive years of underperformance in academics.

During a March 4 meeting, board members voted 7-1 in favor of taking this significant step, which could potentially displace approximately 6,800 full-time K-12 students and 750 staff members, including 180 teachers.

Despite the board’s decision, closure is not imminent. Primavera will have the chance to present its case before an administrative judge before a final vote is cast by the board.

Board Vice President Hans-Dieter Klose indicated the difficulty of the decision, labeling the situation as unprecedented. However, Ashley Berg, executive director of the State Board for Charter Schools, clarified that while intent to revoke charters is not uncommon, this scenario is unique because it marks the first instance where a charter school received three consecutive “D” ratings under the board’s current academic framework.

According to the board’s Academic Performance Framework, a charter school receiving an overall rating of “Does Not Meet Standard” or “Falls Far Below Standard” for three consecutive years must be reconsidered for its charter. Primavera’s ratings reflect consistent failures; the charter received “D” grades in the fiscal years 2022, 2023, and 2024.

Testing data reveals troubling results, with only 23% of students achieving proficiency in English Language Arts and a mere 9% in math in 2024.

Damien Creamer, CEO of Primavera, spoke during the board meeting, attributing some challenges to personal circumstances that forced him to step away from leadership in late 2019, coupled with disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. He acknowledged significant leadership failures that resulted in missed opportunities to secure alternative school status.

Under state guidelines, alternative schools are designed for at-risk student populations. These include students with disciplinary histories, those who have previously dropped out, and other identified needs.

Creamer expressed regret at the missed applications for status, stating, “Had we simply applied like we had applied for the past ten years, we would have been rated as a performing school.” He believes that the charter has now reapplied and is working effectively as an alternative school.

While Creamer is optimistic about improved ratings in the upcoming year, board member Binky Michele Jones raised concerns about the school’s low college and career readiness benchmarks. Stephanie Bahr, another board member, criticized the lack of proactive efforts to serve the underserved student population adequately.

After discussing the situation in an executive session, Klose’s motion for a notice of intent to revoke the charter passed 7-1. As dictated by Arizona Administrative Code, both the board and Primavera will have to appear for an administrative hearing before an administrative law judge. The board will subsequently make its final determination based on the judge’s recommendations.

Berg confirmed that the date for the hearing will be set by the Office of Administrative Hearings, marking a crucial next step in this ongoing situation.