The administration of Gov Pat Quinn of Illinois announced on April 26 that it would suspend funding for the operator of a group of Chicago charter schools, the Associated Press reports via WLS-TV (ABC affiliate).
The state has accused the United Neighborhood Organization of breaching the terms of a $98 million grant by giving big construction contracts to companies owned by two brothers of Miguel d’Escoto, one of UNO’s top executives.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported that it had obtained a letter from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity in which the department detailed how UNO had failed to disclose an “appearance of a conflict of interest.” According to the Sun-Times report, here, the brothers’ companies have so far received a total of $8.5 million from state grant money.
The UNO operates 13 schools in Chicago:
- Octavio Paz Charter, 2651 W 23rd St
- Rufino Tamayo Charter, 5135 S California Ave
- Bartolomé De Las Casas Charter, 1641 W 16th St
- SPC Daniel Zizumbo Charter – Vet. Mem. Campus, 4248 W 47th St – 1st Fl
- PFC Omar E Torres Charter – Vet. Mem. Campus, 4248 W 47th St – 2nd Fl
- Major Hector P Garcia MD High School – Vet. Mem. Campus, 4248 W 47th St – 3rd Fl
- Officer Donald J Marquez Charter, 2916 W 47th St
- Carlos Fuentes Charter, 2845 W Barry Ave
- Sandra Cisneros Charter, 2744 W Pershing Rd
- UNO Soccer Academy, 5050 S Homan Ave
- Esmerelda Santiago Charter, 2510 W Cortez St
- Galewood Charter, 2050 N Natchez Ave
- Rogers Park Charter, 7416 N Ridge Blvd