WELCOME TO TABS T raining A ctivities for B usiness S taff

1. WELCOME TO TABSTraining Activities for Business Staff We are pleased to welcome you to the final session of the 2004-05 TABS program! TABS is designed to provide topic-specific knowledge about a variety of school business topics. “Charter Schools, Public Schools of Choice” Presented by Charter School Financial Services March 11, 2005

2. Training Activities for Business Staff (TABS)San Diego County Office of EducationJoe Rindone Regional Technology CenterMarch 11, 2005 Charter Schools Public Schools of Choice

3. “. . . Anyone closely allied with a public school - - whether a parent or family member of a student, or a teacher, administrator or classified staff member - - can attest to the perils resident in the complex tangle of rules sustaining our public school system. These include the potential to sap creativity and innovation, thwart accountability and undermine the effective education of our children.” WILSON v. STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION 89 Cal.Rptr.2d 745, 75 Cal.App.4th 1125 (1999)

4. Charter Schools,Public Schools of Choice PRESENTERS Delano Jones, Charter School Technician Carole Parks, Ed.D. Consultant, Business Advisory Services

5. Charter Schools,Public Schools of Choice AGENDA • Table Discussions of Workshop Outcomes • Overview of Charter Schools • Similarities and Differences Charters and Traditional Public Schools • Flexibility • Oversight of Chartering Agency • Questions

6. Charter Schools,Public Schools of Choice Welcome Introductions Table Discussions of Workshop Outcomes

7. Overview ofCharter Schools • California was second in the nation to authorize charter schools. • California Charters Schools Act of 1992 • Political support from both sides of the aisle • 40 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico have charter laws today.

8. Overview ofCharter Schools Public charter schools funded by the state (Wilson v. State Board of Ed., 1999) • Nonsectarian • Non-discriminatory • Voluntary student enrollment

9. Overview ofCharter Schools Charter is a contract between chartering agency and charter petitioners • Term usually 3-5 years • Supplemented by MOUs • Application for 5-year renewals

10. Overview ofCharter Schools • Expand educational choices for parents and students • Provide competition to stimulate continual improvement • Change from rule-based to performance-based accountability system linked to pupil outcomes

11. Overview ofCharter Schools San Diego Unified School District #028, Charter School of San Diego (1993) #033, Darnall E-Charter (1993) 51 charter schools in 2003-04 58 operational charter schools in San Diego County in 2004-05

12. Maturity of 51 Charter SchoolsSan Diego County 2003-04

13. Overview ofCharter Schools Growth of charter schools • Proponents and opponents • Marketing • Internet • Direct advertising • Entrepreneurial approach • Support from state and national organizations

14. Charter Schools,Public Schools of Choice Similarities and Differences Charters and Traditional Public Schools

15. Similarities and DifferencesCharters and Traditional Public Schools • Charter schools tend to be much smaller than traditional schools • Charters are allowed to waive many state laws, rules, and regulations • Educational management organizations found more frequently in charter schools than in traditional public schools

16. Similarities and DifferencesCharters and Traditional Public Schools • Charter schools have student demographics similar to other public schools • Charter schools are funded by the state and by private foundations. • They are more flexible than a traditional public school because they can choose their own curriculum and teachers.

17. Similarities and Differences Charters and Traditional Public Schools • Charter school teachers are less likely to be certified than their peers in traditional public schools • Less teaching experience • Charter school parents claim to be more involved than with previous schools

18. Similarities and DifferencesCharters and Traditional Public Schools • Charter schools are not homogeneous (not all the same) • There is no single charter effect • Part of the motivation behind creating charter schools is to foster innovation, which leads to different approaches

19. Similarities and DifferencesCharters and Traditional Public Schools • They vary along several dimensions • Differences affect: • Accessibility • Achievement • Operation • Governance

20. Similarities and DifferencesCharters and Traditional Public Schools • Accessibility-StudentRepresentation Charter School students: • More likely to be black and less likely to be Hispanic or Asian but no more or less likely to be white. • Racial mix of student varies by charter school type • Differences between groups tends to be small

21. Similarities and DifferencesCharters and Traditional Public Schools • Accessibility-StudentRepresentation • Charter school admissions processes differ little from admissions processes in a traditional public school • Charter schools are more likely than traditional schools to focus their services on specific student populations

22. Similarities and DifferencesCharters and Traditional Public Schools There is no conclusive data to indicate that students in charter schools perform better than students in traditional schools

23. Charter Schools,Public Schools of Choice Flexibility

24. Charter Schools Flexibility Who initiates the Charter petition process? • Teachers and/or other educators • Parents • Charter developer(s) • School district governing board

25. Charter Schools Flexibility Is this proposed charter school a start-up charter or a conversion from an existing public school? • Start-up • Conversion • Charter district

26. Start-up or Conversion Charter

27. Charter Schools Flexibility Type of Curriculum • Classroom-based • Nonclassroom-based (independent study) • Combination (classroom-based and independent study)

28. Type of Curriculum

29. Number of students enrolled

30. Charter Schools Flexibility Grade Levels Operated • Elementary • Secondary • Combined grades Must include same grades as chartering authority

31. Grade Levels Operated

32. Charter Schools Flexibility Which students will the proposed charter school serve? • Socio-economically disadvantaged students • Academically low performing students • Culturally diverse student body • Similar racial ethnic ratio as school district • English learners • Gifted or talented students • Students focused on academic interest area

33. Charter Schools Flexibility Which students will the proposed charter school serve? • Students residing primarily in area of school district • Students in San Diego, Riverside, Orange, and/or Imperial Counties • Must be California residents • Must enroll voluntarily in charter school

34. Charter Schools Flexibility Where will the charter school serve students? • Central city charter school site • Urban fringe/large town site • Home schooling • Rural charter school site • Nonclassroom-based distance education only

35. Charter Schools Flexibility How will this proposed charter school operate? • Nonprofit public benefit corporation, IRC 501(c)(3) • Dependent “arm of the district” Independent, direct-funded • For profit, by an educational management organization (EMO)

36. Charter Schools Flexibility How is charter school governance established? • Appointed board • Elected board • Stakeholder representation on board • Nonprofit public benefit corporation bylaws provide for board of directors • School district governing board provides governance.

37. Charter Schools Flexibility Who comprises the charter school leadership? • Chief administrative officer • Director • Business manager • Leadership resembles traditional public school with principal as site administrator

38. Charter Schools Flexibility How many persons (FTEs) will be employed? • Management • Certificated Teachers • Noncertificated positions • Paraprofessionals (Must voluntarily be employed.)

39. Charter Schools Flexibility Will the charter contract out any services? • Management services • Special education (CDE-authorized provider) • Business

40. Charter Schools Flexibility What is the general atmosphere of the external environment of the proposed charter school? • Chartering authority • County office of education • Surrounding traditional schools • Community

41. Charter Schools Flexibility What revenues will be applied for to supplement the regular state funding for charters based upon pupil attendance? • State and federal charter planning and development grants • Loans • Private grants • Private fundraising and donations

42. Charter Schools,Public Schools of Choice Oversight of Chartering Agency

43. Charter Organization

44. Charter Schools Oversight Financial Oversight – Is the charter school a financially viable enterprise?

45. Charter Schools Oversight A charter school sponsor maintains fiscal oversight responsibilities in the key areas of accounting, pupil accounting, budgeting, and payroll.

46. Charter Schools Oversight The chartering authority shall use any financial information it obtains from the charter school to assess the fiscal condition of the charter.

47. Charter Schools Oversight The charter shall provide reports to the district and county office: • Preliminary Budget • First Interim Report • Second Interim Report • Annual Report of Revenue and Expenses • Annual Audit Report

48. Charter Schools Oversight • Supervisorial oversight fee of actual costs not to exceed 1% of defined state revenue of the charter • Liability protection from debts, obligations, and claims of charter school

49. Charter Schools Oversight County Superintendent has oversight authority to: • Make reasonable inquiries • Monitor operations • Conduct investigation into operations

50. Charter Schools Oversight Program Oversight – Is the charter living up to the outcomes promised in the charter?