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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Summer Institute for Charter School Leadership
The Peabody Professional Institute at Vanderbilt University in Nashville is offering a Summer Institute for Charter School Leadership, July 13-17. This intensive one-week program is designed for individuals and teams who lead and manage public charter schools. It is designed to enhance participants' ability to make good choices for their schools grounded in theory and supported by data. Individuals selected to participate in the Institute will be recognized with the title "Summer Fellow of Peabody College."
Education Entrepreneur Fellowship
The Mind Trust is now accepting applications for the second cohort of its Education Entrepreneur Fellowship (the first cohort will be announced in May 2008). The Fellowship, a nationally unique incubator for transformative education ventures, offers promising education entrepreneurs the opportunity to develop and launch their break-the-mold education ventures and the support necessary for success. Fellows receive a full-time annual salary of $90,000 for two years, benefits, and customized training. Fellows who opt to live in Indianapolis will also get office space at The Mind Trust. Interested candidates may apply online. Statements of Intent are due September 5, 2008. Fellowships will be awarded by December 1, 2008.
Practices from the Portfolio
In this new publication, NewSchools Venture Fund documents the effective practices of successful public charter schools and public charter school networks, such as Achievement First, High Tech High, and Green Dot Public Schools. It offers details on how these practices were developed and implemented, and provides useful tools and templates employed by these entrepreneurial organizations. The case studies focus on three areas of interest to all public charter leaders: human capital, organizational growth, and educational curriculum and quality.
National Public Charter Schools Week, May 5-9
National Charter Schools Week will be celebrated May 5-9, 2008. A primary purpose of this annual event is to connect public charter school students, parents, teachers, and leaders to policymakers, so they can experience the schools and the enthusiasm of the people supporting them. The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools encourages public charter schools to participate in a dynamic video campaign called "See Us Growing Excellence" - go here for more information.
Short-changed Charters: How Funding Disparities Hurt Colorado's Charter Schools
As in many states, Colorado's public charter school legislation largely places the burden of obtaining and paying for facilities on the public charter schools themselves. As a result, schools have struggled to find suitable and affordable facilities. This study finds that Colorado's public charter schools are suffering without a reliable revenue source for facilities. Schools are forced to spend operating funds on their facilities. On average, they spend $480 per student from designated per-pupil operating revenue on facilities costs. For a school of 400, that translates into $192,000, enough for at least four additional teachers. Because of the lack of space, an estimated 41,000 students are on waiting lists to get into public charter schools statewide. A majority (55 percent) would like to serve additional students but since most of these schools (79 percent) do not have sufficient space, thousands of children each year do not have this opportunity. State grant funding for facilities has provided little relief with only five out of 138 public charter schools (4 percent) receiving state funding for facilities. At the local level, bond elections have not proved to be a reliable source of funding for school facilities, with only 19 percent of public charter schools receiving bond proceeds through their authorizing school district.
2007 Annual KIPP Report Card
The Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) has grown to a national network of 57 college preparatory, open-enrollment public charter schools in 17 states and Washington, D.C. This annual report details the achievement records of the 49 KIPP schools that have significant test results. Almost all show strong student achievement gains. For the first time, the report summarizes the results for the 1,000 students who have completed all four years at 25 KIPP middle schools. On average, students jumped from the 40th to the 82nd percentile in math and from the 32nd to the 60th percentile in reading.
Evaluating the Performance of Philadelphia's Charter Schools
This study examines public charter school achievement in Philadelphia as well as who attends the schools and what impact the existence of public charters has on the achievement of districts schools. Public charter school students' average gains are statistically indistinguishable from the gains they experience while at traditional public schools. The performance of Philadelphia's public charter schools -- as measured by student achievement gains -- does not appear to be related to how long the school has been operating. However, attending a public charter school in grades 9-12 shows a small positive effect on student achievement while attending a public charter school in elementary and middle grades shows a small negative effect. There was no evidence that the district schools located in neighborhoods with the greatest public charter competition are performing any better or any worse as a result of the competition. Public charter schools attract students whose prior achievement levels are slightly below the district-wide average, but higher than the average achievement levels of the traditional public schools they left.
The Renaissance Schools Fund Symposium, May 6
The Renaissance Schools Fund (RSF) invites education leaders from across the country to it's first symposium, "Free to Choose Free to Succeed: The New Market of Public Education." RSF is a strategic partner to Chicago Public Schools' Renaissance 2010, an initiative to create 100 new schools of exceptional quality in Chicago’s most underserved communities. Guests will learn how the city's business, civic and local communities have come together with the district to drive education reform through new school development. National experts and local leaders will present on topics such as; The Role of the Private Sector in the New Market of Education, Replicating District Success and Going to Scale: Strategically Growing High Performing Networks. The event will be held on Tuesday, May 6th, 2008 at the Mid America Club in Chicago, IL.
Register soon because space is limited. Registration and additional information is available at the conference website.
Public Charter Schools Legislative and Advocacy Portal
The National Alliance's Legislative and Advocacy Portal enables users to connect with and contact their elected local, state, and federal officials to voice their opinions on key public charter school issues. Public charter school legislation and actions pending in the state legislatures are also described.
The PA Coalition of Charter Schools Conference, April 27-29
The PA Coalition of Charter Schools 2008 Conference, "Quality Charter Education for PA Families & Children," will convene on April 27 – April 29 at the Pittsburgh Marriott City Center, in Pittsburgh, PA. Conference registration will open in January; on-line vendor/exhibitor registration is available now. Additional information available online, via email (conference@pachartercoalition.com) or by telephone (724-934-8831).
National Charter Schools Conference, 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. Register before April 27 to get the lowest conference rates.
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