National Association Of Charter School Authorizers - Consult our Critical Design Issues for charter School Authorizers, apple Applying for Excellence Fostering Quality charter schools in california. http://www.charterauthorizers.org/
Extractions: National Association of Charter School Authorizers Help Students Displaced by Katrina . It is inspiring to see so many people stepping forward to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. NACSA has joined these efforts by launching a national online survey of available spaces in charter schools and any public, private and parochial schools. Authorizers throughout the country have been asked to invite each of their schools to complete this short online survey that identifies the number of spaces currently available in their school as well as spaces that could be available quickly if the school receives some additional assistance (such as preparing classrooms or increasing the enrollment cap in their charter). NACSA Annual Conference . Registration is now open for our 2005 conference on October 24-25, 2005 in Denver, CO Building Excellence in Charter School Authorizing . Follow the progress of our federally-funded program of research and technical assistance in support of quality charter school authorizing. View the 2005 Revised Edition of the Principles and Standards for Quality Charter School Authorizing Read the latest in our series of ... Steering the Course for Success: Authorizers and Effective Charter School Governance . Read the first of our Policy Briefs NCLB Title I Accountability and Charter School Authorizer Obligations Consult our Critical Design Issues for Charter School Authorizers , which guides the development of comprehensive authorizer practices through a series of
Charter Schools Development Center california s charter schools are governed by an often complex mix of federal, california charter School Legal Toolkit. (revised and expanded edition http://www.cacharterschools.org/lawpolicy.html
Extractions: Home Charter School Resources Charter Law and Policy California Charter School Law and Policy California's charter schools are governed by an often complex mix of federal, state, and other laws. Though CSDC does not provide legal counsel, we do offer an array of workshops , institutes, and publications to assist charter schools and charter-granting agencies to understand these laws. The following include links to resources developed or adapted by CSDC for charter school audiences. California's Charter Laws How the New Charter Laws Affect You . Several new changes were made to the charter laws that significantly affect the charter school community. This article summarizes these most recent changes and their current and future implications for all charter school constituents. California's Revised Charter Schools Act . An annotated version of the key education code sections that govern charter schools. This version includes amendments through the end of the 2004 regular legislative session. California Charter School Legal Toolkit (revised and expanded edition coming soon) This comprehensive binder provides a detailed overview of the laws governing charter schools and helpful "how to" information on key legal issues relating to charter schools.
About Charter Schools From The Center For Education Reform charter schools Caps Off in Massachusetts?, 3 Cheers in california, Accountability in california charter School Legislation, Laws, schools Websites http://edreform.com/charter_schools/
Extractions: About Charter Schools from the Center for Education Reform Newswire - February 3, 2004 Choice Opponents, Step Aside ... Connecticut's Choice Proposal ... Award-Winning Charters ... Show of Strength in Mississippi ... Auto-Pilot ... Charter Voice on CA Board ... Building Excellent Schools Spare the School, Despoil the Child New York Post Editorial , January 30, 2004 "Because Reisenbach is a charter school, not a traditional public school, something can be done about its chronic and abysmal failures: It can be shut. SUNY trustees were asked to do just that. Instead, they punted." Newswire - January 27, 2004 A Bridge to a Charter School: City Offers Campus Space in Return for Assistance By Justin Blum , Washington Post , January 25, 2004 "What we're seeing now is a recognition that the District itself cannot handle . . . everything it needs to do by itself in a centralized way," said Jeanne Allen of the Center for Education Reform, a Washington-based group that supports charter schools. Charter Schools
Charter Schools: A New Breed Of Public Schools Report 2, 1993 For an update on charter schools issues in california, see california and Arizona Updates, from Policy Briefs, charter schools Update (Report 2, 1994). http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/envrnmnt/go/93-2ca.htm
Extractions: Pathways home page Contents Previous section ... Next section As early as 1983, the California legislature mandated higher standards, revamped curriculum frameworks, lengthened the school day and year, established mentor teacher programs, improved textbooks, and set up teacher accountability systems. In recent years, the state also has passed laws to create more school-based management systems and teacher career opportunities and to promote school restructuring. Yet, legislators and educators were dissatisfied with student learning progress resulting from these changes. The charter originally was proposed in 1987-88 by California public school educators frustrated by bureaucracy and eager to have real freedom with accountability. A year after Minnesota enacted its charter law, California passed legislation authorizing up to 100 Charter Schools beginning in 1993. California's charter law seeks to: improve student learning increase learning opportunities for all students, particularly for academically low-achieving students
More On Charter Schools (Full Text) In a more recent study of california s charter schools, researchers have found Vision versus Reality a FirstYear Look at california s charter schools. http://www.wested.org/policy/pubs/full_text/pb_ft_more.htm
Extractions: State Charter School Contacts Introduction: The charter school movement is one of the fastest growing education reforms of the Nineties. In 1992, only two states, California and Minnesota, had passed charter school legislation. By the end of 1995, 19 states had charter school laws in place and at least 16 others had considered similar legislation. At the federal level, Congress passed legislation in 1994 authorizing grants to support states' charter school efforts. Despite such popular interest, fewer than 250 charter schools are currently operating nationwide. Whether this small but growing number of schools will lead to greater innovation and influence the systemwide transformation of public education remains to be seen. Below is a summary of the issues surrounding charter schools and the implications of recent research about the future of this movement. What constitutes a charter school?
Extractions: HOME CURRENT EVENTS ACADEMIC PROGRAM STUDENT LIFE ... Milestones Charter School Info Contact Information Job Openings Faculty Profiles SARC '02-'03 (pdf) California Charter School Information NEW EDSOURCE REPORT cites higher scores, lower costs for California Charter Schools (Long Beach News Telegram 5/30/05 article.) Download entire EdSource Report .pdf California charter schools were originally authorized in 1992 by Senate Bill 1448. Charter schools are funded by the state but are given increased flexibility in return for being held accountable for their students' educational progress. In California, charter schools are public institutions planned and organized by groups of educators, community members, parents, or others. Some begin as public schools that have converted to charter status and others, like Gateway are "start-up" schools. A charter school's educational program and goals are spelled out in an agreement with a sponsoring agency, usually a school district or county office of education. California's charter schools are serving a greater percentage of low-income students, a greater percentage of students with academic problems and twice as many African-American students (on a percentage basis) than their non-charter counterparts. Source: RAND Report on Charter School Effectiveness (2003)
Extractions: Source: ERIC Clearinghouse on Urban Education New York NY. How Well Are Charter Schools Serving Urban and Minority Students? ERIC/CUE Digest, Number 119. Charter schools have become popular because many people believe that they can provide a high quality education to public school students without the regulatory constraints imposed on conventional public schools. Charters are created and managed by an entity comprised of parents and/or teachers, community and/or business leaders, non-profit organizations, or for-profit businesses. The District of Columbia and 25 states now have laws permitting these independent public schools to be chartered by school districts or the state Department of Education, and thus they can receive public monies for their operation. The autonomy granted the schools varies widely, however. Urban areas are particularly fertile ground for the development of charter schools because there is a great need to find ways to improve education in the face of poor resources and overcrowding in the public schools. However, since most urban students are either disadvantaged or members of minority groups, there are concerns that charter schools may "cream off" the students identified as easiest to teach (frequently white or middle class children), leaving the remainder to founder in arguably inferior conventional public schools.
Charter Schools. ERIC Digest charter schools in california, Colorado, and Minnesota have had their contracts renewed because they produced measurable achievement gains, including that http://www.ericdigests.org/1999-2/charter.htm
Extractions: Source: ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Management Eugene OR. Charter Schools. ERIC Digest, Number 118. In seven short years, the U.S. charter-school movement has produced about 800 schools in 29 states and the District of Columbia, enrolling over 100,000 students. Charter schools reflect their founders' varied philosophies, programs, and organizational structures, serve diverse student populations, and are committed to improving public education. Charter schools are freed of many restrictive rules and regulations. In return, these schools are expected to achieve educational outcomes within a certain period (usually three to five years) or have their charters revoked by sponsors (a local school board, state education agency, or university). WHAT EXPLAINS CHARTER SCHOOLS' GROWING POPULARITY? Some members of the public are dissatisfied with educational quality and school district bureaucracies (Jenkins and Dow 1996). Today's charter-school initiatives are rooted in the educational reforms of the 1980s and 1990s, from state mandates to improve instruction, to school-based management, school restructuring, and private/public-choice initiatives. Many people, President Clinton among them, see charter schools, with their emphasis on autonomy and accountability, as a workable political compromise and an alternative to vouchers. The charter approach uses market principles while insisting that schools be nonsectarian and democratic. For founders, starting a brand-new school is an exhausting, yet exhilarating experience that "stirs the creative and adaptive juices of everyone involved" (Ray Budde 1996).
Charter Info. see the california Department of Education s List of charter schools. In May 1998, and then again in 1999, california s charter school laws were revised http://www2.visalia.k12.ca.us/packwood/charter_info.htm
Extractions: C alifornia originally passed its charter school law in 1992 and now has 234 Charter Schools operating in the state. For a complete list of schools, see the California Department of Education's List of Charter Schools . In May 1998, and then again in 1999, California's charter school laws were revised. Legislative Summary: P assed in 1992 and amended in both 1998 and 1999, California's charter school law allows for an unlimited number of charters to be granted by local school districts and county boards, but set a statewide cap of 250 in 1998-99, with 100 additional charters allowed per year. Charter terms are up to 5 years. General purpose and categorical funding for charter schools is comparable with other public schools, and charter schools may receive funds directly from the state. Charter school students are required to take state assessments, including the upcoming high school exit exam. The charter school is exempt from state and local education rules and regulations, except as specified in the legislation. T he CSU Institute for Education Reform has posted a California's Revised Charter School Laws page, which contains general documentation of the recent legislative changes in California's charter school law, as well as a
Desert Dispatch Newspaper - Barstow, California Founded in 1999 by Cox, the california charter Academy set up schools under a charter from the Snowline Unified School District, followed by schools http://www.desertdispatch.com/2005/111357252184322.html
Extractions: Friday, April 15, 2005 By BEAU YARBROUGH/Staff Writer VICTORVILLE The now-defunct California Charter Academy misused $23 million in taxpayer funds and made improper expenditures to a private management company, according to a nine-month state audit released Thursday. The 107-page audit accuses Victorville-based California Charter Academy of conflicts of interest and overcharging CCA schools for services provided by a spin-off for-profit company. The report also accuses the academy of locating schools outside authorized boundaries, improperly converting private schools into charter schools, improperly using federal grants and mishandling insurance policies set up for school employees. The audit was released by the California Superintendent of Public Instruction and conducted by Sacramento-based MGT of America. C. Steven Cox served as chief executive officer for the charter academy and the academy's management company, Educational Administrative Services Corp. Cox's dual role, auditors found, created a conflict of interest "that led to millions of dollars of questionable transactions."
Desert Dispatch Newspaper - Barstow, California VICTORVILLE An audit of the california charter Academy launched by the law firm Hastings ties to charter schools competing with CCA included him http://www.desertdispatch.com/2005/111435737522620.html
Extractions: Sunday, April 24, 2005 By GRETCHEN LOSI/Staff Writer The latest audit is being commissioned after many CCA affiliates mentioned in the state audit came forth declaring the evidence and reports that would have easily cleared their names were never accepted or requested by state auditors. "The state referenced documents but none were mentioned in their audit to substantiate the claims they made. We have to bring the truth out," attorney Tristan Pelayes said. "The state's auditors never asked for documents, even those that were volunteered, because it wouldn't have served their agenda to destroy CCA." After the California Superintendent of Public Instruction Office released the audit April 14, many have been critical of the state's report that specified misappropriation of funds by CCA officials and questionable dealings with several of those affiliated with the charter and its management company, Educational Administrative Services Corp. Several mentioned in the 107 page audit say they were not allowed to properly respond, no records to justify spending were accepted and the audit was politically motivated by those who wanted to see the charter school fail.
LA Daily News - News charter schools in california draw disproportionately higher numbers of White students are overrepresented in california s charter schools, http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~20954~2790473,00.html
Extractions: window.location = "http://www.dailynews.com/news" GetAd(5, 't', 468, 60, '/nws', ''); Article Search Advanced Search GetAd(20, 'l6', 120, 20, '/entry', ''); Columnists Archive Search ImpactoUSA.com Marketplace ... Info GetAd(2, 'l1', 120, 90, '/nws', ''); EMAIL ARTICLE LINK TO ARTICLE PRINT ARTICLE SUBSCRIBE TO PRINT Article Published: Thursday, March 31, 2005 - 12:00:00 AM PST For More Info OTHER ARTICLES IN THIS SECTION Bush backs base closure list, sends it to Congress Golden State 'El Grito' is special this year 'El Grito' is special this year ... We have moved! Charter schools face new criticism By Jennifer Radcliffe, Staff Writer Fueling the politically charged debate over the merits of charter schools, a study released Wednesday finds the innovative campuses perform no better than traditional public schools, and they may actually have a negative impact. The report by the Economic Policy Institute, a nonprofit think tank based in Washington, D.C., and generally regarded as progressive, collated data from 19 studies in 11 states, including California, about charter schools tuition-free public campuses that operate under fewer federal and state regulations. "Overall, we conclude that charter school students certainly did no better, and in many cases did worse," said Martin Carnoy, a Stanford University professor of education and economics who helped compile the research results.
HACS: CANEC Conference Hawaii Association of charter schools. Public schools of Choice. 2001 california charter School Conference. 2001 A charter Odyssey March 1517, 2001 http://www.k12.hi.us/~bwoerner/hacs/caconf2001/canecconf2001.html
Extractions: CANEC Hawaii Association of Charter Schools (HACS) president Libby Oshiyama (center) and charter school representatives from Oahu and the Big Island assembled in Burbank with over a 1000 charter school advocates who came together to learn and share. Participants attended a variety of workshops to expand their charter school knowledge and network with charter friends. Attending a conference of this magnitude renews our vision and helps us to realize two things: 1. We are lucky to live and work in Hawaii! 2. The Charter School movement is not a fad that is just going to go away. The dedication and hard work of so many people will only make charter schools stronger and grow in the future. Conference Chair, Sue Bragato and CANEC President, Joe Lucente, welcomed the conference participants on Thursday, March 15 at the opening luncheon. Participants were then sent on their way to attend a multitude of breakout sessions whcih covered every aspect of charter school operation from budgeting and finance, to facilities, assessment, curriculum, parent participation, grant writing, legal issues, school governance and more.
Extractions: ASSOCIATED PRESS 10:02 a.m. March 20, 2004 State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell said Friday that he launched the probe of the California Charter Academy based on the recommendation of the Advisory Commission on Charter Schools. "I appreciate the advisory commissioners' unanimous and serious concerns of California Charter Academy's handling of its operations over the past several years," O'Connell said. "Therefore, I am opening an investigation and audit today." The academy, a network of four charter schools, enrolls about 8,200 students from Southern California to Butte County in more than 50 satellite campuses and several independent study programs. On Thursday, the advisory commission cited concerns about California Charter Academy's finances, and voted to cut state funding by 30 percent for two of its four charters. The commission said officials weren't up front about their reserves, how much they spent on teachers and whether money was moved between the schools. Academy officials said they would be able to respond to the concerns at the commission's next meeting in April. The company did not immediately answer a call for comment Friday.
Extractions: PEGGY PEATTIE / Union-Tribune Leanea Edmundson (left) and Esmeralda Chavira (center) were eager to answer a question first thing in the morning in their sixth-grade class at King/Chavez Academy of Excellence. A charter school in Barrio Logan, King/Chavez has more than tripled the student achievement gains made in the broader public school system. In 1992, California became the second state in the nation to pass a charter school law as a way of empowering educators and their local communities to create a new type of public school, one that is tailored to the individual needs of the students they serve. Charter schools retain the best of what public education has to offer: they are free, nonsectarian and open to all students who apply. And rather than being crushed by the litany of stifling regulations, they are held accountable for what matters most: improved student achievement. Since California passed its charter school law, over 530 public charter schools have opened their doors to serve more than 180,000 students. More than 7,000 public school teachers from Chula Vista to Eureka have joined this thriving movement to either lead a new charter school, or to teach at one. After decades of trying to reform public education from within, many of these teachers are now proving that all students can succeed.
California/CA Charter Schools - Public School Review A directory of california/CA charter schools by county high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools. http://www.publicschoolreview.com/state_charters/stateid/CA
Extractions: home search schools school agency rankings town / county rankings ... Home California charter schools are listed below. County Town High School # Students 1. Alameda Alameda Andersen Community Learning Alameda Alameda Bay Area School Of Alameda Oakland Oakland Military Institute, College Preparatory Alameda Oakland Oakland School For The Alameda Oakland University Preparatory Charter 2. Butte Oroville Challenge Charter High 3. Contra Costa El Cerrito Alternative Education Learning Center 4. El Dorado Diamond Springs Shenandoah High El Dorado El Dorado Learning With A El Dorado Placerville Charter Transitional Reporting Educational 5. Fresno Fresno Carter G. Woodson Public Fresno Fresno Fresno Prep Academy Fresno Fresno New Millenium Fresno Fresno Renaissance Charter Fresno Fresno School Of Unlimited 6. Kern Bakersfield Kern Workforce 2000 Academy 7. Los Angeles Cerritos Promise Academy Los Angeles Inglewood Animo Leadership High Los Angeles La Canada Opportunities For Learning-santa Los Angeles Lancaster Desert Sands Charter Los Angeles Long Beach Pacific Learning Center Los Angeles Los Angeles Crenshaw Senior High Los Angeles Los Angeles Soledad Enrichment Action Los Angeles Los Angeles Young (whitney) Los Angeles Pacific Palisades Palisades Charter High Los Angeles Pacoima Discovery Charter Los Angeles Redlands Lifeline Education Charter Los Angeles Santa Monica Environmental Los Angeles Venice Animo Inglewood Charter High 8. Madera
ContraCostaTimes.com 05/25/2005 Charters Make Grade, Study Finds california s experiment with charter schools just got a substantial boost But a quarter of california s charter schools lack Academic Performance Index http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/living/education/11732710.htm
East Bay Conservation Corps The Corpsmember Program High School Level of the EBCC charter School, by the california Network of Educational charters, the charter schools Development http://www.ebcc-school.org/ebcc/showpage.asp?code=about