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

 

TO:	EMSC-VESID Committee
FROM:	Jean C. Stevens
SUBJECT:	Charter Schools: Proposed Charters and Renewal Charters
DATE:	March 14, 2006
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goals 1 and 2
AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

SUMMARY

 

Issues for Decision

 

Should the Regents approve the staff’s recommendations regarding the proposed charters for the Achievement First Bushwick Charter School in New York City, the Bedford Stuyvesant Collegiate Charter School in New York City, the Carl C. Icahn Charter School Bronx North in New York City, the Green Tech High Charter School in Albany, the True North Rochester Preparatory Charter School in Rochester, and the proposed renewal charters for the COMMUNITY Charter School in Buffalo and Our World Neighborhood Charter School in New York City?

 

Reason(s) for Consideration

 

          Required by State statute, Education Law 2852.

 

Proposed Handling

 

This question will come before the EMSC-VESID Committee on March 20, 2006 for action.  They will then come before the full Board for final action on March 21, 2006.

 

Procedural History

 

Under the New York Charter Schools Act of 1998, the Board of Regents is authorized to make recommendations regarding proposed charters submitted to it from another charter entity.  The Board is also authorized to make recommendations regarding the renewal of existing charters on applications submitted directly to it as a charter entity. Upon receipt of an application for renewal or for the establishment of a new charter school, the Board of Regents shall review such applications and proposed charters in accordance with the standards set forth in the Charter Schools Act.  Subsequent to their approval, the Board must then issue the initial charter or the renewal charter for each school, as applicable.

 

Background Information

 

New Charter School Applications

 

We received five proposed charters from the Trustees of the State University of New York (“the Trustees”) to establish five new charter schools.  The proposed charters are for:

 

§       Achievement First Bushwick Charter School, New York City

§       Bedford Stuyvesant Collegiate Charter School, New York City

§       Carl C. Icahn Charter School Bronx North, New York City

§       Green Tech High Charter School, Albany

§       True North Rochester Preparatory Charter School, Rochester

 

(1)  The Achievement First Bushwick Charter School will be located in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn.  The School will serve 162 students in grades K and 1 during its first year, and expand to serve 688 students in grades K-8 by the fifth year of its charter.  The instructional program will be modeled on the Achievement First program developed at the Amistad Academy in New Haven, Connecticut.  The model is being replicated at three schools in Brooklyn - two schools opened in September 2005, and a third is scheduled to open in September 2006.  Achievement First will be the management partner for the proposed charter school.  Staff recommend that the proposed charter be returned to the Trustees for reconsideration, based on the insufficient evidence of academic success by the applicant.  The management company recently opened two schools in Brooklyn, New York.  At present, no data are available to affirm or deny the effectiveness of the Achievement First model.

 

(2)  The Bedford Stuyvesant Collegiate Charter School will be located in New York City Region 16/District 8.  The School will serve 75 students in grade 5 in its first year of operation in 2007-2008.  By the fifth year of the charter, the School will expand to serve 338 students in grades 5-9.  Uncommon Schools, Inc. (USI) will be the educational management organization.  The proposed school is based on Boston Collegiate College Charter School and North Star Academy Charter School of Newark, New Jersey.  The mission of Bedford Stuyvesant Collegiate Charter School is to prepare each student for college.  Staff recommend that the proposed charter be returned to the Trustees for reconsideration, based on the fact that the applicant is not an eligible applicant as defined by §2851(1) of the Education Law; the applicant has not provided evidence of adequate community support for and interest in the charter school sufficient to allow the school to reach its anticipated enrollment as per §2851 (2) (q) of the Education Law; and the curriculum is not aligned with the New York State Learning Standards.

 

(3)  The Carl C. Icahn Charter School Bronx North will be located in New York City – Region 9, 1 or 2/CSD 7, 9 or 12.  The School will take a planning year in 2006-2007 and serve 108 students in grades K – 2 in its first year of operation in 2007-2008.  By the fifth year of the charter, the School will serve 216 students in grades K-5.  The Foundation for a Greater Opportunity will serve as the institutional partner and provide the start-up capital, as well as serve as an educational resource for the charter school. The Foundation also serves as the institutional partner for the Carl C. Icahn Charter School located in New York City CSD 9/Region 1.  This school has outperformed neighborhood schools in CSD 9 in ELA, Math and Science. Staff recommend that the proposed charter be returned to the Trustees for reconsideration, based on the fact that the applicant is not an eligible applicant as defined by §2851(1) of the Education Law; the applicant has not provided evidence of adequate community support for and interest in the charter school sufficient to allow the school to reach its anticipated enrollment as per §2851 (2) (q) of the Education Law; and the curriculum is not aligned with the New York State Learning Standards.

 

(4)  The Green Tech High Charter School will be located in Albany.  It will be a boys-only high school, serving 75 boys in grade 9 during its first year of operation and expanding to serve 360 boys in grades 9-12 by its fifth year.  The proposed charter school will emphasize environmental education and awareness.  The school will use the natural resources of the region as outdoor classrooms to emphasize environmental issues, build environmental awareness, and as a basis for the study of science, geography, history, art, and other subjects.  The school will have computers in every classroom and will provide wireless Internet access throughout the building.  The proposed charter school will provide two hours daily of comprehensive instruction in English composition and literature, 90 minutes of daily math instruction, and daily periods allotted for tutoring and other instructional assistance. The school will hire a full-time college placement coordinator and will offer SAT prep courses to all of its students.  A longer school day and year will be provided.  The proposed charter school has as one of its primary goals outperforming the Albany City School District (i.e., the percent of students passing) on every Regents Examination.  Staff recommend that the proposed charter be returned to the Trustees for reconsideration, based upon the potential additional fiscal impact upon the Albany City School District, and that the SUNY Board of Trustees and the applicants have not sufficiently addressed concerns about the legality of a single-sex school for boys in the absence of a corresponding single-sex school for girls.

 

(5)  The True North Rochester Preparatory Charter School will be located in Rochester.  It will serve 78 students in grade 5 during its first year, and expand to serve 299 students in grades 5-8 by the third year of its charter.    It will have a longer school day and year with daily double blocks of language arts and math instruction.     The core academic teachers will teach three (not four) sections of students, allowing for one period per day of tutoring.  Students will meet twice weekly with their academic advisor.  Diagnostic assessments will be linked to the State learning standards.  A summer institute will be provided for those students who enroll in the School and who are already the furthest behind academically. The School will also teach study skills and organizational skills to the students.  Uncommon Schools, Inc. will be the management partner.  Staff recommend that the proposed charter be returned due to a lack of evidence of community support that would enable the proposed charter school to meet its anticipated enrollment, per §2851(2)(q) of the Education Law.

 

Renewal of Charters for Existing Charter Schools

 

We have also received two applications for the renewal of a charter.  The applications are for:

 

§       COMMUNITY Charter School, Buffalo

§       Our World Neighborhood Charter School, New York City

 

The initial charter for the COMMUNITY Charter School was issued by the Regents October 5, 2001.  The Regents issued the provisional charter for Our World Neighborhood Charter School on March 20, 2001. 

 

(a)  The COMMUNITY Charter School is located in Buffalo.  It currently serves 308 students in grades K-6.  Upon renewal, it seeks to continue to serve 308 students in grades K-6 in 2006-07.  It had initially partnered with Beacon Education Management, which became Chancellor Beacon Academies, then Imagine Schools, Inc.  The School was unable to open for instruction until the third year of its charter, due to facility issues.  While the School has shown academic growth, it has not yet met its student achievement goals.  Staff recommend that the School’s charter be renewed for nine and a half months (October 5, 2006 – July 31, 2007) to allow it the opportunity to collect and analyze a third consecutive year of student achievement data before a final determination is made regarding the renewal of the charter.

 

(b)  The Trustees have also requested that a short-term renewal be approved for one of their charter schools, Our World Neighborhood Charter School, allowing it to operate through July 31, 2006.  The Trustees will submit their formal request for the renewal or termination of this charter for your consideration at a subsequent meeting.  Staff recommend that the charter be renewed for the period of time requested. 

 

Copies of the above are available for your review by contacting Shelia Evans-Tranumn at 718-722-2796 or James R. Butterworth at 518-474-4817. 

 

Recommendation

 

          Staff recommends that the Board of Regents take the following actions:

 

VOTED:  That the Board of Regents return the following proposed charters to the Trustees of the State University of New York for reconsideration:

 

§       Achievement First Bushwick Charter School, New York City

§       Bedford Stuyvesant Collegiate Charter School, New York City

§       Carl C. Icahn Charter School Bronx North, New York City

§       Green Tech High Charter School, Albany

§       True North Rochester Preparatory Charter School, Rochester

         

VOTED:  That the Board of Regents approve the proposed renewal application of the following charter school, and extend the provisional charter from October 5, 2006 through and including July 31, 2007:

 

§       COMMUNITY Charter School, Buffalo

 

VOTED:  That the Board of Regents approve the proposed renewal to the charter of the following charter school, and extend the charter and provisional charter up through and including July 31, 2006:

 

§       Our World Neighborhood Charter School, New York City

 

Timetable for Implementation

 

The Regents action will become effective on March 21, 2006.

New York State Education Department

 

Summary of Proposed Charter

 

Summary of Applicant Information

 

Name of Proposed charter school:  Achievement First Bushwick Charter School (AFBCS)

 

Address:  To be determined

 

Applicant(s):  Deborah Shanley and Cesar Perez

 

Anticipated Opening Date:  September 5, 2006

 

District of Location:  New York City – CSD 32/Region 4

 

Charter Entity:  SUNY Board of Trustees

 

Institutional Partner(s):  None

 

Management Partner(s):  Achievement First

 

Grades Served:  K-1 (K-8)                   

 

Projected Enrollment:  162 (688)

 

Proposed Charter Highlights

 

Applicant(s)

 

          Deborah Shanley is the Dean of the School of Education at Brooklyn College.  Dr. Shanley is the former Dean of the School of Liberal Arts and Education at Medgar Evers College.    Dr. Shanley also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Achievement First East New York Charter School and the Achievement First Endeavor Charter School.  Dr. Stanley is a graduate of Columbia University’s Teachers College.  She holds a master’s degree in education from the California State University and a bachelor’s degree from Mount Saint Mary College.  The lead applicant is a former teacher in New York City and Miami, Florida.  Dr. Shanley is a member of Phi Delta Kappa International. 

 

          Cesar Perez is Assistant General Counsel for Columbia University.  Prior to joining the university, the applicant served as an Associate for the firm of Epstein Becker & Green P.C.  His areas of focus included labor and employment, and employee benefits.  Mr. Perez is a former member of the adjunct faculty at New York University.  The applicant is a graduate of the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.  He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Columbia University.  He is a former White House intern and has published several articles on employment law.  Mr. Perez is fluent in Spanish. 

 

Institutional Partner(s)

 

None.

           

Management Partner(s)

 

Achievement First is a charter school management organization that was incorporated on July 27, 2003 by the leaders of Amistad Academy, a charter school located in New Haven, CT that serves fifth through eighth graders.  The 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization was established to disseminate and build upon the Amistad Academy model.  Achievement First currently runs two schools in New Haven, CT (Amistad Academy and Elm City College Prep) and three schools in New York City (Achievement First Crown Heights, Achievement First East New York and Achievement First Endeavor).  The stated mission of Achievement First is, “To deliver on the often-denied promise of equal educational opportunity for America's urban children by inspiring in them the belief that they can achieve and developing in them the academic and character skills necessary to compete on a level playing field.” 

 

Through a five-year renewable contractual agreement, Achievement First provides educational programming and back office services.  These services include teacher recruitment, principal recruitment, hiring and evaluation, teacher and principal coaching/training, curriculum and interim assessments, information technology, human resources, accounting, audit, legal, State reporting, school evaluation, and start-up support.  The management partner serves as the sole member of the proposed education corporation.  Dacia Toll is the President of Achievement First.   Ms. Toll was the lead applicant during Phases I and II of the SUNY application process.

 

Curriculum/Assessment/Instruction

 

§       The mission of Achievement First Bushwick Charter School “is to provide students with the academic and character skills they need to gain admission to top colleges, to succeed in a competitive world, and to serve as the next generation of leaders in their communities.” 

§       The educational philosophy of the proposed charter school relies on trained teachers, ongoing assessments, intensive intervention, research-based curriculum, citizenship education, character education, college focus, uniforms, enrichment opportunities, and parental involvement.

§       AFBCS’s broad academic goal is to prepare students with a college preparatory high school curriculum. 

§       AFBCS applicant asserts its curriculum will be in alignment with the New York State Learning Standards.

§       Curricula for the grades K-3 reading program are: Reading Mastery (SRA) and Scholastic Guided Reading (Scholastic).  Open Court for Reasoning and Writing will be used for the K-3 writing curriculum.

§       Grades 4 through 8 reading curriculum: Achievement First Reading.  For writing, teachers will use Achievement First Writing.  In grades 4-6, teachers will also use SRA Corrective Reading Decoding intervention to support improved literacy.

§       Worldly Wise 3000 (EPS) will be used to provide reading supplements for grades K-8.

§       Mathematics instruction in grades K-3 will incorporate Saxon Math.  Achievement First Mathematics will be used for grades 4-7.  In grade 8, AFBCS will employ the Addison-Wesley Algebra program. 

§       In grades K-8, the School will use Core Knowledge for instruction in history and FOSS for science instruction.

§       AFBCS students will take the New York State tests for ELA and mathematics.  AFBCS will also administer the DRA, Pre-DRP, DRP, and Terra Nova-Math. AFBCS will administer its own Interim Assessments (“IAs”) in six-week intervals.  The School will administer the NYSESLAT I and II (ELL only), and all examinations required by law.

§       AFBCS intends to employ experienced and certified Special Education teachers to ensure that the unique needs and learning styles of all students are being met.  Outside of the classroom, tutoring, counseling, physical, occupational, speech and language therapy services will be provided (either by full-time staff or specially contracted professionals) for those with special needs. 

§       All incoming AFBCS students will be tested to determine their level of English proficiency, using the Language Assessment Battery-Revised (Lab-R).  English Language Learners (ELL) will be placed in smaller core classes (reading, writing, and math) to be provided with additional help and instructional support.

§       All students will be required to wear a uniform.

§       The school day will be from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  On Friday, students will be dismissed at 1:50 p.m.  Students will have two reading classes and an extended math class every day.

§       AFBCS intends to share Amistad Academy’s structured, “no excuses” school culture.

§       AFBCS will incorporate rap, rhythm, and rhyme as a key component of lessons.  The use of motivational chants and songs will get students ready to learn.  

§       Students will be mandated to attend a 15-day Summer Academy.

§       During the summer, the school day will be from 7:15 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.

§       AFBCS will have 196 instructional days.

§       The calendar includes 28 days of professional development.

 

Governance

 

§       AFBCS will start with a nine-member Board of Trustees.

§       The minimum number of Trustees will be five (5).  The maximum number will be fifteen (15).

§       One member of the Board shall be a representative of the parents of children attending AFBCS.  The member, not the Board of Trustees, will select the parent representative. 

§       The Board of Trustees will meet 10 times annually.

§       The Board shall have the following committees: Executive Committee, Finance Committee, and Education/Accountability Committee. 

 

Students

 

§       In Year 1, the School will open with grades K and 1; the School will serve 162 students in classes of 27 students.  In Year 2, AFBCS will enroll students in grades K-2 and 5.   AFBCS will add grades at the elementary and middle levels each year to enroll students in grades K through 8 in year five of the charter.

§       The School anticipates serving 162, 318, 471, 620 and 688 students in Years 1 through 5, respectively. 

§       The School has provided a statement of assurances concerning services to students with disabilities and will comply with all applicable State and federal regulations.

§       AFBCS’ approach to the education of English Language Learners (ELL) will be structured immersion. 

§       All oral and written communication to families of students identified as ELL students will be translated into the family’s native language to the extent possible.

 

Budget/Facilities

 

§       The School’s first-year anticipated budget total is $2,043,430.  AFBCS’ start-up budget totals $407,500.  The applicant estimates a surplus in each year of the charter.  The anticipated cumulative surplus exceeds $800,000.

§       The School anticipates the Board of Trustees raising $50,000 during the start-up phase.   The School proposes to build a reserve fund in Year 3 of more than $350,000 in anticipation of relocating to a larger facility.

§       The budget anticipates $153,342 in start-up funding from the New York City Department of Education.  In Years 1 through 3, AFBCS budgeted $175,000 per year for a federal charter school start-up grant.

§       The School anticipates co-locating in an existing New York City public school.

§       Veteran teachers (five years experience with master’s degree) will earn $53,500.

§       Fundraising revenues are estimated at $75,000 in Year 1, $195,000 in Year 2 and $220,000 in Year 3.  Projections drop to $40,000 in Year 4.

§       The applicant has assumed adequate financial resources to lease space at market rates in the target community.

 

Personnel

 

§       A principal, a dean of students and an academic dean will lead the administrative team.

§       Year 1, AFBCS anticipates hiring a principal, a dean of students, six teachers and six teaching fellows, a School Manager and an Assistant School Manager.  In Year 5, the School will retain a second principal, dean of students, special education coordinator and assistant school manager.  AFBCS will add a person to manage high school placement and alumni relations.   At the conclusion of the charter term, the School will also have two counselors and three paraprofessionals. 

·       As AFBCS grows, the applicant proposes splitting AFBCS into three divisions (elementary, middle and high), with each division having its own principal.  Each principal may then have his/her own academic dean and dean of students.

·       The proposed school leader is Lizette Suxo.

 

 

Fiscal Impact

 

§       When fully enrolled with 688 students, the charter school will receive no more than 0.0397% of the New York City Department of Education budget (See Potential Fiscal Impact Chart).

§       Programmatic and fiscal audits will comply with all requirements made of public schools.  The School will employ a New York State licensed public accountant or certified public accountant to perform the fiscal audit.  In addition, the School will ensure that the audit is conducted in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) issued by the U.S. Comptroller General.

 

Potential Fiscal Impact of

Achievement First Bushwick Charter School

(New York City CSD 32/Region 4 – Brooklyn)

* Assumes a 3 percent annual increase in the district’s budget from a 2004-2005 base allocation of $17.0 billion, and a 4.5 percent annual increase in the average expense per pupil per year from the 2004-2005 final average expense per pupil of $9,084.

 

Community Support

 

§       More than 230 signatures (from parents of children in the target grades) were collected on the Parent Petitions of Support. 

§       The School has received letters of support from six community-based organizations and/or elected officials serving the educational, cultural, business and political interests of the target community.

§       The following individuals and/or organizations have provided letters of support:

• Michael Weinstein, Director – Policy, Planning and Research, The Robin Hood Foundation
• Eva Moskowitz – Member, City Council, City of New York
• Nadine Whitted, District Manager, Community Board 4, Brooklyn
• Jack Lund, President, YMCA of Greater New York
• Dr. Edison O. Jackson, President, Medgar Evers College
• Edolphus Towns – Member, US Congress

 

Recommendation

 

Return the proposed charter for reconsideration.

 

Reasons For Recommendation

 

There is insufficient evidence to claim that granting the application will 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.  The education management organization presently operates two schools in Brooklyn, New York from which no data is available to affirm the effectiveness of the proposed educational model.

 

 

New York State Education Department

 

Summary of Proposed Charter

 

Summary of Applicant Information

 

Name of Proposed Charter School:  Bedford Stuyvesant Collegiate Charter School (BSCCS)

 

Address:  Brooklyn, New York (Bedford Stuyvesant)

 

Applicant(s): Brett Peiser

 

Anticipated Opening Date:  September 2007

 

District of Location:  New York City – CSD 16 / Region 8

 

Charter Entity:  SUNY Board of Trustees

 

Institutional Partner(s):  N/A

 

Management Partner(s):  Uncommon Schools, Inc. (USI)

 

Grades Served: 5 (5-9 year five)

 

Projected Enrollment:  75 (338 year five)

 

Proposed Charter Highlights

 

Applicant(s)

 

The lead applicant, future board member of BSCCS, and future Superintendent of Uncommon Schools, Inc. is Brett Peiser, Founder and Executive Director of South Boston Harbor Academy Charter School.  Mr. Peiser is a graduate of New York City Public Schools and a former resident of Brooklyn where he taught history at Midwood High School from 1990 to 1994.  In addition to teaching, Mr. Peiser coached the school’s baseball team and founded an after-school community basketball program for Midwood/Flatbush teenagers.  In 2002, Mr. Peiser founded Edward Brooke Charter School, a college preparatory charter school currently serving 240 Boston students in grades 5-7 that will eventually expand to 320 students in grades 5-8.  In September 2005 the applicant opened the Williamsburg Collegiate Charter School in Brooklyn, New York.  Mr. Peiser received a B.A. degree from Brown University and a Master of Public Policy degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University where he also earned the 2001 Rising Star award. 

 

Institutional Partner(s)

 

BSCCS will not have an institutional partner.

         

Educational Management Organization

 

Uncommon Schools, Inc. (USI) will be the educational management organization. The President of USI is Norman Atkins.  Founded in 1996 initially to support North Star Academy, USI has primarily served two purposes:  capital fundraising and facility management.  USI will help launch, support and manage BSCCS. The institutional partner will provide the following services to BSCCS: Curriculum Development Supplies, Educational Services (including professional development, principal training, instructional coaching, school operations support), Support Services (including contractual counseling, special needs instruction, student evaluation), Contractual Outreach, Contractual Technology Services, Legal Services, Accounting Services (including monthly financial reporting), Operations and Back Office, Audit Services, Marketing and Advocacy, and Teacher Recruitment.

 

Curriculum/Assessment/Instruction

 

§     The mission of Bedford Stuyvesant Collegiate Charter School is to prepare each student for college.

§     BSCCS states its design rests upon three pillars: creativity flourishes within structured academic environments; high academic and behavioral expectations for all students demand significant amounts of extra support; and teachers must have the time and professional tools and resources to do their jobs effectively. 

§     BSCCS will provide more time on task with a longer school year of at least 190 instructional days, in addition to a longer school day from 7:45 AM to 4:30 PM (except on Wednesdays when dismissal will be at 1:30) with double periods in English and math daily, as well as an hour each of science and history.

§     Students who are missing homework or whose work does not meet BSCCS standards will be required to attend an hour-long Homework Club after school.

§     BSCCS will provide mandatory tutoring outside of regular class time for students identified in need of extra help and any student who is failing any class at any point during the year.  Saturday School will be four hours of additional instruction for students who are failing or who are in danger of failing their core academic classes.

§     Each student will have an assigned advisor to check in with daily. 

§     BSCCS intends to incorporate not one, magical 100% solution to elevate student achievement and transform lives, but rather, one hundred 1% solutions. 

§     BSCCS will coordinate annual college visits for all middle and high students, college advisor meetings (beginning in grade 5)

§     The School will employ the Blackboard Configuration (BBC): Do Now, Focus, Agenda and Homework.

§     The maximum class size will be 25 students in each grade that BSCCS serves. 

§     BSCCS teachers will teach four classes and will have three prep periods per day.

§     BSCCS will administer internally developed Interim Curriculum Assessments, benchmark exams throughout the year.  They will also use the TerraNova (in Reading and Math) as a norm-referenced assessment.  BSCCS students will also take the full array of exams required by the city, State, and/or pursuant to No Child Left Behind.

§     BSCCS states it will assure that students with limited English proficiency and English Language Learners achieve proficiency in English as quickly as possible through the structured immersion strategy and with increased time speaking English during the extended day and year.

§     Students will begin each day with Community Circle.

 

Governance

 

§     The Board shall elect the Trustees by the vote of a majority of the Voting Trustees.

§     BSCCS’s Board of Trustees retains all policy and operational decision-making rights of the school.

§     The School will start with a seven-member Board of Trustees; it will add a parent from BSCCS.  One seat will be reserved for a member from the Bedford Stuyvesant community; they may decide in the future to add more members (not to exceed 11).

§     The principal will serve as an ex-officio Board member.

§     For the parent member, the principal will nominate a parent; the Board will then vote to approve the nominee. 

§     Trustees shall be divided into three classes for the purpose of staggering their terms of office; these classes shall be as nearly equal in number as possible.

§     Regular meetings shall be held bi-monthly through the year except for one month during the summer, and other times as the Board determines.

§     The Board may create committees for any purpose, and the Chair of the Board shall appoint members to and designate the chairs of such Boards.

§     The term of each Trustee shall continue for three (3) years, except the term of any Trustee who is a parent of a child enrolled in the Corporation shall be one (1) year.

 

Students

 

§     BSCCS expects most of its students will live in Brooklyn, especially in the Bedford Stuyvesant community, the likely location of the charter school. 

§     BSCCS expects to enroll a student population representative of the district.  In the 2002-2003 Annual District Report, District 16 reported that its student population consisted of 0.6% white, 85.4% African-American, 11.6% Hispanic and 2.4% Asian.  Additionally, 84.4% of District 16 students qualify for free lunch, 5.7% are in self-contained Special Education programs and 4.9% are in part-time programs.  Among the 8,758 students enrolled in District 16, 2.5% are classified as English Language Learners. 

§     The School will serve 75 fifth graders year one and 338 students in grades 5-9 year five.

§     The students will be selected by a blind, random lottery.  Preference will be given to students living in the New York City School District.  Students with siblings enrolled in the school receive preference over waiting list candidates who do not have siblings enrolled. 

 

Budget/Facilities

 

§     The School states it has controlling interest in space at 600 Lafayette Avenue in Brooklyn.

§     The School intends to work with the New York City Department of Education to identify Chancellor-designated facility options. 

§     The first-year budget anticipates total revenue to equal $1,229.399, year five to equal $3,517,654.

§     BSCCS anticipates a surplus of $18,358 at the end of year one and a surplus of $4,378 year five.

§     BSCCS anticipates placing $6,440 in a contingency fund (year one), increasing to a total of $31,413 year five.

§     BSCCS does not anticipate needing a loan.

§     BSCCS has budgeted to receive a $50,000 New York State Stimulus Grant as well as a federal PCSP Grant, budgeted at $300,000 total (spread over years 1 and 2).

§     BSCCS expects to receive $52,700 in private contributions from the Center for Excellence and CMO Funding pre-opening.

 

Personnel

 

§     BSCCS will hire six general education teachers and .5 special education teacher year two.  Year five, they will have 22 general education teachers and one full time special education teacher. 

§     BSCCS will hire one teaching assistant over the term of the charter.

§     Each year, BSCCS will add three part-time enrichment staff/specialty teachers.

§     The School will hire .5 social worker year one; this position will be full-time in the remaining four years.

§     The School will hire one principal and one dean year one. Year five, the School expects to have one principal and three deans on staff.

§     Administrative staff includes an office manager (2 year five) and a .25 office manager/administrative assistant for the life of the charter.

 

Fiscal Impact

 

Potential Fiscal Impact of

Bedford Stuyvesant Collegiate Charter School

(New York City CSD 16/Region 8)

School Year	Number of Students	Projected Payment*	Projected Impact
2007-08	75	$777,476	.0042
2008-09	146	$1,581,594	.0083
2009-10	213	$2,411,227	.0122
2010-2011	277	$3,276,835	.0161
2011-2012	338	$4,178,379	.0200

*Assumes a 3 percent annual increase in the district’s budget from a 2004-2005 base of $17 billion and a 4.5 percent annual increase in the average expense per pupil, per year from the 2004-2005 final average expense per pupil of $9,084.

 

§     Programmatic and fiscal audits will comply with all requirements made of public schools.  The school will employ a New York State licensed public accountant or certified public accountant to perform the fiscal audit.  In addition, the school will ensure that the audit is conducted in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) issued by the U.S. Comptroller General.

 

Community Support

 

§  The School has submitted letters of support from the following:  Marty Markowitz, Brooklyn Borough President; David Saltzman, Executive Director, Robin Hood Foundation; Edolphus Towns, U.S. Representative, 10^th District; Daria Graham, Site Coordinator, The Carter G. Woodson Cultural Literacy Project, Inc.

§  The School has submitted letters of support from the following organizations:  The Bedford Stuyvesant “I Have a Dream” Program, Inc.; The Carter G. Woodson Cultural Literacy Project, Inc.; and St. John’s Recreational Center, City of New York Parks and Recreation.

§  The community support does not provide adequate evidence that there are sufficient numbers of parents with children of the age range to be served by the proposed school.

 

Recommendation

 

Return the proposed charter for reconsideration.

 

Reason for Recommendation

 

(1) The applicant and chartering entity have indicated that the proposed school will not commit to fully addressing the 28 New York State Learning Standards in its curriculum; and (2) The community support does not provide adequate evidence that there are sufficient numbers of parents with children of the age range to be served by the proposed school.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New York State Education Department

 

Summary of Proposed Charter

 

Summary of Applicant Information

 

Name of Proposed charter school:  Carl C. Icahn Charter School Bronx North (ICS-BN)

 

Address:  To be determined

 

Applicant(s):  Julie C. Goodyear

 

Anticipated Opening Date:  September 7, 2007

 

District of Location:  New York City – CSD 7, 9 or 12/Region 9, 1 or 2

 

Charter Entity:  SUNY Board of Trustees

 

Institutional Partner(s):  Foundation for a Greater Opportunity

 

Management Partner(s):  None

 

Grades Served:  K-2 (K-5)                   

 

Projected Enrollment:  108 (216)

 

Proposed Charter Highlights

 

Applicant

 

          The lead applicant, Julie C. Goodyear, is the Executive Director of the Foundation for a Greater Opportunity, the proposed partner organization for the Carl C. Icahn Charter School Bronx North.  Ms. Goodyear is a resident of Wallingford, Connecticut.  Previously, she was Associate Director of Admissions at Choate Rosemary Hall and worked at College du Leman in Versoix, Switzerland.

 

Institutional Partner(s)

 

The Foundation for a Greater Opportunity has as its mission the creation and support of New York Charter Schools.  The Foundation is an organization with a 501(c)(3) designation. The Foundation will provide the start-up capital, as well as serve as an educational resource for the charter school and it will provide the financial support that is necessary to build the school. The Foundation also built the Carl C. Icahn Charter School (ICS), approved by the Board of Regents on March 20, 2001, and advanced the start-up costs and the shortfall from the first years’ expenses over revenues.  The Foundation intends to replicate the relationship it has established with ICS with new charter schools.  A subsidiary of Foundation for a Greater Opportunity, Greater Opportunity LLC, has been created to oversee the building of schools.  They intend to work in collaboration with the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE).  In addition, the organization is currently building a middle school expansion of the current charter school, ICS, in collaboration with the NYC DOE.

           

Management Partner

 

None.

 

Curriculum/Assessment/Instruction

 

§       The School’s curriculum is not aligned with New York State Standards.

§       The School will use the Core Knowledge curriculum developed by E.D. Hirsch.  The applicant acknowledges that the Core Knowledge program is not specifically aligned to New York State standards and indicates that the School will use textbooks that are aligned to NYS standards.

§       Jeffrey Litt, the current principal of the Carl C. Icahn Charter School, is recognized as an expert in the Core Knowledge field and has trained teachers and administrators throughout the country.  He will be responsible for providing intensive staff development in the implementation of Core Knowledge.

§       The Waterford Early Reading Program™, a technology-driven, research-based curriculum that teaches children how to read, write, and keyboard, will also be used.

§       The McGraw Hill textbook series will be used as a foundation for instruction in the areas of English language arts and science.  For mathematics instruction, the Glencoe Mathematics series will be used.

§       The Core Curriculum will have its own internal assessments that will measure the efficacy and effectiveness of the curriculum’s goals.  These assessments will form the basis for any modifications of the curriculum.

§       Students that demonstrate a need for remediation, based on Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) and Fox in the Box baseline scores, will be supported by small group instruction.

§       The School will use published assessments as the basis of its school-developed assessments.  Examples are CTB McGraw Hill Fox in the Box, a parallel assessment to E-class, ITBS, as well as weekly assessments of early childhood literacy skills on the Waterford Early Reading Lab computer program.

§       The ITBS will be used for in-school assessment to illustrate year-to-year gains for all grades.

§       The School will have a dress code, but not a uniform.  Students will be required to wear a white shirt and dark pants or skirts.

§       The School will have an extended day from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and a 190-day extended school year.

§       An after-school program that lasts through 6:00 p.m. will be provided. This program will be mandatory for students who cannot be picked up at 4:00 p.m. due to parent/guardian work schedules or school obligations; those who need tutoring; and for targeted assistance children.

 

Governance

 

§       ICS-BN will start with a seven-member Board of Trustees.

§       The minimum number of Trustees will be seven (7).  The maximum number will be thirteen (13).

§       Each Trustee will have renewable one-year terms.

§       One member of the Board shall be a representative of the parents of children attending ICS-BN.

§       The Board of Trustees will meet no fewer than nine (9) times annually.

·       The Board may have an Executive Committee and various advisory committees may be formed, as needed. 

 

Students

 

§       The School anticipates using year one of the charter as a planning year.  In year two the School will serve 108 students in Kindergarten, first and second grade.  Eventually, the school will serve 144 students in Kindergarten through third grade in year three, 180 students in Kindergarten through fourth grade in year four and 216 students in Kindergarten through fifth grade in year five.

§       The School will have two classes per grade of 18 students in each class.

§       The School has provided a statement of assurances indicating that the school will comply with all applicable State and federal laws and regulations governing the education of students with disabilities, including a barrier free facility.

§       The ESL push-in program as it will be implemented in the School will meet the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin.

 

Budget/Facilities

 

§       The School’s first-year anticipated budget total is $1,187,862.  The start-up budget is for $94,008. 

§       The School projects fiscal deficits in years 1 through 3. The shortfall between expenses and revenues will be covered by advances from the Institutional Partner, Foundation for a Greater Opportunity, which the School intends to repay by the end of the charter.

§       The salary for the School’s Principal is budgeted at $110,000 in year 2 and $45,000 during the start-up phase/planning year in year 1.

§       The School anticipates that it will be located in Community School District 7, 9 or 12.

 

Personnel

 

§       Six (6) classroom teachers, 1 targeted assistance teacher, 2 part-time special education teachers, 2 paraprofessionals and 3 after-school activities specialists will be hired in year 1.

§       Administrative staff will include 1 safety officer, 1 secretary, (Lehman College Institute for Literacy and Mathematics Studies) consultants, 1 financial manager and 1 principal.

 

 

 

 

 

Fiscal Impact

 

§       When fully enrolled with 216 students, the School will receive no more than 0.012% of the New York City Department of Education budget (See Potential Fiscal Impact Chart).

§       Programmatic and fiscal audits will comply with all requirements of public schools.  The School will employ a New York State licensed public accountant or certified public accountant to perform the fiscal audit.  In addition, the School will ensure that the audit is conducted in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) issued by the U.S. Comptroller General.

 

Potential Fiscal Impact of

Carl C. Icahn Charter School Bronx North

(New York City CSD 7, 9 or 12/Region 9, 1 or 2– Bronx)

* Assumes a 3 percent annual increase in the district’s budget from a 2004-2005 base allocation of $17.0 billion, and a 4.5 percent annual increase in the average expense per pupil per year from the 2004-2005 final average expense per pupil of $9,084.

 

Community Support

 

§       The application does not include evidence of community support sufficient to allow the School to reach its anticipated enrollment.  However, the applicant does assert that the currently operating Carl C. Icahn Charter School has a waiting list that contains the names of over 200 children.  Additionally, the applicant asserts that the New York City Department of Education identified this area as in need of new schools.

§       The proposed charter does not include any letters of support.

 

Recommendation

 

Return the proposed charter for reconsideration.

 

Reasons For Recommendation

 

1) Julie Goodyear is not an eligible applicant as defined by §2851(1) of the Education Law; (2) the applicant has not provided evidence of adequate community support for and interest in the charter school sufficient to allow the school to reach its anticipated enrollment as per §2851 (2) (q) of the Education Law; and (3) the curriculum is not aligned with the New York State Learning Standards.

 

 

Attachment 1

 

Performance on ELA and Math State Assessments by Carl C. Icahn Charter School

 

	Percent of Students Scoring At or Above Level 3 on State Grade 4 Exams
Charter School and District of Location	2001-2002		2002-2003		2003-2004
	Gr. 4 ELA	Gr. 4 MATH	Gr. 4 ELA	Gr. 4 MATH	Gr. 4 ELA	Gr. 4 MATH
Carl C. Icahn Charter School (NYC CSD 9/Region 1)	NA (62)	NA (68)	NA (64)	NA (79)	70 (63)	94 (79)

 

 

	Percent of Students Scoring At or Above Level 3 on State Grade 4 Exams
Charter School and District of Location	2003-2004		2004-2005
	Gr. 4 Science		Gr. 4 ELA	Gr. 4 MATH
Carl C. Icahn Charter School (NYC CSD 9/Region 1)	86 (79)		86 (-)	100 (-)

 

 

 

 

 

New York State Education Department

 

Summary of Charter School Renewal Information

 

Summary of Applicant Information

 

 

Name of Proposed Renewed Charter School:  COMMUNITY Charter School

 

Address:  404 Edison Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14215

 

Board of Trustees President: Mary Carroll

 

Renewal Period: October 5, 2006 – July 31, 2007

 

District of Location: Buffalo City School District        

 

Charter Entity:  Board of Regents

 

Institutional Partner(s):  None

 

Management Partner(s): None

 

Grades Served per Year: K-6              

 

Projected Enrollment per Year:  2006-07:    K-6, 308

 

Renewal Application Highlights

 

Evidence of Educational Soundness/Attainment of Educational Objectives

 

§       The COMMUNITY Charter School (“the School”) has met some of its academic goals and objectives.

§       While the School has demonstrated academic growth (see chart below), it does not yet outperform the Buffalo Public Schools on either of the New York State assessments in grade 4 ELA and math.

§       The School has made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) through the “safe harbor” provision in ELA for both years it provided instruction. 

§       In the second year of instruction (2004-05), the School made AYP in math by exceeding its Effective Annual Measurable Objective.

§       The goal to have student “achievement at least 1 year of academic growth as measured by grade equivalent gains on the Stanford 9” has been met in four of ten tested areas (grades 1 and 2 reading, grades 3 and 4 math) thus far.

§       The Board will no longer contract with Imagine Schools, Inc. or any other educational management organization to provide management services. 

§       The School was placed on probation by the Commissioner of Education between May 18 and September 30, 2005 due primarily to the School’s non-compliance with Education Law §§2854(3)(a-2) and 3035 pertaining to background checks of employees, Education Law §2854(3)(a-1) pertaining to teacher certification, and charter provisions pertaining to the provision of alternate instruction to suspended students who are of compulsory attendance age. 

§       The School did not fully comply with the terns and conditions of its probation.  As a result, the Commissioner extended the probation through June 30, 2006 or until the School’s charter was renewed, whichever occurs first.

 

COMMUNITY Charter School

State Assessment Results

 

Assessment	Percent At or Above Level 3 2003-04*	Percent At or Above Level 3 2004-05
Grade 4 ELA      COMMUNITY CS      Buffalo CSD	6.7 34.4	32.5 39.2
Grade 4 Math      COMMUNITY CS      Buffalo CSD	32.5 39.2	56.9 66.5

*Baseline year.

 

Evidence of Fiscal Soundness/Projected Fiscal Impact

 

§       The School has received a qualified independent audit rating.

§       The current management contract with Imagine Schools, Inc., will be terminated at the end of the 2005-06 school year.

 

COMMUNITY Charter School

Change in Net Assets 2003-04*

 

Year	Change in Net Assets
2003-04	($14,656)

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

 

 

Potential Fiscal Impact* of Charter Schools

On the Buffalo City School District

2006-11**

*Assumes a 3 percent increase in the district’s budget and a 4.5 percent increase in the average expense per pupil, per year.

**Assumes all charter schools currently operating in Buffalo will also be operating five years from now.

 

Evidence of Parent and Student Satisfaction

 

§       Parents have indicated that they are pleased overall with the educational program provided to their children.

§       The School is not fully enrolled.   Seats are available in four of the grades served.

§       The School has not met its goal of 90% retention for any year.

 

Recommendation

         

That the Board of Regents renews the charter for the COMMUNITY Charter School for the period of October 5, 2006 through July 31, 2007, inclusive.

 

Reason for Recommendation

 

A renewal of nine and a half months is recommended to allow the School to obtain and analyze a third consecutive year of student achievement data, which will allow for more meaningful conclusions to be drawn regarding the adequacy of the School’s instructional program before a final determination is made regarding renewal.  It will also allow the School to implement other changes that are meant to improve its overall management and organizational capacity.  While the School has not yet met its student achievement goals, it has shown good evidence of student academic growth from the first to the second year of instruction.  Should the trend continue, the School will be well on its way to outperforming its district of location, with high levels of documented student academic achievement.  Therefore, the School should be given the opportunity to collect and analyze a third year of State assessment data before a final decision is made for any further renewal of the charter.  

 

During the recommended nine and a half months renewal period, the School will be required to strengthen the collective expertise of its Board of Trustees; successfully address all requirements in its current probation order; select new Board leadership; demonstrate the ability to attract and retain the number of students targeted in the School’s renewal enrollment projections; and strengthen the overall academic program such that the School will be able to meet its student achievement goals. 

 

 

New York State Education Department

 

Summary of Charter School Review

 

Summary of Applicant Information

 

 

Name of Proposed Charter School:  Green Tech High School

 

Address:  Northern and Manning Boulevard, Albany

 

Applicant(s):  Christopher Kennedy

 

Anticipated Opening Date:  August 15, 2007

 

District of Location: Albany City School District                  

 

Charter Entity:  SUNY Board of Trustees

 

Institutional Partner(s): Albany Pine Bush Commission.

 

Management Partner(s): None

 

Grades Served:     9 (9-12)                 

 

Projected Enrollment:  75 (360)

 

Application Highlights

 

Applicant

 

          Mr. Christopher Kennedy resides in the city of Albany.  He is currently a Loan Officer with Largo Capital, a nationwide commercial banking institution.  He also has worked as an Investment Analyst for Northmarq Capital, a nationwide commercial mortgage banking company. 

         

Institutional/Management Partners

 

·       Green Tech High School Charter School (“the School”) does not have a formal institutional partner; however, the School has the instructional support of and will work closely with the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission.

 

·       The New York State Legislature created the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission in 1988 to protect and manage the unique and endangered natural communities and species of the Albany Pine Bush for ecological, recreational and educational benefits.

 

Curriculum/Assessment/Instruction

 

·       The School intends to prepare young men to enter and succeed in college.

·       The School will provide an extended school day (8:30 AM – 4:45 PM) and a school year of up to 200 days.

·       All learning standards areas are reflected in the schedule.  CDOS will be incorporated into the instruction of the core subjects.

·       Daily tutoring periods called “Regents Prep” are provided for up to one hour for all students.  Students will also use this time to complete homework.

·       Technology instruction, including lab time, is provided on a weekly basis.

·       An internal diagnostic assessment system will be administered every six weeks to measure student mastery of standards-based ELA and Math material.

 

Governance

 

·       The initial Board of Trustees will consist of no fewer than five but no more than 15 individuals.

·       Trustees will serve three-year staggered terms.

·       The Board will hire a Principal; an Administrative Assistant; a Business Manager; and a Dean of Students.

 

Students

 

·       The School intends to serve boys only.  There is no corresponding charter school proposed for girls.

·       The School will serve 75 students in grade 9 in the first year.

·       In the second year, the School will serve 175 students in grades 9 -10.

·       In the third year, the School will serve 275 students in grades 9-11.

·       In its fourth and fifth year, the School will serve 360 in grades 9-12.

·       The School expects to enroll a student body that is at risk of academic failure.

 

Budget/Facilities

 

·       The School anticipates a start up budget (2006-07) in the amount of $275,000, with $268,000 in anticipated start-up expenses.

·       The start-up revenue is expected to come from philanthropic support and the federal Public Charter Schools Program grant.

·       The proposed budget for the first year (2007-08) is anticipated at $1,272,776 with $1,247,685 in anticipated expenses.

·       A projected five-year budget shows an annual revenue surplus (i.e., no deficits).

·       The proposed facility is located at the corner of Northern and Manning Boulevard in Albany.

 

Fiscal Impact

 

·       The School anticipates having a negligible fiscal impact upon the Albany City School District (“the District”).

·       The projected cumulative fiscal impact of all charter schools upon the District is shown in the table below.

 

 

Potential Fiscal Impact* of Charter Schools

On the Albany City School District

2006-11**

 

*Assumes a 3 percent increase in the district’s budget and a 4.5 percent increase in the average expense per pupil, per year.

**Assumes all charter schools currently operating in Albany will also be operating five years from now.

 

Personnel

 

·       The School anticipates hiring 6.5 classroom teachers and another 5.0 FTE administrative staff in the first year.

·       Among the administrative staff to be hired are: a principal; a Dean of Students; Business Manager; a Special Education Coordinator; and an Administrative Assistant. 

·       No more than 30 percent of the teaching staff, or five teachers (whichever is less) will not be certified, but will meet the other qualifications as described in §2854(3) (a-1) of the Education Law.

 

Community Support

 

·       The application includes evidence of 1,115 signatures from community residents interested in the charter school.  Of these community residents, parents of 100 or more age-eligible students indicated an interest in sending their children to this proposed charter school.

 

Recommendation

 

Return the proposed charter for reconsideration.

 

Reason for Recommendation

 

The proposed charter raises concerns about the constitutionality of a single-sex charter school for boys in the absence of a substantially equal and corresponding single-sex charter school for girls.  The proposed charter also raises concern about the increasing fiscal impact on the Albany City School District.

 

New York State Education Department

 

Summary of Charter School Review

 

Summary of Applicant Information

 

 

Name of Proposed Charter School:  True North Rochester Preparatory Charter School

 

Address:  630 Brooks Avenue, Rochester, NY 14619

 

Applicant(s):  Stacey Shells and Joseph Klein

 

Anticipated Opening Date:  September 6, 2006

 

District of Location: Rochester City School District             

 

Charter Entity:  SUNY Board of Trustees

 

Institutional Partner(s): None

 

Management Partner(s): Uncommon Schools, Inc.

 

Grades Served:     5 (5-8)                             

 

Projected Enrollment:  78 (299)

 

Application Highlights

 

Applicants

 

Ms. Shells was most recently a lead teacher at PS 53, the Basher Quism School in the Bronx.  She is a former Teacher for America Volunteer and Instructional Leader.  It is anticipated that Ms. Shells will become the Principal of this proposed charter school.  Mr. Klein is the President of Klein Steel Service, Inc., in Rochester.

Institutional/Management Partners

 

§       The True North Rochester Preparatory Charter School (“the School”) will partner with Uncommon Schools, Inc., which was established in 1996 as a tax-exempt nonprofit corporation.  It is also currently partnered with the North Star Academy Charter School in Newark, NJ, and the Williamsburg Collegiate Charter School in New York City. 

§       Services provided by Uncommon Schools, Inc. will include: start-up funds and assistance with recruitment, purchasing, and facilities; the academic program and assessments; professional development; and back-office services such as accounts payable.

 

Curriculum/Assessment/Instruction

 

§       The School intends to prepare all students to enter and succeed in college.

§       A longer school day (7:45 AM – 4:45 PM) and year (195 days plus 10 additional days for students who require it) will be provided.

§       Core academic teaches will teach three periods per day, allowing them to have one period daily for tutoring.

§       There will be daily double blocks of language arts and math instruction.

§       The School will use the identified best practices from 15 of the highest-performing urban charter schools in the country.

§       Diagnostic assessments will be linked to the State standards.

§       A summer institute will be provided for those students who are academically the furthest behind when they enroll in the School.

§       The instructional program will be driven by continuous, consistent, and objective student achievement data.

§       All applicable New York State assessments will be administered.

§       Technology will be integrated into the curriculum.

§       The School’s goal is to have all students meet or exceed the performance standards as set by the Board of Regents for all public schools. 

§       The School will ensure that 65 percent of student who have been enrolled at the School for two or more years, and 75 percent who have been enrolled for three or more years, will achieve at the “proficient” level.

 

Governance

 

§       The initial Board of Trustees will consist of seven persons.

§       Trustees will serve three-year staggered terms.

§       The Board will hire a Principal, an Operations Manager, and a Dean of Students.

 

Students

 

§       The School will serve 78 students in grade 5 in its first year.

§       In the second year, the School will serve 153 students in grades 5 and 6.

§       In the third year, the School will serve 227 students in grades 5-7.

§       In its fourth and fifth years, the School will serve 299 students in grades 5-8.

§       While the School will have open enrollment, it expects to enroll a student body that is highly at risk of academic failure.

 

Budget/Facilities

 

§       The School anticipates a start up budget (2005-06) in the amount of $175,000, with $151,000 in anticipated start-up expenses.

§       The start-up revenue is expected to come from philanthropic support and the federal Public Charter Schools Program grant.

§       The proposed budget for the first year (2006-07) is anticipated at $1,192,579 with $1,158,024 in anticipated expenses.

§       A projected five-year budget shows an annual revenue surplus (i.e., no deficits).

§       The proposed facility is located at 630 Brooks Avenue, between Thurston Road and Genesee Park Boulevard, in Rochester.

§       The proposed facility was once a Catholic School, and is currently used by the District as the Flower City School.

 

Fiscal Impact

 

§       The School anticipates having a negligible fiscal impact upon the Rochester City School District (“the District”).

§       The projected cumulative fiscal impact of all charter schools upon the District is shown in the table below.

 

Potential Fiscal Impact* of Charter Schools

on the Rochester City School District 2006-11**

Charter School	Percent Impact 2006-07	Percent Impact 2007-08	Percent Impact 2008-09	Percent Impact 2009-10	Percent Impact 2010-11
Eugenio	0.62	0.62	0.63	0.64	0.65
Genesee	0.38	0.39	0.40	0.40	0.40
True North	0.15	0.30	0.45	0.60	0.61
Urban Choice	0.51	0.61	0.71	0.81	0.92
Totals	1.66	1.92	2.19	2.45	2.58

*Assumes a 3 percent increase in the district’s budget and a 4.5 percent increase in the average expense per pupil, per year.

**Assumes all charter schools currently operating in Rochester will also be operating five years from now.

 

Personnel

 

§       The School anticipates hiring six classroom teachers and another 4.0 FTE teachers in the first year.

§       Among staff to be hired are a counselor/social worker, a learning specialist/teacher for limited English proficient students, and three enrichment teachers.

§       No more than 30 percent of the teaching staff, or five teachers (whichever is less) will not be certified, but will meet the other qualifications as described in §2854(3)(a-1) of the Education Law.

 

Community Support

 

§       Letters of support from various community leaders are provided.

§       The proposed charter does not contain any evidence that it will be able to meet its intended enrollment pursuant to §2851(2)(q) of the Education Law.

 

Recommendation

 

Return the proposed charter for reconsideration.

 

 

Reason for Recommendation

 

The proposed charter school is unable to provide any evidence that it will be able to meet its intended enrollment pursuant to §2851(2)(q) of the Education Law.  The applicants merely assert that they will be able to do so, since two charter schools in Rochester recently closed, but provide no evidence that the parents any children of appropriate age/grade levels have expressed an interest in attending this proposed charter school.