KANSAS CITY, Mo. — There's no winter break for supporters of Benjamin Banneker Charter Academy of Technology. They're still looking for a new sponsor.
In October, the University of Central Missouri announced it would no longer sponsor the charter school.
"There are two forces here. One for Banneker students and one against," said Dr. Marian Brown, superintendent of Benjamin Banneker Academy of Technology.
Back in November, Banneker parents and supporters protested UCM's decision to pull its sponsorship on its Warrensburg campus. The university blamed low performance for the decision.
Vickie Hughes is the director of the office of charter schools.
"It's always based on a performance contract that every sponsor has with each school they sponsor. It was the persistent low performance of the students that made this decision," said Hughes.
School supporters disagree. They re-aggregated annual performance rating scores for students who've been enrolled at the school at least three to four years.
Those numbers prove ABK or "Always Banneker Kids" students have performed well for the past 4 years.
Superintendent Brown said Banneker has open enrollment for low performing, at-risk students who other districts kick out. The constant influx of students performing below grade level is an ongoing challenge.
"Far more educational time is needed to bridge a two or three-year gap in one year. But for those students who have been enrolled with us they understand our culture, our expectation," said Brown.
An expectation Brown says will continue for the 2018/2019 school year. She's confident that they will find another sponsor.
