Charter School Exercise Background

2009 Summer Fellows

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History of Charter School Movement

The charter school movement has roots in a number of other reform ideas, from alternative schools, to site-based management, magnet schools, public school choice, privatization, and community-parental empowerment

The term "charter" may have originated in the 1970s when New England educator Ray Budde suggested that small groups of teachers be given contracts or "charters" by their local school boards to explore new approaches

Albert Shanker, former president of the American Federation of Teachers, then publicized the idea, suggesting that local boards could charter an entire school with union and teacher approval

In the late 1980s Philadelphia started a number of schools-within-schools and called them "charters.“

The idea was further refined in Minnesota where charter schools were developed according to three basic values: opportunity, choice, and responsibility for results

In 1991 Minnesota passed the first charter school law, with California following suit in 1992

By 1995, 19 states had signed laws allowing for the creation of charter schools, and by 2003 that number increased to 40 states, Puerto Rico, and DC

Source: US Charter Schools

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Charter Laws

Charter schools vary from state to state, not only because the individual charters set out unique mission and goal statements, but also because state charter laws, which significantly influence the development of charter schools, also vary. The laws cover seven basic policy and legal areas:

+ Charter development: who may propose a charter, how charters are granted, the number of charter schools allowed, and related issues

+ School status: how the school is legally defined and related governance, operations, and liability issues

+ Fiscal: the level and types of funding provided and the amount of fiscal independence and autonomy

+ Students: how schools are to address admissions, non-discrimination, racial/ethnic balance, discipline, and special education

+ Staffing and Labor Relations: whether the school may act as an employer, which labor relations laws apply, and other staff rights and privileges

+ Instruction: the degree of control a charter school has over the development of its instructional goals and practices

+ Accountability: whether the charter serves as a performance-based contract, how assessment methods are selected, and charter revocation and renewal issues

Source: US Charter Schools

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Myths & Realities

MYTH: Charter public schools are private schools.

REALITY: Charter schools are public schools open to any child, free of charge; they offer school choice to poor and working class families who cannot afford private school.

MYTH: Charter public schools accept only the "cream of the crop" and reject under performing students.

REALITY: Unlike exclusive private schools, charter public schools do not recruit and select "the best" students. When enrollment requests exceed the number of seats, charter schools hold a public lottery to determine who will attend.

MYTH: Charter public schools "drain money" from district public schools.

REALITY: When charter public schools are funded, there is no loss of public school money because charter schools are public schools. The total amount of spending on public education in communities with charter public schools is unchanged.

MYTH: Charter public schools receive more state money than district public schools.

REALITY: Charter public schools receive exactly what the districts spend to educate their students. A new funding formula ensures that the amount of money that charter public schools receive reflects the demographics, grade levels, and special education needs of the students who enroll.

Source: Massachusetts Charter Public School Association

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2008-09 Charter Schools Dashboard

# of students enrolled>1,407,700

% of which are minority students61.5%

% low income 47.9%

% of which require special education 11%

% of which are ESL students 12%

# of charter schools >4,600

# of new charter schools in 2008-09 >400

Charter school market share in US 3%

Highest market share in single state 9% (Arizona)

Highest market share in single city 55% (New Orleans)

GrowthStudents

% of charter schools making AYP* 62% (71% in non-charters)

% of charter students > proficienton 2007 NAEP

+ 4R – 27% (32% in Non-Charters)

+ 4M – 32% (39% in Non-Charters)

+ 8R – 28% (29% in Non-Charters)

+ 8M – 25% (31% in Non-Charters)

# of states with charter laws 40 + DC

# of states with caps on charters26 + DC

Average per pupil funding as %of average district school funding 78%

% of registered voters who accuratelydescribe charters as public schools 38%

% of registered voters who+ Oppose charters

14%+ Are unsure about charters 47%+ Favor charters 39%

Policy EnvironmentPerformance

* Adequately Yearly Progress: A statewide accountability system mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 which requires each state to ensure that all schools and districts make Adequate Yearly Progress.

Source: National Alliance for Public Charter Schools

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Examples of Boston-Area Charter Schools

Source: Massachusetts Charter Public School Association

The Academy of the Pacific Rim’s mission is to empower urban students of all racial and ethnic backgrounds to achieve their full intellectual and social potential by combining the best of the East (high standards, discipline and character education) with the best of the West (a commitment to individualism, creativity and diversity).

City on a Hill Charter Public School emphasizes academic achievement, citizenship, teacher leadership, and public accountability. The school seeks to graduate responsible, resourceful, and respectful democratic citizens prepared to advance community, culture and commerce, and to compete in the 21st century.

KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School provides an environment where the students of Lynn may develop the academic skills, intellectual habits, and character traits necessary to maximize their potential in high school, college, and the world beyond. KIPP Lynn is modeled after the nationally-recognized Knowledge is Power Program.

The Media and Technology Charter High (MATCH) School prepares inner-city Boston students to succeed in college and beyond. Courage, discipline, and perseverance are our core values, and we reverse underachievement through a combination of innovation, relentless personal academic attention, and an old-fashioned “no-shortcuts” ethic.

The Neighborhood House Charter School’s educational philosophy is “succeed anywhere” – the notion that every student at the school will have the necessary knowledge and skills to attend a high quality high school, whether that school be public or private, focused on college preparation, the technical trades, or the creative arts.

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Pros and Cons of Charter Schools

Source: ECS Education Policy

Charter schools present students and parents with an increasingly diverse array of education options

The competition provided by charter schools forces school districts to improve the performance of their schools in order to attract and retain students and dollars

If managed properly, charter schools serve as laboratories for education experimentation and innovation

+ The easing of certain regulations can free teachers & administrators to develop and implement new learning strategies

+ Additionally, charter schools are often freed from hiring and compensation guidelines mandated by teacher’s unions

Increased accountability for charter schools means that schools have to perform or risk closure. This extra incentive demands results

Because charter schools operate as a business, as well as a learning institution, they are subject to market forces that may eventually force them to close, depriving students of a continuous education

Accountability for student performance is difficult to measure and enforce in the burgeoning charter school movement

The usual complications of accurate student measurement are compounded by the often-conflicting demands of the state government’s need for accountability and the marketplace’s desire for opportunity

The emergence of education management organizations as proprietors of charter schools creates “pseudo-school districts” in which decisions are made far removed from the school

ConsPros

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Your Assignment:

Your team assignment will be to create a proposal and presentation for a new charter school

This exercise does not imply that New Sector approves or opposes the Charter School movement, or that we are endorsing it to you

We have chosen this concept to provide a platform for your teams to put all the trainings over the past several days to use, including+ Definition of mission and need

+ Theory of change and performance measurement

+ Projection of expenses

+ Constructing and delivering an effective presentation

Please read through the assignment

You will have time to work on the assignment this afternoon

Feel free to ask us questions as you progress