Meeting of the Board of Regents | July 2008

THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

 

TO:
FROM:	Johanna Duncan-Poitier
SUBJECT:	Charter Schools: Proposed Revision to First Renewal Charter for the Charter School of Applied Technologies
DATE:	July 21, 2008
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goals 1 and 2
AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

SUMMARY

 

Issue for Decision

 

Should the Board of Regents approve staff’s recommendation concerning the proposed revision to the charter for the Charter School of Applied Technologies (Kenmore-Tonawanda)? 

 

Reason for Consideration

 

              Required by State statute, Education Law §2852.

 

Proposed Handling

 

This question will come before the EMSC Committee in July 2008 for action.  It will then come before the full Board for final action in July 2008.

 

Procedural History

 

The New York Charter Schools Act of 1998 requires the Board of Regents (“Board”) to review applications for both new charter schools and the renewal of existing charter schools that are submitted to it in accordance with the standards set forth in subdivision two of New York State Education Law §2852.  After review, the Board may either (a) approve an application and issue a charter or a renewal charter for a term of up to five years, or (b) deny the application.

 

 

 

In addition, New York Education Law §2852(7) provides that revisions of charter school charters shall be made only upon approval of the charter entity and the Board of Regents in accordance with the provisions of the law applicable to the issuance of charters themselves.  With respect to charter schools directly chartered by the Board, it may either approve a proposed revision or deny it.

 

Background Information

 

We received a request for approval of a revision to the existing charter for the Charter School of Applied Technologies (“the School”), a Regents-authorized charter school.

 

In January 2001, the Board of Regents granted the Charter School of Applied Technologies its initial charter, and in January 2006 granted the School a full five-year term renewal charter to January 10, 2011.  The School currently serves 1,475 students in grades K-12, and had its first graduating class in June 2008.  It had 66 seniors, all of whom graduated. 

 

The School has requested to amend its charter to expand its curricular offerings in the high school.  All proposed courses have been aligned with the applicable New York State Learning Standards.  Specifically, the School seeks to add courses entitled:

 

• Spanish IV (grades 11 and 12, linked to Languages Other Than English learning standards);
• Study Skills (grade 9, linked to Career Development and Occupational Studies [“CDOS”] and English Language Arts [“ELA”] learning standards);
• Broadcast Journalism (grade 12, linked to ELA standards);
• Introduction to Science (grade 9, linked to Science learning standards);
• Explorations in Literature (grade 12, linked to ELA learning standards);
• Marketing (grades 9-12, linked to CDOS and ELA learning standards);
• Advanced Computer Applications (grades 9-12, linked to Math/Science/Technology and ELA learning standards); and
• Business Math (grades 11 and 12, linked to Math learning standards). 

 

Key issues and topics in each subject area will be explored in greater depth.   The Kenmore-Tonawanda Union Free School District held the required public hearing on June 10, 2008.  No comments were generated at the hearing.  Staff recommends approval of the proposed revision to the first renewal charter.

 

Recommendation

 

VOTED:  That the Board of Regents approves the revision to the first renewal charter of the Charter School of Applied Technologies, and the provisional charter is amended accordingly.

 

 

 

 

 

Reason for Recommendation

 

The proposed revision to the School’s charter, along with the other terms of the charter: (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) will permit the charter school to operate in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) is likely to improve student learning and achievement and materially further the purposes set out in subdivision two of section twenty-eight hundred fifty of Article 56 of the Education Law; and (4) will have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the proposed charter school.

 

Timetable for Implementation

 

The Regents action for the Charter School of Applied Technologies is effective immediately.