Meeting of the Board of Regents | July 2009
|
|
THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234 |
|
TO: |
|
|
FROM: |
Johanna Duncan-Poitier
|
|
SUBJECT: |
Charter Schools: Proposed Third Renewal Charter for Bronx Charter School for Excellence
|
|
DATE: |
July 24, 2009
|
|
STRATEGIC GOAL: |
Goals 1 and 2 |
|
AUTHORIZATION(S):
|
|
SUMMARY
Issue for Decision
Should the Regents approve the staff’s recommendations concerning the proposed third renewal to the charter for Bronx Charter School for Excellence (New York City)?
Background Information
We received a request from the Trustees of the State University of New York (SUNY) to approve and issue a third renewal charter for Bronx Charter School for Excellence (BCSE or “the School”). The initial five-year charter was granted by the Board of Regents on April 29, 2003. The first renewal went into effect by operation of law in April 2008 because a public hearing concerning the proposed renewal had not been held. The Board of Regents approved a second renewal in July 2008. SUNY is requesting that the School’s charter be renewed and its provisional charter be extended from August 1, 2009 through July 31, 2014.
The School currently serves 300 students in grades K-5 and plans to maintain the same enrollment throughout the third renewal period. The School will remain located in Community School District (CSD) 11, as per its approved charter. Additional information can be found on the Regents website: http://www.regents.nysed.gov/.
The New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) will hold a public hearing in CSD 11 on Monday, July 27, 2009, regarding the proposed renewal. The results of this hearing and any subsequent necessary amendment to the voted language will be shared with the Board of Regents at its meeting on Tuesday, July 28, 2009.
Recommendation
VOTED: That the Board of Regents returns the proposed third renewal charter of the Bronx Charter School for Excellence to the Trustees of the State University of New York for reconsideration, and with the following comments and recommendations: 1) That the charter school develop a curriculum in mathematics and ELA that is aligned with the updated guidelines of 2005 and; 2) That the charter school Include a goal for parent satisfaction in the accountability plan.
Timetable for Implementation
The Regents action for Bronx Charter School for Excellence will become effective immediately.
New York State Education Department
Summary of Charter School Renewal Information
Summary of Applicant Information
Name of Proposed Renewed Charter School: Bronx Charter School for Excellence (BCSE or “the School”)
Address: 1960 Benedict Avenue, Bronx, NY 10462
Board of Trustees President: Joyce Frost
Renewal Period: August 1, 2009 – July 31, 2014
District of Location: New York City Community School District 11, the Bronx
Charter Entity: Trustees of the State University of New York
Institutional Partner(s): N/A
Management Partner(s): N/A
Grades Served per Year: K-5
Projected Enrollment per Year: 300
Renewal Application Highlights
Evidence of Educational Soundness/ Attainment of Educational Objectives
- The student achievement results for Bronx Charter School for Excellence are shown in Tables A and B in Attachment 1.
- The School serves 60 percent low-income students; eight percent students with disabilities, and no limited English proficient students.
- In 2007-2008, the School met its goal that, “Each year the School’s aggregate Performance Index on the State ELA and mathematics exams will meet its Annual Measurable Objective set forth in the State’s No Child Left Behind accountability system.”
- In 2007-08 the School’s aggregate Performance Index (PI) of 187 on the State ELA and 199 on the State mathematics exams met the Annual Measurable Objective (AMO) set forth in the NYS accountability system.
- The School made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) from 2007-2009. The School has been deemed in “Good Standing” under New York State’s Accountability System during this same period.
- In 2007-08, the School did not meet its goal that “each year, the percent of students who are enrolled in at least their second year and performing at or above Level 3 on the State ELA exam in each tested grade will be greater than that of Community School District 11.”
- In 2007-08, the School met its goal that “each year, the percent of students who are enrolled in at least their second year, and performing at or above Level 3 on the State mathematics exam in each tested grade will be greater than that of Community School District 11.”
- The School’s ELA and mathematics exam scores exceeded the scores of CSD 11 in 2008-2009 (See Table B, Attachment 1.)
- In 2007-08, the School met its goal that “for 2007-08 through 2008-09 school years, 75 percent of fourth graders who are enrolled in at least their second year will perform at or above Level 3 on the New York Science examination.” When BCSE had its first fourth grade class take the state science exam, 100 percent of students scored proficient or better, exceeding its target of 75 percent.
- The School had a 13.7 percent student attrition rate and a 20 percent teacher attrition rate for the 2007-2008 school year.
- Other information regarding the School’s goals in 2008-2009 is not available.
Evidence of Fiscal Soundness/Projected Fiscal Impact
- The School maintained a positive fund balance in its net assets for the fiscal year ending 2008 and has had a positive fund balance in each year of the charter.
- During 2009-2010, total revenues are expected to be $4,744,502.
- The School, through the “Friends of The Bronx Charter School for Excellence,” has access to assets in the form of an option to purchase both the leased facility and the vacant land adjacent to the school building.
- The School shows a negative change in its net assets for 2006-2007 through 2007-2008. See Attachment 2.
- The potential fiscal impact upon the District is represented below. Please note that these projections are based upon several assumptions, which may or may not occur: that all existing charter schools will also exist in the next five years and serve the same grade levels as they do now; that the charter schools will be able to meet their projected maximum enrollment; that all students will come from New York City and no other districts; that all students will attend every day for a 1.0 FTE; that the District’s budget will increase at the projected rate; that the per pupil payment will increase (and not decrease); and that the per pupil payment will increase at the projected rate.
Projected Fiscal Impact of the
Bronx Charter School for Excellence
(New York City – CSD 11 – Brooklyn)
2009 through 2014
|
School Year |
Number of Students |
Projected Payment* |
Projected Impact |
|
2009-2010 |
300 |
$3,732,900 |
0.0220 % |
|
2010-2011 |
300 |
$3,900,881 |
0.0223 % |
|
2011-2012 |
300 |
$4,076,420 |
0.0226 % |
|
2012-2013 |
300 |
$4,259,859 |
0.0229 % |
|
2013-2014 |
300 |
$4,451,553 |
0.0233 % |
*- Indicates calculations for NYC Budget assume an annual increase of three (3) percent.
**- Indicates calculations for Per Pupil Allocations assume an increase of four and one-half (4.5) percent.
Evidence of Parent and Student Satisfaction and Community Support
- The New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) will hold a public hearing in CSD 11 on Monday, July 27, 2009, regarding the proposed renewal. The results of this hearing and any subsequent necessary amendment to the voted language will be shared with the Board of Regents at its meeting on Tuesday, July 28, 2009.
- In the fall of 2008, 86 percent of students re-enrolled from the prior year.
- Ninety-nine percent of parents surveyed expressed satisfaction with the School. The School’s survey response rate in 2008 was 61 percent.
Summary of Charter Entity’s Findings and Recommendations
SUNY's Charter Schools Institute (CSI) has recommended a five-year renewal. SUNY states the School has generally implemented its key design elements. The School has met academic goals in its Accountability Plan. SUNY states that the School has demonstrated the ability to operate in an educationally and fiscally sound manner in the next charter period. According to the State’s NCLB accountability system, the School is deemed to be in good standing.
Over the last two years of its accountability period, BCSE has substantially improved its performance on the state’s English language arts (ELA) exam. In the most recent year, in ELA the School exceeded its absolute proficiency targets and far-outperformed its local community school district. During the last two years, from the time Bronx Excellence first began administering the State’s mathematics exam, the School exceeded its absolute performance targets each year, but fell short on its comparative measures in the first year. In the most recent year, nearly 100 percent of the School’s students scored at or above proficient and BCSE far-outperformed its local community school district, demographically similar schools state-wide, and the neighborhood school included by Bronx Excellence in its accountability plan. In addition to exceeding its growth target on the New York State mathematics test, Bronx Excellence reported considerable year-to-year progress on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) math test, with students performing just above the national norm on the most recently administered assessment.
Organizationally, the School had a new instructional leadership team in its fourth year comprised of a principal, an academic dean, a dean of students and a special education coordinator. Teachers reported that they felt supported by these school leaders, and indicated that they received frequent observations and informal feedback. Also, just prior to the School’s fourth year of the charter, a new executive director was hired and charged with stabilizing the School, especially in relation to the budget and facility.
Parents/guardians and students were noted in the 2008-09 parent survey, as very satisfied with the School, during the last renewal period. The majority of parents with enrolled students have strong positive attitudes about the School as reflected by their participation in workshops for parents and their involvement in special school projects and events. The School’s waiting list at the time of its renewal inspection visit reflected more students than were enrolled currently in the School (the School’s enrollment was at its projected charter enrollment level). Attendance and re-enrollment rates have become stronger along with the School’s academic performance. Few parents have pursued grievances at the board level or outside the School. CSI has determined that the School has demonstrated evidence of educational soundness, fiscal soundness and parental satisfaction.
Attachment 1
Table A*
2008-2009
Grades 3-8 State ELA and Math Assessments
Percent of BCSE Students at Levels 1 – 4
|
3-8 ELA |
3-8 Math |
||||||||||
|
%L1 |
%L2 |
%L3 |
%L4 |
Proficiency |
|
%L1 |
%L2 |
%L3 |
%L4 |
Proficiency |
|
|
0 |
8.9 |
83.4 |
7.6 |
91 |
|
0 |
2.1 |
54.5 |
43.4 |
97.9 |
|
* Due to statistical rounding, percentages may exceed 100.
Table B
2008-2009
Grades 3-8 State ELA and Math Assessments
Percent of BCSE and District 11 Students at Proficiency Level
|
2008-2009 |
|
2008-2009 |
||
|
3-8 ELA |
|
3-8 Math |
||
|
BCSE |
91 |
|
BCSE |
97.9 |
|
District |
64 |
|
District |
77 |
Current Enrollment
BCSE
2008-2009
|
GRADE |
2008-09 |
|
Kindergarten |
50 |
|
First |
50 |
|
Second |
50 |
|
Third |
50 |
|
Fourth |
50 |
|
Fifth |
50 |
|
Total |
300 |
Projected Enrollment
BCSE
2009-2010 to 2013-2014
|
GRADE |
2009-10 |
2010-11 |
2011-12 |
2012-13 |
2013-14 |
|
Kindergarten |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
|
First |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
|
Second |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
|
Third |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
|
Fifth |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
|
Total |
300 |
300 |
300 |
300 |
300 |
Attachment 2
Bronx Charter School for Excellence
Change in Net Assets for 2006-07 through 2007-08*
|
Year |
Change in Net Assets |
|
2006-07 |
($851,993) |
|
2007-08 |
($201,474) |
*Source: Audited Financial Statements provided as a part of each Annual Report.