IN THIS NEWSLETTER:
NEW HAMPSHIRE’S 1ST-YEAR RESULTS—BEYOND
EXPECTATIONS!
NEW SCHOOLS INSPIRE
INTEREST—20 PROJECTS IN PIPELINE
SENATE DECISION ABOUT
SCHOOL FUNDING—STILL UNDECIDED
CHARTER SCHOOLS
REVERSING TREND OF FAILURE—MICHIGAN
PUBLIC SCHOOLS MADE
BETTER BY VOUCHER PROGRAM—FLORIDA
NH VETERINARIAN
OFFERS CHARTER SCHOOL A HOME
IT’S TIME TO ACT ON
HIGH SCHOOL RE-DESIGN
NATIONAL SECURITY AND
SCIENCE/MATH ACHIEVEMENT
FINANCIAL POLICY SAMPLES,
UPDATE 2005
NEW HAMPSHIRE’S 1ST-YEAR RESULTS—BEYOND EXPECTATIONS!
NH
charter schools succeeded beyond expectations! Franklin
Career Academy & North
Country Alternative Charter Schools are holding
graduations. School directors say stdents are earning diplomas who would
not be graduating if it weren’t for these charter schools. At North
Country Charter School, supported by 26 school districts,
21 students will graduate including 9 students who had dropped out of school.
Seven (7) are going on to college.
“We
offered a college-standard curriculum,” says Carol Sideris, Franklin
Career Academy’s director. “Our 35 students read 400 books this year
(average of 10 books per student) and books had to be 200 pages to count!”
“Some of my students have advanced more than 4 grade levels in reading from
the beginning of the year. They deserve to be proud.” says Maura Ambuter,
a first-year teacher who taught English and reading. At Seacoast
Charter School, 100% of students are playing either violin or cello and
100% are performing in "A Midsummer’s Night Dream" this
Thursday. 100% of students are thriving in the rigorous academic curriculum.
Read more about 1st
year results.
NEW SCHOOLS
INSPIRE STATEWIDE INTEREST
More than 20
school design projects are incubating in New
Hampshire, in addition to the 7 approved charter schools.
More school districts are looking at chartered schools for their problem-solving
potential, cost efficiencies, and ability to inspire certain students to higher
achievement.
What is a chartered public school, anyway? Click
here.
SENATE DECISION
ABOUT FUNDING
Although New Hampshire’s
new charter schools are exceeding expectations of high student gains and lower
cost, less regulation but high accountability, the Senate is still debating
next year's budget and the fate of our new charter school program. More than
30 school districts are supporting their new local charter schools. To contact
your Senator, click
here. To contact the Education Commissioner: click
here. To contact Governor Lynch: click
here. The
numbers of students in charter schools is very small—under 400 in 2005-2006;
under 700 in 2006-2007. Click
Here for our report which includes enrollment projections and explains
funding under local- and state-authorization models.
CHARTER SCHOOLS REVERSING THE TREND OF FAILURE
A
New Report from Michigan shows
when evaluators study “student gains,” more students are moving into top achievement
levels through attendance at charter schools designed for them. Data is based
on statewide testing program
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
MADE BETTER NOT WORSE BY VOUCHER PROGRAMS
Florida
results indicate their statewide
voucher program yields more value than No Child Left Behind, for students
choosing to leave a public school AND the public schools students leave.
Click
here for links to resource organizations,
including those following choice through voucher programs.
NH VETERINARIAN
OFFERS CHARTER SCHOOL A HOME
A NH veterinarian has offered space and assistance raising
$50-$100,000 if the Academic
& Equestrian Academy
application is authorized. Click
here to read statewide
comments of support. “The equestrian industry is large. Many careers are involved,”
say L. Brian, a school proponent. “Our proposal includes college-level academics
with serious career-related coursework,” Click
here for information and to read this charter.
IT’S TIME TO ACT ON
HIGH SCHOOL RE-DESIGN
Governors and businesses agree with Bill Gates—the US high school
model is obsolete and states should invest in new models of high schools…now.
Small schools demonstrate benefits. Click
here for a Gates Foundation fact sheet.
Read Gates' comments
to the 2005 Summit on High Schools sponsored by the US Governors' Association. Even the
CEO of ETS (Education Testing Services) agrees = redesign
now.
In New Hampshire.
5 of 7 approved charter schools and 7 of 14 planning grants are to design
new, small high schools. Complete
listing. To learn about a NH proposal for a tuition-free, statewide
math/science/engineering high school, click
here. This group is redirecting location efforts to
the Concord
– Nashua corridor, and welcomes
contact through Matora Fiorey, Ph.D.
FINACIAL
POLICY SAMPLES, UPDATE 2005
We have just updated our sample
financial policies for charter schools and
our
guide to financial management.
_________________
We welcome
you to visit our web site, locate our start-up resources and publications, and ask any questions you may have heard about the basics
of charter schools in New Hampshire.
We welcome questions and offer technical assistance to start-up thinkers, school designers,
and beginning charter schools.
Contact: info@nhschoolreform.org