Corcoran threatens Hillsborough School Board With Legal Action for Denying Charter Schools

Less than a week after the Hillsborough County School Board inexplicably struck down the renewal contracts for 4 charter schools, and refused to grant contracts to two other schools, the Florida Department of Education headed up by Commissioner Richard Corcoran, has threatened legal action against the school board for potentially breaking of Florida statute.

Commissioner Corcoran sent a letter to Hillsborough School Superintendant Addison Davis and School Board Chairman Lynn Gray informing them that the “untimely action” taken against the charter schools “has the potential of negatively” impacting more than 2,00 children, teachers, and parent.

Commissioner Corcoran also stated that because the board had “failed to provide the required notice”  to these schools and because it lacked any “basis to initiate an emergency termination” legal action could be imminent if they did not furnish to him “documentation” of the contract renewal of the four charters schools and provide him with “every factual and legal justification “that the school board has to support their action for not renewing the contracts.

Chairman Grey said that she received the letter but could not comment any further on the matter because it was being dealt with the legal department.

The letter threatens to withhold state funding from the school district if the board does not comply with his requests by 5 pm on Tuesday, June 29, 2021.