Seminole Producer
Feb
19
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2020 a enue, that amount could be
Page
0001 Online Charter School
Mails Recruitment Fliers
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to Thousands of Students
The state Education
Department is investigat-
ing how a startup statewide
charter school obtained the
home addresses of students
across the state.
Thousands of Oklahoma
students received recruit-
ment fliers in the mail from
the Oklahoma Information
and Technology School, a
new virtual charter school.
Parents are furious about
the school’s access to chil-
dren’s names and home
addresses.
“We have received
alarming complaints,” State
Superintendent of Public
Instruction Joy Hofmeis-
ter said in a written state-
ment. “As a result of these
troubling accounts, a state
investigation has begun.
That investigation will con-
tinue 24/7 until we have
answers.”
e The school, which opens
e this fall, sent the mailers to
Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
provide annual bonuses
public fifth and sixth grade
students attending schools
across the state. The vir-
tual school is part of Dove
Schools, a charter school
with seven sites in Okla-
homa City and Tulsa.
The school obtained the
addresses through a por-
tion of the state Education
Department’s website for
school officials, said attor-
ney Drew Edmondson, who
is representing the school in
its charter authorization.
“It probably would have
been a better practice to
address the letters ‘to the
parents of and then the
student’s name’,” said
Edmondson, adding that the
school didn’t have access to
the names of the parents.
It was a one-time thing,
he said, to notify parents of
the schooling option.
The recruitment fliers,
which included an appli-
cation to the school, were
consideration.
addressed to the students
by name.
“This is a violation of
privacy and safety. The
home address of our minor
children, along with their
names, should never be
shared by the state Depart-
ment with anyone other than
the school districts in which
they are enrolled,” said
Erika Wright, a Noble Public
Schools board member who
leads an advocacy group
for four-day schools. Par-
ents brought the fliers to her
attention Friday.
She said marketing to
students in other districts
was “unconscionable.”
Another statewide vir-
tual school, Epic Charter
Schools, came under fire
last summer for sending
mailers and emails to cer-
tified teachers across the
state. Epic obtained those
addresses through an open
records request.
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Feb 2020 Page resized
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The Konawa Leader
report of a male shop-
Online Charter School Mails Recruitment Fliers to Thousands of Students
The state Education
Department is investigat-
ing how a startup statewide
charter school obtained
the home addresses of
students across the state.
Thousands of Oklahoma
students received recruit-
ment fliers in the mail from
the Oklahoma Information
and Technology School, a
new virtual charter school.
Parents are furious about
the school’s access to chil-
dren’s names and home
the shoplifting suspect.
addresses.
“We have received
alarming complaints,”
State Superintendent of
Public Instruction Joy Hof-
meister said in a written
statement. “As a result of
these troubling accounts,
a state investigation has
begun. That investigation
will continue 24/7 until we
have answers.”
The school, which opens
this fall, sent the mailers
to public fifth and sixth
Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
driving on the wrong side of
grade students attending
schools across the state.
The virtual school is part
of Dove Schools, a charter
school with seven sites in
Oklahoma City and Tulsa.
The school obtained the
addresses through a por-
tion of the state Education
Department’s website for
school officials, said attor-
ney Drew Edmondson,
who is representing the
school in its charter autho-
rization.
took lead of the pursuit
“It probably would have
been a better practice
to address the letters ‘to
the parents of and then
the student’s name’,” said
Edmondson, adding that
the school didn’t have
access to the names of
the parents.
It was a one-time thing,
he said, to notify parents
of the schooling option.
The recruitment fliers,
which included an appli-
cation to the school, were
after traveling approxi-
addressed to the students
by name.  brought the fliers to her
“This is a violation of pri-
vacy and safety. The home
address of our minor
children, along with their
names, should never be
shared by the state Depart-
ment with anyone other
than the school districts in
which they are enrolled,”
said Erika Wright, a Noble
Public Schools board
member who leads an
advocacy group for four-
tion.
day schools. Parents
attention Friday.
She said marketing to
students in other districts
was “unconscionable.”
Another statewide vir-
tual school, Epic Charter
Schools, came under fire
last summer for sending
mailers and emails to cer-
tified teachers across the
state. Epic obtained those
addresses through an
open records request.
 Clip
Feb 2020 Page resized
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Mustang News

Authorities question charter school's flier

OKLAHOMA WA
WAT
WATCH
ATCH Parents are furious opens this fall, sent the school in its charter application to the group for four-day
about the school’s mailers to public fifth- authorization.Bottom school, were addressed schools. Parents
access to children’s and sixth-grade stu- of Form to the students by brought the fliers to
The state Education names and home dents attending schools “It probably would name. her attention Friday.
Department is investi- addresses. across the state. The have been a better “This is a violation She said marketing
gating how a startup “We have received virtual school is part of practice to address the of privacy and safety. to students in other
statewide charter alarming complaints,” Dove Schools, a char- letters ‘to the parents The home address of districts was “uncon-
school obtained the State Superintendent ter school with seven of and then the stu- our minor children, scionable.”
home addresses of stu- of Public Instruction sites in Oklahoma City dent’s name,'” said along with their Another statewide
dents across the state. Joy Hofmeister said in and Tulsa. Edmondson, adding names, should never virtual school, Epic
Thousands of a written statement. The school obtained that the school didn’t be shared by the state Charter Schools, came
Oklahoma students “As a result of these the addresses through have access to the department with any- under fire last summer
received recruitment troubling accounts, a a portion of the state names of the parents. one other than the for sending mailers
fliers in the mail from state investigation has Education It was a one-time school districts in and emails to certified
the Oklahoma begun. That investiga- Department’s website thing, he said, to notify which they are teachers across the
Information and tion will continue 24/7 for school officials, parents of the school- enrolled,” said Erika state. Epic obtained
Technology School, a until we have said attorney Drew ing option. Wright, a Noble Public those addresses
new virtual charter answers.” Edmondson, who is The recruitment fli- Schools board member through an open
school. The school, which representing the ers, which included an who leads an advocacy records request.

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.