OVERALL
CHARTER SCHOOL SUCCESS LAST YEAR
NH's first 6 chartered public schools opened in
2004-2005 serving students from 40+ communities.
Each school was unique (complete
listing) and truly had academic
success
with students it served. In 5 charter schools,
interactions between districts, parents, and
charter schools were stiff at first. Slow but
steady problem-solving, however, made these new
school systems operational.
Problems emerged: issues were addressed:
almost all relationships were collaborative.
But for a few exceptions, student funding (state
adequacy) followed students. Success stories
were trumpeted locally, in our newsletter,
and on charter school web sites. Statewide
news, however, mostly focused on Franklin,
leaving the public with a
misimpression about the overall success of
these important new schools.
Student achievement accelerated, generally, everywhere.
In the North
Country, students left behind returned and earned
diplomas. Franklin Career Academy
students averaged a 2-year
gain in reading and one parent said her student's
progress was so great the local high school was
now suggesting "honors
and advanced" classes! Deaf
students learned to participate
as class members working directly with their
teacher and made leaps in achievement, even in
new subjects. Elementary students
at Seacoast
Charter School exceeded achievement
expectations with rigorous academic and arts
curricula. Students loved the
new performing
arts high school in Dover. Every
new charter school had applications coming in
during the year. Most charter
schools have waiting lists.
With examples of these schools showing benefit to
students, districts, and taxpayers, more groups
are seeking information. At least 20 projects are incubating
around the
state. Legislative problem-solving and funding
equity are needed next year, but even with problems like under-funding,
more
and more communities want information. Overall,
the first year of chartered public schools in rural New Hampshire
was a success.
THE FRANKLIN
SAGA CONTINUES AND MORE
Franklin area districts said “phooey” to students’
rights, clear state law, and their own policies
on non-discrimination. So Franklin Career Academy students
did not receive funding due
them--$110,000. Parents & students are distraught and want
to continue next year, but cannot. Their Board voted
to discontinue operations until they are assured the State’s obligation to provide
adequate education funding to all students is guaranteed for their
students. The three school districts to date refusing to give
their own resident students any the local, state, and federal
funding are Franklin, Hill, and Winnesquam.
Franklin officials did not want but needed a small, choice
high school. The charter school emerged and worked
all year with strained relationships between officials.
Quietly,
area teachers collaborated with charter school
teachers, though. And many business people and local folks
offered
support. No mediators or magicians appeared to
help, however. Difficult to imagine students, teachers,
and parents thriving
under a constant shower of interagency tension,
but, in fact, some of the highest academic gains posted
anywhere
in the state last year came from the little,
embattled (and battling) Franklin Career Academy. By year's
end,
everyone involved seemed just plain worn out.
Thursday night, July 14th, parents met with Department
of Education
personnel and asked: Where is our children's
public school funding? Why does our school have to close
this way?
In an interesting turn of events, Franklin’s
School District Board advised Franklin’s
City Council of a $200,000 to $300,000
end-of-year budget
balance. Franklin funds withheld from
charter school students = $77,000. So…
immediately after the
charter school announced it could not
re-open, the school district announced
it had enough money
to pay! Furthermore, papers this week
broadcast that the State has 30 million
in revenue it
had not anticipated for next year (all
supplemental charter school funding was
cut from next year’s
budget).
Frustrated and stressed that no one intervened
to assure state funding reached their school,
and having the clear sense that the issue
was not just ability to pay, the Franklin charter
school board voted recently not to re-open in September
unless or until the Governor, or Commissioner,
or State Board, or Attorney General guaranteed
that the law about state funding reaching
every student, including charter school students,
would absolutely be
implemented. To be fair, districts
with multimillion dollar budgets sometimes
are not sure about end-of-year balances until
late in the year but so far no officials seem willing to reconsider
payment to Franklin Career Academy.
It's certainly puzzling that top administrators couldn't
figure out how to get FCA's $77,000 to them within 13 months.
The Department of Education's budget is over a billion dollars
a year, after all, and the state's reserve funds are tremendous.
It's difficult to imagine one
or more top managers NOT finding an intervention
for willful statutory nose-thumbing before June
2005. To be fair, there
have been clarifying decisions about charter school
funding made during the year, and the Department
did offer a stopgap
solution so Franklin could reopen in September.
But the Franklin Charter School Board says it wants
a guarantee about receiving
students funds before they start contracting for
school services. And that isn't unreasonable, either.
New Hampshire charters are awarded for 5 years.
There will be more chapters to the Franklin story.
A new Commissioner with Superintendent experience is recently at
the helm. The new Governor
is reconsidering his position. And a mediator
could be assigned to facilitate a charter school/district school
agreement so students and resources
are distributed in a win-win way. With low income,
AYP concerns, high drop-out rates, high turnover, and meager budget,
why not envision the
district school and charter school co-existing
for the benefit of city students.
People with vision (like Franklin’s former mayor)
can imagine a successful, new public academy
bringing recognition and an economic boost
to the area. Franklin really seems like a perfect
place for a new chartered high school.
OUR
NEW SCHOOL TALK BLOG
TOPIC: A charter school is owed $100,000 and
during the school year no official or body
intervenes to assure the owed money
is paid. What is the best approach to assure
the situation is prevented? States with
highly-rated charter school laws have state
money go directly to the charter school from
the state. We're interested in your
thoughts.
TOPICS YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED, FROM PRIOR NEWSLETTERS
#5: Public School Obligations to Provide
Choice
#7: Non-profit Organizations can Start Charter
Schools
#8: Ways that Students Can Attend a Charter
School
#11: Charter Schools 101
#13: Year-end Review of 2004
#15: Charter School Funding
#17: North Country’s Charter School Success
#18: Democrats,
Republicans, and School Choice: Who Thinks What?
Charter Schools & Federal Commitment; Ed Funding in New Hampshire
#19 Newspapers Face off in Franklin
#20 Small Schools of Choice; Pennsylvania Funding
Model
#21: 6 Ways Charter Schools Benefit Taxpayers
#22: First Year Results; Charter Schools Reversing
Trends of Failure
#23: 2 Graduations; Year-end Problems to Solve
#24: State Education Budget Passes
UPCOMING RADIO
SHOW
July 20th: The Honorable Senator Jane O’Hearn,
former chairman of the House &
Senate Education Committee and Tom Linehan will
talk schools.
WKXL1450
AM with worldwide streaming. Call us and
join the discussion Wednesday at 1:07
p.m. 224-1450.
To
be more informed, visit our web
site and read about
the basics
of charter schools in New
Hampshire. See the complete
listing of schools and projects, check out our start-up
resources and
publications.
We have helpful information
in our archives, such as how charter schools and
federal law connect, reports on charter
school funding, what's happening in other states, and
progress of new schools in New Hampshire.
We welcome your questions and suggestions. So
contact
us. Can we help you? We offer free seminars
and/or
assistance with grants or proposals.
Know someone who might like our newsletter? Let
us know!
www.nhschoolreform.org