Meeting of the Board of Regents | May 2009

SUMMARY

Issue for Decision

Should the Regents approve the staff’s recommendation concerning the proposed revision to the initial charter for St. Hope Leadership Academy Charter School (New York City)?

Background Information

We received a request from the Chancellor of the city school district of the City of New York to revise the initial charter of St. Hope Leadership Academy Charter School (SHLA or “the School”).  Retroactive to December 31, 2008, the School seeks to end its institutional partnership with St. HOPE Academy based on its need for a more timely and efficient delivery of services.  School management and outside vendors will replace St. HOPE Academy in providing contracted services.  Services include: finance and accounting; human resources; information technology; legal; data collection and assessment; communications and marketing; fundraising and grant administration; facilitating professional development to School leaders.

The School is located in Community School District (CSD) 5, Manhattan, and serves 150 students in grades 5 and 6.  The New York City Department of Education held a public hearing in CSD 5 on Tuesday, February 24, 2009, regarding the proposed revision.  No public comments were made or received.

Complete copies of the above are available for your review by contacting Shelia Evans-Tranumn at (718) 722-2796.

Recommendation

VOTED:  That the Board of Regents approves the revision to the initial charter of the St. Hope Leadership Academy Charter School as proposed by the Chancellor of the city school district of the City of New York, and the provisional charter is amended accordingly.

Reasons for Recommendation

              The proposed revision to the School’s initial charter, along with the other terms of the initial charter: (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) will permit the charter school to operate in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; and; (3) is likely to improve student learning and achievement and materially further the purposes set out in subdivision two of section twenty-eight hundred fifty of Article 56 of the Education Law.

Timetable for Implementation

The Regents action for St. Hope Leadership Academy Charter School will be effective immediately.