New Hampshire Center for School Reform

Newsletter Update

October 15, 2004

We are pleased to bring attention to New Hampshire's progress.

 

NEWS!! SCHOOLS!! FUNDING!!

 

IN THIS EDITION: 

 

Please direct inquiries to Susan Hollins (susan@nhschoolreform.org)

 

NEW CHARTER SCHOOL APPLICATION: GOFFSTOWN

 

If authorized, New Heights Academy charter school will open in Goffstown next year. Using their own high school after hours, students in grades 11 and 12 may soon have a unique career-focused program on a 3:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. schedule. Three local teachers have designed this school using project-based learning based on Ronald Newell’s How Project-Based Learning Meets the Needs of the 21st-Century Students.

 

 

LAURENT CLERC ACADEMY READIES TO OPEN

 

New Hampshire’s first bilingual academy (American Sign Language & English) planned for a September opening but faced facility-related delays. LCA still plans a Fall opening. Susan Brule has been hired as the School’s Director and has provided an interview, discussing this unique school and her background with students and adults deaf and hard of hearing. 

 

 

CHARTER SCHOOL GRANTS!! – YEAR 2

 

Three (3) million dollars awaits charter school projects this school year. The DOE is updating application forms for vision & design grants ($5,000-$10,000) and also start-up grants ($300,000-400,000 for charter schools that are approved to open).  Roberta Tenney, director of the charter school grant program provided an interview and talks about new charter school projects.

 

Our “How to Begin” web page section explains these grant programs: 2004-2005 applications will soon be available.

 

 

 

A STATE’S CHARTER SCHOOL LAW MATTERS!

 

Strong charter school laws produce higher year to year gains, according to a new report by the Center for Education Reform. According to Brown’s Center for Education Policy, states are not well served by having “caps” on the number of schools statewide or provisions that restrict authorizers  It’s imperative that states protect the flexibility of charter schools.  Bills are now being filed for the 2004-2005 year’s legislative session.  New Hampshire’s current and pending charter school legislation will be posted with commentary during the year. 

 

 

CHARTER SCHOOL FUNDING      

 

Should money for state-authorized charter schools flow through local school districts or flow directly from state to charter school? In New Hampshire, our first schools are open and the funding path is still unclear. (click here to learn about NH charter school funding)

 

Experienced charter school authorities are clear on the best approach to funding charter schools. Jose Afonso, former Massachusetts Department of Education administrator and current Sabis Educational Systems Inc. program administrator has worked with charter schools all over the country.


"I can tell you that if there is an option, you should not have charter school funding flow through local districts. It is simply a recipe for problems. And particularly with state-authorized schools, the state should find a way to have funding flow directly from the state to the charter schools with no middle step where the funding could be delayed or challenged or forgotten. It's essential for funding to be transferred to the charter school on time.  Salaries, contracts, lease payments and other expenses must be covered in a timely manner. In my experience, no state with a first-class charter school initiative has funding flow through the local district unless it is a district-authorized school." 

 

States with the top-rated charter school laws have money flowing directly from the state to the charter school, especially for state-authorized charter schools:

 

ARIZONA—1st –rated charter school law in the country. Money path is through district for district-authorized schools and directly from the state for other schools. 

MINNESOTA—2nd highest rated law—money path is from state directly to charter school. 

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA--3rd highest rated law—money flows from state and district to school.

DELAWARE—rated 4th highest law—money flows from state and the district to the charter school.

MICHIGAN—5th highest rated charter school law—money flows from state to authorizing body acting as fiscal agent to the public school academy.

MASSACHUSETTS—6th highest rating for charter school law—money flows from state to school.

 

Other models:

 

ARKANSAS—money flows through districts for conversion schools; money directly flows from state to school for open enrollment schools.

CONNECTICUT--money path through district for district-authorized schools; directly from state for other schools.

TEXAS—through district to school authorized by local school boards; directly from state for open enrollment schools

 

The majority of states send funds to the charter school through school districts; however, frequently the money path is linked to the authorizer.

 

New Hampshire has an opportunity to get this funding path issue right from the start. State funds should flow from the state directly to charter schools for state-authorized schools and district funds should flow directly from school districts. Charter schools MUST know the dates they will receive their funding and receive their funds in a timely and predictable manner.

 

Charters can be revoked if the school becomes insolvent or financially unstable. Confusion about funding, and problems receiving operational funds in a timely manner only serve to undermine the success of charter schools.   

 

 

CHARTER SCHOOL UPDATES:

 

Planning funds for a Keene-based science high school have finally been released. An open house is planned this Wednesday, October 20th, 6:30 p.m., at Keene Public Library. For more information, contact project manager Robert J Shalit.

 

Seacoast Charter School is planning a grand opening celebration October 25th. Located now in Stratham, SCS is still accepting applications for children in grades 3 & 4. For more information, contact the Head of School.

 

A charter application for the Manchester City is wending its way through local reviews. Currently titled: Manchester Charter School: The Academy for Language, smArts, and Research. Check soon for an updated profile and contact information.  

 

Based on The Coalition of Essential Schools and The Community Schools movement, a group of educators, college instructors, and others in the Southwestern area of New Hampshire (Winchester-Richmond-Keene) are now meeting to begin the design of Thayer Memorial Academy charter school. This 9-12 high school program is being planned with: heterogeneous grouping, focus on the arts, science and agriculture, alternative assessment, community service, real world on-site extended apprenticeships, and lengthy camping trips with curriculum-in-hand. If the school proceeds, founders plan to submit a charter in 2005 and open in September 2006.  For more information or to contact the group, e-mail Peter Majoy at  pwmjoy@earthlink.net. 

 

 

THE LOTTERY: STUDENT SELECTION UNDER STATE AND FEDERAL LAW

 

Federal and state law each require lottery for charter school student selection. Federal law (No Child Left Behind Act):  A charter school “is a school to which parents choose to send their children, and that admits students on the basis of a lottery, if more students apply for admission than can be accommodated.”

 

New Hampshire law: “If the number of otherwise eligible applicants…exceeds that school’s maximum published enrollment, that school shall use lottery selection as a basis for admission.”

 

Using samples from around the country, we’ve created a sample lottery guideline. New Hampshire requires that charter applications include a student admission policy that includes guidelines for lottery. (Click here to read NH Administrative Rule 318:05).

 

 

EXEMPTIONS FROM STATE LAW

 

Legislative season is here. Lest we forget, the federal criteria for state charter school grants includes:  “the degree of flexibility afforded by the State educational agency to charter schools under the state’s charter school law.”  

 

New Hampshire’s law has flexibility reflected in its purpose: “to exempt charter schools from state statutes and rules, other than where specified, to provide innovative learning and teaching in a unique environment.” 

 

(Review the purposes of New Hampshire charter school legislation). 

 

Every state faces challenges around adding more and more state regulation to charter schools. Flexibility to innovate, however, is a key purpose of charter schools. In the 2004-2005 legislative season, improving New Hampshire’s law should not be confused with hampering schools by insisting they have belts and suspenders.

 

To read more about the charter school movement nationwide, schools, and legislation in other states, click here. The NH Center for School Reform website has many national resource links.

 

 

We welcome you to visit our web site, locate our start-up resources and publications, and ask any questions you may have about the basics of charter schools in New Hampshire.