|
THE STATE
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY
OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234 |
TO: |
The Honorable the Members of the Board of
Regents |
FROM: |
James
A. Kadamus |
COMMITTEE: |
EMSC-VESID
|
TITLE
OF ITEM: |
Renewal
of Existing Charters |
DATE
OF SUBMISSION: |
December
3, 2004 |
PROPOSED
HANDLING: |
Approval |
RATIONALE
FOR ITEM: |
Statutory
Authority to Act on Charter Schools Applications
|
STRATEGIC
GOAL: |
Goals
1 and 2 |
AUTHORIZATION(S): |
|
SUMMARY:
Under the New York Charter Schools Act of 1998, the
Board of Regents is authorized to act upon the renewal applications it receives
directly as a charter entity. We
have received two such applications for renewal from:
·
Genesee Community Charter School at the Rochester Museum
and Science Center, Rochester; and
·
Harriet Tubman Charter School, NYC CSD#9.
§2853(4) of the Education Law provides for the
renewal of charters. The statute
states that charters may be renewed for a period of up to five years, and
renewal applications must include the following:
1. a report of the progress of the charter school in achieving the
educational objectives set forth in the charter;
2. a detailed financial statement that discloses the cost of
administration, instruction and other spending categories for the charter
school;
3. copies of each of the annual reports of the charter school,
including the charter school report cards and the certified financial
statements; and
4. indications of parent and student satisfaction.
§8.1 of the charter agreement (renewal applications)
provides that “No later than the first of July in the year prior to expiration
of the charter, the charter school may provide to the Regents an application to
renew the Charter in accordance with subdivision 2851(4) of the Act (the "renewal application").” Both charter schools submitted timely
renewal applications, requesting 5-year extensions, with all required
information. Additional information
was provided as requested, and staff made a comprehensive site visit to each
school to verify the information presented in the renewal application as well as
to gather any additional information that was necessary.
Complete copies of the applications are available for
your review by contacting James R. Butterworth at 518-474-4817 and Shelia
Evans-Tranumn at 718-722-2796.
VOTED: That
the Board of Regents approve the proposed renewal to the charter of the
following charter school, and extend its charter and provisional charter for
five years, based upon the information contained in the attachments and upon a
finding by the Board of Regents that:
(1) the charter school meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of
the Education Law and all other applicable laws, rules, and regulations; (2) the
charter school has operated in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; and
(3) granting the extension 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:
·
Genesee
Community Charter School at the Rochester Museum and Science Center,
Rochester
VOTED: That the Board of Regents approve the proposed
renewed charter for the following charter school, and extend its provisional
charter for two years, based upon the information contained in the attachments
and upon a finding by the Board of Regents that: (1) the charter school meets the
requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law and all other applicable
laws, rules, and regulations; (2) the charter school has operated in an
educationally and fiscally sound manner; and (3) granting the extension 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:
·
Harriet
Tubman Charter School, NYC CSD#9
New York
State Education Department
Summary of
Charter School Renewal Information
Summary of
Applicant Information
Name of Proposed Renewed Charter
School: Genesee Community
Charter School
Address: 657 East Avenue, Rochester, New York
14607-2177
Board of
Trustees President: William
Colby
Renewal
Period: 2005 -
2010
District of
Location: Rochester
City School District
Charter
Entity: Board of Regents
Institutional
Partner(s): Rochester
Museum and Science Center; Expeditionary Learning-Outward
Bound
Management
Partner(s):
None
Grades
Served per Year:
K-6
Projected
Enrollment per Year:
200
Renewal
Application Highlights
Evidence of
Educational Soundness/ Attainment of Educational
Objectives
- For the
Genesee Community Charter School’s (“GCCS” or “the School”) performance on
State assessments, see Attachment 1.
- For the
2003-04 school year, the School was the third highest performing charter
school in terms of the grade 4 ELA results, with 74 percent of the students
scoring at or above Level 3.
- On all
State assessments, the School has consistently outperformed the Rochester City
School District (“the District”) as well as all other charter schools located
within the District.
- The goal
of the School was to help 90 percent of its students attain Levels 3 and
4. In 2003, (the baseline year), the School was
able to get 65 percent of its students to meet State standards in English
Language Arts (ELA) and 70 percent in mathematics. In 2004, the School was able to
increase its student success rate in ELA from 65 to 74 percent. This gain is made even more impressive
by the fact that ELA scores tended to decrease statewide, and that the rate in
the District was 42 percent.
- The School
has met nearly all of the goals stated in its original charter. For those that were not met, they were
either very close (i.e., 89 percent versus the goal of 90 percent) or still
showed significant progress towards attainment. The School does disaggregate its
student achievement data and uses it to inform instruction.
- The School
has used differentiated instruction within its Expeditionary Learning-Outward
Bound (ELOB) instructional model to address the needs of all learners. ELOB is infused throughout the School
and is evident in the School’s instructional strategies, curriculum design,
assessment methods, traditions and routines, and overall school
culture.
- Learning
expeditions comprise the core of the School’s instructional program. An expedition is an in-depth study of
a topic that leads to an ambitious final project. Each expedition lasts 12
weeks, and allows for broader and deeper exploration of each topic and
sufficient time for classes to write a book, stage a play, create a working
model, and/or perform content-related service. Art and music are completely
integrated into classroom expeditions.
Three such expeditions have been implemented each year.
- Expeditions
have been rich and varied, incorporating a balance of other subject
areas. Examples of topics have
included prehistoric life, the solar system, Seneca life, the American
Revolution, simple machines, and immigration. Culminating exhibitions are a major
venue for demonstrating student learning to parents.
- The ELOB
design principles are actively incorporated into everyday interactions, and
the Responsive Classroom model is used consistently throughout the
School. Crew work is standard
practice in the School, and the students develop the social skills necessary
to produce quality work in a collaborative manner
Evidence of
Fiscal Soundness/Projected Fiscal Impact
- The School
has been fortunate to be the recipient of funds from various sources, such as
private donors, the State Education Department, and the federal
government.
- Audits of
all previous years have shown a substantial surplus. See Attachment 2.
- Projected
fiscal impact for the years 2005-06 through 2009-10 is shown in Attachment 3.
- The annual
percent impact of the School upon the District is estimated to be between 0.35
and 0.37 percent.
Evidence of
Parent and Student Satisfaction
- The School
conducts yearly surveys of its parents to ascertain their satisfaction with
various components of the School’s operation.
- In May
2002, an average of 82 percent of the parents responding indicated that they
were “satisfied” or “highly satisfied” with communication from the School; an
average of 92 percent of the parents responding indicated that they were
“satisfied” or “highly satisfied” with opportunities for family involvement;
an average of 83 percent of the parents responding indicated that they were
“satisfied” or “highly satisfied” with the curriculum and instruction; an
average of 91 percent of the parents responding indicated that they were
“satisfied” or “highly satisfied” with the School environment; and an average
of 92 percent of the parents responding indicated that they were “satisfied”
or “highly satisfied” with their own child’s educational performance and
growth.
- In
contrast, in May 2004, an average of 94 percent of the parents responding
indicated that they were “satisfied” or “highly satisfied” with communication
from the School; an average of 93 percent of the parents responding indicated
that they were “satisfied” or “highly satisfied” with opportunities for family
involvement; an average of 95
percent of the parents responding indicated that they were “satisfied” or
“highly satisfied” with the curriculum and instruction; an average of 97 percent of the parents responding
indicated that they were “satisfied” or “highly satisfied” with the School
environment; and an average of 95 of the parents responding indicated that
they were “satisfied” or “highly satisfied” with their own child’s educational
performance and growth.
Recommendation
Approve the
renewal application and extend the term of the provisional charter for a period
of five years.
Reason for
Recommendation
New York
State Education Department
Summary of
Charter School Renewal Information
Summary of
Applicant Information
Name of Proposed Renewed Charter
School: Harriet Tubman Charter School (HTCS)
Address: 3565 Third
Avenue, Bronx NY 10456
Board of
Trustees President: Cliff
Frazier
Renewal
Period: 2005 -
2010
District of
Location: New York
City (CSD 9); Region 1
Charter
Entity: Board of
Regents
Institutional
Partner(s): African
American Legal Defense and Education Fund; and New York Metropolitan Martin
Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolence.
Management
Partner(s): Edison
Schools, Inc. (Formerly Learn Now, Inc., which was acquired by
Edison)
Grades
Served: K–6 (K–8)
Projected
Enrollment: 294
(428)
Renewal
Application Highlights
Evidence of Educational Soundness/
Attainment of Educational Objectives
- For the
Harriet Tubman Charter School’s (“HTCS” or “the School”) performance on State
Assessments, see Attachments 1 through 4.
- Eleven
public elementary schools are located within the same Zip Code (10456) as
HTCS. On the Grade 4 ELA
assessment in 2003-04, HTCS had a higher percentage of students scoring
proficient or above than 10 of the 11 schools. In mathematics than 8 of the 11
schools (See Attachment 2).
- The school
exceeded the Performance Index of the local school district (CSD 9) for the
2003-2004 Grade 4 ELA Assessment.
- Students
who have been at HTCS charter school for at least two years prior to being
administered the Grade 4 ELA test in 2004 scored 15 scale score points higher
on average than students who were newly enrolled in the school in Grade
4.
- Edison
Schools, Inc. is in full support of the school and has recently assigned a
seasoned school administrator, Dr. Marlaina Palmeri (Senior Vice President –
Edison Schools, Charter Schools Division), to provide on-site technical
assistance at the school 3 days per week, to help improve instructional
leadership, instructional strategies and student outcomes.
- Each
student at HTCS has an individual learning plan, which allows teachers to
provide guidance and support to help a student master concepts and skills at
his/her pace.
- The school
is augmenting the ELA program with Open Court Reading and the America’s Choice
curriculum with Everyday Math.
Also, the social studies program is being augmented with the Edison
Schools Social Studies program.
- The school
design incorporates positive learning environments, community services and
support, high performance management, and parent and community
engagement.
- HTCS has
created a safe learning environment for students through the implementation of
Martin Luther King’s “Six Steps of Nonviolence.” Students have learned to diffuse
violence and bring about positive societal interaction and social change
through the use of these principles.
- Although
Edison acquired the school’s previous management company, Learn Now, Inc., the
Learn-to-Learn program remains one of the strongest aspects of the HTCS
culture. Each teacher has taken
the curriculum structure and adjusted it to meet the needs of the
students. The core themes
include: belief, effort, step-by-step, feedback, respect, risk taking,
cooperation, and leadership. The
author of the Learn-to-Learn program provides continued professional
development for the school.
Evidence of
Fiscal Soundness/Projected Fiscal Impact
- Edison
Schools, Inc., the management company, has made a substantial financial
commitment to the school. The
management company will defer all management fees, if the school is operating
at a deficit. In addition, if
HTCS' operating costs cannot be met, Edison Schools, Inc. will cover the
costs. Lastly, Edison has
notified all relevant grant makers that any money raised by the school will go
directly to the school and not toward management fees for the for-profit
entity.
- HTCS has
over $300K in grant requests submitted.
Notification for all of these grants will be by February 2005. Most recently, HTCS received a $60,000
grant from The Cheering for Children
Foundation and Kaboom! And a
$3,000 contribution from Citibank. Modernista Advertising has given an
in-kind donation, including custom-designed furniture and art supplies, for
the school’s art room.
Additionally, the HTCS Parent Association made a $1,000 contribution to
school programs.
- In January
2005, construction on the school’s second phase will be completed. The school facility size will double
with new classrooms that are on average 150 square feet larger than the
current classrooms.
- Audits of
all previous years have shown an operating deficit. See Attachment 5.
- Projected
fiscal impact for the years 2004-05 through 2009-10 is shown in Attachment 6.
- The annual
percent impact of the school upon the District is estimated to be between
0.0150 and 0.0271 percent.
Evidence of
Parent and Student Satisfaction
- The
school’s current wait list has 308 names of students who wish to attend
HTCS.
- According
to a survey of parents each spring regarding plans to re-enroll students in
the upcoming year, the re-enrollment rate for the school was 98% for the
2001‑2002 school year, 94.8% for 2002‑2003 and 97.2% for 2003‑2004. The average re-enrollment rate is over
96%, which indicates a high level of parent satisfaction.
- The number
of students who have been withdrawn/discharged from the school by parents has
remained relatively low over the life of the charter: Year One - 6 students; Year Two - 5
students; Year Three - 4 students; and Year Four - 6 students.
- The school
uses the Harris Interactive Survey to gauge parent and student
satisfaction. The seven areas
rated by parents and students include: Curriculum/Instruction, Teachers, Feedback
on Child’s Performance,
Principal/Administration, Communication/Involvement, School Bus and
Facility/Equipment. Results
are based on a scale from 1 (low) to 10 (high). The school exceeded its goal of 7.5 in
all of the above-mentioned areas except Facilities, which parents rated 6.9
(students rated the facility at 8.8), for each year that the instrument was
used – (2002-03 and 2003-04).
- In
addition to the Harris Interactive Survey, the school instituted an annual
“live” survey to increase the return rate and more accurately measure parent
satisfaction. During morning
drop-off and dismissal, the school asked parents to classify the overall
performance of the school. In
fall 2003, 111 of 174 parents responded, with 83% agreeing that the school’s
performance was either ‘good’ or ‘excellent.’ In fall 2004, 182 of 230 parents
responded with 88% percent agreeing that the school’s performance was either
‘good’ or ‘excellent’. This
exceeds the school’s goal of 70% of parents agreeing with this statement.
- The Harris
Interactive Survey has gone from 31% return in 2001 to 50% return in 2003, the
goal for 2004-05 is a 90% return rate.
Until such time that the return rates of the paper surveys are at 90%,
the school will continue to conduct live surveys.
- 18 of 22
new kindergarten students enrolled in the incoming 2004 kindergarten are
younger siblings of HTCS students, indicating a high level of parent
satisfaction.
- In
2003-2004, the overall attendance rate was 96.5% of students attending school
every day.
Recommendation
Approve the
renewal application and extend the provisional charter of the Harriet Tubman
Charter School for a term of two years.
The school’s academic performance, which is superior to most of the
public schools in the HTCS neighborhood, the commitment of Edison to provide
further support to the professional staff, and the school’s strong parental
support, pupil retention rate, and robust waiting list warrant approval of the
application. However, the fact that the school’s performance is not at State
standards and the school continues to maintain fiscal viability only with the
assistance of Edison precludes a recommendation of a full five-year extension
until better academic results and greater fiscal viability are
demonstrated.
Reason for
Recommendation
(1)
The charter school meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education
Law and all other applicable laws, rules, and regulations; (2) the charter
school has operated in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; and (3)
granting the extension 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.
Attachment
1
Explanation: The chart above shows the percentage of
Harriet Tubman Charter School scoring at proficiency or above on the 2004 Grade
4 ELA examination in relation to the other public schools in the Harriet Tubman
zip code. Of the thirteen
schools, HTCS had the second highest percentage scoring at proficiency or
above.
Attachment
2
Explanation: The chart above
shows the percentage of Harriet Tubman Charter School scoring at proficiency or
above on the 2004 Grade 4 math examination in relation to the other public
schools in the Harriet Tubman zip code. Of the thirteen schools, HTCS was
tied with four other schools for the third highest percentage scoring at
proficiency or above.
Attachment 3
Explanation: The above chart shows the change in the
percentage of students at Harriet Tubman Charter School scoring at Levels 1-4 on
the 2003 and 2004 Grade 4 ELA tests.
Overall, from 2003 to 2004 HTCS showed a decrease in the percentage of
students scoring at Level 1 and a slight increase in the percentage of students
scoring at proficiency (Levels 3 and 4).
Attachment
4
Explanation:
The above chart shows the change in the percentage of students at Harriet
Tubman Charter School scoring at Levels 1-4 on the 2003 and 2004 Grade 4 Math
tests. Overall, from 2003 to 2004
HTCS showed a slight increase in the percentage of students scoring at Level 1
and a decrease in the percentage of students scoring at proficiency (Levels 3
and 4).
Attachment 5
Projected Fiscal
Impact of the
Harriet Tubman Charter
School
(New York
City CSD 9/Region 1 – Bronx)
2004-05
Through 2009-10
School
Year |
Number
of Students |
Projected
Payment* |
Projected
Impact |
2004-05 |
250 |
$2,050,290 |
0.0150% |
2005-06 |
308 |
$2,639,625 |
0.0187% |
2006-07 |
356 |
$3,188,290 |
0.0219% |
2007-08 |
428 |
$4,005,603 |
0.0268% |
2008-09 |
428 |
$4,185,855 |
0.0271% |
2009-10 |
428 |
$4,374,219 |
0.0275% |