Report of Regents P-12 Education Committee to The Board of Regents

Your P-12 Education Committee held its scheduled meeting on February 12, 2018.  All members were present, except for Regents Norwood, Cashin, Finn and Mittler, who were excused.

ACTION ITEMS

Renewal Recommendations for Charter Schools Authorized by the Board of Regents [P-12 (A) 1 - REVISED]  - Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that, Brighter Choice Charter School for Boys: (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) the applicant can demonstrate the ability to operate the school in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) granting the application 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 this article; and (4) granting the application would have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school, and the Board of Regents therefore approves the renewal application of Brighter Choice Charter School for Boys and that a renewal charter be issued, and that its provisional charter be extended for a term up through and including June 30, 2021.

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that, Brighter Choice Charter School for Girls: (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) the applicant can demonstrate the ability to operate the school in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) granting the application 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 this article; and (4) granting the application would have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school, and the Board of Regents therefore approves the renewal application of Brighter Choice Charter School for Girls and that a renewal charter be issued, and that its provisional charter be extended for a term up through and including June 30, 2021.

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that, The New American Academy Charter School: (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) the applicant can demonstrate the ability to operate the school in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) granting the application 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 this article; and (4) granting the application would have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school, and the Board of Regents therefore approves the renewal application of The New American Academy Charter School and that a renewal charter be issued, and that its provisional charter be extended for a term up through and including June 30, 2020.

Motion passed.  Regents Mead and Ouderkirk abstained from the vote for the Brighter Choice Charter School for Boys and the Brighter Choice Charter School for Girls.  Regent Collins abstained from the vote for all three schools.

Revisions to Charters Authorized by New York City Department of Education Chancellor [P-12 (A) 2] - Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that: (1) the charter school meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) the charter school can demonstrate the ability to operate in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) granting the request to revise the charter 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) granting the request to revise the charter would have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school, and the Board of Regents therefore approves the charter revision for New Heights Academy Charter School and amends the provisional charter accordingly.

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that: (1) the charter school meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) the charter school can demonstrate the ability to operate in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) granting the request to revise the charter 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) granting the request to revise the charter would have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school, and the Board of Regents therefore approves the charter revision for New York French American Charter School and amends the provisional charter accordingly.

Motion passed.  Regent Collins abstained.

Renewals to Charters Authorized by Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education  [P-12 (A) 3 REVISED] - Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that the proposed charter school: (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) will 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, and the Board of Regents therefore approves and issues the renewal charter of the Hyde Leadership Charter School - Brooklyn as proposed by the Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, and that its provisional charter be extended for a term up through and including June 30, 2023.

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that the proposed charter school: (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) will 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, and the Board of Regents therefore approves and issues the renewal charter of the South Bronx Charter School for International Cultures and the Arts as proposed by the Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, and that its provisional charter be extended for a term up through and including June 30, 2023.

Motion passed.  Regent Collins abstained.

MOTION FOR ACTION BY FULL BOARD

Madam Chancellor and Colleagues: Your P-12 Education Committee recommends, and we move, that the Board of Regents act affirmatively upon each recommendation in the written report of the Committee's deliberations at its meeting on February 13, 2018, copies of which have been distributed to each Regent.

MATTERS NOT REQUIRING BOARD ACTION

Senior Deputy Commissioner’s Report  

• Graduation Rate Data – Senior Deputy Commissioner Jhone Ebert acknowledged the work of Rose LeRoy and her team, as well as Angelica Infante-Green, Steve Katz, and Emily DeSantis on their work in preparing and gathering the data that was presented to the Regents and to the field this past week on New York State’s graduation rate.

Consent Agenda

The Board of Regents will take action on the following consent agenda items at their February 13, 2018 meeting.

• Regulations relating to the Superintendent Determination Option for Certain Students with Disabilities to Graduate with a Local Diploma.