Page 4
Focus
June 9,1999
C h a r te r
---------------- ¡The ÿartlanb ©bseruer
S c h o o ls
Redesigning P ublic E ducation
By Richard Meinhard
CONTRIBUTING W RITER FROM CENTER
for
E ducational C hange
With the Governor’s signature on the
Oregon’s new charter school bill, Senate
Bill 100, the legislature created an oppor­
tunity for community groups to develop
and operate a charter school. The bill also
Senate Bill 00, the Oregon public
charter school bill, defines public charter
schools as “an elementary or secondary
school offering a comprehensive instruc­
tional program operating under a written
agreement entered into between a spon­
sor and an applicant and operating’’ as
described in the bill. The operatingprovi-
sions the bill describes are: 1) that the
allows an
existingdis-
the board contracts with a private pro­
vider to offer public education services.
The board essentially ‘buys” learning by
contracting for specific leamingoutcomes
from a “chartered" provider and in ex­
change for this contracted accountabil­
ity, the rules and regulations controlling
traditional public schools are waived.
The charter bill states through­
out that charter schools are public
schools, not private schools. The
statute requires that the school meet
the fundamental criteria that make
a school public - that it be secular in
nature, that it be non-discrimina-
Private/
Parochial
tory and open to all, that it be free,
schoolers
Schools
and that it have oversight by a pub­
Private
licly elected board.
Nothing requires apub-
trict school
Public
Public School
to opt out
Board
Board
of district
control and
Independen' independen
Alternati' IvMi
“go in d e­
Common
Charter
& Contrae
Charter
Schools
p endent."
Schools
Schools
Schools
T e d
K o ld e rie
points out
that with a
school be formed as a new non-profit
charter bill, the legislature is sending a
message to local school boards and com­ corporation, 2) that it be approved by
munities that in providing public educa­ local school board or by the state board,
3) that the public board approves its
tion, they now have a choice between
using the traditional, district adminis­ operation under a specific written charter
tered schools or the independent, ac­ with performance standards for learning
and the school be approved only for a
countable, public charter schools. The
legislature is also saying to charter start­ limited term of up to five years, 4) that the
ers that it is removing the districts’ exclu­ school be a public school non-secular in
its programs, be open to all, and have an
sive control over education services. If a
enrollment of at least 25 students, 5) that
district board will not approve a charter
the boards enforce the performance stan­
school, the charter starters may go to the
dards for learning and the other require­
state board for approval. This new choice
and removal of the district exclusive fran­ ments placed on the school by its charter,
chise in delivering public education ser­ and that the charter school be funded by
the district on the basis of the number of
vices creates anew model of public schools
students it attracts and serves. What the
and a new working relationship between
bill describes is a new typed of school
school boards and independent public
which the board no longer owns or oper-
charter schools.
3
Public
ates like other district schools. Instead,
accountable to the public purpose and
remain under public oversight for com­
pliance to the public purpose, the charter
school must remain under the oversight
of a public board for a limited term under
its charter contract.
Charter schools have a dual account­
ability. Beside public accountability to an
elected board for a secular purpose, the
school must also maintain accountability
to families by being a school of choice.
Neither students nor teachers can be
“assigned” to a charter school, and as a
result, every charter school must attract
and hold its parents. Since its very exist­
ence depends on families choosing the
school, its reputation and capability to
deliver high quality instruction impose a
lic school to be owned
by a school district. T he
means of delivery does not
define its public nature. Any
school that delivers public
education is a public school
and the fact that charter
schools may be owned by the
teachers who operate them
does not change the public
nature of their educational
services they deliver.
Public ch arter school
have a limited term contract
just as with any contractor.
Nobody has a right to start a
public charter school nor a
right to operate indefinitely
except as the contract provi­
sions are fulfilled. To remain
R
strict accountability to families on the
school. And the school must be non-
discriminatory and open to all regardless
of the target population it is designed to
serve (although if over-enrolled it can
limit its enrollment to district students). It
cannot pick and choose good students, or
good athletes, or rich kids. It must be
open to any student in the state who
wishes to enroll. If over enrolled, it must
select students on the basis of a lottery.
Each year, the charter school must
report on its perform ance to its spon­
soring board and the state board. The
sponsoringboard’s agent must visit the
school each year to determ ine compli­
ance. At the end of its charter term , the
school must show how it has met its
(jHEßf SC HOfl)
IWeMenamins
vt
EVENTS
Hudis Jam es Trio
Thursday, June 10 at 7pm in the Gymnasium
John Bunzow and Steve Bradley
Thursday, June 17 at 7pm in the Gymnasium
Good In The Hood
Thursday, June 24 in the Gymnasium
Doors Open at 6:30pm
Mary Kadderly Jazz Band
7:30 to 10pm
Shoehorn
Tap Dancer & Saxaphone at 7 to 7:30pm
Ms. Petal the Clown
Jon Koonce & The Gas Hog
Reunion
Sunday, June 27 at 7pm in the Theater^
$7.00 admission
" '« I k '
McMenamins Kennedy School
5736 NE 33rd • Portland, Oregon • (503) 249-3983
Yankton Elementary School, in St. Helens, Oregon, is a perfect example of how a charter school can
truly fulfill it's mission.
All ages welcome • No cover charge unless noted