On average, the funding gap between charter schools and traditional schools is 22 percent, or $1,800 per pupil. The average charter school ends up with a total funding shortfall of nearly half a million dollars.
Source: Charter School Funding: Inequity’s Next Frontier
|
|
 |
|
|
Note: Please be aware that online publishers often change URLs or no longer provide access to articles after 7 days. If any of the below links no longer work, access the publishing newspaper and search the archives for the keywords in the subject matter. Good luck.
Jon Meacham, Editor of Newsweek, to Keynote at 2007 National Charter Schools Conference
Newsweek Editor Jon Meacham will be the kickoff keynote speaker at the 7th National Charter Schools Conference, set for April 24 – 27 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. More than 3,000 charter school colleagues will convene in the "Land of Enchantment" to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the movement and to hear Meacham's global outlook for educating students in the next 15 years and beyond. Meacham joins Kevin Johnson, former NBA basketball star and Founder/Chairman of the Board of St. HOPE Academy Charter School, as conference keynotes. Go to the conference website to register, make hotel reservations, and find out how to sign up for graduate credits/CEUs or to participate in the Virtual Career Fair. Hosted by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, the conference will feature more than 120 breakout sessions, focusing on Quality, Policy, Advocacy and Capacity. For questions, e-mail nationalconference@publiccharters.org or call 206-463-3344.
Source: National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, (11/09/2006)
Also See
-----------------------------------------------
DC Board Considers Relinquishing Authorizing Role
The D.C. Board of Education is considering giving up authority over its 18 public charter schools. Some school board members have said it is time for them to focus more on the city's 141 traditional schools. "I think it would be a very good thing for the Board of Education to get out of the chartering business, because they've made a mess of it," said Robert Cane of Friends of Choice in Urban Schools, a charter advocacy group. Some charter schools under the school board's control are concerned about change. Ramona Edelin of the D.C. Public Charter School Association said that leaders of 15 of the board's 18 charter schools want the school board to retain its role. "They would like to report to the authority that the people have elected," Edelin said. The board is expected to take action on the plan at its November 13 meeting. The plan would require the approval of the D.C. Council, and possibly of Congress.
Source: Washington Post (free registration required), (10/28/2006)
-----------------------------------------------
Indy Mayor Stands Firm in Chartering Plans Despite District Call for Moratorium
Indianapolis Public Schools Superintendent Eugene White plans to ask the city's mayor, Bart Peterson, and other officials to place a moratorium on new charter schools. An estimated 3,000 district students have transferred to charter schools and the competition may force the school district to close schools and/or re-evaluate programs if the enrollment trend continues. A spokesman for the mayor, Justin Ohlemiller, says that Peterson will listen to the proposal, but does not plan to stop approving charters. "The mayor does not support halting the growth of charter schools," Ohlemiller said. "We have been clear about that over the last several years." "If we can't stop the loss of students, it's really going to compromise some programs down the road," White said. Recent results show that nearly three-quarters of students at Mayor-sponsored charter schools progressed at a faster pace on nationally-normed tests than their peers in other public schools throughout the state.
Source: Indianapolis Star, (10/27/2006)
-----------------------------------------------
Ohio Charter Schools Ruled Constitutional
The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled that public charter schools are constitutional. The 4-3 ruling was a big win for charter school advocates and removes uncertainty for the 305 charter schools in the state and the 72,000 students who attend them. "This decision lifts a cloud that was hanging over the program," said Chad Readler, the lawyer who defended the suit on behalf of about 100 charter school operators. "This decision allows all schools to return their focus to education, not litigation. "In enacting community school legislation, the General Assembly added to the traditional school system by providing for statewide schools that have more flexibility in their operation," Justice Judith Ann Lanzinger wrote. A federal lawsuit, filed in June by the Ohio Education Association, that challenges the legality of the charter school system is still pending. Readler believes that recent ruling "will play a very informative role in settling the federal case."
Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer, (10/26/2006)
Also See
-----------------------------------------------
More Teachers in Charters Certified than Those in Michigan's District Schools
Public charter schools in Michigan have a higher proportion of certified teachers than traditional schools in the same districts, according to data from the state's Department of Education. Ninety-five percent of teachers at charter schools have teaching certificates or permits, compared to 87 percent of those at other public schools in the hosting districts. State officials caution that the data was self-reported by districts and likely contains errors. Nevertheless, Dan Quisenberry of the Michigan Association of Public School Academies said he believed the figures show that charters were more effectively attracting qualified staff. "It's due to the diligence by the school to ensure they hire certified teachers," he said.
Source: Detroit News, (10/26/2006)
-----------------------------------------------
Report on Michigan's Charter Schools Stirs Controversy
According to a report released last week by Education Sector, Michigan's charter schools are falling short of their goals of expanding parent choice, fostering innovation and improving student achievement. "Quality is so important to the political welfare of the charter school movement," said Sara Mead, the report's author. "If you don't focus on quality with the charter schools, either you're not going to achieve your goals (or) ... you're going to undercut political support." The findings have some charter leaders defending their schools. Mark Eitrem of Mid-Michigan said charter schools should not be criticized for failing to expand choice when it's obvious parents keep sending their children to charter programs. "We're not cherry picking," he said. "Their children have been left behind in other schools. They're pulling their children from those other schools and bringing them to us."
Source: Lansing State Journal, (10/24/2006)
Also See
-----------------------------------------------
Kansas City Charter Movement Enriched by Dedication of Nonprofit
In a three-part series, the Kansas City Star explores how nonprofit organizations are making a significant impact on urban families in Kansas City. In one profile, Gordon Parks charter school is examined as an example of a nonprofit dedicated to teaching urban children. The elementary school program emphasizes building self-confidence with an array of services, such as therapists for speech, vision and hearing. Because many of the enrolled children struggle with sensory issues, students spend about 20 percent of their day studying the arts, which helps in developing their senses. "These at-risk kids need so many services, so many interventions that we don't fund our public schools to provide," said Peggy Funkhouser, director of the Urban Education Partnership. "But charter schools like Gordon Parks are a model for what is possible with private investment and people who care, and that captures the community's attention."
Source: Kansas City Star, (10/24/2006)
-----------------------------------------------
Thank you for your interest:
Please be aware that publishers sometimes change URLs or no longer provide access to articles. If this occurs, access the publishing newspaper and search for the subject matter.
Submit news items on the Web:
You can view archives or submit news items at: http://www.uscharterschools.org/pub/uscs_docs/n/index.htm.
To unsubscribe or subscribe:
If you would like to be removed from this list, send an email to: cs.unsubscribe.a.16@email.edgateway.net or manage your subscription via your user profile at USCharterSchools.org. We respect your right to privacy. Please read our privacy policy. To subscribe or contribute news items you will need to register with USCharterSchools.org.
Did you receive this issue as a forward from a friend? Get your own subscription to the Charter Schools News Connection here.
Charter Schools News Connection is sponsored by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools and distributed by WestEd.
|
|
