The full board of a Sacramento-based school that provides English education to adult migrants stepped down after a state audit uncovered widespread fraud, mismanagement, and illegal use of public education funds.
All board members of Highlands Community Charter and Technical Schools (HCCTS) resigned on Monday after the California State Auditor’s office released a damning 171-page report detailing large-scale misuse of state education funding.
The audit revealed that the school took nearly $180 million in state funds—either without eligibility or by misusing approved funds.
Established in 2014, HCCTS aimed to help adult migrants, especially Afghans, earn high school equivalency diplomas to improve job prospects in the U.S., according to the Sacramento Bee.
At Monday’s board meeting, trustees first voted to remove Sonja Cameron for appointing her unqualified daughter to the role of Director of Attendance and Admissions—an administrative post paying an annual salary of $145,860, as reported by KXTV-TV.
Soon after, the remaining six board members submitted their resignations. Three of them committed to stay temporarily until new members are appointed.
The audit cited several serious violations, including
-
Nepotism in hiring practices
-
Inflated student enrollment to increase funding
-
Failure to submit financial transparency reports
-
Using funds for car repairs for vehicles owned by board members
-
Spending on luxury items such as food and travel
-
Awarding contracts to friends and family
-
Tampering with test scores
-
Numerous other breaches of public trust
A key part of the misconduct involved admissions. The school’s charter permits only adult migrants aged 22 and older who lack a high school diploma. Yet the audit revealed the school enrolled underage students and individuals who had already graduated high school.
State officials say these actions were intended to inflate attendance figures, which directly impact the level of state funding based on average daily attendance and enrollment totals.
While some officials are calling for HCCTS to repay the full $180 million, community activists warn that such a demand could force the school to shut down, cutting off English education for the current student body and potentially thousands of future adult learners in the region.
