Meeting of the Board of Regents | April 2010

THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

TO:
FROM:	John B. King, Jr.
SUBJECT:	Charter Schools: Proposed First  Renewal Charter for Harlem Children’s Zone Promise Academy II Charter School
DATE:	April 5, 2010
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goals 1 and 2
AUTHORIZATION(S):

SUMMARY

Issue for Decision

Should the Regents approve and issue the proposed first renewal charter of Harlem Children’s Zone Promise Academy II Charter School (New York City)?

Background Information

We have received a proposed renewal charter from the Chancellor of the city school district of the City of New York for Harlem Children’s Zone Promise Academy II Charter School (“the School”).  The School’s charter was initially granted on April 15, 2005.  It currently serves 400 students in grades K –5.  Upon renewal, it will serve 500 students in grades K–6, and grow to serve 815 students in grades K–10 by the end of this proposed renewal term.  The School's mission is “to provide high quality, standards-based academic programs for students, grades K–12, from underserved communities and underperforming school districts, and to provide students with the skills they need to be accepted by and succeed in college.”  

              The School has an institutional partner, Harlem Children’s Zone, Inc.  The School will provide instruction from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for 210 days per academic year.  Students receive free medical, dental and mental health services from the Harlem Children’s Health Project, a program sponsored by Harlem Children’s Zone, Inc.  The School may accept applications for kindergarteners two school years before those children matriculate at the School to give students the option to get a “head start” by enrolling in Pre-K programs.

The New York City Department of Education held a public hearing in Community School District 5 on January 20, 2010 regarding this proposed renewal charter.  No comments were made or received. 

Complete copies of the above are available for your review by contacting Sally Bachofer at (518) 474-1762.  Additional information concerning this renewal application may also be found on the Board of Regents website at http://www.regents.nysed.gov/

Recommendation

              VOTED:  That the Board of Regents approves and issues the first renewal charter of the Harlem Children’s Zone Promise Academy II Charter School as proposed by the Chancellor of the city school district of the City of New York, and that its provisional charter be extended for a term up through and including April 14, 2015.

Reasons for Recommendation

               (1) The charter school described in the proposed charter meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules, and regulations; (2) the applicants can demonstrate the ability to operate the school in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; and (3) approving and issuing the proposed charter 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 the Harlem Children’s Zone Promise Academy II Charter School will be effective immediately.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New York State Education Department

Summary of Charter School Renewal Information

Summary of Applicant Information

 

Name of Proposed Renewed Charter School:  Harlem Children’s Zone Promise Academy II Charter School (HCZ2 or “the School”)

 

Address:  2005 Madison Avenue, New York, New York  10035

Board of Trustees President:  Geoffrey Canada

Renewal Period:  April 15, 2010 – April 14, 2015

District of Location:  New York City Community School District 5, Manhattan

 

Charter Entity:  Chancellor of the city school district of the City of New York

 

Institutional Partner:  Harlem Children’s Zone, Inc.

Management Partner:  N/A

Grades Served per Year:                  2010 – 2011:  K – 6

2011 – 2012:  K – 7

2012 – 2013:  K – 8

2013 – 2014:  K – 9

  2014 – 2015:  K – 10

Projected Enrollment per Year:     2010 – 2011:  500

 2011 – 2012:  580

 2012 – 2013:  680

 2013 – 2014:  750

 2014 – 2015 – 815

 

Renewal Application Highlights

Evidence of Educational Soundness/ Attainment of Educational Objectives

 

• The School opened in September 2005 and tested its third grade for the first time during the 2007-2008 school year.  The student achievement results for the School are shown in Attachment 1 – Tables 1 and 2.
• The School scored higher than its district of location in the English language arts (ELA) and mathematics exams for each year that it had cohorts of students in grades 3 – 5.  See Attachment 1, Tables 1 – 3.
• In 2008-2009, the School had a Performance Index (PI) of 183 on the New York State (NYS) exams in ELA and a PI of 198 on the NYS mathematics exams.
• The School has been deemed “In Good Standing” under New York State’s Accountability System from 2005 through 2009.
• The School’s aggregate PI on the State ELA and math exams met the Annual Measurable Objective (AMO) set forth in the NYS accountability system.
• In 2008-2009, the School met its accountability goals for student performance on the ELA and math exams, students meriting promotion to the next grade and for parental response rates and satisfaction with the School’s academic program.
• For 2008-2009, the School served 60 percent of students who were eligible for free/reduced lunch programs and 10 percent special education students.
• For 2008-2009, the School served 1.5 percent limited English proficiency students. 
• The School has extensive plans to attract and retain students with disabilities and English language learners at a comparable or greater enrollment rate as compared to Community School District (CSD) 5.
• The School uses a structured English immersion program with push-in, class or pullout programs depending on the number and grades of eligible students.
• The School’s population for 2009-2010 is 90 percent Black and 10 percent Hispanic.
• The School provides instruction in each subject in the seven general curriculum areas and the proposed curriculum is aligned to all 28 NYS learning standards.
• he School conducts periodic internal assessments in the core subject areas to assist in differentiating instruction and providing additional support to students as needed.
• The School has a 210-day school year from September to the end of June
• The School provides instruction from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Monday  through Friday. 
• The teacher attrition rate for the 2008-2009 academic year was 3.2 percent.  The School has had three principals since opening in 2005.  The current school leader was hired in May 2007.

 

Evidence of Fiscal Soundness/Projected Fiscal Impact

 

• The School has no long-term debt and the School is located in a NYC DOE facility.
• The Board of Trustees (BOT) has demonstrated sound fund-raising capabilities.
•  The BOT effectively engages parents in the governance of the School, with at least one parent or guardian of an enrolled student serving on the board.
• The institutional partner also supports Harlem Children’s Zone Promise Academy Charter School, which is also located in CSD 5.  See Attachment 3.
• The School showed a positive change in its net assets for 2008-2009.  See Attachment 4.
• The number of Trustees will not be fewer than seven and will not to exceed 17.
• Trustees are elected to serve two-year terms, except the term for a Trustee who is a parent or legal guardian of a child enrolled in the School shall be one year. 
• Trustees may be elected to serve an unlimited number of terms.
• Regular meetings of the BOT are held 10 times throughout the year.
• The standing committees of the BOT are executive, finance, student achievement (education and accountability), and supervision and evaluation.
• The officers of the board of trustees are chair, vice chair, secretary and treasurer.
• 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

Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy II Charter School

(New York City – CSD 5 – Manhattan)

2010 through 2015

School Year	Number of Students	Projected Payment*	Projected Impact
2010-2011	500	$6,018,696	0.0282%
2011-2012	580	$7,295,863	0.0332%
2012-2013	680	$8,938,690	0.0395%
2013-2014	750	$10,302,498	0.0442%
2014-2015	815	$11,699,173	0.0487%

*Assumes no annual increase in the District’s budget from the base of $21 billion in 2010-2011; and no increase in the average expense per pupil per year from the 2010-2011 rate of $12,443.

 

Evidence of Parent and Student Satisfaction and Community Support

 

• A public hearing to solicit comments from the community in connection with the School’s proposed renewal was conducted by the NYC DOE on Wednesday, January 20, 2010.  No public comments were made or received. 
• In the fall of 2006, 96.2 percent of students re-enrolled from the prior year.  In 2007, the re-enrollment level was 89.5 percent.  For 2008, the re-enrollment rate was 92.1 percent with 95 percent re-enrolling in 2009.
• The 2008-2009 waiting list to enroll in the School was approximately 300 students.
• The 2008-2009 data showed that 100 percent of the parent surveys developed by the School in its accountability plan indicated a satisfactory or better rating for the School’s academic program, children’s growth and the relationship between the School and the family.  The parental response rate was 54 percent. 
• The School showed a response rate of 77 percent on the NYC DOE School Survey indicating 95 percent satisfaction and a strong commitment to the future of the School.

Summary of Charter Entity’s Findings and Recommendations

The School maintains a strong relationship with its institutional partner Harlem Children’s Zone, Inc. and fosters effective collaboration between in-school and after-school services and activities.  Students receive free medical, dental and mental health services from the Harlem Children’s Health Project, a program sponsored by Harlem Children’s Zone, Inc.  (HCZ, Inc).  During its first two years of operation, the School experienced difficulty meeting teacher certification requirements that resulted in faculty and administrative turnover.  Because of changes in leadership, aggressive hiring practices and vigilant checking of certification status, the School is now in full compliance concerning teacher certification.  In spite of these challenges, the School has experienced success in meeting its goals for student academic progress. 

The School has made continual progress in developing capacity for data collection and analysis in order to ensure that instruction is targeted to meet individual student needs.  It has developed a consistent and reflective approach to school improvement, with open communication with parents and guardians on their child’s academic progress.

The New York City Department of Education Charter School Office and Chancellor recommends that the renewal application for the Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy II Charter School be approved for a full term of five years, granting the School the authority to provide instruction to students in grades kindergarten through tenth grade consistent with the other terms of operation set forth in its application for renewal. 

Attachment 1

Table 1

2007-2008

Grades 3-8 State ELA and Math Assessments

Percent of HCZ2 Students at Levels 1 – 4

3-8 ELA						3-8 Math
%L1	%L2	%L3	%L4	Proficiency			%L1	%L2	%L3	%L4	Proficiency
3.7	14.8	74.1	7.4	81.5 %			0	0	63.0	37.0	100

 

Table 2

2008-2009

Grades 3-8 State ELA and Math Assessments

Percent of HCZ2 Students at Levels 1 – 4

3-8 ELA						3-8 Math
%L1	%L2	%L3	%L4	Proficiency			%L1	%L2	%L3	%L4	Proficiency
1.5	13.8	67.7	16.9	84.6			0	1.5	56.9	41.5	98.5

 

Table 3

2006-2007, 2007-2008 and 2008-2009

Grades 3-8 State ELA and Math Assessments

Percent of HCZ2 and CSD 5 Students at Proficiency Level

ELA					Math
	2006-2007	2007-2008	2008-2009				2006-2007	2007-2008	2008-2009
HCZ2	N/A	81.5	84.6			HCZ2	N/A	100	98.5
CSD 5	37.3	43.0	58.9			CSD 5	53.3	60.0	72.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attachment 2

Current Enrollment

Harlem Children’s Zone Promise Academy II Charter School

2009-10

GRADE	2009-10
Kindergarten	100
First	95
Second	71
Third	63
Fourth	40
Fifth	36
TOTAL	405

 

Projected Enrollment

Harlem Children’s Zone Promise Academy II Charter School

2010-11 to 2014-15

GRADE	2010-11	2011-12	2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
Kindergarten	81	81	80	80	80
First	95	81	80	80	80
Second	95	95	80	80	80
Third	75	90	90	80	80
Fourth	70	75	90	90	80
Fifth	42	70	75	90	85
Sixth	42	44	65	70	85
Seventh	0	44	60	65	70
Eighth	0	0	60	60	65
Ninth	0	0	0	55	55
Tenth	0	0	0	0	55
Total	500	580	680	750	815

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attachment 3

Performance of NYS Charter Schools managed by Harlem Children’s Zone, Inc. on the ELA and Math State Assessments compared to the school district of location (CSD 5)

	Percent of Students Scoring At or Above Level 3 on State Exams
Charter School	2005-2006		2006-2007		2007-2008		2008-2009
	3-8 ELA	3-8 MATH	3-8 ELA	3-8 MATH	3-8 ELA	3-8 MATH	3-8 ELA	3-8 MATH
HCZ Promise Academy II CS	NA	NA	NA	NA	81.5	100	84.6	98.5
CSD 5	32.3	42.3	37.3	53.3	43.0	60.0	58.9	72.0
HCZ Promise Academy CS	28.7	43.0	31.1	64.1	52.0	93.0	72.3	88.1

Attachment 4

Harlem Children’s Zone Promise Academy II Charter School

Change in Net Assets for 2006 through 2009*

Year	Change in Net Assets
2005-06	$835,869
2006-07	($143,494)
2007-08	$140,691
2008-09	$611,494

*Source: Audited Financial Statements provided as a part of each Annual Report.