Idaho Charter Schools

1
Idaho Charter Schools

• the legislation, the movement, the associated
  issues, the outcomes, the challenges

Presented by Kerri Pickett---Executive
Director, Idaho Charter School Network
CENTER FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT POLICY STUDIES
2
Introduction to the ICSN

• Launched as a non-profit organization by member
  schools in the summer of 2001 with the mission
  to ensure and share the success of Idaho public
  charter schools, for the benefit of Idaho
  children.
• Housed at Boise State University in the Center
  for School Improvement Policy Studies
• Funded by membership dues, grants from the Walton
  Family Foundation and the Charter Friends
  National Network
• Created to be a united voice and technical
  assistance group for children, teachers and
  parents of Idahos public charter schools

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Idahos Charter School Legislation

• IC 33-5202- Passed in 1998
• To provide opportunities for teachers, parents,
  students and community members to establish and
  maintain public charter schools which operate
  independently from the existing school district
  structure but within the existing public school
  system as a method to accomplish any of the
  following
• Improve student learning
• Increase learning opportunities for all students
  with special emphasis on expanded learning
  experiences for students
• Include the use of different and innovative
  teaching methods
• Utilize virtual distance learning and online
  learning
• Create new professional opportunities for
  teachers, including the opportunity to be
  responsible for the learning program at the
  school site
• Providing parents and students with expanded
  choices in the types of educational opportunities
  that are available within the public school
  system
• Hold schools established accountable for meeting
  measurable student standards

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Charter School Defined

• Charter schools are publicly-funded,
  semi-autonomous schools within the public
  education system that operate under the
  conditions of their charter document and
  applicable state and federal laws. Charter
  schools exchange some government control for an
  increase level of autonomy, but are held
  accountable for achieving or exceeding the same
  levels of student performance as their
  traditional public school counterparts and for
  other specified outcomes in the charter document.
  

In Idaho, charter schools are authorized by local
school boards (this is the preferred method), by
the State Charter School Commission, or on
appeal, by the State Board of Education.
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Reasons for the Movement

• Four main frames of mind / intentions at the time
  (early 1990s)

• Innovation/Experimentation- lab/magnet
  schools-considerable district involvement (GA)
• Standards-Based Reform- free from the rules, but
  held to high standards of accountability (CA, CO,
  ID)
• New supply of public schools- chip away at
  monopoly, increase options, dont rely on LSBs to
  authorize (MI, MA)
• Competition/Market-based accountability-govt
  playing an active role in promoting competition
  through parent choice (AZ)

6
National Statistics

• Total number of charter laws 42, (40 states, the
  District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico)
• Most recent states to pass laws Washington
  (2004), Maryland (2003), Iowa (2002), Tennessee
  (2002)
• Total number of states with schools in operation
  38, including Puerto Rico
• Most recent states to open charter schools
  Indiana (2002-2003), Wyoming (2002-2003)
• Total number of schools in operation 2,695
• Percent increase from the last school year 15
• Total number of students enrolled almost
  685,000
• States with the most charter schools in
  operation Arizona (464), California (428),
  Florida (227), Texas (221), Michigan (196)
• The National Charter School Directory 2003,
  Center for Education Reform (CER)

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States with Charter Legislation, 2004
Of these forty-two, 38 states currently have
charter schools. There are no charter schools
open yet in Iowa, Tennessee, Washington, or
Maryland.
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Common Elements in Charter Laws from State to
State

• Offer diverse or innovative approaches to
  teaching and learning
• Improve pupil achievement
• Provide new professional opportunities for
  teachers
• Create additional choices
• Develop new forms of accountability
• Establish new tools for measuring performance
• Create new opportunities for specific populations
• Create performance-based systems free of rules
• Encourage community and parent involvement
• Create opportunities for new providers to operate
  schools
• Establish the school as the unit for improvement
• Add de-regulation

Making laws is like making sausage. H.
Humphrey
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What Elements are Part of Idahos Law?

• Offer diverse or innovative approaches to
  teaching and learning
• Improve pupil achievement
• Provide new professional opportunities for
  teachers
• Create additional choices
• Develop new forms of accountability
• Establish new tools for measuring performance
• Create new opportunities for specific populations
• Create performance-based systems free of rules
• Encourage community and parent involvement
• Create opportunities for new providers to operate
  schools
• Establish the school as the unit for improvement
• Add de-regulation

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Nationally, Whats True About Most Charter
Schools?

• Most charter schools are newly created, some are
  converted from existing schools.
• Most charters are operated by non-profit boards
  (86) and not EMOs (14)
• Most charter schools are small schools (median
  enrollment is 242 students compared with 539 in
  traditional public schools).
• They serve many different communities with a wide
  variety of curriculum and instructional
  practices.
• They vary a lot from state to state and school to
  school.
• Many charter schools have atypical grade
  configurations (K-3, K-8).
• Most charter schools provide one or more
  non-instructional services, like health, social
  services, or extended day care.

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An aside Education Management Organizations
Who are the EMOs? EMOs are for-profit companies
taking over the management of a school. Examples
include -Edison -K12.com -Connections
Academy EMOs should not be confused with
not-for-profit comprehension school reform
organizations. Examples include -ELOB -Harbor
Institute -Core Knowledge -Accelerated Schools,
etc.
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Whats True About Idaho Charters?

• All are newly created, none are converted from
  existing schools
• All are operated by non-profit boards (as
  required by law)
• Most charter schools are small mom and pop
  schools (median enrollment is 339, which is
  larger than national avg of 242)
• They serve many different communities with a wide
  variety of curriculum and instructional practices
• Several serve a higher percentage of students
  with special needs than their district
  counterparts
• Education programs vary a lot from school to
  school.(some are back to basics, others are
  virtual, some are brick and click, some are
  community-based, some focus on in-depth
  exploration of a few topics, others focus on a
  wider range of topics, etc.)
• Several programs have gained state and national
  attention for academics and other things such as
  service, special programs and more.
• Many charter schools have atypical grade
  configurations (K-3, K-8)

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Idaho Charter Schools Enrollment
This fall (Fall 2005), there will be 24 schools
operating, projected to enroll 7,000 students.
(best estimate, pending final enrollment
verifications.) Of the 24 charter schools, 16 are
authorized by 13 different local school boards
while eight are authorized by the Idaho Charter
School Commission. An additional three charter
schools have been authorized by the Idaho Charter
School Commission to begin operation in the fall
of 2006.
new school for this fall (6)
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How the Movement has Grown
Two charter have revoked by their authorizers
due to concern over governance and management.
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An Idaho Comparison Charter Traditional
Charters -Authorized by local school boards or
the State Commission (or the SBE on
appeal) -Operated by a non-profit board -May
limit their size and focus their
mission -Flexible finances -May receive start-up
funds -Schools of choice -Operate under approved
contract -May be closed down -Freedom with
calendar and school day
Traditional -Neighborhood schools -Operated by
a district and an elected district board of
trustees -Part of a larger system -Serve the
entire community -Bound to district calendar,
length of day and salary schedule -May be
converted to charter status
Common Requirements/Features -Employ certified
teachers -Maintain accreditation -Conduct annual
fiscal and programmatic audits -Receive
scheduled funding from the state -Conduct
background checks -Comply with federal and state
education laws and applicable SBE rules -May
offer unique educational programs at the
site -Participate in statewide testing
system -Publish a school report card -Must enroll
student who wish to attendso long as they live
in the attendance area
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Technical Assistance

• For Idaho Charters
• the SDE
• the Idaho Charter School Network (ICSN)
• authorizers (in many cases)
• Uscharterschools.org
• ISBA
• For the Authorizers
• the SDE
• National Association of Charter School
  Authorizers (NACSA), and
• ISBA.

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Technical Assistance Provided by ICSN

• Planning and starting a charter school- general
  questions and petition review
• Accountability
• Setting goals
• Administrative review of laws and rules
  pertaining to charters
• Defining and measuring student and school
  performance Quality Academic Program
• Continuous School Improvement
• Strategic Planning
• Critical Friend Visits
• Charter finance and operations
• School governance and leadership
• Stakeholder Involvement, Satisfaction and Support
• Legislation Overview and Analysis
• Other Special Projects
• Special education primer
• Charter school policy manual
• Technical assistance topics

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Implementation of the Accountability Project
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Authorizers are Very Important

• According to a recent study done by the Fordum
  Foundation, Most authorizers are doing an
  adequate job with
• most details of application and approval process,
  
• managing performance contracts,
• providing oversight (even though it tends to be
  off-site and compliance-related), and
• working on issues of renewal and revocation
• STATES lack in areas of funding and supervision
  for authorizers
• AUTHORIZERS generally dont
• Report on the progress of their charter
  schoolslack of general acceptance of charter
  schools to their system as alternatives for
  district kids,
• Solicit charter proposals for special niches in
  the market that arent yet filled
• Share information with their charter schools
• Provide unannounced visits to schools for the
  purpose of evaluation, oversight.

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Charter Challenges Overcome

• Knowledge gap in community- whats a charter
  school? has been somewhat overcome
• Alternative route for authorization via the Idaho
  Charter School Commission
• Removal of renewal clause in legislation
• Transportation in 1st year
• Founders clause

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Remaining Charter School Challenges

• Facilities Funding- In other states, authorizers
  are working to help charters with these issues.
• Demand vs Supply
• 6/yr cap
• Language of NCLB
• Board Development
• Addressing the Misconceptions about Charters that
  Still Exist
• Telling Our Stories!

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Common Misconceptions

• Charter schools are private schools with
  selective admission requirements
• Charter schools take money away from district
  schools
• Charter schools are the only option for school
  choice within the public education system
• The kids in charter schools are different that
  the ones in district schools
• The data show that charter schools arent making
  a difference in student performance
• Charter schools and local school boards dont get
  along

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MYTH Charter schools are private schools with
selective admission requirements

• Fact Charter schools are tuition-free public
  schools designed to serve all types of students.
  The primary enrollment limitation at most charter
  schools is the lack of available space or
  restrictive school district contracts which place
  arbitrary caps on charter school enrollment and
  force lotteries for new student admissions.
• Charter schools are non-selective when enrolling
  students. The law says that they cannot
  discriminate, create admission requirements,
  require pre-admission tests, or charge tuition. 

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MYTH Charter schools take money away from
district schools

• Fact Per pupil funding goes to the school where
  the child is being educated. Charter schools are
  public schools.
• The Idaho State Department of Education has made
  great efforts to ensure that state monies are
  transferred directly to the charter school
  instead of flowing through the district for
  disbursement. In other states, it is common for a
  district to unfairly withhold a portion of that
  students per pupil funding to offset the
  districts administrative costs, some of the
  funding that would normally follow the student. 
• While funding for education in Idaho is not
  increasing as new schools are opening, JFAC made
  provisions this past session to ensure that the
  education community would be better prepared to
  estimate the amount that will go to charters.
  (new charter approval date, provision for limited
  growth each year)

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MYTH The data show that charter schools arent
making a difference in student performance

• Current research is centered here-- more data
  are needed.
• Many charters have already been renewed.
• Charters are providing value added services to
  education-
• productivity,
• increased options for different learning
  environments/methods
• improvement in both parent and student
  satisfaction and
• innovation in technology, curriculum, assessment,
  and governance.
• Hoxby, Harvard Researcher found that in a
  national comparison between 4th grade level
  charter school students scores on the NAEP and
  the scores of their counterparts in the
  neighborhood school that most was most similar in
  demographics, charter students were scoring 4-5
  percent more proficient in reading and 2-3
  percent more proficient in math. Idahos data was
  not statistically meaningful in part because we
  have very few charters and only 271 students in
  4th gr at the time of the study.
• Some charters have been revoked

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MYTH Charter schools and local school boards
dont get along

• FACT Its a mistake to assume that most charter
  schools authorized by local school boards dont
  get along with their local school board. The fact
  is that in most cases, district boards and
  charter schools are working together in the best
  interest of the kids they serve. The local school
  board is the preferred authorizer.
• Quote from Meridian Theyre all our kids. We
  work together for the kids. MCHS and MMACS
  benefit from shared staff and transportation
  resources through the MSD, MSD staff have served
  on ICSN accountability visits

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More on positive relationships

• In Boise, ANSER junior high students eat lunch at
  Boise High, Special services including a speech
  pathologist and psychologist have been provided
  through BSD. BSD staff have served on
  accountability visits through ICSN. BSD has
  allowed girls' and boys' basketball practice to
  happen in school gyms.
• At Hidden Springs, charter operators report a
  very positive working relationship and state Our
  relationship with BSD has been nothing less than
  positive. They provide special service
  assistance, professional development assistance,
  data reporting assistance and are always willing
  to help with just a phone call.

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In Blackfoot

• In Blackfoot students eat lunch and share the
  playground at the local elementary school. The
  District shares a special ed teacher with the
  charter school and other supportive staff work at
  the charter school as needed, i.e. speech,
  hearing, psychologist, etc. District board
  members have visited the charter school and
  attended the ground breaking ceremony for our new
  facility. Charter school buses meet district
  buses at elementary school pickup points. A
  dedicated charter school liaison is made
  available to communicate district needs to
  charter and visa versa. BSD staff served on the
  ICSN accountability visit to BCCLC.

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At North Star in Meridian

• At North Star Charter School in Eagle, a Meridian
  School District
• administrator works closely with the North Star
  Committee to have a fair
• and open lottery. The District administrator
  even randomly pulls the
• names for the committee. One of the Meridian
  Board members also helps
• out at the school on that day. It is a fun
  event!
• A Meridian Administrator is also assigned to sit
  on North Star's Board
• of Directors and works as a liaison. She acts in
  an advisory capacity
• to the school and then carries our good news back
  to the district, as
• well. This is very helpful for back and forth,
  non-threatening,
• supportive communication between the charter and
  the district.
• Also, a Meridian District Board member comes to
  North Star periodically
• to exchange communications and make donations to
  our library.

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Continued

• In Pocatello board trustees are supportive of
  the school, supportive of growth plan, signed as
  LEA for CSR Grant, BSD trustees and staff served
  on ICSN accountability visit, district
  representative came to Boise to testify about
  their good relationship with the charter in the
  Senate Ed committee last year
• In CDA, district representative came to Boise to
  testify about their good relationship with the
  charter in the Senate Ed committee last year.
  Some district staff is shared and contracted by
  the charter. The Charter college counselor is a
  counselor at Lake City High School. The charter
  is given status as a district school for use of
  district facilities such as gym space and
  auditorium space. Each school is considered in
  the emergency response plans of the others.
  Special classroom programs are shared by both
  schools. Last year the charter 6th graders
  sponsored a science day for neighboring Ramsey
  elementary classrooms. Charter students tutor
  district elementary students after charter
  classes let out for the day. The district has
  included the charter when applying for grants.
• In Moscow, Supt Donicht and staff gave countless
  hours to providing technical assistance to
  Renaissance Charter School before they finally
  closed at the end of the 2003-2004 school year.

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And more

• From the administrator at Thomas Jefferson
  Charter School in Vallivue..
• Vallivue S.D. has gone out of their way to help
  TJCS. They concur that they are all our kids.
  For example, they assigned one of their Tech.
  people to us during ISATs. We actually had two
  Vallivue S.D. Information Technology folks at our
  school setting up Vallivue laptops so that our
  students could be tested. They loaded Crystal
  Reports and TJCS ISAT results onto my laptop.
• The Special Education Director has met with me
  and is sending in TJCS information to the SDE for
  us. The District Secretary has sent in our bus
  report for us and has done innumerable things to
  make sure we are in the loop. Our students have
  been welcome to participate in extracurricular
  activities.
• One of the Vallivue S.B. members attends our
  board meetings and all have
• proven supportive and helpful.
• We have a superb working relationship with our
  chartering district, and we are extremely
  thankful.