A spokesperson for three new Menta Schools, including Centralia, says they have asked for a court injunction to remain open.
Steve Brown says they were continuing to operate as the Illinois State Board of Education begins to work on the transition of all students out of three facilities the state maintains were operating without state approval. But Brown says all have the approval of the purchase care review board that is part of the state board. He reports that ISBE has told them they want to complete the transition out of the Menta programs by Friday.
Brown says the request for an injunction was filed on behalf of all three schools in Cook County Court in Chicago.
Brown says the Centralia facility has 50 to 60 students. It is operating in the former Bronson School at 227 Chicago Avenue in Wamac under a lease from the Kaskaskia Special Education District. Menta now works with school districts in the area to operate therapeutic day schools for students with significant social-emotional disabilities.
Salem High School Superintendent Dr. Brad Detering told the school board Monday night that at the present time, they have no students in the program that was formerly under the direction of the Kaskaskia Special Education District.
The State Board of Education says they discovered the unauthorized facilities after receiving a complaint and began an investigation. Unannounced visits were made to the facilities last week to confirm they were operating without state approval. ISBE also reported finding troubling restraint and time-out practices at the Centralia and Springfield locations. ISBE also observed during the unannounced visits that the staff at the Menta Springfield and LaSalle facilities did not match the information in their grant applications.
State School Superintendent Dr. Tony Sanders says it is egregious and unprecedented that the Menta Group would misrepresent its approval status to school districts and families and would put students’ safety and wellbeing at risk by operating unauthorized facilities. ISBE says it will do everything in its power to provide support to the school districts and families as they locate alternative placements for their students.
