Judge allows online charter school lawsuit to proceed

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

Ohio’s largest online charter school has been allowed to proceed with a lawsuit that seeks to block an enrollment audit the state says is necessary to determine its future funding.

In a ruling late Monday, Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Jenifer French denied the Ohio Department of Education’s request to dismiss the suit brought by the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow.

French said claims the department is breaching its financial agreement with the school and attempting to single out ECOT warrant airing in court.

The state argued it’s treated 10 other e-schools the same. It said even singling out the Electronic Classroom would be justified, given the more than $100 million it received from the state last fiscal year.

The school’s spokesman says the court rejected the department’s “abuse of power.”