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After 15 years with the
Department of Education, Joyce Johnson is resigning to pursue a nurse
administrator career. She leaves her position administering school
approval programs (including charter school approval). A trained and
experienced nurse, Joyce’s entry to the Department of Education related
to safe school environments for children with chronic health care needs,
e.g. children who were diabetic or having chemotherapy. Since 1999,
Joyce has headed up School Approval—public school, private school, home
education, and more recently charter school approval, assuring
compliance with the myriad of state requirements and providing
information and assistance. On a personal note, Joyce has been a valued
colleague, willing to think out of the box and discuss vision,
opportunity, and new ways of using resources. Joyce has been centered in
a belief that educating children is the goal of public education…not
sustaining any particular system. Joyce leaves the Department September
17th.
SH: Joyce, how long were
you with the Department of Education and what positions did you hold?
JJ: Since
1989, I had 3 different positions. My first was working with parents and
schools to provide a safe learning environment for students with chronic
health needs…working with the school nurses and parents who had little
ill children. The concern was to assure school environments were safe
for children with health care needs
In my second
position with the Department I managed a federal grant from The Centers
of Disease Control and Prevention.. The grant involved HIV and health
education,. An interested aspect was the research component of the
Youth Risk Behavior Survey for high school students. This survey looked
at indicators which placed youth at risk of health problems. We
implemented the survey every 2 years
For the last
5 years I’ve been the administrator of the Office of School Approval
which incorporates all the administrative rules and law pertaining to
public school, private schools, charter schools, home education, and the
public school choice project.
SH: The law for charter
schools is apt to be revised again. What do you think are key areas
needing revision?
JJ: I think
it’s necessary to resolve confusions legislatively. The Charter School
Oversight Committee is starting to identify the key issues that aren’t
clear. Otherwise, it’s every individual person saying what he or she
thinks the intent of the open enrollment law is…
SH: What do you think about
the local school district, the local school board itself, being an
authorizer? Concord is the only city/town in this state where the local
school board sets it owns budget and so can authorize its own charter
schools.
JJ:
Currently School Boards/districts can get behind a group of people who
want a charter school and support it, but they cannot themselves
authorize a school. Maybe after the success of the pilot program more
districts will feel comfortable with this option.
SH: Any thoughts about
charter school funding –no less than 80% of the per pupil cost for
locally-approved schools and no less than $3390 this year for
state-authorized schools?
JJ: The real
bottom line is you can’t get past the fact that we are the lowest
reimbursement to charter schools in the country. In many states they are
getting 75% to 100% of the per pupil expenses. We are now offering
closer to 35%. It’s an area that the legislature has to review. It isn’t
realistic to expect a complete public school program to operate on
$3390/year.
I’m
certainly happy that charter school funding will be addressed this year
by the legislature. It’s also great that so many school district
superintendents have shown an interest in chartered public schools. They
realize the traditional public school model doesn’t work for everyone
and the charter school option gives an opportunity to encourage
something different and also enrich their school systems.
SH: Do you think the
legislature will lift the cap from 20 schools?
JJ: The
demand is there, now. I received calls all the time from school
districts, parents, and organizations inquiring about planning and
starting independent chartered public schools. Our state law allows for
20 state-authorized schools. As you know, we already have that many
schools in the pipeline and we’ve only finished our first year under the
pilot project.
SH: Any parting thoughts?
JJ. Yes. I'd like to see New Hampshire receive more start-up funding.
Our office applied for an additional $750,000, but with the interest now
around our state, we could support the start of more schools. New
Hampshire is in a unique position nationally because we are
demonstrating how smaller, rural states can bring in a choice school
program. |
