SUN: Baltimore Co. missed convictions, bankruptcies before approving Puzzle Pieces charter

BALTIMORE COUNTY (WBFF) — Baltimore County Public Schools approved a public charter school without verifying key information submitted by its executive director, leaving the district unaware of multiple criminal convictions, repeated bankruptcies and other discrepancies.

The discovery raises fresh questions about how closely the district and its board scrutinize charter applicants before approving schools that, once opened, could receive millions in county, state and federal funds.

Under Maryland law, local school boards serve as the gatekeepers for new public charter schools, reviewing applications and deciding whether applicants are prepared to operate publicly funded schools. While state law does not mandate criminal background checks or prescribe specific vetting procedures, it requires boards to evaluate a proposed school’s governance, leadership and operational readiness.

BCPS said its review of Puzzle Pieces Learning Academy Public Charter School included governance and operational capacity. But district spokesperson Gboyinde Onijala acknowledged there was not a detailed vetting of executive director Chizarra Dashiell during the application’s review.

Read the full story on the Baltimore Sun.