The Palm Beach County School Board now has until the end of business day on Friday to pay 225-thousand dollars it’s withholding from a Wellington Charter School.
An administrative court judge has ordered the School Board to pay Eagle Arts Academy its July funds from the school board and every month thereafter.
Teachers have not been paid this month, the charter says because the district withheld its disbursement.
Before the end of the academic school year, the school board gave Eagle Arts Academy a 90-day notice of termination. The charter filed an appeal in the administrative court system. The school board recently decided to withhold funds to the charter pending that termination, citing the charter’s history of financial troubles.
The Palm Beach County School Board then filed a judgment with the circuit court asking if it could put the funds in an escrow or court registry pending a judge’s decision on whether it could withhold payment to Eagles Arts, but then voluntarily dismissed it.
Now, an administrative court judge who has put the charter’s termination proceedings on hold says the school board still has an active contract with the charter and has to pay its funds every month for the duration of that contractor unless the charter agreement is terminated.
Eagle Arts Academy is also behind on rent payments. The charter’s executive director said it is in negotiations with the property owner to settle financial obligations and open at another location.
It is unclear whether the charter will open for the upcoming school year.