NEWSLETTER UPDATE #39

JUNE 14, 2007

 

STATE HAS 2 WEEKS TO RESOLVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
Our website LEGISLATION link provides links to House Calendars, Senate Calendars, bills on the billet this session, and even links to streaming audio of debate and votes on the House and Senate floor.

The flavor of this legislative session, though, is best covered in the news. The June 10th Concord Monitor Opinion gave us a taste: “Now, clearly, those votes happened in the context of wheeling, dealing, politicking, and some would have it, backstabbing and flat-out lying.” This wording draws in our attention, and the constitutional amendment vote should have our attention, indeed.

NEW HAMPSHIRE LEGISLATIVE ALERT—just days left to save charter schools
Just days ago, the Senate voted to repeal the charter school pilot program, RSA 194-B: 3-a, effective July 1, 2007. Authorized charter schools before June 30, 2007, can go forward. But can they be “re”-authorized by a no-longer authorized authorizer?

Charter school enthusiasts should understand the potential long-term consequences if this Senate vote stands. Your elected representatives need to know how you expect to be represented. Only a few days left to contact your Senators and legislators.

The original 1995 charter school law has been amended multiple times...often making improvements, adding accountability, assuring direct payment. An early amendment, however, changed state charter school funding from a weighted formula to a flat amount—a decision that has harmed most schools and should be corrected. This year’s challenge—return to fair funding. And if it is or isn't true that the Senate budget version is reporting huge balances ...38 to 48 million, is there really any reason that 500-1000 students cannot have the $3,000 needed to have sustainable schools where they thrive?

Why did the Senate vote to end the successful charter school pilot project? The House, much more supportive of charter school students and choice, it seems, introduced a bill this session to fix charter school funding. The Senate voted to put the House’s bill aside and then voted to repeal the whole program...and in a budget bill!

Read our legislative alert.

STATE’S FIRST SCIENCE ACADEMY PLANNING TO OPEN
The Academy for Science and Design Charter School will make New Hampshire the 43rd state with a free, statewide open enrollment school for science, math, technology, and engineering. From state to state the particular science school model varies. Many new science schools, some nationally recognized, opened under the public charter school model.

Replicating curriculum in top international schools, New Hampshire’s science academy will introduce physics and algebra in grade 7 and offer 2 science courses per year. New Hampshire college presidents and deans are stepping up to advance the school. The corporate community will help sponsor the school’s 7 dedicated research labs. Legislators on the House Science and Technology Committee have offered to advise the school. High tech business leaders are stepping in.

The Academy for Science and Design will serve grades 7-12 and is still accepting student applications for grades 7 – 10, through August 1st. ASD is moving forward to open September 2007. For more information or application materials visit the website: www.asdnh.org Statewide open enrollment means a student from any community may attend.

CHARTER SCHOOLS & MERIT PAY
A new Lexington Institute Report addresses personnel pay guidelines from high-achieving charter schools around the United States. The report confirms that the high-achieving charter schools are not tied to teacher certification, collective bargaining, or rigid personnel policies. Once again, there is evidence that the independent public school model, in fact, allows flexibility and new ideas that bring about results.

TEACHER UNIONS CHANGE STANCE ON CHARTER SCHOOLS (CA)
California’s charter school program is one of the most well-developed of any state. Their statewide conference is considered the national conference. Like any state, there are political issues about having public schools that are independent. Apparently, the teachers union has given up its dogged resistance. “After all,” dailynews.com reports, "the union can't exactly continue to be anti-charter if charters are where teachers want to work because the experience is more rewarding.”

DAILY LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
Contact us for daily bulletins on legislation affecting New Hampshire charter schools. Only a few days to go.

P.S. If you want to open a charter school in New Hampshire, you’d better hurry up! Of course, in New Hampshire clearer heads usually do prevail….

 Telephone:  603.224.0366                   Fax:  603.224.8366
Concord, NH 03301 Email:  info@nhschoolreform.org