How a couple worked charter school regulations to make millions - Los Angeles Times

  This is   a powerful expose  of California’s “Wild West” charter industry -- first of 3 articles. This  1992 charter law allowed for charter schools to be authorized and overseen by hundreds of school districts. It also allowed for multiple appeals if schools were denied. California law also enables troubled charter operators to escape sanction or scrutiny by moving to school districts more willing to accept them. Clark & Jeanette Parker were charter operators who used all the choices to make millions.The Parkers have used this to their advantage, keeping one step ahead of the regulators.” Financial records show the Parkers’ schools have paid more than $800,000 annually to rent buildings they own. The charters have contracted out services to the Parkers’ nonprofits and companies and paid Clark Parker generous consulting fees, all with taxpayer money, a Times investigation found."