Download or read book A State Policymaker s Guide to Alternative Authorizers of Charter Schools ECS Issue Brief written by Bryan Hassel and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 23 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since their inception, charter schools have been controversial. Because they often operate outside the direct control of school boards, superintendents and teachers unions, these entities usually view charter schools skeptically. The funding of charter schools also has provoked discomfort among these entities because they feel money is unfairly lost to charter schools when a student transfers from a non-charter public school to a charter public school. Lastly, although research about the academic performance of charter schools is emerging, a consensus on what the results mean remains elusive. Without that consensus, the debate about the effectiveness of charter schools is contentious. The type of entities that may authorize charter schools varies from state to state. During the 2004-05 school year, there were over 800 charter school authorizers across the country. The vast majority-over 700-were local school boards. The rest were non-local school board authorizers, i.e., "alternative authorizers." Of the over 100 alternative authorizers, 44 were regional educational entities; 37 were universities and colleges; 22 were state boards, commissioners and departments of education; 17 were nonprofit organizations; five were independent special-purpose charter boards; and two were mayors and city councils. Appendix A contains information about which entities may authorize charter schools in each state. This paper's purpose is to help state policymakers think through what kind of alternative authorizing structures may make sense for their states. The paper presents the advantages, disadvantages and policy considerations for each of the seven types of alternative authorizers. In addition, it discusses the critical design issues facing states interested in creating alternative authorizers. (Contains 12 endnotes.) [The U.S. Department of Education's Public Charter Schools Program provided funding for this paper.].
Download or read book A State Policymaker s Guide to Alternative Authorizers of Charter Schools written by Bryan C. Hassel and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 23 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Creating and Sustaining High Quality Charter School Governing Boards A Guide for State Policymakers written by Elizabeth A. Butler and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 24 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This guide for state policymakers examines the laws, policies, and programs that states are using to create and sustain high-quality charter school governing boards. In particular, the guide focuses on the two aspects of governing boards that interviews with state administrators revealed are most critical for a board's success: board composition and recruitment and board training. States address board composition and recruitment in three ways. First, charter school laws in 14 states require (or prohibit) each charter school's governing board to include specific types of people, most commonly, teachers or parents. Second, three jurisdictions have created pools of potential board members to help match schools with qualified board members who have the time, skills, and aptitude to serve. Third, in four states, authorizers appoint or approve board members rather than placing this authority with individual charter schools. Although board training is mandated by law in only one state, interviewees in eleven states reported that training requirements are imposed by the state department of education or charter school authorizers. In addition, numerous states provide voluntary board training opportunities. The guide outlines the pros and cons of the prevalent policy options related to board composition and recruitment and board training with illustrative examples from existing state law and practice. It also raises issues state policymakers may want to consider in adopting new policies and aims to help them identify approaches that best meet the needs of charter schools in their state. (Contains 1 table, 8 footnotes and 17 resources.) [This paper was written with the assistance from Joanna Smith and Priscilla Wohlstetter.].
Download or read book Partnerships Between Charter Schools and Other Organizations A Guide for State Policymakers written by Joanna Smith and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This state policy guide looks at partnerships between charter schools and community, faith-based, and for-profit organizations as one way for these schools to access essential goods and services. Each type of partnership poses specific challenges and opportunities, and, based on a review of charter school legislation and interviews with state charter school administrators, the guide explores ways in which state laws and policies address partnership development. Community involvement is included as one intention of the charter school law in 13 states. Fifteen states require evidence of community involvement or support in the charter school application, and 5 states encourage community involvement on the charter school board. State laws and policies are more restrictive around partnerships between charter schools and faith-based organizations: 15 states prohibit faith-based organizations from applying to open a charter school, 26 states include broad restrictions against the involvement of faith-based organizations with charter schools, and 3 states allow partnerships with faith-based organizations solely for facility use. For-profit involvement is restricted in some cases and allowed in others: Laws in 16 states prohibit for-profit organizations from applying to open a charter school; in two states, charter schools must report any involvement with for-profit entities. Thirteen states allow partnerships with for-profit organizations for facilities, 17 states allow partnerships for services, and three states allow for-profit organizations to apply to open a charter school. The guide outlines the pros and cons of each policy option with illustrative examples from existing state law and practice. It raises issues that state policymakers may want to consider related to charter school partnerships and aims to help them identify approaches to partnerships that best meet the needs of charter schools in their states. (Contains 3 tables, 9 resources and 4 footnotes.) [This paper was written with the assistance from Priscilla Wohlstetter and Guilbert Hentschke.].
Download or read book Handbook on Statewide Systems of Support written by Sam Redding and published by IAP. This book was released on 2008-02-01 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: (published in co-operation with The Center on Innovation & Improvement) As subsequent chapters point out, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) requires states to provide assistance to districts in improving the schools within their purview. Of course, the U.S. Constitution and federal laws leave the control of education largely to the states, and states have long provided support to school districts. In return for federal monies, however, NCLB requires states to provide such help under the statewide systems of support (SSOS) provision of the Act. The purposes of this Handbook are to survey the research related to statewide systems of support, to present the experience and insights of educational leaders in how such support can best be conducted, and to derive actionable principles for improving schools. It is intended for use not only by the staff of the U.S. Department of Education-sponsored Regional Centers that serve state department staff but also by the staff of school districts and schools. Also sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, the Center on Innovation & Improvement (CII) previously developed the Handbook on Restructuring and Substantial School Improvement (Walberg, 2007) that became the basis of CII’s technical assistance to Regional Centers on this topic. CII made available for downloading Power Point presentations and web-based seminars (“webinars”) based on the previous Handbook. CII’s intended audiences widely employed the previous Handbook on Restructuring and Substantial School Improvement and auxiliary materials and found them useful in their technical assistance efforts to disseminate and encourage evidence-based ideas for restructuring and improving schools. With advice from the U.S. Department of Education, scholarly experts, and experienced educators in the Regional Centers, state departments of education, and school districts, the CII staff concluded that what it envisioned as the present Handbook would be similarly useful.
Download or read book Supporting Charter School Excellence Through Quality Authorizing written by Department of Education, Washington, DC. and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 110 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Most policymakers, charter school operators, and others immersed in the charter school movement since it began in the early 1990s have focused their attention primarily on charter schools, not on the public bodies that license these schools to operate. As the charter school movement has grown, there has been increasing recognition that effective charter school authorizing is critical to the success of the charter school sector. Charter school authorizers are entities charged by law to approve new schools, monitor their compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and evaluate their performance to make decisions about charter renewal and closure. The role of charter authorizers has become particularly important in the context of increasing accountability under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). Intended primarily for policymakers and charter school authorizers and potential authorizers, this guide describes various ways that authorizers and policymakers can achieve quality authorizing. It provides detailed information designed to help policymakers at the state and national levels and to help current and potential authorizers replicate these successful models and practices. In order to provide specific illustrations of abstract concepts involved in successful charter authorizing, this guide highlights the practices of eight charter authorizers that have fostered the development of high-quality charter schools. Part 1 of this guide describes the common practices of the eight charter authorizers profiled here. This guide describes how effective authorizers: build a strong organization; develop a strong talent pool; select for quality; support new school operators; provide meaningful and transparent oversight; and hold schools accountable for meeting performance goals. Part II describes the kinds of policy factors that can either support or hinder quality charter authorizing practices. Part III offers profiles of each of the eight authorizers that are highlighted throughout Parts I and II. The profiles cover the history of each of these authorizers and provide more detail on the contexts in which they operate. Appended is the research methodology and a list of resources of organizations, Web sites, essays, and research studies that address elements of successful authorizing and oversight of charter schools. (Contains 16 figures and 2 tables.) [This document was also prepared by Public Impact.].
Download or read book Multiple Charter Authorizing Options Policy Guide written by Paul T. O'Neill and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 8 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Multiple authorizers" refers to situations where more than one entity is able to authorize charter schools in any given community. The presence of multiple authorizers can strengthen a state's charter school sector because a diversity of authorizers can promote professional practices among authorizers and provide checks and balances in charter approval, oversight and renewal decisions. This policy guide discusses the following: (1) Background on Multiple Authorizers; (2) Key Considerations for Policymakers on Multiple Authorizing Options; (3) Recommendations and Best Practices for State Policy on Multiple Authorizers; and (4) Resources and Further Analysis. (Contains 6 endnotes and 8 resources.).
Download or read book Increasing Charter School Accountability Through Interventions and Closures written by Joey Gustafson and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 16 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A basic premise of charter school reform in public education is offering more autonomy in the use of funds and the design of curriculum in exchange for greater accountability in academic and financial outcomes. This premise poses a significant policy challenge for state policymakers to establish an appropriate level of regulation; charter schools must be sufficiently independent yet still conform to most state and federal education and financial management laws. This guide examines the laws, policies, and programs that states use to establish consequences for financial mismanagement in charter schools. It discusses how states define the financial conditions for intervention. It also describes the approaches to corrective actions for deficient charter schools and the procedures for closing charter schools. The guide reviews the prevalent policy options and provides examples from existing state laws and practices. It also raises issues that state policymakers may want to consider when adopting or amending approaches to establishing consequences for charter school financial mismanagement. Specifically, this guide will help state policymakers consider the various policy options for defining financial conditions for state intervention, determining appropriate corrective actions for deficient schools, and establishing procedures for closing schools. The guide concludes by stating that policymakers must create appropriate oversight procedures and processes for intervention and closure that are clear, fair, and effective. (Contains 4 footnotes and a list of resources.) [This publication was written with Nina Salomon and William Schmid and produced by the National Resource Center on Charter School Finance and Governance, a collaborative effort of the Center on Educational Governance at the University of Southern California, The Finance Project, and WestEd.].
Download or read book Handbook of Education Policy Research written by Gary Sykes and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2012-09-10 with total page 2586 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Co-published by Routledge for the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Educational policy continues to be of major concern. Policy debates about economic growth and national competitiveness, for example, commonly focus on the importance of human capital and a highly educated workforce. Defining the theoretical boundaries and methodological approaches of education policy research are the two primary themes of this comprehensive, AERA-sponsored Handbook. Organized into seven sections, the Handbook focuses on (1) disciplinary foundations of educational policy, (2) methodological perspectives, (3) the policy process, (4) resources, management, and organization, (5) teaching and learning policy, (6) actors and institutions, and (7) education access and differentiation. Drawing from multiple disciplines, the Handbook’s over one hundred authors address three central questions: What policy issues and questions have oriented current policy research? What research strategies and methods have proven most fruitful? And what issues, questions, and methods will drive future policy research? Topics such as early childhood education, school choice, access to higher education, teacher accountability, and testing and measurement cut across the 63 chapters in the volume. The politics surrounding these and other issues are objectively analyzed by authors and commentators. Each of the seven sections concludes with two commentaries by leading scholars in the field. The first considers the current state of policy design, and the second addresses the current state of policy research. This book is appropriate for scholars and graduate students working in the field of education policy and for the growing number of academic, government, and think-tank researchers engaged in policy research. For more information on the American Educational Research Association, please visit: http://www.aera.net/.
Download or read book The Charter School Roadmap written by Education Commission of the States and published by Department of Education. This book was released on 1998 with total page 80 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To provide policymakers, practitioners, and other education leaders with the knowledge needed to consider the issues surrounding charter schools, a survey of these schools is offered. The text opens with an overview of charter-school basics, including the types of schools that are permissible and the legal status of charter schools. It analyzes the students served by charters and provides data on the total number of charter schools and the students attending them. How to sponsor a charter school, including the appeals process, is described, along with finance and fundraising, the funding approach, per-pupil expenditure, startup costs, facilities, temporary financial assistance, noninstructional services, and transportation. Issues of autonomy are described, such as waivers and control of budget, and information on oversight, renewal, and revocation is discussed. Details are also provided on teachers and staff, including teacher certification, salaries, pensions and benefits, and collective bargaining. Three appendices provide legislative examples of charters, list charter-school resources, and give a state-by-state analysis of charter-school laws. (RJM)
Download or read book Supporting Charter School Excellence Through Quality Authorizing written by and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 112 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Involving Teachers in Charter School Governance written by Cecilia Sam and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 11 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This guide for state policymakers examines teacher involvement in charter school governance. Teacher involvement is defined to include the gamut of decision-making roles not typically afforded teachers in traditional public schools, including founding schools, serving on governing boards, and engaging in site-based collective bargaining. Different types of involvement pose specific challenges and opportunities. Based on a review of charter school legislation and interviews with state charter school administrators to identify policy options, the guide explores ways in which state laws and policies shape teacher involvement. Teacher involvement polices are intended to define the roles and responsibilities of teachers and vary across the 40 states and the District of Columbia with charter school laws. Teachers are required to be involved with the development of the school charter in four states. Six states require a teacher representative on a charter school's governing board, and one state requires charter schools to create a teacher-run grievance committee. Twenty-two state laws specify that charter school teachers are allowed to engage in collective bargaining separately from the district in which their school is located. The guide outlines the pros and cons of each policy option with illustrative examples from existing state law and practice. It raises issues that state policymakers may want to consider related to teacher involvement in charter school governance and aims to help them identify approaches that best meet the needs of charter schools in their state. (Contains 1 table, 6 resources and 7 footnotes.) [This paper was written with assistance from Joanna Smith and Priscilla Wohlstetter.].
Download or read book Charter Schools and ELLs written by Nancy Clair and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 8 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Educators, school administrators, policymakers, and community members are responsible for providing a quality education for all students in the nation's public schools. Traditional and charter schools bear the duty to ensure that special populations of students have access to the best education possible. This responsibility makes it essential for charter school authorizers to not only have knowledge of these diverse student groups, but also to ensure that charter school operators are fulfilling their responsibility of providing quality education for all students. The purpose of this Issue Brief is to provide charter authorizers and school leaders with information about the education of English Language Learners (ELLs), illuminating the legal requirements and sound education practices for these students. This brief will provide authorizers with background information related to ELLs, the state and federal laws that affect the education of ELLs, and the education needs of these children. After reading this brief, authorizers will have a greater understanding of this unique student population and be better prepared to provide oversight to charter schools serving ELLs. (Contains 1 table and 7 endnotes.).
Download or read book A Guide to Charter Schools written by Myron S. Kayes and published by R & L Education. This book was released on 2006 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Written in a user-friendly fashion, this volume brings together the best scholarly articles in charter schooling by national experts and leaders. It is the ideal introduction for those interested in the charter school movement with numerous insights for and by charter operators, administrators, and teachers as well as the academic community.
Download or read book School s Choice written by Wagma Mommandi and published by Teachers College Press. This book was released on 2021 with total page 233 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Access issues are pivotal to almost all charter school tensions and debates. How well are these schools performing? Are they segregating and stratifying? Are they public and democratic? Are they fairly funded? Can apparent successes be scaled up? Answers to all these core questions hinge on how access to charter schools is shaped. This book describes the incentives and pressures on charter schools to restrict access and examines how charters navigate those pressures, explaining access-restricting practices in relation to the ecosystem within which charter schools are created. It also explains how charters have sometimes responded by resisting the pressures and sometimes by surrendering to them. The text presents analyses of 13 different types of practices around access, each of which shapes the school’s enrollment. The authors conclude by offering recommendations for how states and authorizers can address access-related inequities that arise in the charter sector. School’s Choice provides timely information on critical academic and policy issues that will come into play as charter school policy continues to evolve. Book Features: Examines how charter schools control who gains and retains access.Explores policies and practices that undermine equitable admission and encourage opportunity hoarding.Offers a set of policy recommendations at the state and federal level to address access-related issues.
Download or read book Chartering Equity written by Julie F. Mead and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 31 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This policy brief addresses the challenge of using charter school policy to enhance equal educational opportunity. Three overriding assumptions guide the brief's recommendations: (1) charter schools will be part of our public educational system for the foreseeable future; (2) charter schools are neither inherently good, nor inherently bad; and (3) charter schools should be employed to further goals of equal educational opportunity, including racial diversity and school success. The creation of charter schools is just one among a variety of policy tools at the disposal of local, state, and national policymakers. As with all educational policy tools, one challenge is to wield the tool in a manner that will enhance equity and opportunity. Part I of this brief provides an overview of equal educational opportunity and its legal foundations and offers a review of prior research documenting issues concerning charter schools and their impact on equity and diversity. Part II presents detailed recommendations for charter school authorizers, as well as state and federal policymakers for using charter schools to advance equal educational opportunity. Separately, we are publishing a companion document based on these detailed recommendations, providing model statutory code language that can be employed by state policymakers to ensure that charter schools attend to long-established policy goals. (Contains 87 notes.).
Download or read book Maryland Public Charter Schools Model Policy and Resource Guide written by Maryland State Department. of Education, Baltimore and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This document is designed to guide local boards of education and school systems in Maryland in assisting individuals and organizations interested in establishing public charter schools. This guide is organized into the following parts: (1) Maryland Public Charter Schools Act; (2) Organizing to Assist Public Charter School Development; (3) Completing the Public Charter School Application; and (4) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). The following attachments are included: (1) Maryland Public Charter School Law--Senate Bill 75; (2) Synopsis of Charter School Law; (3) Selected State and National Resources; and (4) Sample Letter of Intent to Apply for a Charter School.
