TEHACHAPI, CA- The Abernathy Collegiate Charter School's independent school board voted Thursday night to close the school's doors.
The school thought they would fill desks with 150 students this year, but now only have 67 students.
"It was a number of things. There is no one villain here," said Shyanne Ledford, Abernathy principal.
Some students who attended the school last year left because they wanted to play sports, didn't want to be retained, and some wanted to join friends at other schools.
But others gravitated toward the charter school because of the attention and additional academic support that they say they didn't receive at Tehachapi High or other schools in the area.
"Last year before I came here I was at THS and I actually like this school a lot more because you get that more one on one help you need," said student Marie Sink. "And I'm doing so much better than I was at THS. I've been making better decisions both behavioral and grade wise."
Students and parents had started social media campaigns and spread word around the community about the school, but it just wasn't enough.
"I'm just really disappointed that they didn't give us parents and the community more time to react and it seems like their decision was already made before even opening this meeting tonight," said parent Christina Miller. "And I mean its very heartbreaking I mean our kids don't even get a two week notice to find a new place to go."
Much of the blame has also been placed on accounting mishaps.
The school's third party accounting provider budgeted $87,000 worth of salary funds to come from the wrong financial source.
"One of the biggest mistakes though that you can attribute to that 87 was that they falsely attributed some of the salaries to a grant that you can't attribute salaries to," said Ledford. "And so on paper it looks like oh no there's money here that should be here or whatever. It's not an actual money deficit it's just that we attributed something that couldn't be attributed."
Though this school year was so short, parents are thankful for all the school provided their children.
"What they did here it was all from their heart. And every teacher, the principal, everyone worked hard and really cared about their students here. Its really sad to see that go," said Miller.
Tuesday, September 30 is the last day of school.
Students now have the option of attending the local high school or other charter schools in the area.
Abernathy administration said they will be helping students and parents make the transition as easily as possible.
The school thought they would fill desks with 150 students this year, but now only have 67 students.
"It was a number of things. There is no one villain here," said Shyanne Ledford, Abernathy principal.
Some students who attended the school last year left because they wanted to play sports, didn't want to be retained, and some wanted to join friends at other schools.
But others gravitated toward the charter school because of the attention and additional academic support that they say they didn't receive at Tehachapi High or other schools in the area.
"Last year before I came here I was at THS and I actually like this school a lot more because you get that more one on one help you need," said student Marie Sink. "And I'm doing so much better than I was at THS. I've been making better decisions both behavioral and grade wise."
Students and parents had started social media campaigns and spread word around the community about the school, but it just wasn't enough.
"I'm just really disappointed that they didn't give us parents and the community more time to react and it seems like their decision was already made before even opening this meeting tonight," said parent Christina Miller. "And I mean its very heartbreaking I mean our kids don't even get a two week notice to find a new place to go."
Much of the blame has also been placed on accounting mishaps.
The school's third party accounting provider budgeted $87,000 worth of salary funds to come from the wrong financial source.
"One of the biggest mistakes though that you can attribute to that 87 was that they falsely attributed some of the salaries to a grant that you can't attribute salaries to," said Ledford. "And so on paper it looks like oh no there's money here that should be here or whatever. It's not an actual money deficit it's just that we attributed something that couldn't be attributed."
Though this school year was so short, parents are thankful for all the school provided their children.
"What they did here it was all from their heart. And every teacher, the principal, everyone worked hard and really cared about their students here. Its really sad to see that go," said Miller.
Tuesday, September 30 is the last day of school.
Students now have the option of attending the local high school or other charter schools in the area.
Abernathy administration said they will be helping students and parents make the transition as easily as possible.