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 (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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Legislation to Increase Funding Goes Before N.H. House this Week
Without a funding increase in New Hampshire, a number of the state's 10 public charter schools could be forced to close. Currently, charters receive approximately $3,709 per student in state tuition. Districts are not required by state law to send tuition money to state-authorized charter schools, but they may choose to do so. Newly proposed legislation, House Bill 1369, seeks to allocate $7,000 per student in tuition for charter schools. "If the bill doesn't pass, we obviously don't foresee that we'll be able to be open next year," said Linda Stockwell, Cocheco Arts and Technology Academy outreach director. The second portion of the bill also proposes allowing charter schools to receive state building aid. A vote on the legislation is expected January 29.
Source: Fosters, (01/28/2008)
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Successful Charter Schools Changing Public School Districts in Ohio
Public charter schools in Ohio appear to be effecting changes in public school districts. In Cleveland, for example, city public schools have established single-gender academies and have plans for other specialty schools to keep the district competitive in the education marketplace. "Parents are choosing certain kinds of options," said Cleveland schools Chief Executive Eugene Sanders. "People go for their perception of safety, their perception of a more vibrant kind of academy environment. We have to do a better job of communicating and responding." Charter supporters say successful schools are encouraging families to stay in urban areas. Perry White, Director of East Side Charter School said that successful charter schools are as much an economic development issue as an education issue. "To stem the exodus of families from Cleveland, we must leverage our best public schools -- charter and district -- as catalysts for creating neighborhoods of choice," White said. "The future of our city and region depends on it."
Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer, (01/28/2008)
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Some Charter Schools Paying More than Market Value for Facilities in Utah
Some charter school facilities built through a development company are being sold to schools for more than appraised market value in Utah. The company, which includes current and former Utah legislators, helped finance and build Lincoln Academy. It charged school officials more than $500,000 above the appraised market value price when the facility was sold to the school. Other charter schools also have paid over $500,000 above market value for their facilities to some of the same developers. Private companies developing and financing charter schools in Utah stand to make enormous profit in a growing industry with minimal competition. "It does not seem ethical," said Tiffany White, a founder of George Washington Academy. "Their hand is in every inch of the pot. They find the land - they pick their own builders. They pick their own architects." Stephanie Colson, a founder of The Ranches Academy, a charter school in Eagle Mountain, said "I wish the state could find a way to not put us at the mercy of the charter developers."
Source: Salt Lake Tribune, (01/27/2008)
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Charter Advocates in Georgia Seeking Changes to Charter Law
Currently, charter school applicants in Georgia can only seek authorization from a local school board or the State Board of Education on appeal. A new bill, sponsored by Rep. Jan Jones, would set up a separate state body to approve charter school applications. It also would allow such entities as colleges, universities, counties or cities to act as co-sponsors of new charter schools, serving in an advisory, not a governing, capacity. The House Education Committee is scheduled to hear the bill this week. An alternative authorizing agency would bring "much-needed objectivity" to the charter school process, said Tony Roberts, chief executive officer of the Georgia Charter Schools Association.
Source: Atlanta Journal Constitution, (01/26/2008)
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Only One Out of 22 Charter Applications Receive Approval in New Jersey
Out of twenty-two applications for new public charter schools in New Jersey, only one has received approval in this year's round of application reviews. State officials say they have encouraged applicants to try again in the next round and they will make staff available to help address proposals' shortcomings. "Some of them were pretty close, so hopefully they will make it with our assistance," said Assistant Education Commissioner Jay Doolan. "I certainly questioned the staff about only one approval, but the reasons were compelling that would cause us to disapprove them," he said. Jessani Gordon of the New Jersey Charter Public School Association said she is concerned that so few new schools will be opening at a time that their popularity is spreading. "We want to see a very strong and vigorous movement," she said. "The need is definitely there, and we're not able to meet the need." The state currently has 56 charter schools, serving about 16,000 students, and another five that were approved last year are to open this fall.
Source: New Jersey Star-Ledger, (01/25/2008)
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South Carolina Bill Proposes Barring Districts from Charging Rent to Charter Schools
A bill proposed last week by state Rep. Chip Limehouse seeks to forbid South Carolina school districts from charging public charter schools rent for lease or use of a building owned by a school district. The Charleston Charter School for Math & Science has fought the local district about whether it should be charged rent for a district-owned building. Charging a charter school rent for space in district buildings is double taxation,said Limehouse. Parents pay taxes to send their children to public schools, and the school district would be charging rent for a building that's already been paid for. A recent survey of the state's 29 charter schools found that only six are in school-district-owned buildings. None of those schools pay rent, but many pay utility and maintenance costs that are associated with the use of the building. The proposed bill would not affect a school board's ability to charge charter schools for operational costs associated with use of a building, such as electricity, sewer and water bills. Scott Price, an attorney for the state School Boards Association, said school boards have statutory authority to run districts and make decisions on the use of its buildings.
Source: Charleston Post and Courier (registration required), (01/25/2008)
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Wisconsin Legislators Announce Compromise Bill on Virtual Schools
Last month, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals put the future of 12 virtual schools in jeopardy, ruling that they are not entitled to state aid, now about $5,845 per student. Last week, state legislators announced a compromise bill that would establish new virtual school standards that would allow the schools to remain open and continue to serve over 3,500 students. The bill will require the same hours of instruction per year for online students as for those in traditional classrooms; make sure that only certified, licensed teachers develop lesson plans and grade assignments, and require that, within two years, they must complete 30 hours of training in online education; and subject all records dealing with virtual schools to the open records law; require that teachers respond to inquiries from both parents and students within 24 hours; define truancy for online students, and require that truancy records be kept; and, allow the state Department of Public Instruction to operate an online academy, which would provide advice and suggested standards for school districts statewide that want to start their own online schools. "Allowing parents to choose virtual schools helps keep Wisconsin a national leader in education policy," said Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, chair of the Assembly education committee. Lawmakers said they hoped the plan would be approved in coming weeks and signed into law by Gov. Jim Doyle, who told reporters he was waiting for the plan's details but predicted he could support it.
Source: Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (free registration required), (01/25/2008)
Also See
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Delaware House Approves Single Gender Charter School Legislation
Delaware lawmakers have unanimously approved a bill changing the state's charter school law to allow single gender charter schools. Several legislators sponsored the legislation in response to a December decision by the Delaware Department of Education to withhold federal funding from Prestige Academy, a charter school seeking to open this fall to serve at-risk middle school boys. The bill includes an amendment to ensure that a second approved same-gender charter school would be available for girls. The Department of Education would work with the education community to help recruit interested parties to start such a school. The bill, which goes next to the Senate, must pass before the General Assembly breaks this week for the school to open on time.
Source: News Journal, (01/23/2008)
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Pennsylvania Court Strikes Down Charter School Enrollment Cap
In a 4-1 ruling, Pennsylvania's Commonwealth Court struck down a charter school enrollment cap in the Chester Upland School District, where charters make up more than half the K-8 public school enrollment. Specifically, the Commonwealth Court stated: "a charter is not a contract, but a grant of power for the board of directors of that school to establish a school to provide public education to school-age children. Consequently, the [School District] did not have authority...to limit Charter School enrollment." Chester Community Charter School CEO Steven Lee said: "This is a great legal victory for the students and parents of the city of Chester," said "Now, families in the Chester community are assured of having the increased choice of educational options that was intended for them and their children under the law." C. Marc Woolley, chairman of the district's new empowerment board, said the ruling threatens the district's future and promised an appeal. Unless the ruling is overturned, charters in the district will be able to expand by at least 1,000 more children.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, (01/23/2008)
Also See
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