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The Varnett Public School is a state charter school network headquartered in the Varnett School Southwest Campus in Houston, Texas. The system has three campuses with nearly 1,600 students. The school was founded as a private school in 1984 and became a public charter school in 1998. Ericka Mellon of the ''Houston Chronicle'' wrote that the school system "was a standout among schools serving mostly poor, minority children."〔Mellon, Ericka. "(Houston charter school leaders accused of embezzling $2.6 million meant for kids )." ''Houston Chronicle''. July 16, 2015. Retrieved on August 15, 2015.〕 In 2015 the founders of the school were indicted by federal prosecutors, accused of embezzling $2.6 million of school funds.〔 ==History== The Varnett School opened in 1984.〔 M. Annette Cluff〔 and her husband, Alsie Cluff Jr., started the school.〔 Annette and her husband started the school, then a private school, so they could give their son, then in preschool, a better education.〔 Annette Cluff served as the owner of the school system.〔 In the 1990s, after voters rejected a Houston Independent School District $390 million bond package, superintendent Rod Paige contracted with Varnett, River Oaks Academy, and Wonderland School to house 250 students who could not be placed in HISD schools. The schools were paid $3,565 per student. This was 10% lower than the district's own per pupil cost.〔 In 1998 Varnett received its open enrollment charter from the state, and it converted into a public state charter school.〔 In 2004 The Varnett School appointed Ronique Bastine-Robinson, a municipal judge of Stafford, Texas, to its board of directors.〔 In 2007 Harold Dutton, a member of the Texas House of Representatives, sponsored a resolution that honored Annette Cluff for winning the service award Audrey Lawson Impact Award.〔 In 2009 Varnett had three campuses with over 1,400 students in grades pre-Kindergarten through 5.〔 In 2010 Varnett the three campuses had 1,700 students. During that year 300 or 400 children were on a waiting list.〔 In 2010 the East Campus won the National Blue Ribbon Award.〔 At one time Annette Cluff won the Pinnacle Award. an award from the Houston Citizens Chamber of Commerce which honors African American entrepreneurs.〔 In 2012 1,730 students attended Varnett schools. That year a spokesperson of the Texas Education Agency (TEA) stated that the agency was investigating issues at the Varnett School system and in the Rhodes charter school system. Since March 2012, during a review of issues not specified, the TEA withheld the accreditation of the Varnett school system.〔 In August 2013 the TEA released a report stating that the school system conducted business out of the view of the public, had conflicts of interest, and spent millions of dollars in manners it considered questionable. The school responded through an attorney, Rusty Hardin, stating that it did no wrongdoing.〔 In August 2014 the Cluff family resigned from positions related to the operations of the school.〔 On Thursday July 16, 2015 federal prosecutors announced a 19-count indictment against Marian Annette Cluff and Alsie Cluff Jr. It accused them of embezzling $2.6 million from the school system.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Varnett Public School」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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