Meeting of the Board of Regents | October 2009

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

 

TO:
FROM:	John B. King, Jr.
SUBJECT:	Charter Schools: Proposed Second Revision to the First Renewal Charter for the Brighter Choice Charter School for Girls
DATE:	October 6, 2009
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goals 1 and 2
AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

SUMMARY

 

Issue for Decision

Should the Regents approve the staff’s recommendation concerning the proposed second revision to the first renewal charter for the Brighter Choice Charter School for Girls (Albany)?

Background Information

We received a request from the Board of Trustees of the Brighter Choice Charter School for Girls (“the School”) to revise its first renewal charter.  The School seeks to increase its enrollment from 225 to 234 for the 2009-2010 school year.

The School is located in the Albany City School District, and currently serves 225 students in grades K-4.  The School District held a public hearing on September 17, 2009 regarding the proposed revision.  All hearing comments were in opposition to additional charter schools and expansion of enrollment at existing charter schools within Albany.  Hearing comments were made by taxpayers, Common Council Members, District parents, District staff and District board members.

 

 

Recommendation

VOTED:  That the Board of Regents approves the second revision to the first renewal charter of the Brighter Choice Charter School for Girls, and the provisional charter is amended accordingly.

 

Reasons for Recommendation

              The proposed revision to the School’s first renewal charter, along with the other terms of the first renewal 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) approving the proposed revision to the School’s first renewal charter will have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school.    

 

Timetable for Implementation

The Regents action for the Brighter Choice Charter School for Girls will be effective immediately.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New York State Education Department

Summary Information

 

Name of Charter School:  Brighter Choice Charter School for Girls

 

Address:  116 North Lake Avenue, Albany, NY 12206

Board of Trustees President:  Thomas W. Carroll

 

District of Location:  Albany                      

 

Charter Entity:  Board of Regents

 

Institutional Partner(s):  None

Management Partner(s): None

Grades Served:        K-4       

Projected Enrollment: 234

 

  Revision Highlights

 

Evidence of Educational Soundness/ Attainment of Educational Objectives

• The School provides instruction in all learning standard areas.
• The School will maintain maximum class size of 17 in kindergarten and first grade and 25 in grades two to four.
• The School has demonstrated academic success with 70 percent of students scoring proficient on the 2008-09 ELA Assessment and 100 percent of students scoring proficient on the 2008-09 Math Assessment. 

 

Evidence of Fiscal Soundness/Projected Fiscal Impact

 

The School’s audit reveals that the proper internal controls are in place and adequate, and that the School is financially secure.

• The School’s budget demonstrates fiscal soundness with a positive annual balance of $118,811.
• The School expects expenses to exceed for the 2009-2010 school year by $17,567.

 

 

Projected Fiscal Impact of the

Brighter Choice Charter School for Girls

Albany City School District

2009-10

School Year	Number of Students	Projected Impact
2009-2010	234	1.29

Projected Fiscal Impact of

All Charter Schools

Albany City School District

2009-10

  

School	2009-10
Achievement Academy CS	1.72%
Albany Community CS	1.86%
Albany Leadership CHS for Girls	0.00%
Albany Preparatory CS	0.83%
Brighter Choice  CS for Boys	1.24%
Brighter Choice CS for Girls	1.29%
Green Tech High CS	0.96%
Henry Johnson CS	1.51%
KIPP Tech Valley CS	1.65%
New Covenant CS	3.44%
Total Projected Impact	14.42%

 *Assumes a 3.0 percent annual increase in the district’s budget and a 4.5 percent annual increase in the average expense per pupil.  Projections are subject to fluctuation in actual enrollments, FTE enrollments, AOE, and district budgets.  Further assumes all students will come from the district of location, and that all other charter schools will still be in operation.

 

Evidence of Parent and Student Satisfaction and Community Support

 

• The Public Hearing was on September 17, 2009.
• The hearing was attended by ten community members. 
• All hearing comments were in opposition to additional charter schools and expansion of enrollment at existing charter schools within Albany. 
• Hearing comments were made by taxpayers, Common Council Members, District parents, District staff and the District board members.