Charter Leaders,
Now that we’ve “raced to the top” we can relax, right? Wrong! We missed the cap increase in the legislative session this year and the Governor’s army of 150 RttT designers chose not to help families demanding choice in K-12 education. Ask your candidates in the General Assembly races November 2 whether they will actively advocate for and vote for a cap increase or total removal in the session beginning January 26, 2011, and vote!
Great visits recently to the High Point Rotary and New Dimensions School headed by Director Larry Wilkerson and Board Chair Steve Moody.
From RttT application phase II, page 236 (emphasis added):
“Many NC charter schools meet the RttT definition of high-performing. Since the State Board issued the first charters in 1996, it has worked diligently to increase the number of high-performing charter schools. Evidence shows that, under State Board direction, the NC Office of Charter Schools has helped 50 charter schools increased their overall student performance composites between 2007-08 and 2008-09 (up from a total of five over the prior four years). Equally important is the fact that, between 2007-08 and 2008-09, only four charter schools registered a decline in overall student performance composite (down from 28 during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 school years).”
Community School of Davidson opens new facility (below).
In summary the RttT application, phase I, set up 4 new “charter-like” school models passed by Senate Bill 704 this year. They are described below. Senate Bill 1201 set up Cooperative & Innovative High Schools, a “charter-lite” school set up by the “Jobs Commission” headed by Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton.
“Of the four intervention methods endorsed by U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Education Week finds school districts are implementing the “transformation” method most frequently. This strategy is perceived as the least disruptive, requiring the hiring of a new principal, but not new teachers. Secretary Duncan does not rule out the “turnaround” or “restart” models either; the former would replace half of the existing instructional staff and the latter would convert a district school into a charter school. The most dire approach is “closure” which would shut down a low-performing school and transfer students to a higher-performing institution. State education departments are reviewing all of the options the Secretary suggests and will implement the most effective change of course to their public education systems.”
From the “Public School Forum” (red highlights added):
“In addition, nearly 40 percent (52.2% of charters) of North Carolina’s public schools are in the top three tiers of performance: Honor Schools of Excellence (8%), Schools of Excellence (.6%) and Schools of Distinction (28.8%). In regards to academic growth, the percentage of schools earning High Growth improved for 39.4 percent last year to 52.4 percent. The State’s AYP results paint a far grimmer picture of student performance. The Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) results show that of the State’s 2,518 schools reporting on AYP, 1,456 or 57.8 percent (76.8% of charters) met AYP for 2009-10.”
Additionally, 73% of charter students met proficiency compared to less than 70% of students statewide.
We have a member school needing a referral of a firm or individual who can help it with Human Resource consulting. Please send me any names you might share.
I often analogize a public charter school as a specialty restaurant competing amongst a sea of K&Ws.
Learning Center is an A+ Fit School!
Governor Purdue hires education advisor.
2009-2010 NC test results are a good showing for charter schools!
We are planning a dinner in Charlotte Oct. 21 of this year to highlight the pre-election (Nov.2) legislative environment and charters. Dr. Tony Zeiss, President of the 70,000 student Central Piedmont Community College, will be our keynote speaker. We have also invited several state legislators from outside NC and Gov. McConnell of Virginia to address the dinner for an expected 200 guests. Please ask your school’s vendors to sponsor a table for you!
Gold sponsor Oct. 21 Charter Summit in Charlotte
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Eddie Goodall, President
512 St. Mary’s St.
Raleigh, North Carolina 27605
o 919-900-8951
c 704-236-1234
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