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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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.
National Charter Schools Conference (New Orleans, June 22-25)
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools will host the 2008 National Charter Schools Conference from June 22-25 in New Orleans, LA. "Still We Rise: Achieving Academic Excellence at Scale" is the conference theme, reflecting the growth of quality public charter schools across America. The theme has special resonance in New Orleans, which boasts the nation's largest percentage of public charter school enrollment. Register for the conference or apply to sponsor/exhibit at http://www.nationalcharterconference.org. The conference is the largest gathering of charter school operators and proponents in the nation. Geoffrey Canada, President and Chief Executive Officer for the Harlem Children's Zone, will offer the keynote speech. Attendees will learn and share best practices, discuss national and state policy issues, have the opportunity to volunteer at local charter schools, and enjoy special events featuring New Orleans traditions, food and music! Questions? Call 206-463-3344 or e-mail nationalconference@publiccharters.org.
Source: National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, (03/01/2008)
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D.C. Charter Leaders Want to Establish "Gold Standard Designation"
D.C. charter school leaders and advocates are seeking to create a "gold standard designation," to publicly identify which charters are doing the most to raise teaching quality and academic achievement for low-income students. California already has a well-praised certification system in place in which charter schools may seek certification from their state association by submitting evidence of student achievement, ethical leadership, focus on quality and fiscal accountability. National charter school leaders say the concept of certifying the best charter schools is likely to spread as the 4,000 U.S. charter schools face pushback from traditional public school advocates. Nelson Smith, president of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, said, "A lot of people who are doing good work in charter schools think their work is compromised when it is associated with an underperforming school."
Source: Washington Post (free registration required), (11/19/2007)
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State Commission to Recommend Allowing More Charter Schools in North Carolina
North Carolina's 100-school cap on charter schools may soon be amended, if the recommendations from the Blue Ribbon Commission on Charter Schools are accepted by the North Carolina Board of Education and the State Legislature. The commission will recommend allowing an additional six new charters each year. The commission is also recommending that existing charter schools that achieve high academic performance not be counted against the statewide cap. New charter schools in counties that did not previously have one also would be exempted. While some charter advocates wanted many more charters to be allowed, others feel the recommendations are a step in the right direction. "This is a compromise, and it opens up room for more charter schools," said Raleigh Charter High School principal Tom Humble, who serves on the commission. The commission is also discussing tougher standards for charter schools. It is expected to meet December 19 to finalize its recommendations.
Source: News and Observer, (11/15/2007)
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Enrollment Drop in Detroit District Raises Possibility of More Charter Schools
Charter schools are in demand in Detroit and if district enrollment drops below 100,000 students, a provision in state law will allow Wayne County Community College District and Bay Mills Community College to charter an unlimited number of schools in the city. District enrollment is currently below 105,000.
Source: Detroit Free Press, (11/15/2007)
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Native Americans Push for Charter School Legislation in South Dakota
At the urging of Native American parents and educators in Rapid City, Sen. Tom Katus is drafting South Dakota's first charter school law and plans to introduce it during the coming legislative session. Katus says Native Americans feel that the school district is not meeting the needs of Native American students. While the graduation rate for the district was 78 percent last year, the graduation rate for Native American students was only 37 percent. "High dropout rates are clearly driving" the push for charter school legislation, he said. With the help of the Society for the Advancement of Native Interests-Today (SANI-T), community members seeking a solution to poor student achievement and high dropout rates began meeting months ago to discuss the charter school concept. "We're facilitating what the community wants," said SANI-T executive director Laurette Pourier. "Kids are leaving (school) at too fast a rate." In its present form, Katus' legislation grants charter authorizing ability to local school boards, the state board of education and an 11-member board of charter schools. The teachers' union has voiced displeasure with the draft.
Source: The Rapid City Journal, (11/13/2007)
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D.C. Schools Chancellor Considering National Nonprofit Charter Operators to Run Failing Schools
D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee is considering several school reform options for the district, including bringing in national nonprofit charter school operators to manage the city's lowest-performing schools. At least 25 traditional public schools are in the restructuring phase under the No Child Left Behind Act, and four charter schools have also failed to meet testing benchmarks. Rhee told a group of parents and teachers that three nonprofits potentially could run some D.C. schools: St. Hope, a charter operator in Sacramento; Green Dot, which operates 12 charter schools in the Los Angeles area; and Philadelphia-based Mastery Charter Schools.
Source: Washington Post (free registration required), (11/13/2007)
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Green Dot Develops Charter School with NY Teachers Union
A final decision from the New York State Board of Regents is expected in the coming months on the Green Dot Public Schools and United Federation of Teachers public charter school collaboration. If approved, the Green Dot New York Charter School will begin next September with 100 students in the ninth grade and will eventually expand to include all high school grades. "We want to build the best public high school in New York," said Green Dot founder Steve Barr. Green Dot operates 12 public charter high schools in Los Angeles' poorest communities and boasts a 98 percent graduation rate with 78 percent of seniors going on to four-year universities. The UFT initiated talks about the new school after the state legislature raised the cap on the number of charter schools. "We wanted to find sponsors who understand that teachers are a key ingredient of school reform and who put programs and practices in place to support teachers," said UFT President Randi Weingarten. "Green Dot has a great track record [for that]."
Source: New York Daily News, (11/13/2007)
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