Meeting of the Board of Regents | July 2009

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 the First Renewal Charter for the Bronx Charter School for the Arts
DATE:	July 16, 2009
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goals 1 and 2
AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

SUMMARY

 

Issue for Decision

 

Should the Regents approve the staff’s recommendation concerning the proposed revision to the first renewal charter for Bronx Charter School for the Arts (New York City)?

 

Background Information

 

We received a request from the Bronx Charter School for the Arts (BCSA or “the School”) to revise its first renewal charter.  The School is located in Community School District 8 in the Bronx and is authorized by the Board of Regents.  The initial charter was approved in April 2002 to serve grades K-6 at full growth.  The School seeks a revision to its first renewal charter to modify its enrollment by beginning a phase out of grade six. The School cites a New York City Department of Education rule that prevents grade six students from participating in the middle school choice process as the reason for its phase out request.  In addition, the School seeks to increase the projected total enrollment from 280 students to 310 students in grades K-5; and to increase class size to 25 students in classrooms with two teachers and 22 students in classrooms with one teacher.  The School asserts that its well-ingrained policies and routines would provide support to sustained effectiveness of instruction (See Attachment 1). 

 

The New York City Department of Education held a public hearing in Community School District 8 on July 14, 2009, regarding these proposed revisions to the charter.  No comments were made or received. 

Recommendation

 

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

 

Reasons for Recommendation

 

              The proposed revisions to the School’s charter, along with the other terms of the charter: (1) meet 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; and; (3) are 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.

 

Timetable for Implementation

 

The Regents action for the Bronx Charter School for the Arts will be effective immediately.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attachment 1

Bronx Charter School for the Arts Enrollment Plan

 

Approved Enrollment Plan
	09-10 (Final year of current renewal period)
K	40
1	40
2	40
3	40
4	40
5	40
6	40
Total	280
Revised Enrollment Plan
	09-10 (Final year of current  renewal period)
K	47
1	47
2	47
3	47
4	47
5	47
6	28
Total	310