[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6081067,"mediaKeyId","2944051-745f49557798c773335129ae5e65ee99","parentId",2944051,"title","Kern County board issues notice of violation to Central Academy of Arts and Technology over fiscal concerns","audioSeconds",4205,"startMs",7195000,"endMs",11400000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2944051-745f49557798c773335129ae5e65ee99&start=7195&end=11400","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2944051-745f49557798c773335129ae5e65ee99/thumbnail_7195000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6081067/California/Kern-County-board-issues-notice-of-violation-to-Central-Academy-of-Arts-and-Technology-over-fiscal-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6081067-493acd092a76f66de90914b99f1ff304/orig.mp4?Expires=1771093846&Signature=bCZxQB0AKSzRDJ7tfCcLJ-QtplEWVIqSNVRqpumgzuNG42W7NksWzgbACMyV5-PJww8eDl-ev4alfJYY0yCXiGkZbrMWibekepXAdAVWPB8xXhPfSVUdX38oFLC7~2ka1mDf0lQDa9t8TZygFEmdG3Epp3-HLN~J2FWF-60dnQMi66ye79596ASWHhjljD3KTe1ikpwPzdoyXEk7HrLlffC9Sh99lJcaPUL0TeVApFwfQ0wn5A9bA3CJXGykuIiBSm133I-5Z7DhEQFuB3m5cprs6-wrtR9ZI5Z-RFmTzKLGLSBHiuVEX~rYzA~Vm~cOJesMyIfWfru7B~YH6UQoBA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kern County Office of Education","date","2025-04-10T13:04:06.423Z","article","The Kern County Board of Education voted to approve issuance of a formal notice of violation to the Central Academy of Arts and Technology (CAT) on April 8, 2025, after the Kern County Office of Education (Kern County Office of Education, KCSOS) presented evidence that the charter school is operating with significant fiscal instability and incomplete financial reporting.

KCSOS staff told trustees that CAT’s second interim statements showed rapidly growing deficit spending, a negative projected ending fund balance for the current year and material inconsistencies between the numbers reported to the board and entries in the school’s general ledger. The county office said those discrepancies, combined with repeated failures to post minutes and agendas under the Brown Act, together created a material and uncured violation under Education Code § 47607. The board approved issuing a notice of violation, which gives CAT 15 days to submit a corrective remedy; the county board will review that response at its May meeting and may proceed toward a revocation hearing in June if the problems are not cured.

Why it matters: If CAT cannot demonstrate short-term solvency and a credible plan for sustained operations, the county may begin revocation proceedings. KCSOS officials said delay without corrective action could leave the county liable for unpaid payroll and other obligations if the school runs out of cash.

What KCSOS presented
KCSOS assistant superintendent Jonathan Medina and other finance staff laid out the office’s findings. Key elements cited by the county office included:
- Large drop in reported average daily attendance (ADA) from figures used in CAT’s original petition (petition listed 370.5 ADA) to certified mid‑year counts: first‑interim assumptions dropped to ~199.41 ADA and CALPADS P‑1 actual ADA was reported at 168, the presenters said.
- A swing from a modest projected deficit at first interim into an almost $700,000 projected deficit in the second interim, producing a negative ending fund balance for 2024–25 (county staff characterized the available resources as negative roughly $394,000 based on the second‑interim package submitted to the office).
- Material mismatches between amounts the charter reported in its second‑interim submittal and the general ledger supplied by the charter’s back‑office provider: revenue reported to the county was about $175,000 higher than ledger entries, while expenditures reported were roughly $300,000 lower than the ledger — a combined material variance the county called a “lack of confidence” in the charter’s financial reporting.
- Failure to post timely board agendas and minutes and other Brown Act compliance problems that KCSOS staff flagged in prior letters of concern.

KCSOS timeline and process
KCSOS staff told the board the office had been communicating concerns to CAT since at least February 21, 2025, and had issued a letter of concern earlier in the school year. Because the county determined the violation to be material and uncured, the recommended next step under Education Code § 47607 is a formal notice of violation.
The timeline presented by KCSOS: if the county board approves issuance tonight (April 8), CAT has 15 days to submit a remedy (the county office set an April 23 deadline for that submission). The county board will review the charter’s remedy and supporting evidence at its May board meeting (May 15). If the remedy is not adequate the county board may issue a notice of intent to revoke and set a public hearing in June. KCSOS emphasized that a formal notice of violation is an enforcement step, not an immediate revocation; it opens the statutory cure period required by law.

School leaders and parents respond
Dozens of parents, teachers and students addressed the board during public comment, urging trustees to allow the school time to correct the problems and to avoid shutting down a school they said has produced strong social and academic results for many enrolled students. Parents and students described academic gains, improved attendance and stronger family engagement since the school opened, and urged trustees to provide CAT a chance to show a solvency plan. Several parents and students said they or their children would be harmed if the school closed.

CAT’s board president, David James, and executive director Joanna Kendrick told trustees they were working with lenders and a back‑office partner to secure short‑term financing that would close the cash‑flow gap and allow the school to finish the year and carry toward 2025–26. School representatives said a private loan under discussion would cover the immediate deficit, and they asked the county to allow the corrective process to proceed so underwriting could complete. KCSOS staff said they had been notified of loan efforts, but the county needs verifiable documentation (loan agreement terms, closing schedule and cash‑flow support) to accept that remedy. KCSOS also said it had not received certain requested documentation in a timely way.

Formal action and vote
The county board approved issuance of the formal notice of violation. The adopted motion instructs KCSOS to deliver the notice to Central Academy of Arts and Technology and to accept any corrective remedy submitted by the charter within the statutory cure period; the county board will evaluate CAT’s response at its May meeting and may schedule a June hearing if the remedy is inadequate. The vote at the April meeting recorded affirmative votes by the trustees present; no formal opposition was recorded on the motion on the meeting record.

What happens next
- CAT has a statutory window (15 days from delivery of the notice) to file a written remedy with supporting documentation to the county office. KCSOS staff said they will review that submission and present findings to the board on May 15.
- If the charter demonstrates credible, verifiable financing and remedial steps, the county could discontinue a revocation and place the charter under close monitoring — including requirements to deliver monthly fiscal reports and other conditions. If the remedy is insufficient, the county board may issue a notice of intent to revoke and schedule a public hearing in June under Education Code § 47607.

Key speakers (selected)
- Jonathan Medina, Assistant Superintendent, Fiscal Support, Kern County Office of Education (presented financial analysis)
- Dr. Mindenborough, Superintendent, Kern County Office of Education (overview and legal process)
- Joanna Kendrick, Executive Director/Principal, Central Academy of Arts and Technology (CAT)
- David James, President, CAT Board of Trustees (CAT board spokesperson)
- Multiple parents and students who provided public comment; student speakers described academic and social improvements at CAT.

Clarifying details and figures
- Petition year‑one ADA listed in the charter petition: 370.5 (as reported by KCSOS review of the petition) — used as original budget basis.
- First interim ADA assumption used in revised budget: ~199.41 ADA (county notes this was a downward revision from the petition assumptions).
- CALPADS P‑1 (actual certified) ADA cited: 168 (county cited P‑1 actual certified data).
- Projected deficit growth (first interim → second interim): county described a jump from roughly $125,000 deficit at first interim to roughly $700,000 projected deficit at second interim (material growth reported by CAT’s submitted second interim).
- KCSOS said the charter’s submitted second interim reported revenue of about $2.4M while the general ledger posted $2.3M; second interim reported expenditures ~ $3.2M while ledger posted ~ $3.6M (material variance on both sides).
- A cash‑flow chart included a $2,000,000 projected inflow in April 2025 the charter referenced as a potential loan; KCSOS said that inflow was not represented elsewhere in the charter’s budget documents and the loan terms had not been provided to the county for verification.

Proper names and entities mentioned
Central Academy of Arts and Technology; Kern County Office of Education (KCSOS or county office); Kern County Board of Education; California Education Code § 47607; Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FICMAT); Grow (back‑office provider referenced by CAT); CALPADS; Education Code notice and interim reporting processes.

Searchable tags: [\"charter\",\"fiscal\",\"notice_of_violation\",\"Education Code 47607\",\"Kern County\",\"CAT\",\"KCSOS\",\"audit\",\"public_comment\"]

Salience
Overall: 0.88 — material risk to a local school, immediate deadline and possible revocation. Impact scope: local; attention level: high; budgetary significance: 0.75 (material deficits and cash‑flow risk); affected population: estimates of enrolled students approx. 200 (approximate, not specified by the charter in a single consistent number).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Kern County Board of Education Live Stream","oneSentenceSummary","The Kern County Board of Education voted to approve issuance of a formal notice of violation to the Central Academy of Arts and Technology (CAT) on April 8, 2025, after county school officials said the charter showed material fiscal mismanagement and failed to provide timely, verifiable financial records.","taxTitle","Kern County Office of Education, School Districts, California","taxId",53241,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6081057,"Sons of the American Revolution present classroom modules and 250th anniversary activities to Kern County Office of Education",1310,1839000,3149000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2944051-745f49557798c773335129ae5e65ee99&start=1839&end=3149","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2944051-745f49557798c773335129ae5e65ee99/thumbnail_1839000.jpg","/articles/6081057/California/Sons-of-the-American-Revolution-present-classroom-modules-and-250th-anniversary-activities-to-Kern-County-Office-of-Education","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6081057-bce5f72c81c9e14a07d8c4b446762693/orig.mp4?Expires=1771093846&Signature=YkB3lsbe1ghHEztIv4cWs8VIroUTBpsCPlorqGdbW1UGW7RjEx5-JOswETf2r3wqRAP04P29FEsbWbs9N8aEPDjiC-R7MRm4DcW5EtlNM-Oc8IVB2mmBygOVCSw5w3hlXzyEhVJkDUzNuztcw3-vteeEWzmzTXRROUAZDgn5iH0LSYy2GSP70BLTyuTvNbsWbhcBgq1NP7fEcY9-e3HDADZ~8R--OdQKDqD2fdbcK3VJProOKByOd52GHIct1fiif3fV64silP2XltwXBrJTSMDm23BkMnHQkw4TKTRtfz3QWUnZi0NDDMTONyakYz8yO1FcOAbe6nm-wpL0w5wvBQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) presented a historical education module and a short video to the Kern County Office of Education board on April 8, 2025, describing classroom activities the group hopes to bring to local fifth‑grade classes.

SAR representatives — identified in the meeting as Arnie Burr (presenter), Mike Davis and Bruce Huerta — demonstrated 18th‑century artifacts and walked trustees and attendees through a recorded classroom module developed in partnership with the county office. The group told the board the county office helped produce eight modular videos during the COVID period when live classroom visits were curtailed; SAR said the modules are designed for use in elementary school settings and will be available to district teachers.

Why it matters: The modules are an example of a community partner producing curriculum‑adjacent materials to support K–5 history instruction. County staff said the modules help maintain in‑class programming even when volunteers cannot visit in person.

Presentation highlights
- Demonstration of artifacts: Burr described candle molds, pewter plates, a haversack and period toys and explained how soldiers and civilian children lived during the Revolutionary era. He described how items — from quills to makeshift bowls and pewter — were used and why schools might use artifacts to engage students.
- Modules and classroom use: SAR said it worked with the county office to convert in‑person school visits into eight video modules during the COVID years; one module was shown at the meeting and SAR representatives said the complete set is available through the national SAR website and county handouts.
- 250th anniversary activities: The organization said it is planning a decade‑long commemoration of the 250th anniversary of independence (2026 marking the formal Declaration milestone, with surrounding events from 2016–2033), including a \"Liberty Tree\" planting program that aims for nationwide plantings and a youth video contest that advances from local to state to national judging.

Speakers and roles
- Arnie (Ernie) Burr, Sons of the American Revolution (presenter)
- Mike Davis, Sons of the American Revolution (presenter)
- Bruce Huerta, Sons of the American Revolution (presenter)
- Lori Cisneros, Trustee (introduced the bus rodeo earlier and participated in related remarks)

Clarifying details
- SAR said it typically visits 15–20 schools a year but produced eight video modules during the COVID years; county office staff assisted with production.
- SAR described the youth video contest as roughly five minutes in length, requiring references to three factual instances and advancing from local to state to national rounds.

Proper names and partners
Sons of the American Revolution; Kern County Office of Education; national SAR website (sar.org); Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) (members collaborate on some modules).

Searchable tags: [\"history_education\",\"Sons_of_the_American_Revolution\",\"250th_anniversary\",\"video_modules\"]

Salience
Overall: 0.20 — community education presentation with local classroom relevance but low policy impact.

Ending
SAR left contact and flyers for teachers; KCSOS staff said they would share module links with school contacts and consider the materials for classroom use where appropriate.","Members of the Sons of the American Revolution visited the Kern County Office of Education board meeting to show one of eight classroom modules developed with the county office and to describe 250th‑anniversary activities, including a youth video contest and a nationwide \"Liberty Tree\" planting effort.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6081062,"Kern County Office of Education details countywide curriculum and STEAM supports, expands TK and bilingual teacher training",1371,4334000,5705000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2944051-745f49557798c773335129ae5e65ee99&start=4334&end=5705","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2944051-745f49557798c773335129ae5e65ee99/thumbnail_4334000.jpg","/articles/6081062/California/Kern-County-Office-of-Education-details-countywide-curriculum-and-STEAM-supports-expands-TK-and-bilingual-teacher-training","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6081062-633a7030fe225897b3ec44793db9f59f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771093846&Signature=VyJif3EV4HKEt1XfpuwE94AfwOIemBSHteOOj7Yu2W9lZjk2skg0IGG4GJNZVHXTnEakIn7duSrqyXIMb-X3IgPETWo0HaZPLYVpYl-aFm1Ii32dnXYxILrnjDuHFNo3SRqTi2wkZCewisMCPMjPM4s3C6D86Si8qMXK1i66LGGek7EZhmNqwahpErfJBrJgM7THcqJyg2T7-~Ak2klE~G~SpNolVNNFahh9tIg-Z68Yeld44XBLE5yDk19gwUjjidwjk-kVcjDMOjObrbEzNghFbaKTGqsKT-jul0MaB-9TSj96Ko-yjTMTEmlqJOXaeiqnM8n07s7Mgw~uz4zD4Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kern County Office of Education (KCSOS) curriculum staff presented a broad set of countywide supports on April 8, 2025, describing work on early education (TK), bilingual/dual‑immersion teacher certification, literacy coaching and a new STEAM facility called the Steamyard.

At the board meeting, Dr. Cole Sampson, chief curriculum and instruction officer, said the county office provides direct support to 41 Kern County districts and five charters and runs centralized trainings and student events to supplement local instruction. He outlined recent and planned work in literacy, dual‑language programs, professional learning and STEAM expanded learning.

Why it matters: The Office’s programs are intended to raise instructional quality across the county by providing teacher coaching, wraparound professional development and student experiences districts may not be able to sustain on their own. The presentation highlighted scaling efforts for areas with high needs and the county‑level role in coordinating bilingual teacher pipelines and early childhood preparation.

Major program highlights presented
- Scale and reach: KCSOS said it provided more than 2,600 contracted support days on site to district partners and runs more than 75 centralized networks, trainings and workshops. The office supports 88% of local educational agencies in the county.
- Bilingual/dual‑immersion training: Under a regional push, KCSOS reported certifying 125 teachers to date and increasing capacity to certify teachers in Spanish and English immersion programs; the office said it subsidizes coursework and supports teacher recruitment with partner universities (Cal State Bakersfield, Cal Poly and others). The current grant work will add roughly 125 bilingual‑authorized teachers in Kern over the grant’s life, the office said; 25 certifications were added this year.
- TK (transitional kindergarten) supports: Staff distributed 285 block sets to TK classrooms across the county and produced an asynchronous TK video series to provide model lessons in math, science and early literacy for TK teachers who cannot attend in‑person training.
- Literacy and family engagement: The office described relaunching a Kern County Reading Project (currently 48 volunteers) and cited family literacy events in which Beardsley Elementary reported 81% family participation for lunchtime reading activities.
- STEAM and Steamyard: The STEAM group runs after‑school and summer camps at multiple sites (CALM, Kern County Museum, Buena Vista Natural History Museum) and said it expects nearly 4,000 student‑days of participation in summer 2025. The Steamyard — a repurposed facility formerly used for teacher resources — is operating as a hands‑on lab and will offer field trips, training for teachers on equipment (3D printers, robots, drones) and take‑and‑go kits for classroom use; Chevron was cited as a partner supporting the facility.
- Expanded learning and student events: The office reported running a math conference with more than 600 educators, a STEM Olympiad (over 1,000 students registered for May) and IgniteHER (a conference for female students in grades 4–8).

Quotes
\"We know that just showing up and giving a one‑day PD is never enough. Districts and teachers need sustained coaching, modeling and follow‑up,\" Dr. Cole Sampson said. \"Our approach is a cycle of demonstration, classroom modeling and follow‑up coaching.\"

Speakers and roles
- Dr. Cole Sampson, Chief Curriculum and Instruction Officer, Kern County Office of Education (led the presentation)
- Lisa Vargas, Director of Humanities and Multilingual Education, KCSOS
- Kyle Atkins, Director, STEAM Expanded Learning, KCSOS
- Dr. Eddie Gonzales, Director, California Educators Together project (regional teacher training)
- Lori Cisneros, Trustee (introduced the bus rodeo video)

What trustees asked and next steps
Trustees asked how to find event calendars and where details would be posted; staff said event dates and locations are on the county office’s student events page and that a full calendar for 2025–26 would be provided to trustees by the next month. Trustees also asked how foster youth were selected for an early childhood support program; staff said an application process in coordination with the Dream Center identified 11 foster youth who opted into early childhood coursework, with the county paying class fees and providing laptops for participants.

Clarifying figures and program metrics
- 2,600 contracted on‑site support days to Kern districts and charters (coaching, modeling and direct support)
- 75+ centralized trainings and workshops hosted by county office; plans to expand offerings into North and East Kern
- 125 bilingual teacher certifications targeted in Kern over the life of the regional grant; 25 added this year
- 285 TK block sets distributed to every TK classroom countywide
- Summer STEAM camps: operating three sites, 33 program days this summer and nearly 4,000 student attendances projected for summer 2025

Proper names and partners
Project GLAAD; Cal State Bakersfield; California State University Channel Islands; Cal Poly; Kern County Museum; CALM (Center for ALS/learning museum); Buena Vista Natural History Museum; Chevron; Kern County Office of Education (KCSOS).

Searchable tags: [\"curriculum\",\"STEAM\",\"TK\",\"bilingual\",\"dual_immersion\",\"Project_GLAAD\",\"Steamyard\",\"summer_camps\"]

Salience
Overall: 0.65 — countywide instructional supports affect many schools and staff; medium local newsworthiness.","Kern County Office of Education officials described a countywide package of curriculum supports, bilingual teacher certification, TK materials and a new public STEAM facility; staff said they provide direct coaching days to districts, run student events, and expanded summer and after‑school STEAM programming.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Kern County board issues notice of violation to Central Academy of Arts and Technology over fiscal concerns

Sons of the American Revolution present classroom modules and 250th anniversary activities to Kern County Office of Education

Kern County Office of Education details countywide curriculum and STEAM supports, expands TK and bilingual teacher training