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June 16, 1999
IJorUauò (Observer
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E D U C A T I O N
Starting A Charter School
its curriculum, the expected results and
B y R ic h a r d M e in h a r d
verified m ethods o f measuring the
C ontributing W riter from C enter for
E ducational C hance
growth o f knowledge in the students,
the governance structure, the projected
nyone can operate a charter
enrollment and grades to be served, the
school but the school m ust
target population o f students, any dis­
be form ed as a new n o n ­
tinctive learning or teaching techniques
profit organization except for alter­
to be used, the admission policies and
n ative schools already providing
student application procedures, addi­
co n tracted services to districts. D is­
tional rules and laws the school will
trict schools are not legal entities,
accept, the budget and financial plan
o n ly districts are. If teachers w anted
along with evidence o f financial abil­
4o convert their d istrict school to
ity, the standards for student behavior
in d e p en d e n t ch a rter sta tu s, they
and discipline, the school day and year,
w ould have to form a non-profit
the staff qualifications, the date o f op­
organization w ith its ow n governing
erations, special education and disci­
b o ard that w ould then be able to
pline, the school day and year, the staff
en ter into a legally binding charter
qualifications, the date o f operations,
contract w ith the school board and
special education and related services,
m anage the financial affairs o f the
community groups involved, the char­
school. A private school that pro ­
ter term, performance bonding and
vides alternative ed ucation under a
insurance, placement o f teachers and
contract to a district can use its ex­
student if the school closes, fiscal audit
isting organization but i f a private
procedures, and employee relations.
school w ants to be chartered to be­
T hese w ritten answ ers form the
com e a public school, it m ust d is­
basis for the charter contract that
b and and reform as a new non-profit
legally bind s the school to com pli­
ch arter school organization. T his
ance and perform ance standards. No
re q u ire m e n t p re v e n ts a p riv a te
perform ance, no charter. But in re­
school from creating an exclusive
turn for the acco u n tab ility contract,
school for its ow n kids because if
the bill allow s m ost education regu­
the school is over enrolled w hen it
lations and statutes to be rem oved.
restarts, it w ill have to adm it stu ­
T he ch arter school m ust still co m ­
dents on the basis o f a lottery.
p ly w ith certain statutes and rules
C harter starters m ust seek the ap­
governing the state CIM and CA M
proval o f the locally elected school
standards, state testing, health and
“board in order to operate a charter
safety, n on-d iscrim in atio n and p ro ­
¿school and receive district funding.
hibition o f religion, open m eetings,
^The idea is that boards will w ant to
federal law s, an d others.
charter a school rather than lose the
The charter bill makes important
charter school to the state. The local
changes in the way public education is
h o ard has three m onths to hold a
delivered. In the charter relationship,
public hearing and act on the charter
the charter bill changes the school
proposal. In m aking its decision, a
boards role from that o f being the
“board must look at the capability o f
owner/operator o f schools to that o f
the charter starters to provide a com ­
broker/oversight agency for learning.
prehensive instructional program in­
Boards no longer need to micromanage
cluding students w ho are low achiev­
schools since site m anagem ent o f
ing, how com plete the charter appli­
school takes over control o f money,
cation is, w hether there will be a “di­
budgets, personnel, operations, devel­
rectly identifiable, significant and
opment, program adoption, everything.
adverse impact on the quality o f the
Accountability changes from regula­
public education o f students residing
tions and control over the processes o f
in the district,” the arrangem ents for
school operation to contractual ac­
special education, and the arrange­
countability for results and outcomes.
ments for students and teachers if a
Accountability now carries a conse­
public school is converting to charter
quence for failure to perform. With the
status school. The local board often
establishment o f real accountability,
will have political pressure to refuse
deregulation and removal o f bureau­
charter applicants but the charter bill
cratic control follow. The handcuffs
helps boards resist pressure to turn
can and m ust come off. And instead o f
down charter applicants by allowing
funding districts, funding is finally “at­
charter starters to go to the state board
tached" to students and follows them
if the local board refuses. The state
to the school that serves them. Funding
can suggest m odifications, refuse the
is naturally reallocated on the need —
charter appeal, or charter the school
how m any students a school serves.
itself. The board that approves the
Teachers becom e professionals
charter becom es the charter sponsor
w hose teaching capability and pro
and assumes responsibility for over­
sight o f the charter contract.
The charter starters develop a char­
ter proposal answering a number o f
questions about the operation and stan­
dards for the school. The charter start­
ers must describe who is applying the
philosophy and m ission o f the school,
A
School Uniform
Legislature
The H ouse voted 31 to 27 to pass a bill
encouraging the use o f school uniform s, rh e
b ill’s sponsor. Senator John Lim, R-G resham ,
believes that the use o f school uniform s w ill help
com bat violence, im prove academ ic perfor­
m ance, and increase self-esteem .
“G ang related clothing fosters violence, cre­
ates an atm osphere o f fear, and distracts from
classroom instruction” stated Senator Lim. “W ith
school uniform s, there w ill be no trench coat
m afias' and parents and schools w ill have an­
other tool to free up teachers for w hat they do |
best, teaching.”
S en ato r L im sta te d th a t he d o es n o t b e ­
liev e sc h o o l u n ifo rm s are a “ c u re a ll” for
sc h o o l v io len ce. H o w ev er, he b ro u g h t fo r­
w ard the p ro p o se d le g isla tio n . S en ate B ill
7 51, w ith the h o p e th a t it w o u ld assu re p a r­
en ts an d sc h o o ls o f th e ir rig h t to set a school
u n ifo rm p o lic y as w ell as en c o u ra g in g the
im p lem e n ta tio n o f th o se p o lic es in individual
sc h o o ls and sc h o o l d istric ts.
T he p ro p o sal. S enate B ill 751, encourages
scho o ls and school d istricts to im plem ent
school uniform p o lic ie s as long as reasonable
n otice is given to parents. T here is also an “op,
o u t" clau se w hich allow s ch ild ren to be e x ­
em pt from the school uniform po licy if their
p arents subm it a w ritten request.
Senate Bill 751 passed the Senate on M ay 11
by a vote o f 21 to 8. The Senate will now
consider changes m ade by the H ouse before it
m oves to the G overnor’s desk.
fessional reputation are vital to the
success o f the school. S uddenly,
change-oriented teachers have a real
opportunity to bring in innovative
program s. D istrict p rocesses and
governance com m inees cannot block
change. A nd teachers no longer have
to be unionized em ployees but can
ow n and operate their own learning
gram Parents have the pow er o f be­
ing consum ers who control funding
by their choices. They find charter
school eager to serve them, and they
can even becom e involved in the
non-profit board o f the school or
program but along with this opportu­
nity com es the need to market and
sell their program to families. Public
charter schools have a pow erful in­
centive to find the best teachers pos­
sible to carry out their unique pro­
First
Youth$ave
Graduation
n Ju n e 10 ‘\ ten you n g m en
a n d w o m e n c e le b r a te d
th e ir n in e -m o n th g o al o f
saving m oney to reach their ow n
dream s. T he youths are participants
in Y outhSave, a m atched-savings
orogram ofR E A C H C om m unity D e­
velopm ent. T h eir success w as cel­
ebrated in a cerem ony at the Federal
C ourthouse w ith U.S. D istrict Court
Judge A ncer H aggerty presiding.
Reach began the program last fall
with the goal o f helping youth leam
money management skills while assist­
ing them to raise funds for activities they
could otherwise not afford. W ith cut­
backs m school funding for academic,
athletic, artistic and musical programs,
many o f these younger residents find
they cannot participate in activities due
to lack o f funds. YouthSave provides an
opportunity to change that. YouthSave
gives kids ages 10-18 living in REACH-
owned affordable housing a chance to
participate in athletic, artistic or educa­
tional activities.
Participants in theprogram attended
money management c lasses, performed
community service work, and opened
savings accounts to help achieve their
goals. Each student's savings account
was matched by REACH through a
grant from the Enterprise Foundation.
W ashington Mutual Bank generously
allowed participants to save theirmoncy
free ofcharge, and provided assistance
with money management classes.
Some o f the tangible benefits o f the
YouthSave Program for the 10 suc­
cessful participants include new in­
struments, athletic lessons and a new
computer. REACH Community De­
velopment, Inc. is a private nonprofit
corporation that develops and man­
ages affordable housing in southeast
Portland. The Enterprise Foundation
is a national foundation providing fund­
ing and technical assistance to organi­
zations working to improve our inner-
city neighborhoods.
i
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cause review for non-com pliance
w ith the charter in difficult cases.
Richard Meinhard, Ph D. is the Presi­
dent of the Centerfor Educational Change
He can be contacted by phone at 503/234-
4600 or email at edcenter@teleport.com
Free women’s
healthcare!
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