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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Enrollment Increases at D.C. Charters and Declines at District Schools
Charter school enrollment in the District of Columbia has increased by 2,260 over the past year. Charter schools now serve 19,733 students, 26 percent of the city's children. At the same time, enrollment in the D.C. public school system has declined by 2,670 students from the previous school year. Total public school enrollment remained relatively steady, with 75,088 students in 2006-07, compared with 75,498 the year before. Thomas Nida, president of the D.C. Public Charter School Board, attributed the increased charter enrollment to several new charter schools that opened in the fall, plus existing charters that opened a second location or added a grade.
Source: Washington Post (free registration required), (02/03/2007)
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Arizona Legislators Seek Level Playing Field for Charters
A bill which passed the Arizona Senate Education Committee last week would allow charter schools to get the same amount of money as traditional public schools under a new bill making its way through the state Senate. The bill seeks to equalize overall public school funding and would increase charter school funding by $851.77 per student in K-8 and by $992.72 per student in charter high schools. Opponents argue that the measure would result in charter schools receiving more per-pupil state funds than local districts do. While charter schools do receive an average of $287 more per student in state funds than school districts, they are unable to reap the resources from local property taxes like districts do. "I don't see an overwhelming need for us to do this, but it is an inherent issue of fairness," said Sen. John Huppenthal, explaining the success he thinks charter schools have had with current funding levels.
Source: Arizona Daily Star, (02/01/2007)
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Proposal for Charter District Passes Georgia Senate Education Committee
A proposal being pushed by Georgia Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle that would allow school boards in the state's 180 districts to apply to the state school board to be classified as charter systems has cleared the Senate's education committee on a 4-3 vote. "It's basically a recognition that one size does not fit all," said Sen. Dan Weber, chairman of the Senate's education committee, who filed the legislation on Cagle's behalf. The plan would create a charter advisory committee to consider applications and consult with the state board. Each school would have governing councils that would negotiate a charter with the state. Angela Palm, spokeswoman for the Georgia School Boards Association, urged caution. "This is uncharted territory that we haven't been into," said Palm, who said her group supports the plan's overall goals. "It doesn't mean we shouldn't go there, it just means we're going to have to feel our way through."
Source: Macon Telegraph, (01/31/2007)
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Colorado Charter to Serve as Model for 35 New Schools in Texas
The Denver School for Science and Technology, a high performing charter school, will be the model for new science and technology high schools being created in high-poverty areas in Texas using private and public money. Some of the schools will be new charters; some will be "new" schools within existing schools; and others will be a complete reform of an already-existing school. The Denver School for Science and Technology, which has a diverse student population, is rated "excellent" by the state. "The school really blew me away," said John Fitzpatrick, executive director of the Texas High School Project. "The whole culture and vibe and feeling of the school was phenomenal." This summer leaders will train Texas teachers, principals, and administrators in the school's successful strategies.
Source: Denver Post, (01/31/2007)
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Legislative Committee Passes Charter School Moratorium and Funding Reduction in Gary, Indiana
Indiana State Representative Vernon Smith has won the support of the House Education Committee on his bill that would reduce charter funding and temporarily ban more charters in Gary. "My bill is leveling the playing field," said Rep. Smith. "Those who favor school choice will not be happy," said Larry Gabbert of Ball State University's Charter School Office, a charter sponsor. "We are not rolling in money," said Bill Ignatowski, principal of Gary's Charter School of the Dunes. "Any decrease in revenues would seriously hurt." Smith insists he is not opposed to charter schools, but rather is concerned that their growth threatens financial support for district public schools. Gary is home to six of the state's 31 charter schools. House Bill 1257, which passed on a 7-5 vote, has been sent to the full House.
Source: Post-Tribune, (01/31/2007)
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KIPP Foundation Receives $14.6 Million Grant for Longitudinal Study
The KIPP Foundation, which supports a network of 52 Knowledge Is Power Program charter schools in 16 states and the District of Columbia, has received a $14.6 million grant from Atlantic Philanthropies to support a five-year longitudinal study. The grant will fund a major third-party study of the effectiveness of the KIPP model. Key issues to be examined are the effect of KIPP on the academic achievement of disadvantaged students, how KIPP students' achievement levels compare with those of students at other public schools, and how sustainable and replicable the model is. The study will include a "control group" of comparable students who do not attend KIPP schools. It is the largest single grant to KIPP since Doris and Don Fisher invested $15 million to start the charter school foundation in 2000. KIPP plans to double to 100 schools within five years and to triple the number of students. Currently, 12,000 students are enrolled in KIPP schools.
Source: San Francisco Business Times, (01/30/2007)
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Upcoming Deadline: Teach California Charters Program
Teach California Charters, a consortium of charter school networks throughout California, is recruiting outstanding teachers for schools in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and the Sacramento and Central Valley areas. Interested candidates should visit the program website for more information and to complete the online application. The priority application deadline is February 9.
Source: National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, (01/27/2007)
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