Phoenix - The Arizona State Board for Charter Schools has initiated proceedings to revoke the charter of Primavera Online School, a prominent online institution serving approximately 6,787 K-12 students statewide.
The decision, made on Tuesday during the Board's regular meeting, stems from the school's consistent underperformance in academic metrics.
Primavera Online, managed by American Virtual Academy, specializes in educating at-risk students.
Despite its alternative school designation, which typically accounts for unique challenges faced by its student body, Primavera has received a "D" grade in the state's letter grading system for three consecutive years. The grading system evaluates factors such as student academic growth and other success indicators.
In 2024, state assessments revealed that only 9% of Primavera's students were proficient in math, compared to a 32% statewide proficiency rate, and 23% were proficient in English language arts, versus 40% statewide. Furthermore, the school's four-year graduation rate stands at approximately 30%, with a dropout rate of about 16%.
Arizona regulations mandate that charter schools failing to meet minimum academic performance targets for three consecutive years are subject to charter revocation.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Horne, emphasized the importance of accountability in education, stating, "It is important that charters and district schools alike are held accountable for the quality of education they provide."
In response to the board's decision, Primavera's founder and CEO, Damian Creamer, told the Arizona Republic that he attributes the school's low grades to its misclassification as a traditional school during his absence, which was due to personal reasons. He also cited challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that the transition to remote work was "chaotic," leading to dropped processes and instability.
Creamer says that, had the school been correctly designated as an alternative institution, it would have achieved a "C" grade during those years.
But board members expressed concerns about the school's efforts to improve with one member commenting that the institution was "underserving the underserved."
