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THE STATE
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY
OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234 |
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TO: |
The Honorable the Members of the Board of Regents |
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FROM: |
James A. Kadamus |
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COMMITTEE: |
EMSC-VESID |
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TITLE OF
ITEM: |
Renewal of Charter School Charters |
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DATE OF
SUBMISSION: |
March 9, 2005 |
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PROPOSED
HANDLING: |
Approval |
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RATIONALE FOR
ITEM: |
Legislative Authority to Act on Charter Schools |
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STRATEGIC
GOAL: |
Goals 1 and 2 |
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AUTHORIZATION(S): |
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SUMMARY:
The Board of Regents is authorized to approve proposed renewals of existing charter school charters. The Board of Trustees of the State University of New York has submitted to the Board of Regents a proposed two-year renewal of the charter for one charter school. A complete copy of the proposed renewal charter is available for your review by contacting James R. Butterworth at 518-474-4817.
VOTED: That the Board of Regents approve the proposed renewal to the charter of the following charter school, and extend its charter and provisional charter and any amendments thereto for two years, based upon the information contained in the attachments and upon a finding by the Board of Regents 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 has demonstrated the ability to operate in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; and (3) granting the extension 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:
· International Charter School of Schenectady
The SUNY Board of Trustees has also submitted proposed renewals through June 30, 2005 for 13 charter schools to prevent a lapse in their operations during the 2004-2005 school year. We anticipate that the Board of Trustees will propose further renewals for consideration at your May 2005 meeting. Copies of the charter renewals are available for your review by contacting James R. Butterworth at 518-474-4817 or Shelia Evans-Tranumn at 718-722-2796.
VOTED: That the Board of Regents approve the proposed renewal to the charters of the following charter schools, and extend their charters and provisional charters, and any amendments thereto, up through and including June 30, 2005:
· Amber Charter School, New York City
· Bronx Preparatory Charter School, New York City
· Central New York Charter School for Math and Science, Syracuse
· Charter School of Science and Technology, Rochester
· Child Development Center of the Hamptons Charter School, Wainscott
· Community Partnership Charter School, New York City
· Eugenio Maria de Hostos Charter School, Rochester
· Harbor Science and Arts Charter School, New York City
· King Center Charter School, Buffalo
· Merrick Academy--Queens Public Charter School, New York City
· Rochester Leadership Academy Charter School, Rochester
· Roosevelt Children’s Academy Charter School, Roosevelt
· South Buffalo Charter School, Buffalo
New York
State Education Department
Summary of Charter School Renewal
Information
Summary of Applicant
Information
Name of Proposed Renewed Charter
School: International Charter
School of Schenectady
Address: 408 Eleanor Street, Schenectady, NY 12306
Board of Trustees
President: Doris Belton
Renewal Period: April 2005-March 2007
District of Location: Schenectady City School District
Charter Entity: SUNY Board of Trustees
Institutional Partner(s): None
Management Partner(s): SABIS Educational Systems, Inc.
Grades Served Per
Year: K-7 (K-8)
Projected Enrollment Per Year: 610 (724)
Renewal
Application Highlights
Evidence of Educational Soundness/Attainment of
Educational Objectives
Even though its charter was issued in 2000, the school opened in 2002, a year later than anticipated. As a consequence, it had accumulated less than two years of data on the achievement of its students at the time of submission of its renewal application to the SUNY Board of Trustees. Those data were inconsistent. With respect to results on the State’s grade 4 assessments in ELA and math, the school outperformed some comparable district schools but not others. Additionally, while the school improved its achievement in grade 4 math in its second year, its performance in grade 4 ELA declined. Results on the norm-referenced test the school uses for grades 3-5 indicated uneven success in reaching its performance goals; the school met its goals in both reading and math for grade 3, but not for grades 4 and 5. The SUNY Board of Trustees found that the school’s delivery of its academic program is consistent with its charter, the school implements high academic standards, and it has taken steps to improve its instructional program based on student performance data.
Evidence of
Fiscal Soundness/Projected Fiscal Impact
The SUNY Board of Trustees has found the school to be fiscally sound. The school’s Board of Trustees has provided effective financial oversight through mechanisms that allow it to monitor the school’s finances. Appropriate internal controls have generally been in place, with one exception that has been appropriately addressed. The school has also been in compliance with financial reporting requirements, including annual budgets, audit reports, and quarterly financial reports. One auditor’s finding has also been corrected.
Projected fiscal impact is indicated in the table below. The fiscal impact could be softened if the school is unable to secure either an alternative facility or space to accommodate additional modular classrooms.
Potential Fiscal Impact of the Renewal of the Charter
for the
International Charter School of
Schenectady
|
School Year |
Students (Projected) |
Projected Payment* |
Projected Impact |
|
2004-05 |
490 |
$4,048,380 |
3.9% |
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2005-06 |
610 |
$5,246,610 |
4.9% |
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2006-07 |
724 |
$6,482,696 |
5.7% |
*Assumes a 5.5 percent annual increase in the District’s budget from the base of $96,908,149 in 2003-04 and a 4.1 percent annual increase in the adjusted expense per pupil per year as computed starting with the 2001-02 amount.
Evidence of
Parent and Student Satisfaction and Community Support
Although there was a low parental response rate to a survey distributed by the school, over 80 percent of the parents who did respond indicated satisfaction with the school in respect to its environment, academic program, students’ opportunities for personal development, and the progress of their children. Relatively stable enrollment and an over 90 percent retention rate are cited as evidence of student satisfaction.
The Schenectady City School District opposes the renewal of the school on grounds that it has not attained its academic targets and is a financial burden to the district.
Summary of
Charter Entity’s Findings and Recommendations
Although the Board of Regents issued the charter for the International Charter School of Schenectady in April 2000, the school was not able to open until September 2002, because of difficulties securing a facility. Consequently, the school’s renewal application contained data only for two school years, 2002-03 and 2003-04. The SUNY Board of Trustees has accepted the recommendation of the Charter Schools Institute that the school’s charter be extended for two years to allow it to accumulate more longitudinal data on student performance. Such additional data would be the basis for a more reliable assessment of the school’s educational success.
Recommendation
Approve the renewal
application.
Reasons for Recommendation
(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 has operated in an
educationally and fiscally sound manner; and (3) granting the extension 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.
Attachment 1
International Charter School of Schenectady
Performance on State Assessments vs. Schenectady City School District
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Assessment |
Year |
Number
Tested |
% Level
1 |
% Level
2 |
% Level
3 |
% Level
4 |
Performance Index |
|
International CSS |
ELA 4 |
2003 |
30 |
16.7 |
36.7 |
40.0 |
6.7 |
130.0 |
|
Schenectady
CSD |
ELA 4 |
2003 |
672 |
7.9 |
44.6 |
37.9 |
9.5 |
139.4 |
|
International CSS |
ELA 4 |
2004 |
29 |
6.9 |
62.1 |
27.6 |
3.4 |
124.1 |
|
Schenectady
CSD |
ELA 4 |
2004 |
652 |
4.7 |
24.9 |
51.4 |
19.0 |
165.7 |
|
International CSS |
Math 4 |
2003 |
29 |
17.2 |
10.3 |
51.7 |
20.7 |
155.1 |
|
Schenectady
CSD |
Math 4 |
2003 |
650 |
5.6 |
24.9 |
52.1 |
17.5 |
164.1 |
|
International CSS |
Math 4 |
2004 |
30 |
3.3 |
26.7 |
50.0 |
20.0 |
166.7 |
|
Schenectady
CSD |
Math 4 |
2004 |
641 |
7.8 |
47.4 |
40.9 |
3.9 |
137.0 |