Poor educational outcomes, financial mismanagement, failure to secure classroom space and claims of possible fraud — these are among the many criticisms leveled at North Valley Military Institute (NVMI), which is ceasing operations this fall.
The NVMI Board of Trustees formally voted to suspend operations on Friday, Aug. 25, leaving scores of families scrambling to find a new school for their children. Last year the school served about 800 middle and high school students on campus space in Sun Valley and Tujunga that was leased from the Los Angeles Unified School District.
The board’s decision to close the school was based on the fact that the school failed to secure leases for facilities to operate on this year. However, it also comes in response to significant pressure from the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE), which authorizes the school’s charter.
On Aug. 15, LACOE issued a Notice of Violation to NVMI’s management informing them of its intent to pursue revocation of the school’s charter unless the management by Aug. 30 provided a compelling plan for addressing a laundry list of concerns. In addition to the lack of facilities, LACOE’s concerns include underperforming academic standards, failure to meet financial obligations and alleged misuse of public funds.
Facing a seemingly insurmountable pile of problems, the school’s board of trustees voted to voluntarily forfeit its charter instead of waiting for LACOE to make the decision for them.
NVMI Superintendent Mark Ryan expressed sadness over the outcome, and fear about what it means for the futures of the vulnerable youth that the school catered to — such as low-income, migrant, homeless and behaviorally challenged students.
“I realize that not everybody agrees with my assessment of this, but I believe that the closure of NVMI is a significant loss to the community at large,” Ryan said in an interview with the Los Angeles Daily News. “The reality is that this school…
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