Charter School 101

1. Charter School 101 Niomi Plotkin, Director of New School Development: nplotkin@nyccharterschools.org Amy Ruck, Program Manager for New School Development: aruck@nyccharterschools.org

2. NYC Charter Schools: Fact or Fiction; True or False? • Charter schools are public schools • Charter schools can choose who they want to enroll • Charter schools must allow unions • Presently, there are 99 operating charter schools in NYC • Charter schools must meet ALL New York State academic standards • All SUNY authorized schools must either demonstrate an academic program that meet the state’s performance standards or create a curriculum that address the 28 learning standards • There are charter schools in each of the five boroughs • There are three charter entities in the State of New York • Charter schools have to administer all statewide performance tests • Charter schools cannot discriminate based upon disability, ethnicity, national origin, age or gender • New York City can open an endless number of charter schools True False Maybe True True True True True True True False

3. Charter schools are public schools that operate independently according to the terms of a five-year performance contract or “charter” Charter schools are free and open to all students; they can not charge admission or tuition All charter schools commit to meet or exceed specific goals for academic performance; if they don’t, they can lose their charter or close Charter schools are generally reviewed on an annual basis by their “authorizer” Upon meeting or exceeding agreed-upon academic and operations goals, a charter school can be granted a renewal for up to five more years by its authorizer. This process repeats itself in five year cycles. This process repeats itself in the final year of the subsequent charter terms. What are Charter Schools?

4. The New York State Charter Law states that the purpose of creating new charter schools is to: Improve student achievement Increase learning opportunities for all students, with an emphasis on at-risk students Encourage use of innovative teaching methods/educational designs Create new professional opportunities Provide families with high quality choice Change from rule-based to performance based accountability by holding schools accountable for meeting measurable student achievement results New York State Charter School Law

5. Chancellor of NYC Department of Education (in conjunction with NYSED) http://schools.nyc.gov/CharterSchools State Department of Education (SED): New York State Board of Regents http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/psc/ State University of New York Board of Trustees (SUNY) http://www.newyorkcharters.org/index.htm New York State Authorizers

6. Raise the Cap on NY Charter Schools • In April 2007, the New York State Assembly doubled the number of charter schools allowed in the state, from 100 to 200. • Since then, the state’s charter schools movement has continued to prove itself through: • Academic impact – Most NY charter schools outperform their local districts on state tests, and New York City charter students beat the state proficiency rate in math. • Narrowed gaps – Randomized studies show disadvantaged charter school students steadily closing the achievement gaps with their peers from wealthy suburbs. • Real innovation – NY charter educators have created innovative governance structures, training programs, and curricula—and replicated good ideas from other states. • This success has come amid increasing growth, which puts New York on track to exhaust its chartering authority in as little as two years. Two years may be an eternity in politics, but hopeful school founders often invest a year or more in application prep. • If such school founders are uncertain about the future of charter schools in New York, the state’s pipeline of quality charter applications will dry up. • With more than 30,000 children denied admission to charter schools last year, even a one-year growth hiccup would be too costly. • To keep New York’s charter schools building and innovating, the cap on charter schools needs to be raised—this year

7. NYC DOE: TBA SED: TBA SUNY: January 11, 2010 May 3, 2010 (tentative) Contact each authorizer for specific application and guidelines Authorizer’s Deadlines for 2010

8. Each state has its own charter laws, rules and regulations that: guide how charters are created, supported and regulated - identify authorizing entities - can mandate a district to provide various services, cant set any specific conditions such as some states require districts services and or statewide/district caps. (Not every state has caps) As of September of 2009, there will be 99 charters in NYC, and currently, there is a cap statewide for 200 charters How are Charter Schools Established?

9. CMO: Charter Management Organization (not for profit) - Achievement First, KIPP, Uncommon Schools, Success Charter Network, Explore CBO: Community Based Organization - Harlem RBI, New York Foundling EMO: Education Management Organization (for profit) - Victory Schools, National Heritage Academies, Imagine Independent Models Different Models

10. Planning teams create school vision Vision translated into application Application outlines the educational, fiscal, facility, legal, operational and governance plans for the proposed school Authorizer Support Authorizer evaluates the application and the team’s capacity to execute on it Depending on quality of the aplication and capacity of the school trustees, the authorizer may decide to approve the charter school to operate independently of the school district First Steps

11. 1. TEAM & VISION BUILDING 2. SCHOOL DESIGN • Articulate Vision and Mission • Define the School Population and Demographic • Develop Leadership Team • Leverage the Talents of Parents, Businesses, & Community Organizations • Determine Educational Philosophy • Authorizer Selection • Content and Performance Standards • Curriculum & Assessment Design • Curriculum Crosswalks • Instructional Approaches • Strategies for English Language Learners • Special Education New Charter School Development Overview 4. POLICIES & OPERATIONS 3. APPLICATION WRITING • Application Writing • Community Outreach & Advocacy Strategies • Nonprofit Incorporation • Governance Roles & Policies • Facilities • Budgeting • Student Recruitment & Enrollment • Teacher Recruitment & Hiring • HR Policies • Risk Management & Safety Planning • Operations and Management/Back Office • Accreditation • Continuous Quality Improvement

12. You will need a strong, dedicated team with diverse skill sets: Education, Curriculum and Assessment Business and Finance Fundraising Facilities and Real Estate Technology Governance HR/Staffing Community and Public Relations/Outreach Legal The skills needed of your Board will change as your school and charter develop. A diverse Board will allow a planning team to draw from many experts who are driven by the same mission and vision. Creating a Strong Planning Team

13. Determine which team members will transition from the planning team to the governing board Fill gaps in skill sets and form committees Research and write bylaws Meet regularly The skills needed of your board will changes as your school and charter develop. A diverse board will allow a team to draw from many experts who are driven by the same mission and vision. Pre- authorized Teams transitioning to post-authorized Governing Board

14. Grants Application Writing Advocacy Support Trainings Technical Support Mock Interviews Incubation Office Space New York City Charter School Center: School Start-Up Support Services