Minneapolis School District takes over Heritage Academy

The Minneapolis School District is taking over management of Heritage Academy of Science and Technology, a school with mostly Somali -American students that has received positive reviews while under contract with the district.

The district is canceling Heritage's contract and assuming oversight of the campus, a rare move, especially when the school has been performing well academically. In a letter to families late last week, interim Superintendent Michael Goar said the district is stepping in after some parents expressed concerns over safety and disarray with the school's board.

"We share those concerns and have decided to step in," the letter said, noting the change will begin Nov. 1. "We are excited to bring our district's high-quality student programs to Heritage and accelerate student learning."

The district's decision comes after months of ­disagreements within Heritage's board, staff and families. Some of the school's board members describe the district's move as a "hostile takeover," and said they plan to pursue litigation against the district. Others welcome the district's decision, saying the school was not properly governed.

"The board has shown inability to work collaboratively with all its members and resolve conflicts with parent groups in a meaningful and productive manner," said Abdi Warfa, a board member who resigned earlier this week.

The district has 11 schools that operate under contract. Most of them are geared toward students who are behind in credits or serve students who do not perform well in a traditional school setting. Heritage serves mostly Somali students attracted to a high school where they can learn English but also embrace their own language and culture.

For seven years, the school in southeast Minneapolis functioned independently, with its own board, budget and staff, and received more than $2 million from the district. The school enrolls about 275 students.

In July, parents submitted a petition to the district saying they were concerned the Heritage board was making decisions without consulting them. They asked the district to remove the board and step in. Goar said at the time the district's role was only to provide oversight to ensure the school was meeting academic needs.

"Heritage board directors are in agreement that going forward, family input is a top priority for them, as is being more transparent with decisions they make for the school," Goar said.

But on Sept. 17, the district issued a notice of default claiming the Heritage board was, among other things, violating open meetings laws. The district also said the school owed the district $64,000 but did not specify why. Goar gave the board 10 days to respond.

When the district and the Heritage board could not reach an agreement, Goar sent the letter about the takeover. The letter did not describe parents' safety concerns or how they would be addressed.

Under the district's oversight, the school will keep its staff and faculty, and the current Heritage board will not be able to make decisions for the school. The Minneapolis School District and its board of education will have oversight.

"This is insulting our intelligence," Osman said.

Warfa, the board member who quit, disputes that ­Heritage's conflicts stem from tribal differences.

"Poor decisionmaking processes have led to where we are, not qabyaalad (clan or tribal issues)," Warfa wrote to the board.