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[Tripon]

The e fate of two Los Angeles charter schools remained an open question Wednesday, after a state commission declined to make a recommendation on whether they should remain open or close this summer.

The move comes amid a federal investigation of the charter network that operates the schools — the Celerity Educational Group. In January, Department of Homeland Security and FBI agents, among others, raided Celerity’s offices as well as the headquarters of a related nonprofit, Celerity Global Development, and the home of its founder, Vielka McFarlane.

The California Department of Education’s charter schools division chose to forgo making a recommendation on Dyad and Troika, a move its director said was unusual. Asked why, staffers said they had too many unanswered questions about potential conflicts of interest and newfound concern that Celerity’s schools might be paying “excessive” management fees.

The state Advisory Commission on Charter Schools — which exists to review charter school petitions and make recommendations to the state Board of Education — also threw up its hands Wednesday.

“I don't want to shut down a school that’s performing well for kids, but the evasiveness and foot dragging … is a huge concern,” said Caitlin O'Halloran, a member of the advisory commission. “I can’t even cast a vote one way or another.”

http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-edu-advisory-commission-celerity-20170405-story.html