Meeting of the Board of Regents | February 2008

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

 

TO:
FROM:	Johanna Duncan-Poitier
SUBJECT:	Proposed Revision to the Charter School of Educational Excellence
DATE:	January 24, 2008
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goals 1 and 2
AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

SUMMARY

 

Issue for Decision

 

Should the Regents approve the staff’s recommendation concerning the proposed amendment to the charter for the Charter School of Educational Excellence (Yonkers)? 

 

Reason(s) for Consideration

 

              Required by State statute, Education Law §2852.

 

Proposed Handling

 

This question will come before the EMSC Committee in February 2008 for action.  It will then come before the full Board for final action in February 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 from the Charter School of Educational Excellence (“the School”) to revise its charter to increase its maximum enrollment from 325 students to 327, for the 2007-08 school year only.  

             

The Yonkers City School District (“the District”) held a public hearing on the proposed revision on January 16, 2008, and no comments were generated. 

 

Staff recommend that the Board of Regents approve the proposed revision.

 

Recommendation

 

              VOTED: That the Board of Regents approves the revision to the initial charter of the Charter School of Educational Excellence, and the provisional charter is amended accordingly.

 

Reasons for Recommendations

 

              The proposed revision, together 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 charter school.

 

Timetable for Implementation

 

The Regents action for the Charter School of Educational Excellence is effective immediately.