# Minn. Stat. ch. 124E *Minnesota statute governing charter school authorizers* Minnesota Statutes chapter 124E is the state law that governs charter school authorizers. It also sets out the statutory power those authorizers hold over whether a school continues to operate.[^1] The record available here shows the chapter as it applies to two charter schools. In the first case, an authorizer issued a non-renewal notice on January 15, 2025, as reported by the [[Star Tribune]].[^2][^1] The second is a school named for [[St. Cloud]] but located in [[Waite Park]], whose authorizer is headquartered elsewhere in Minnesota.[^3][^4] ## Application ### Authorizer non-renewal notice According to the [[Star Tribune]], an authorizer issued a non-renewal notice to a charter school on January 15, 2025. The notice cited reading proficiency that fell from 27% in 2021 to 14% in 2024. It also cited 63% of performance standards met, against a 70% renewal threshold.[^2] The same notice cited a projected deficit near $800,000, exhausted borrowing options, and vendor payments falling behind.[^2] An authorizer's jurisdiction to act on a school's charter rests on chapter 124E.[^1] ### A second Stearns-area charter A second Stearns-area charter school carries the name of [[St. Cloud]] but is located in [[Waite Park]]. It is authorized by an environmental learning center headquartered elsewhere in the state.[^3][^4] ## Notes [^1]: Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes, *Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 124E* (n.d.) — establishes the chapter governing charter school authorizers and their statutory power over a school's continued operation. https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/124E/full [^2]: Star Tribune, *Step Academy wins reprieve from regulators while Athlos Academy of St. Cloud faces loss of its charter* (n.d.) — reports the authorizer's January 15, 2025 non-renewal notice and the figures it cited. These include reading proficiency (27% in 2021, 14% in 2024), performance standards (63% met against a 70% threshold), a projected deficit near $800,000, exhausted borrowing options and late vendor payments. https://www.startribune.com/step-academy-wins-reprieve-from-regulators-while-athlos-academy-of-st-cloud-faces-loss-of-its-charter/601213433 [^3]: Minnesota Department of Education, *MDE-ORG organization record 35893* (n.d.) — organization record cited for the Waite Park charter school's authorization by an environmental learning center headquartered elsewhere in the state. https://pub.education.mn.gov/MdeOrgView/organization/show/35893 [^4]: scsjacademy.org, *About us* (n.d.) — the school's own description, cited for its name and Waite Park location. https://www.scsjacademy.org/about-us