Tulsa World special report: Investigating Epic Charter Schools
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Andrea Eger
Staff Writer
OSBI investigating new allegations of forgery by Epic Charter Schools' co-founder and CFO, willful neglect by board members
From Aug. 22, 2019: The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation executed another search warrant Wednesday in its investigation into Epic Charter Schools, and its inquiry now includes new allegations against administrators and governing board members.
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How does Epic Charter Schools stack up academically? Check out student proficiency test scores
From Aug. 20, 2019: Epic Charter Schools trails statewide averages on all 14 state tests for students in grades three to eight and posted proficiency rates on four of those tests on par with or even lower than the perennially low Tulsa and Oklahoma City inner-city districts.
Epic’s new superintendent points to funding levels for his school and the lagging achievement levels of the throngs of students who have made the switch to Oklahoma’s largest online school system.
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Epic Charter Schools' expansion into Texas in limbo amid new revelations about criminal investigation
From Aug. 1, 2019: Epic Charter Schools’ expansion into Texas has been halted just a few weeks before the start of the new school year.
On June 5, Epic publicly announced it had a deal with iSchool Virtual Academy of Texas, or iSVA, a public charter school, to offer students there in grades 3-12 its blended learning model, which combines online and in-person instruction. iSchool Virtual Academy’s governing board approved the contract with Epic on June 14.
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Tulsa lawmaker uses rarely invoked legal provision to attend closed-door meeting on Epic Charter Schools investigation, educators
From July 27, 2019: When the Oklahoma State Board of Education met behind closed doors this week to discuss investigations into Epic Charter Schools and proposed actions against educators’ state certifications, they had a unique observer present.
State Rep. Sheila Dills, a freshman Tulsa lawmaker, used a rarely invoked legal provision in state law to sit in on the state board’s executive session.
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Accreditation, state funding to continue for Epic Charter Schools during ongoing investigation
From July 26, 2019: The Oklahoma State Department of Education is proceeding as normal with accreditation and state funding for Oklahoma’s largest online school operator, despite ongoing state and federal law enforcement investigations.
At its monthly meeting, the State Board of Education approved Epic Charter Schools’ accreditation for 2019-2020 along with the full slate of public schools across the state.
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Swink school district facing forced consolidation says Epic leader offered a rescue: 'I'm in pretty good with Joy'
From July 25, 2019: The lone remaining board member of a school district facing forced consolidation says the co-founder of Epic Charter Schools offered to rescue the district in an unorthodox move.
The Oklahoma State Board of Education is poised to vote Thursday morning on the consolidation of Swink Public Schools, a rural district between Hugo and Idabel that serves 140 students in prekindergarten through eighth grade.
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New records reveal Epic Charter Schools' sponsor was in touch with state auditor for months before scandal
From July 22, 2019: The Tulsa World has obtained public records that indicate one of Epic Charter Schools’ own charter school authorizers has been in touch with the State Auditor’s Office for months about a possible audit.
On Friday, Gov. Kevin Stitt requested an investigative audit of Epic and its related entities by State Auditor Cindy Byrd.
Byrd declined to comment on Stitt’s request, but confirmed her office has already been in contact with the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board about questions.
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Governor requests state audit of Epic Charter Schools; school's sponsor already in touch with state auditor
From July 20, 2019: Gov. Kevin Stitt on Friday requested an investigative audit of Epic Charter Schools and its related entities by State Auditor Cindy Byrd.
The Tulsa World has also obtained public records that indicate one of Epic’s own charter school authorizers has been in touch with the State Auditor’s Office for months about a possible audit.
Byrd declined to comment on Stitt’s request, but confirmed her office has already been in contact with the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board about questions.
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Records show FBI has also been looking into Epic Charter Schools, along with federal education investigators
From July 18, 2019: The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Education’s law enforcement arm have also been probing Epic Charter Schools’ student enrollment practices and finances, public records obtained by the Tulsa World show.
Emails with officials at the Oklahoma State Department of Education and Statewide Virtual Charter School Board reveal that federal investigators were at work behind the scenes in the years after the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation’s initial inquiry into allegations of fraud at Epic resulted in no charges.
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State superintendent reacts to Epic Charter Schools investigation; online school official claims innocence
From July 17, 2019: State education officials pledged their assistance to investigators who have accused the operators of Oklahoma’s largest online school of embezzlement and racketeering.
In late February, the Tulsa World was the first to report that Epic Charter Schools was under investigation by state and federal authorities.
On Tuesday, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation filed records in Oklahoma County District Court revealing that it had seized evidence in its investigation of whether Epic had wrongly obtained millions of taxpayer dollars by falsely inflating its student enrollment figures.
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State senator raises new questions about Epic Charter Schools and oversight by Oklahoma State Department of Education
From July 12, 2019: A state senator is raising new questions about Epic Charter Schools, the operator of Oklahoma’s largest statewide virtual charter school and centers that blend online and in-person instruction in Tulsa and Oklahoma counties.
Sen. Ron Sharp, R-Shawnee, said he has tried in vain for nearly three months to find out how Epic could have received millions of dollars in state funding the last two years for 3,000-4,000 students in middle and high school when the school’s own website and assistant superintendent have said the Blended Learning Centers they are enrolled in can only be attended by students in early education and elementary school grades.
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Leadership change at Oklahoma's largest virtual charter school likely necessitated by new transparency, conflict of interest law
From May 7, 2019: New restrictions on conflicts of interest at virtual charter schools will necessitate a change at the top of the organizational chart at Epic Charter Schools, according to the Tulsa lawmaker who sponsored legislation to crack down on such practices.
Rep. Sheila Dills, R-Tulsa, said the passage of House Bill 1395, which Gov. Kevin Stitt signed last week, means Epic’s superintendent could not remain in that role because of his ownership stake in the for-profit company that manages the public charter school.
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State Senate passes new transparency reporting requirements for virtual charter schools; bill headed to Gov. Stitt next
From April 25, 2019: New restrictions on virtual charter schools sailed through the Oklahoma Senate on Wednesday, in a similar fashion to the state House of Representatives’ vote on the measure last month.
Since the bill passed the House 95-0 on March 13, the 41-0 vote by the Senate on Wednesday means House Bill 1395 by Rep. Sheila Dills, R-Tulsa, heads next to Gov. Kevin Stitt for enactment.
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State education officials deny clearing Epic Charter Schools in investigation, despite school's new claims
From April 24, 2019: Epic Charter Schools on Tuesday issued a news release and social media posts for their teachers and parents declaring that a newly issued audit by state education officials proved they are in “full federal compliance” with requirements for low-income and special education students.
But officials at the Oklahoma State Department of Education said it was only “routine monitoring,” not an audit, that did not cover the topic of special education — and the letter Epic used to bolster its claim was a form letter sent to all school districts subject to such monitoring.
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Epic Charter Schools, school reform and funding needs on the minds of Tulsa Republicans at Friday event with State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister
From March 16, 2019: State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister fielded questions Friday about accountability, implementing new reforms and a statewide virtual charter school that is under investigation by state and federal law enforcement.
Hofmeister, a Tulsa Republican, won re-election to a second term in November’s general election. She came to the Tulsa Republican Club’s monthly meeting to speak about Oklahoma’s new school report card system, which was unveiled to the public in late February.
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New transparency reporting requirements for virtual charter schools advance to state Senate
From March 14, 2019: One of the few surviving measures aimed at adding new restrictions on virtual charter schools sailed through the Oklahoma House of Representatives on Wednesday morning.
House Bill 1395 by Rep. Sheila Dills, R-Tulsa, received bipartisan support in a 95-0 vote.
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Parents, students pack Capitol to tell lawmakers about 'the array of reasons to choose Epic'
From March 11, 2019: Thousands of students and their parents descended on the state Capitol Monday to share with lawmakers their myriad reasons for choosing an online education through Epic Charter Schools. Not all of them came to oppose various pieces of legislation that would require the school and its for-profit management company to disclose more about how it spends public tax dollars.
Laura and Matthew Jennings brought their two children from their home in Marlow to visit with state Rep. Brad Boles, R-Marlow.
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15 people with ties to Epic Charter donated $180,000 to 78 candidates for state office
From March 3, 2019: The operators of Oklahoma’s rapidly expanding virtual charter school opened their wallets during the 2018 state political campaign season in an effort to combat what they perceive as threats to the school’s continued growth.
The first round of donations came in early 2017 when the two co-founders of Epic Charter Schools and their lobbyist contributed a combined $15,000 to a Republican-based state political action committee.
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Epic Charter Schools under investigation by state, federal law enforcement agencies
From Feb. 27, 2019: Epic Charter Schools, the Oklahoma-based online education juggernaut, is now the target of scrutiny by state and federal law enforcement in addition to state lawmakers.
In Oklahoma, Epic’s statewide virtual charter school, as well as three centers that blend online and in-person instruction in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, have drawn 10,000 new students and tens of millions of dollars in state funding this year alone.
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A study in contrasts: Most Tulsa County districts lose students while virtual numbers soar
From Jan. 29, 2019: Most Tulsa County school districts, including Owasso’s, posted enrollment declines — some for the first time in more than a decade — as Epic Charter Schools flourished with online school offerings, newly released student enrollment data from the state reveal.
For the fifth year in a row, Tulsa Public Schools lost students. Its year-over-year decrease of 540 students brings its five-year total loss to 2,059.
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496 Tulsa Public Schools students left for EPIC virtual school since August. TPS to lawmakers: Regulation is needed
From Jan. 18, 2019: Officials at Tulsa Public Schools decried the loss of nearly 500 students to the state’s largest virtual charter school just since school began in August at a Thursday morning meeting with area lawmakers.
Superintendent Deborah Gist and School Board President Suzanne Schreiber told the 15 or so legislators present that they are strong proponents of school choice, but they think new regulation is needed to reduce the constant churn of students coming and going from EPIC Charter Schools.
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Skyrocketing student enrollment nets Epic Charter Schools nearly $39 million more in midyear adjustments to state funding for public schools
From Jan. 8, 2019: Epic Charter Schools is seeing its share of state aid soar by $38.7 million in annual, midyear adjustments just made by the Oklahoma State Department of Education.
“Their enrollment is increasing dramatically — that really is the story. Virtual is up about 3,000 kids and their blended (learning) centers are up 2,500, so they have a little over 20,000 students now enrolled between the two,” said Matt Holder, deputy state superintendent of finance and federal programs.
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Epic Charter Schools promoting itself with multimillion-dollar advertising campaign, plus $9,000 per month shopping mall playground sponsorships
From Aug. 30, 2019: Turn on the television or radio, get online or even go to a shopping mall and you’re likely to see ads and promotions for the state’s largest virtual school, Epic Charter Schools.
How much is this back-to-school advertising blitz costing? Nearly $2.5 million.
And sponsoring children’s play areas inside Tulsa’s Woodland Hills Mall and Oklahoma City’s Penn Square Mall through multiyear leases with the malls’ owner adds up to $105,000 in costs per year.
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July 2019: Joy Hofmeister on Epic Charter Schools scandal
Andrea Eger
Staff Writer
Andrea is a projects reporter, examining key education topics and other local issues. Since joining the Tulsa World in 1999, she has been a three-time winner of Oklahoma’s top award for investigative reporting by an individual. Phone: 918-581-8470
As featured on
A nearly $2.5 million back-to-school advertising blitz by the state’s largest virtual school is meant "to counter misinformation and highlight our values," an assistant superintendent at Epic said.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Two former teachers have alleged they were wrongfully fired from Epic Charte…
Epic Charter Schools is accusing Sen. Ron Sharp, R-Shawnee, of "intentional misrepresentation of legal guidance given to him by two state agencies" and defamation of the school.
