Charter school CEO resigns amid funding scandal

Meghan Freeman, the chief executive of Elite Academic Academy charter schools,has resigned following an investigation into conflicts of interest involving public funds. The inquiry revealed that Freeman and founder Brent Woodard allegedly benefited financially from exorbitant salaries and connections to profit-driven entities. In the 2018-19 school year, Woodard earned $335,700, while Freeman’s salary was $328,000 as of 2023. The investigation also highlighted Woodard’s ties to Prime Educational Solutions, which received significant public funding from Elite. Sean McMorris, program manager for California Common Cause, remarked: “At a bare minimum, it looks like cronyism.” In response, Freeman defended her compensation as “legally approved” and called for increased transparency in charter schools, as new state bills aim to enhance oversight of such relationships.