State threatens to terminate nonprofit that oversees 16 charter schools in Minnesota

The Minnesota Department of Education is contemplating terminating Pillsbury United Communities' authority to oversee charter schools due to significant oversight failures. In a March 27 letter, state officials highlighted that Pillsbury United has inadequately addressed problems at nine of the 16 schools it manages. Among these are LoveWorks Academy for Arts, which closed last year, and Minnesota Internship Center, which is plagued by fraud and dismal academic performance. The Education Department has criticized Pillsbury United for its slow response to issues, particularly at LoveWorks, which had been identified as problematic since 2008. This marks the first time the department has threatened to revoke the authority of a nonprofit charter school authorizer in Minnesota, drawing attention to the challenges of charter school oversight in the state.

Donald Allen, the former executive director of LoveWorks, remarked that the school should have been closed long ago, suggesting that Pillsbury United's leniency contributed to its downfall. The Education Department's letter indicates that Pillsbury United cannot charter new schools or expand existing ones until it addresses its numerous deficiencies. If it fails to meet the required deadlines this spring, it risks losing its authorizing power altogether.