Teachers at the Great Hearts Texas charter schools, spread across San Antonio, have returned to their classrooms. This comeback follows a brief administrative hiccup where the Texas Education Agency (TEA) spotlighted errors in background paperwork—pointedly, a snag in fingerprint filing procedures. Kurtis Indorf, acting as the network's interim superintendent, confirmed to San Antonio Report that all affected employees were now compliant and back at work as of April 19.
Meanwhile, the TEA's zeal hasn't waned, diving into an investigation into Great Hearts Texas over claims hinting at the siphoning of millions of state funds by its Arizona-based parent company, Great Hearts America. The charter network is already reeling from the abrupt resignation of Superintendent Brendan Miniter and the scrubbing of a lawsuit alleging undue influence by the national leadership. The TEA is tight-lipped about the focus of their probe, but an article by the San Antonio Express-News suggests a financial angle to the investigation.
In the eye of this administrative storm, Great Hearts Texas maintains a veneer of confidence. An email to parents hinted that the earlier reported fingerprint issues were part of a wider review, with the TEA scrutinizing HR compliance measures. “Great Hearts Texas is investigating how these errors in process and submission occurred and is implementing immediate corrective action, starting with bringing the employee onboarding and background check function in-house for increased accountability, scrutiny, and safety,” Indorf said, according to the San Antonio Report.
Fiscal irregularities tossing the charter network under a microscope include over $18 million in management fees paid to Great Hearts America since 2015. This scrutiny has pared open conflicts over governance, and operational control naturally follows. In one such move, the Texas chapter moved to set up distinct bank accounts and payroll functions, stirring the pot of autonomy and compliance with Texas laws. Parents are left parsing opaque communications, swinging between reassurance and shadowed trepidations about internal struggles and their children's uninterrupted education. The drama unfolds as Great Hearts America did not immediately respond to requests for commentary on the compliance issues and TEA's probe, quietly handing over the interim superintendent reins to Kurtis Indorf.
The School's plight prompts concern among parents and teachers alike. At a board meeting, several guardians voiced their apprehension, with one parent describing the ordeal as creating a sense of distrust among school families, as covered by the San Antonio Express-News. TEA investigation continues.
