Board Won't Renew LA Charter School Deal

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles school officials have reversed an earlier decision to allow two charter schools to continue operating in the wake of a cheating scandal last year.

The Board of Education took the unexpected action Tuesday by voting against renewing the operating agreements for two schools in the Crescendo Schools organization.

The decision could lead to the closure of Crescendo's six elementary schools in South Los Angeles.

Schools superintendent John Deasy told the Los Angeles Times that the vote was based on the board's discovery that a principal implicated in the cheating scandal was brought back to help manage the schools by an outside firm.

In May of 2010, advance copies of state tests were provided to teachers to prepare students. Two teachers reported the cheating to the district.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)