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
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National Charter Schools Conference Program Now Online During National Charter Schools Conference
The 124 sessions to be presented at the 2007 National Charter Schools Conference are available for viewing online at the conference website. Conference strands include: Charter School Design; Instruction and Leadership; Charter School Funding, Facilities and Finance; Performance and Accountability; Advocacy and Messaging; Policy Environment; Governance and Operations; and State of the Movement. Keynote speakers include US Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, Newsweek Magazine Editor Jon Meacham, and Kevin Johnson Founder of St. HOPE Public Schools. Register today to join 3,000 colleagues in Albuquerque, New Mexico April 24th–27th to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the charter school movement. For questions, call 206-463-3344 or e-mail nationalconference@publiccharters.org.
Source: National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, (03/01/2007)
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Florida District Finds Charter and District Schools Share Similar Challenges
As the charter school movement matures, officials find that charter and district schools have much in common. A recent Broward School District audit committee found that both types of public schools were facing similar financial and enrollment woes. "They definitely share common problems," said Broward Charter School Coordinator Susan Onori. Charters, however, face additional challenges. Unlike traditional schools, charter schools in Florida do not receive money from property taxes for school construction and improvements. "They're supposed to do more with less," Onori said of charter schools. "But sometimes you can't. You can't just continue to be in the red." The poor financial health of some schools seriously concerned audit committee members. "What we're saying is we have heartburn," Committee Chair Henry Mack told school officials. "And we're depending on you to reduce [it]."
Source: Sun Sentinel, (12/11/2006)
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New Tulane Institute to Create Resource Network for Charter Schools
The Scott Cowen Institute for Public Education Initiatives, which has been set up with a $1 million grant, is designed to provide New Orleans public schools with access to Tulane's personnel and resources. Although the institute is designed to work with personnel from all schools in need, Tulane University President Scott Cowen said the initial focus will be on charter schools. "There is a pressing need to help individual schools," he said. "They don't know where to get help. We're known as a place with expertise. By creating this (institute), we can provide an instant response team. I call it the public education SWAT team." Among the institute's initial objectives will be creating a resource network for charter schools to match resources with needs.
Source: The Times-Picayune, (12/11/2006)
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NY Teachers Union Blasts Charters
Despite previously released data that contradicts their findings, the New York State United Teachers published a report last week claiming that charters underperform district schools. The organization insists charter schools have "wreaked havoc" on local school districts' finances and that only 13.6 percent of charter schools had higher test scores than similar public schools on the 2004-05 state assessment tests for grades 4 and 8. The report comes just days before lawmakers return to the state capitol to possibly consider whether to grant more charters. The state reached a cap of 100 in January. Peter Murphy of the New York Charter Schools Association called the report bogus and an attempt to sabotage expansion of charters. "They are acting like a schoolyard bully to this fledgling reform movement that's showing real success for children by coming out with an 11th-hour hit-job, pretending to be a study, that's unworthy of a high-school research class," he said.
Source: Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, (12/09/2006)
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Charter Schools in Indiana Starting Athletic Programs from Scratch
Late last month, John Boyd, a Gary, Indiana high school basketball coach shocked observers when he forced his team to walk off the floor before facing the Bowman Leadership Academy charter school's team in the final round of a tournament. "Why would a Gary school play a charter school that takes kids from the Gary school district?" Boyd said. "What community is going to support a school that takes kids, and essentially takes money, from our schools? It's crazy." Despite some district resentment and logistics problems, coaches at charters are forging ahead with building athletic programs from scratch. Coach Marvin Rea is leading Thea Bowman Leadership Academy in its first season of IHSAA membership. "It's about giving options to the kids," he said. "The school is committed to academic and striving to be No. 1 in academics. So why not strive to put together a good athletic program too?"
Source: Post-Tribune, (12/08/2006)
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Some Florida Charters in Danger of Losing State Funds for Operations
State education officials have reported that class sizes in 26 charter schools in Broward County are bigger than the law allows and the schools are in danger of losing access to operational dollars. The state penalizes schools with larger classes by moving money from accounts that pay day-to-day expenses to construction funds. "They won't be able to use those funds to pay teachers or to pay utilities," said Jane Turner, district budget director. "The premise is if you can't make class-size, it's because you need to put more money in facilities." By 2010, all public school classes must be capped at 18 students from pre-kindergarten to third grade, 22 in grades 4 through 8 and 25 per class in high school.The state has not determined how much the schools will be penalized this school year. Schools have until January 2 to appeal.
Source: Sun Sentinel, (12/07/2006)
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