- April 24, 2024
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Easter Seals Volusia Flagler, an organization dedicated to aiding and educating those with disabilities, will not be able to open a pre-K charter school it had proposed for Flagler County.
The organization’s proposal was defeated when the Flagler County School Board deadlocked with a tied vote, with Chairman Andy Dance and Trevor Tucker voting in favor, and John Fischer and Colleen Conklin voting against. One board member, Sue Dickinson, was absent. She would have given the tie-breaking vote, but without a majority, the motion failed.
The proposal had been recommended by district staff.
Conklin said she voted against the proposed charter school because she was concerned about its economic viability, lack of Flagler County representation in the organization’s governance and the fact that one of the school’s two proposed Flagler County sites doesn’t have a facility.
The Easter Seals program would have served 3- and 4-year-olds with and without disabilities into the same classrooms. Easter Seals already runs a similar program in Volusia County.
But Conklin and Superintendent Janet Valentine said Flagler County already has inclusive classroom programs for pre-K kids.
“Not only do we believe in inclusive practices, but we believe that should be done at their home schools,” Valentine said.
Conklin said she respects Easter Seals’ work but doesn’t believe Flagler County needs the new charter school.
“I don’t see the need,” Conklin said. “If there is one, I don’t see it at this time.”
Another proposed charter school, the Flagler Academy of Science and Technology, withdrew its application and plans to revise it and resubmit it early next year.
