Charter Schools, Explained (Part 2)

Charter schools are public schools.  They are not private schools, or privatized schools, and they do not charge tuition.  Charters are funded by taxpayer dollars.  The funding they receive is, like neighborhood schools, based on an October count of pupils.  Charters receive 100% of per pupil revenue (PPR) for each student enrolled.  The district can charge central administrative costs for services provided to the charter, but the costs cannot exceed 5% of PPR in a district of over 500 students, like DCSD.  Charters might serve students eligible to receive federally funded student aid programs.  Charters are responsible for reporting to the federal government in accordance with any reporting requirements.  The charter will retain any fees charged to students.

A 2010 study found that Colorado charter schools on average receive 15% less funding per student than traditional public schools.  Although charters receive 100% of PPR for their enrollment, they do not receive much money for capital and facility needs.  Unlike neighborhood schools, which are built with district money on a site specified solely by the district, charters are responsible for procuring their own buildings, including the location and the financing.  They may work with the district to do so but they are not required to.

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) a five-year grant from 2010-2015.  The CDE Schools of Choice office administers Start-up and Implementation grants to various charter school applicants approved by CDE.  Many new charters apply successfully for grants for start-up funds in the first year.  In subsequent years, the grants may be used for expenditures on items such as curriculum, technology, and training for teachers and charter boards. 

Charter schools are public entities under state law and as such, they carry all the powers of a public nonprofit entity.  They are protected from capricious decisions by an authorizer who might take an action such as arbitrarily refusing to renew a charter.  By retaining public entity status and therefore having the right to sue an authorizer, charter school financing is more attractive to lenders.

In Colorado, the 2012 legislative session saw the signing of Senate Bill 12-067 into law, which requires all charter school boards to be non-profit entities.  No for-profit charter school operators will be permitted to charter with school districts.  This prevents not only a for-profit entity from holding a charter, but also prevents them from establishing “captive” boards.  Non-profit charter boards can still contract with for-profits to run the schools, but the board retains control.  This legislation helps keep charters in the hands of parents and the community.

Charter school finance can be difficult to understand and navigate.  However, it is worthwhile to understand the funding challenges at hand for all public school options, including charters.  As a community, educating ourselves about these important issues can lead us to ideas and solutions.

Charter Schools, Explained (Part 1)

As I mentioned in my previous post, I hope to provide a short series of posts that provides facts about charters and how they are an additional choice for parents in DCSD.  This post discusses what charters are, how they are created, and how they are accountable to families.

A charter school is a public school that is operated under separate accountability rules than a traditional neighborhood school. Charters are usually begun and operated by parent, teacher and/or community groups who have a particular vision for the education they would like to see their children receive. Colorado law allows these groups to charter, or to enter into a contract, usually with a school district, to realize this vision. The forward-thinking Colorado General Assembly noted that charters could act as a vehicle for public schools to provide more innovation in education. The result has been schools of choice for parents and children, where the community has far more flexibility and control.

Getting a charter approved by a school district is a very thorough process for those who apply. The school district and the applicant should work together to ensure that not only are all statutory requirements met, but also that a good working relationship is established. In DCSD’s case, we want to ensure that any new charter school is a success. Our highly qualified and experienced staff, as well as our strong community of charters, can help new applicants have the best outcomes possible. Note that private schools or non-public homeschool organization cannot apply for a charter. For-profit organizations such as education management organizations are prohibited from entering into any Colorado public school charter contracts. They may, however, contract with charter governing boards to provide educational services. The charter remains in the hands of the not-for-profit board running the school.

Although a family must apply to a charter school, charters are tuition-free and cannot discriminate against anyone who wishes to enroll, nor can they establish “test-in” requirements. Charters can and do serve many different demographics, including students who are disabled or have special needs, students who are low-income, students who are low performers and students of all ethnic and racial backgrounds.

Colorado law does not place a cap on the number of charter schools in the state. Any group can come to its district of choice at any time with a charter application. Districts cannot refuse to hear applicants, or place a moratorium on hearing applications. DCSD is committed to offering choices to meet parent demand; we work with charter applicants to build successful schools. Any charter applicant who believes their application was rejected unfairly can appeal to the state Board of Education, and many groups have prevailed there over local school districts.

Charter schools have a fair amount of autonomy, but remain accountable in numerous ways. The charter made with the school district authorizer is a binding contract, and the school is required to adhere to it. The school, overseen by the governing board, is accountable most importantly to parents and students. Charter schools receive increased scrutiny and must renew their charter every few years. Students take state assessment exams, and the results by school are made public for purposes of additional accountability.

For more resources, see the Colorado League of Charter Schools, the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) charter school website, and Colorado Charters, a blog run by the Charter School Solutions group.

Still to come in my charter school series:

• Charter school funding
• Accreditation and teachers
• Charter information in DCSD and statewide
• Additional resources from the Colorado Department of Education and the Colorado League of Charter Schools

Aspen View Academy Breaks Ground

This afternoon I had the pleasure of attending the groundbreaking ceremony for Aspen View Academy.  Aspen View is a new charter school in DCSD that will be opening in fall 2013.  Parents, kids, school district officials and community members came to stand in a field under and around a small tent to celebrate the fulfillment of several parents' dreams.  These parents decided that they wanted to open a school, with their choice of curriculum, location, and a particular vision for their kids' future.

The excitement in this group was palpable.  The Cub Scouts who presented the colors, the parent leadership who spoke, the elected officials who congratulated the entire school community--all seemed to understand that this was an extremely exciting moment that will culminate in a new set of opportunities for kids' education.  The recognition of the partnership with the District and our efforts to maximize choice, by numerous people at the ceremony, was particularly gratifying.  I am continually impressed by the tremendous talent and innovative spirit we have in our community.  I am so proud to be part of this District.

I have had several very engaging conversations lately with people who want to know more about charter schools.  There's a lot of needless mystery surrounding these public schools of choice.  A decade ago, DCSD was the first district in Colorado to open a charter school.  Today we are approaching a dozen.  This week I will write a series of posts describing what charter schools are, how they work in Colorado, and how they are different from neighborhood schools.

Parents in DCSD want to be informed and involved in their kids' education.  They can determine whether a charter school is right for their individual family.  No matter what type of school a family chooses, we want to be there for them to help facilitate this.  Today's ceremony, with children energetically digging with shiny shovels and hard hats, represents a new chapter in our endeavours.