Sacramento Charter School's Abrupt Closure Leaves Parents Scrambling

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A local charter school shut down without any warning to parents or its students.

"It is very upsetting, very upsetting," said Yared Negussie late Wednesday night.

His daughter no longer has a school to attend and found just before 3 p.m.

"What are we supposed to do in the middle of the week. If we had two weeks or three weeks notice we could be looking for school," he said.

His seventh-grader is among the approximately 70 students at Paramount Collegiate Academy who were notified that the campus was permanently closing at the end of the school day.

It was especially hard for the students.

"Just not knowing what to do after this," said Carlos Sanchez.

"All of us were sad because we lost friends and teachers and the teachers were great here," said Joel Ponce who was in the middle school.

The charter school opened in 2015 and was known for its emphasis in arts and science from sixth to 12th grades.

"They convinced my daughter and especially me," Negussie said.

We caught up with school administrators who had little to no comment.

"You see I've been crying on and off all day, but thank you thank you," said Dawn Conteras Douglas, founder, and CEO.

In that letter to parents, it states.

"Board of directors unanimously voted to Close Paramount Collegiate Academy due to Financial, Facility, and Low Enrollment challenges," Ms. Debora Walker, president.

Concerns over the school's finances are not new. Its original charter petition was rejected by both the Sacramento County Office of Education and San Juan Unified School District.

Now that district is preparing to help the displaced students.

The enrollment office will be open tomorrow in Carmichael for San Juan students and at Paramount.

The principal said she will be helping parents get their students enrolled elsewhere.