Officials at a charter school threatened with closure called on legislators Thursday to intervene in a dispute over graduation requirements that has pitted the school against the Minnesota Department of Education.

Despite a series of audits and warnings that began two years ago, BlueSky Online School has continued to graduate students who did not meet state requirements, according to the Education Department. On Monday, state officials asked the organization that oversees BlueSky to end its contract with the school -- effectively shutting it down -- or said they would step in themselves.

BlueSky officials insist the school is following the law, and that all 10 of its mid-year graduates got the proper course work before receiving their diplomas last month.

At a Senate education committee meeting on Thursday, BlueSky interim director Don Hainlen asked legislators to have an independent investigator examine the school's curriculum and student transcripts, as well as the way state officials have interacted with BlueSky and other charter schools. Legislators should tell state officials to stand aside until that probe can be done, he said.

BlueSky's lawyer, Cindy Lavorato, said state officials have exhibited "micromanagement and unreasonable behavior" in their investigation.

Committee chairwoman Gen Olson, R-Minnetrista, said she called for a discussion of BlueSky after constituents contacted her with concerns about the department's move to end the school's contract. Olson said she does not expect the committee to take further action, but that she believes the issue raises the question of whether the school has been singled out for unfair scrutiny. "What other schools do we put through this kind of a curriculum audit?" she asked.

Thursday's hearing drew a crowd from BlueSky, as well as Education Department officials who defended their response to what they say have been persistent legal violations at the school. If the organization that oversees BlueSky comes back with information that might address the state's concerns, "we're open to looking at it," said assistant education commissioner Rose Hermodson, "but our investigation has been pretty thorough."

School officials have also complained that the Education Department, when fielding recent calls from concerned BlueSky families, has advised them to look for other schools. They also said the department has surveyed other schools to ask whether they would be able to accept students from BlueSky.

Hermodson acknowledged the survey but said she's not aware of anyone advising students to leave BlueSky. "The school is not closing until this process is completed," she said.

The school has about 620 students in grades 7-12.

Sarah Lemagie • 952-882-9016