MAPSA: Charter Schools In The News michigan s charter high schools are making faster progress toward meeting Last year, 63 percent of seniors in charter schools met state standards in http://www.charterschools.org/pages/newsarticles.cfm?object=284&method=displayNe
MAPSA: Charter Schools In The News progress toward meeting state standards than other public high schools, He said charter schools have succeeded in michigan because they re well http://www.charterschools.org/pages/newsarticles.cfm
Extractions: News Articles Enrollment Jumps as More Parents Pick Charter School in Gladwin County Hampton Graduate Has Big Dreams Crafting a New Lesson Plan Alternative High School, Charter School Make Grade ... Charter Schools: Making the Grade Initial fears that charters would skim only wealthy and white students from public schools have proved unfounded. About 58 percent of charter students statewide are eligible for free- and reduced- price lunch, a measure of poverty. Compare that to 33 percent in traditional public schools. More than half of Michigan's charter students are black, Latino, Asian or Native American, compared with 19 percent in traditional public schools. Whether charters promote better academic performance remains uncertain. Charter test scores are generally lower than in traditional public schools. But standardized tests track reliably with socioeconomic status, so those results aren't surprising. In addition, the test gap closes the longer students remain in charter schools. Charter schools work. Children like them. Parents want them. Thousands of families are waiting for more to be allowed. Ms. [Jennifer Granholm] and lawmakers should provide that opportunity, or risk a failing grade from a waiting public.
Event Summary: The Charter School Debate Event summary Brookings Briefing on new charter school research. King raisedthe possibility of minimum standards for authorizers, regular audits of http://www.brookings.edu/comm/op-ed/20040218charter.htm
Extractions: A Brookings panel of experts gathered today to discuss charter school accountability and whether current accountability standards are sufficient to make accurate, merit-based decisions. Brian C. Hassel, the president of Public Impact, an education policy consulting firm, called the outlook "both half-full and half-empty." When charter schools first appeared a decade ago, supporters celebrated them as innovative models that would ensure educational accountability, since schools failing to meet their performance targets would be shut down. However, skeptics worry that some charter school authorizers (the public bodies empowered by law to oversee charter schools) won't be willing to close failing charter schools. Hassel presented new research based on the compilation of 506 high-stakes decisions that authorizers made as of the fall of 2001, including renewals, nonrenewals, and revocations. Out of that group, 50 randomly selected cases were picked and analyzed in depth. Hassel examined how charter school authorizers are making decisions about school renewal and revocation. In addition, he examined the factors that influence their approaches, and the implications for policies and practices related to high-stakes school accountability. High-stakes decisions include those based on achieving learning goals or meeting goals specific to the charter school's mission.
Michigan At Risk #1603 charter schools Here To Stay? In midmichigan alone, the closing of a hugecharter school left Lansing Public schools to re-absorb those displaced http://wkar.org/michiganatrisk/programs/frame.php?pgmnumber=1603
Charter Schools found that charter schools rarely had clearly defined goals or standards and Some of the trends highlighted in a recent study of michigan charter http://www.psparents.net/CharterSchools.htm
Homegrown | Charter Schools | Northwest Education, Spring 2001 In a 1999 evaluation report on michigan charter schools, researchers Jerry Its goals are to help schools meet demonstrable performance standards and to http://www.nwrel.org/nwedu/spring01/homegrown.html
Extractions: By Lee Sherman Customized schools matching local needs and expressing founders' philosophies are sprouting up in communities across Alaska, Idaho and Oregon T here's a new breed of pioneer in the Northwest. Descendants of the fur traders, gold miners, and homesteaders of the 1800s are turning their adventurous spirit toward another groundbreaking endeavor: Creating schools from scratch. Charter schools are the educational equivalent of the Oregon Trail. The details are different: The covered wagons are likely to be minivans and U-Haul trucks. The supplies aren't bacon, hardtack, and buckshot, but pencils, textbooks, and software. Dangers aren't cholera, whitewater, or unseasonal snowfall but rent increases on crummy facilities, philosophical divisions among founders, and hostile editorials in local newspapers. "Building a warm, nurturing community within these human-scale schools, which average fewer than 200 students, is quite rewarding," observes Professor Bruce Fuller of the University of California at Berkeley. Within this "colorful garden of charter schools," he says, one can find "inventive pedagogy, strong ways of raising kids, and educators who are unsurpassed in their commitment to learning and to a variety of moral values." The rapid spread of this innovation across vast geographic and political divides is a testament to its adaptability. Like a chameleon, the charter concept changes colors wherever it lands. In the howling winds of the Alaskan tundra, where native families are struggling to hold onto an ancient way of life, a charter school can become an immersion program for Yup'ik culture and language. In the dense forests and frozen fjords of southeast Alaska, where annual rainfall is measured in feet, a charter school can become a conservatory where children make music and art against winter's storms. Across the Gulf of Alaska on the oil-rich Kenai Peninsula, where commercial fishing families are being driven out of a dying industry, a charter school can become a rigorous prep school where "the basics" include Latin and Greek.
LWV BALTIMORE COUNTY CHARTER SCHOOLS FACT SHEET Public charter schools should be measured by the same standards used to assess Political Institutions and Public Choice (PIPC), A Program of michigan http://www.lwvbaltimore.org/consensus_charter.html
Extractions: CHOICE IN EDUCATION STUDY: CHARTER SCHOOLS Fact Sheet LWVUS Education Position: The League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS) believes that the federal government shares with other levels of government the responsibility to provide equality of opportunity for education . . . for all persons in the United States regardless of their race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation or disability . . . The League supports federal efforts to prevent and/or remove discrimination in education . . . and to help communities bring about racial integration of their school systems. equal access to... quality education From Impact on Issues 1998-2000 p. 50 Introduction: Why a charter school movement? Charter schools are established for a variety of reasons. The founders generally fall into three groups: grassroots organizations of parents, teachers, and community members; entrepreneurs; or existing schools converting to charter status. The three reasons most given for creating a charter school are to: realize an educational vision; gain autonomy; serve a special population. Parents and teachers choose charter schools primarily for educational reasons - high academic standards, small class size, innovative approaches, or educational philosophies in line with their own. Some have chosen charter schools for their small size and associated safety. charters (Overview of Charter Schools, US Charter Schools, www.uscharterschools.org)
Extractions: http://www.detnews.com/2004/schools/0410/22/a01-312462.htm This is evidence that choices in education are improving scores for kids, said Dan Quisenberry, president of the Michigan Association of Public School Academies, which represents many of the states charter schools. Last year, 63 percent of seniors in charter schools met state standards in reading, up from 52 percent the year before. Statewide, 76 percent of public school seniors passed the reading MEAP exam last year, compared with 67 percent in 2003. Weaknesses Tracked At Weston Technical Academy on the west side of Detroit, the percentage of students meeting reading standards doubled in a year, to 61 percent. Its MEAP scores in math, science, social studies, and writing rose, too. But those scores remain low: fewer than a quarter of the approximately 36 Weston seniors tested met standards in writing or math last year. Progress Questioned What this shows is that charters both outperformed urban schools and improved faster than urban schools, said David Plank, director of Michigan State Universitys Education Policy Center. You could look at this and say the glass is half empty or its half full, he said. It looks like charters are proving they can be more effective in reaching a population thats been underserved. But there are still significant differences, and kids in charters tend to have parents who are more involved.
Evaluating Schools & Districts The content standards are sets of learning expectations by subject developed byparents, For comprehensive data regarding charter schools in michigan, http://www.oakland.k12.mi.us/faqs/evaluating.html
Extractions: homepage Are schools and/or school districts rated or ranked in Oakland County? In Michigan? While numerous lists are produced by newspapers and other groups, using a wide range of criteria, no standard rating or ranking system for schools or school districts exists in Oakland County. Back to Top What are MEAP scores and are they good indicators of which schools or districts are best? The Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) is a measurement to determine if students grasp the concepts and can use the information contained in Michigan Content Standards. The content standards are sets of learning expectations by subject developed by parents, educators, business people and university professors that identify what students show know and be able to do to be successful in the 21st century. MEAP scores are only a small part of the data needed to fairly and accurately determine the quality of a school system and individual schools.
Extractions: Unlike state and national school choice initiatives, charter schools seem to better match the reality of local school control in the United States. Because education is really a local good, it makes sense that charter schools have had more traction than other school choice initiatives. Getting one charter school or ten charter schools approved in a local community, with local stakeholders who have a vested interest in the outcome, may be politically feasible, where a statewide voucher initiative would not be.
Extractions: site index ED.gov Quick Jump to: Acknowledgments Special Analyses: 2005: Mobility in the Teacher Workforce 2004: Paying for College 2002: Private Schools: A Brief Portrait 2002: Nontraditional Undergraduates 2001: Students Whose Parents Did Not Go to College 2000: Entering Kindergarten Indicator sections (select one from below): - Participation in Education - Learner Outcomes - Student Effort and Educational Progress - Contexts of Elementary and Secondary Education - Contexts of Postsecondary Education - Societal Support for Learning Glossary Bibliography Indicator 28 (2005) Next>>
Contact, Adrian College Alumni Magazine However, charters have standards of their own. In addition to following state Most michigan charter schools are also under contract with a management http://www.adrian.edu/news/contact/f03/Charters.php
Extractions: A look at charter schools By Brad Whitehouse But since the first one was started a little over a decade ago, charter schools have sprung up in 37 states, and nearly 685,000 U.S. schoolchildren now attend them. Michigan, which is known for its charter-friendly laws, has one of the highest numbers of charter schools in the country with 200, up from 189 last year. THE TEACHER EXPERIENCE
NEA: NEA Home NEA Calls for Stronger charter school Laws to Spur Innovation the numberof minority students enrolled in michigan s charter schools has steadily http://www.nea.org/nr/nr990414.html
Extractions: Weak Laws Open Doors to Abuses That Hurt Kids WASHINGTON, D.C. The National Education Association (NEA) is calling on state legislatures to strengthen charter school laws, warning state lawmakers not to repeat the mistakes of many states who have suffered the effects of unaccountable charter school regulation. "Charter school laws without adequate accountability measures open the door to gross abuses that hurt students," said NEA President Bob Chase. "Charter schools must serve their communities and be fully accountable to taxpayers. Charters can be vehicles for streamlining administration, increasing parental and community involvement, and expanding the menu of education choices and options. Short-sighted laws will damage, if not discredit, the value of the charter school movement." NEA recommends that charter laws require charter schools to meet state standards and to provide comprehensive reports to the public about progress and challenges facing the schools. These measures must ensure that
Charter Schools In seven years, the US charterschool movement has produced about 800 in thesummer of 1997 to manage nine nonsectarian charter schools in michigan, http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content5/charter.schools.html
Extractions: 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?
Extractions: Central Michigan Life February 20, 2004 The Charter Schools Office recently announced the opening of its charter application process. While there are no vacancies to fill because of a cap imposed by the state on public universities, officials say they want to build a pool of applicants for future consideration. CMU has chartered 56 schools across Michigan and is recognized as the largest university authorizer of charter public schools in the nation. Because of this reputation, the university has set high standards for prospective operators. Irwin said while no applications have been submitted yet, there has been a significant number of requests for applications. The deadline for the free application process is March 31. Goenner said those applying should be aware of the expectations.
Central Michigan Life - 10-year Anniversary Celebrated LANSING charter schools supporters are celebrating 10 years of raising the Members of the michigan Association of Public school Academies met at the http://www.cm-life.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/11/05/418b1b9f0ad74
Extractions: CENTRAL MICHIGAN LIFE Former University President Leonard Plachta presents the Plachta Spirit of the Future Award to Mariah Hollis, deputy director of charter schools for Bay Mills Community College. The presentation was part of the 10th Anniversary Celebration of Michigan Charter Schools Thursday evening at the Lansing Center in Lansing. By Chad Livengood Life News Editor November 05, 2004 Charter schools supporters are celebrating 10 years of raising the bar on educational standards by creating competition for traditional public schools. Plachta said the early days of charter schools were filled with hard times and constant doubt by the opposition. He said the hard work has paid off now that the state has 216 schools serving more than 27,000 students. MARK W. SMITH
Evaluation Center Project Directory michigan charter Schools (MICHRT), The Evaluation Center is evaluating the publicschool KelloggDevelopment of Student Evaluation standards (JC SES) http://141.218.173.232:120/ec/PDarchive.htf
Extractions: (Click the Project Name for its home page if available. Click the Project Acronym for summary Information.) Project Description Kalamazoo Nonprofit Capacity Coalition (NPCC) The Evaluation Center is coordinating an effort to help nonprofit organizations in Kalamazoo County increase their capacity to accomplish their missions and to provide service, thereby strengthening the community. The four-month project will (1) develop a long term structure for serving the nonprofit needs of the county and establishing linkages with nonprofit support organizations within and outside the region; and (2) plan a year-long series of events, including a kickoff conference, promotional events, and a series of workshops. Two task forces will be formed to accomplish these tasks. Academy for 21st Century Teaching Project (ACT) The Evaluation Center evaluated WCRESA's statewide technology literacy project, Academy for 21st Century Teaching, which provided technology integration training and support to teachers at 16 nonaccredited schools in Michigan. The evaluation provided formative and summative feedback for project improvement. Michigan Department of Education (MDE) The Evaluation Center is revising the Michigan Department of Education's Technology Literacy Challenge Fund RFP materials. The revision is based on input from a stakeholder group and collaboration with representatives from MDE. The purpose is to simplify and streamline the grant application process.
Extractions: Bryan C. Hassel Go to chapter: Go to Page: Active Table of Contents Front Matter, pp. i-vi Contents, pp. vii-x 1 Charter Schools: The Promise and ..., pp. 1-14 Part I: The Politics of Charter Sch..., pp. 15-16 2 A Bird's Eye View of Charter Scho..., pp. 17-30 3 Reaching Compromise in Four State..., pp. 31-72 Part II: Charter School Programs in..., pp. 73-74 4 Breaking the Mold, pp. 75-103 5 Open for Business, pp. 104-127 6 Challenging the System, pp. 128-144 Part III: Fulfilling the Promise of..., pp. 145-146 7 Politics, Policy, and the Future ..., pp. 147-164 Notes, pp. 165-186 Index, pp. 187-194 THIS PAGE
Creationism: New York ROCHESTER LEADERSHIP ACADEMY charter school application info school wouldpartner with National Heritage Academies, a michiganbased education provider, http://www.simonyi.ox.ac.uk/dawkins/WorldOfDawkins-archive/Catalano/education/ne
Extractions: Dear Friends in New York - a letter from Jeff Seaver of Grand Rapids, MI Charter School to Raise Topic Of Creationism By EDWARD WYATT, NY Times - " A publicly financed charter school scheduled to open in Rochester, NY next fall intends to teach students about creationism as a scientifically based theory competing with the theory of evolution.." Boomlet in Charter Schools to Begin in September as New York Approves 13 Organizations / Activism ACLU American Civil Liberties Union New York Civil Liberties Union ACLU of Michigan - "National Heritage has been sued by the ACLU in Michigan over what the group says is the company's promotion of religious activities, including prayer sessions for parents, in a charter school there."
