Lack of funds forces shutdown of Jacksonville charter schools meant to help the underserved

Tiffany Hayden and her son Taurean were blindsided by the news that Valor Academy of Leadership would be closing its doors for good.

“I was just taken back I was like wow he said, ‘Mommy, you got 20 days to find me a new school’,” said Hayden.

The tuition-free all boys’ school attracted Hayden because of the structure it provided.

“This school is everything to me, it's like a home to me, I feel like I have brothers here,” said Taurean Hayden.

Virtue Arts and Science Academy, an all girls’ school under the same charter company Profectus Learning Systems, is also shutting down.

Administrators would not speak on camera but in a press release the board chair Cleve Warren said “Ultimately it would not have been in our families’ and students’ best interests to continue operating our schools at a significant financial deficit.”

A Duval County school district truck was at Valor Friday.

Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti said the district will be assisting parents wanting to enroll students in a public school. He also tweeted “as a district we will also ensure valor and virtue teachers are offered an opportunity to join our team”.

Hayden said she’s disappointed it came to this.

“I would've thought that you know they would've put more effort into giving them what they needed because these boys deserve a chance,” said Hayden.

According to Vitti, if parents wish to keep their kids in gender specific schools the district is offering the Young Men and Women’s Leadership Academy at Eugene Butler.

The schools officially close on Dec. 21.

Cox Media Group