Charter school faces questions over early kindergarten enrollment

Community School of Excellence, a St. Paul charter school with a history of problems, is facing accusations it improperly enrolled 4-year-olds in kindergarten.

The school failed to prove it gave students the proper academic, social and emotional assessments required for early kindergarten enrollment, Concordia University, the charter school's authorizer, says.

State law allows students under the age of five to be enrolled if they pass an assessment. Officials with the charter insist they've given Concordia proof students received proper evaluation before they were enrolled in kindergarten.

The state's working with Concordia to determine how students were evaluated, said Minnesota Department of Education Assistant Commissioner Kevin McHenry.

Community School of Excellence has faced previous scrutiny and a whistle blower lawsuit over accusations of mismanagement.

Concordia recently announced it would no longer act as a charter school authorizer.