Ohio e-school appeals case over $60M repayment to high court

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - One of the nation’s largest online charter schools is taking its fight over attendance tracking to the Ohio Supreme Court.

The Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow is engaged in a multi-pronged legal battle over the way the Ohio Department of Education tallied student log-ins to determine the school must repay state taxpayers $60 million.

State officials contend ECOT didn’t provide documentation of student participation to justify that portion of its funding. ECOT claims the department illegally changed criteria to adjust funding for the 2015-16 school year.

The school asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to reconsider a state appeals court decision siding with the state.

ECOT asks the high court to take up the case on grounds state officials acted “by bureaucratic fiat” to “drastically change the way eschools are funded.”