Knowledge Academies

1. Knowledge Academies Welcome…

2. A special thanks to.. Christin Shatzer & Lipscomb University

3. Purpose of Meeting: To Establish a Common Base of Knowledge • Place a name with a face for the work ahead. • Ask questions and network. • Gain an overview… • Big picture related to charter schools nationally and in Tennessee • Challenges and opportunities ahead • Review and agree on application timeline and specific areas for Board participation

5. National Landscape General background for every Board member

6. National Landscape • There are two major reports, currently shaping the national debate. • Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO), Stanford University • Comparing charter school performance across 16 states • New York City Charter School Evaluation Project • Performed by independent researchers from Stanford, UPenn, and the National Bureau of Economic Research • Comparing charter school performance in New York City

7. Comparing the two studies • Stanford Study • Nationally, charter schools are not just for low-income students. • Only 5 out of 16 states contained charter schools that significantly outperformed traditional public schools. • Arkansas, Colorado (Denver), Illinois (Chicago), Louisiana, Missouri • 17 percent (of charter schools), provide superior education opportunities for their students.  • Important finding, hidden within the analysis: “In our nationally pooled sample, two subgroups fare better in charters than in the traditional system: students in poverty and ELL students. This is no small feat. In these cases, our numbers indicate that charter students who fall into these categories are outperforming their TPS counterparts in both reading and math.”

8. Comparing the two studies • NYC Study • Claims more authentic, lottery-based (random) comparison among the families of students who selected to their children to participate in a charter school lottery. • “On average, a student who attended a charter school for all of grades kindergarten through eight would close about 86 percent of the "Scarsdale-Harlem achievement gap" in math and 66 percent of the achievement gap in English. A student who attended fewer grades would improve by a commensurately smaller amount.”

9. The Best Peforming Charter Schools

10. Common Best Practices • a longer school year • longer hours [8-8.5 hrs. vs. 6.5-7.0 hrs.] • longer academic calendar [190 days vs. 180 days] • a greater number of minutes daily devoted to English instruction • Usually double the minutes for English and Mathematics • a small rewards/small penalties disciplinary policy • a common schoolwide focus on “sweating the small stuff” consistently across teachers • teacher pay based on factors besides just seniority. • Internal assessments, based on the alignment of state standards to the daily curriculum. • Pre- and post- performance on national assessment. • Internal 6-week formative assessments. Source: The New York City Charter School Evaluation Project (2009) Building Excellent Schools. (2009)

11. Who are among the best performing? • Those participating in the EPIC National Charter School Consortium(New Leaders for New Schools) • Currently consists of 179 charter schools in 20 states. • Schools have to apply in order to participate. • Participating schools make their student achievement data available for analysis by an independent third party, determining the level of gain per academic year. • The consortium provides direct financial rewards to teachers who demonstrate the ability to raise academic achievement. Awards average $3,000 per teacher.

12. Who are among the best performing (nationally)? Source: EPIC National Charter School Consortium One goal, during the next 10 months or after application approval, is to spend at leasttwo days at 1 to 3 of these highest performing schools. -Provide a report to the board, summarizing observations & findings. -Funded through potential planning grants / private donors -After 501 ( c ) 3 designation. -Estimated budget $1,500 to $3,000.

13. Who are among the best performing in Tennessee? • Value added achievement gains serve as the standard. • Demonstrates progress made by students in a year. • The following schools received a letter grade of A in at least 3 out of 4 subject areas: • Memphis Academy of Health Sciences • Soulsville Charter School • One school received a letter grade of A in at least 1 out of 4 subject areas: • KIPP Academy Nashville

14. Visiting High Performing Charter Schools • Secured agreement with KIPP Academy Nashville to visit throughout the academic year and observe classes, operations, etc. • Will contact high performing schools in Memphis. • Based on funding, will contact highest performing schools from EPIC national consortium. • If not able to visit before application submission, I plan to include visitation schedule for planning year grants awarded after a charter is approved.

15. Memphis Academy of Health Sciences Value added gains: Memphis Academy of Health Sciences

16. Even the best performing have a ways to go to meet the state average. Academic Achievement: Memphis Academy of Health Sciences

17. Soulsville Charter School Value added gains: Soulsville Charter School

18. Even the best performing have a ways to go in order to meet the state average. Academic Achievement: Soulsville Charter School

19. KIPP Academy Nashville Value added gains: KIPP Academy Nashville

20. Even the best performing have a ways to go in order to meet the state average standard. Academic Achievement: KIPP Academy Nashville

21. How does Race to the Top affect the landscape for charter schools? $500 million statewide investment

22. Race to the Top • Achievement School District • The lowest performing schools will be required to select from one of four turnaround approaches. • One of the approaches includes management by a charter school organization. • The grant specifically mentions creating up to 20 high performing charter schools across the state.

23. Race to the Top • To date, the state’s approach has been to defer to the local district in proposing a local reform solution. • Glencliff HS retains district operational control, but includes substantial infusion of new dollars and “charter school-like” strategies. • LEAD academy to manage the transition for Cameron Middle School. • This may or may not change based on the next election and the priorities of the next governor.

24. Race to the Top • More rigorous academic standards, based on college readiness. • The state’s list of “high priority” schools is going to get longer. • Tennessee current state standards received the “cream puff” award from Harvard researchers. • Currently there are 30 high priority schools in Nashville. This may double or triple in size over the next couple of years. • More rigorous evaluation of school leaders and teachers. • Principals will be evaluated, based on the distribution of effective teachers throughout the school (5 levels of effectiveness). • 50 percent of teacher evaluations will be based on academic achievement outcomes (Work is in progress).

25. Race to the Top • The environment will be much more competitive for very high quality charter school applications. • Applications will be perceived and reviewed in relationship to the district’s overall Race to the Top strategy. • Increased number of state and local sponsored workshops for charter school applicants. • Establishment of Tennessee Center for Charter School Excellence (in progress). • Mayor’s Charter School Incubator (in progress).

26. Quick Snapshot Knowledge Academies

27. Knowledge Academies • College ready outcomes for low-income students. • Longer school day and academic year • Summer intervention / enrichment • More planning, training, and collaboration time for teachers • Innovative applications of technology in support of teaching, planning, analysis, and learning. • Themes of entrepreneurship, service learning, health, and technology.

28. Proposed Mission The mission of Knowledge Academies is to prepare traditionally underserved students to make the best academic and social choices. Our alumni will graduate college ready, connected to their community, and committed to public service.

29. Proposed Goals • Our alumni will be academically qualified to pursue the most rigorous post-secondary college or career training. • We will facilitate real-world projects that help students collaborate, contribute, and lead. • Our design will make meaningful connections to the study of entrepreneurship, service learning, health, and technology

30. Proposed Size of School

31. Proposed Size of School

32. Proposed Population of Students

33. Proposed Population of Students

34. Potential Locations (Blue) Colors – Recruitment Zones Blue – Potential Locations Yellow – Existing Elementary & Middle Schools Una ES Lakeview ES JE Moss ES McMurray MS Apollo MS Edison ES Cole ES Antioch MS

35. Maximizing Board Expertise

36. Proposed Role of the Board • Believein the mission • Collaboratewith other members • Participatein the organizations work, training, and planning. • Supportgroup decisions once they are made • Networkwith community contacts • Mobilizepotential donors, volunteers, advocates • Attendmeetings • Askquestions • Give an annual contribution, based on ability • Stayinformed about issues related to education and charter schools

37. Maximizing Board Expertise • Leveraging contacts for participation and support of school programs, including letters of support for formal application. • Identifying community contacts to assist in participation or sponsoring… • Entrepreneurship Series • Service Learning • Health Outreach • Academic Innovation Series • After School Tutoring / College Access • Teacher Professional Development

38. Maximizing Board Expertise • Participation in sub-committee work in support of application.

39. Initial Next Step • Consider which sub-committees best align with your expertise. • Send me an email concerning which sub-committee you would like to participate. • art.fuller@opensourceteaching.org

40. Timeline for Work Next 10 Months Roll Up Your Sleeves

41. Application Timeline • Creating a new school from the ground up • Start-Up (Next 10 Months, 3 Phases) • Phase 1 – Discovering the right questions to ask… • Phase 2 – Asking the right questions… • Phase 3 – Following through on the answers… • Today – Beginning the Discussion • Identification of Governance Issues • Development of Expertise Related to Charter Schools • Review of Preliminary Timeline for Work

42. The Charter Application • Discovering the right questions to ask… • I anticipate that over half of the 21 sections of the application could benefit from • Direct Board level expertise, or • Leveraging the professional contacts of Board members, or • Sub-committee research / due diligence.

43. The Charter Application Resources • Discovering the right questions to ask… • Need additional sets of eyes to review and become knowledgeable of important material. • Charter School Operations Guidebook • Volunteers??? • Charter School Legal Handbook • Volunteers??? • Charter Schools Trustees Guide • Recommend all Board members purchase and review ($20) • Should serve as the basis for the next meeting discussion.

44. Board Governance Resources • Discovering the right questions to ask… • Any volunteers willing to review and summarize important takeaways for the group. Proposing potential action steps for the Board at the next meeting. • How successful will your school be? • Volunteers? • Transitioning from a founding Board to a governing Board. • Volunteers? • Evaluating the school Leader • Volunteers? • The Board’s Role in Supporting Academic Excellence. • Volunteers? • Evaluating Board Performance • Volunteers?

45. The Charter Application

46. The Charter Application

47. The Charter Application

48. Application Timeline • Start-Up • June - August • Phase 1: Discovering the right questions to ask… • Identify sections of the charter application where Board expertise can be maximized. • Formation of sub-committees and identification of specific work that Board members can perform to help launch the school. • Potential Next Meeting Date: Thursday, July 22nd • May be a 3 hour meeting (5PM to 8PM). • 501 ( c ) 3 submission (August 1, 2010). • Need assistance in review of draft.

49. 501 ( c ) 3 application • Target – August 1, 2010 • Need assistance in reviewing. • Months of June - July • Preliminary Board structure for application. • Chair - Paul Juarez • Vice-Chair, Operations - Randall Dennis • Vice-Chair, Services – vacant (any volunteers??) • Secretary - Jeff Bradford • Treasurer – Scot Justice • Hold formal nominations and elections in the Fall of 2010 (September – October).

50. Application Timeline • September - October • Phase 2: Asking the right questions… • Networking with Business & Community Leaders • Fulfillment of expertise contribution to charter school application. • Review of privately funded grant submissions • Partners for Developing Futures • Potential Meeting Date: Thursday, September 9th