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Charter Proposal Key Considerations

Charter Proposal Key Considerations. The Madrone Trail Initiative October 2006. What is a Charter School?. Charter schools are non-sectarian public schools of choice that operate with freedom from many of the regulations that apply to traditional public schools.

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Charter Proposal Key Considerations

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  1. Charter ProposalKey Considerations The Madrone Trail Initiative October 2006

  2. What is a Charter School? • Charter schools are non-sectarian public schools of choice that operate with freedom from many of the regulations that apply to traditional public schools. • The "charter" is a performance contract detailing the school's mission, program, goals, students served, methods of assessment, and ways to measure success. • Charter schools are accountable for both academic results and fiscal practices to several groups: the sponsor that grants them, the parents who choose them, and the public that funds them. 2

  3. Charter School Facts & Statistics • Over one million students are enrolled in more than 3,500 charter schools in 40 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico this year. Thirty two of these schools are Waldorf-inspired public charter schools. • 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. (Charter schools serve an average of 250 students). 3

  4. What is the current status of charter schools in Oregon? • The Oregon State Legislature passed a charter school law in 1999. • As of Fall, 2006, 70 charter schools are operating in Oregon, two of which are Waldorf-inspired charter schools. 4

  5. Oregon Charter Schools Map 5

  6. Why Charter Schools? • Choice: Charter schools offer parents a choice from the traditional public school system that, in many cases, may not be meeting the needs of their children. • Innovation: Charter school leaders can develop more efficient and effective instructional programs due to greater flexibility in selecting their teaching and learning methods, staffing, scheduling, and class sizes. • Accountability: In exchange for their increased autonomy, charter schools must meet accountability requirements. 6

  7. Intent of Oregon Charter School Legislation • The state of Oregon established 9 goals for charter schools: • Increase student learning and achievement • Increase choices of learning opportunities for students • Better meet individual student academic needs and interest • Build stronger working relationships among educators, parents and other community members 7

  8. Intent of Oregon Charter School Legislation (cont’d) • Encourage the use of different and innovative learning methods • Provide opportunities in small learning environments for flexibility and innovation, which may be applied, if proven effective, to other public schools • Create new professional opportunities for teachers • Establish different forms of accountability for schools • Create innovative measurement tools 8

  9. Statement of Needs: Why the Madrone Trail Initiative? • Long standing local interest in Waldorf education • Increase in homeschooling due to lack of alternative education & decrease in funding & support to this group • No secular private schools in the area • Parents’ interest in a K-8 school on the same campus • Alternative education for students not responding to traditional methods • Interest in multi-cultural education • Charter school movement offering flexibility in implementing effective educational programs 9

  10. Interested Segments of Student Population • Homeschooling families desiring an alternative education. • Families with children in private schools who desire an alternative education. • Families with a preference for a smaller middle school environment. • Families looking for a holistic, arts-integrated educational model in a public program. • Families with children from either private or public schools who have different learning styles and do not respond to traditional teaching methods. 10

  11. The Madrone Trail Public Charter School (MTPCS) Mission Statement • Our mission is to provide expanded high quality educational choices within the public school system for children from kindergarten through grade eight. 11

  12. Mission Statement (cont’d) • A balanced education to nurture the development of the whole child, encouraging each child to become a life-long learner and a benefit to the society. Using a Waldorf inspired curriculum and teaching methods, the school places equal emphasis on a solid academic foundation, academic excellence, artistic expression, attention to the inner emotional life of each child, social development and responsibility, and physical fitness. 12

  13. Mission Statement (cont’d) • Professional enrichment and growth to teachers through acquisition and mastery of an innovative and holistic, arts-integrated pedagogy and professional empowerment through opportunities to participate in the creative implementation of the curriculum. 13

  14. Mission Statement (cont’d) • Opportunities for parents to be directly involved in the school operation and make significant contributions to their children’s educational environment. • Opportunities for the community to contribute in shaping the future of the youngest members. 14

  15. Educational Philosophy and Objectives • A Waldorf inspired education - A balance of Head, Heart, and Hands or of Thinking, Feeling, and Doing/Self Direction. • An arts-integrated teaching method incorporating story telling, drawing, painting, modeling, music and movement into lesson presentations. • The curriculum reflects developmental rhythms and the child’s changing consciousness through the grades. 15

  16. Educational Philosophy and Objectives (cont’d) • Strong community-family-school partnership in support of the children. • Multiculturalism incorporated into the social aspects of learning to help young children keep an open mind and gain a deeper understanding of other cultures. 16

  17. Educational Approach & Distinctive Teaching Techniques • Looping process – Teachers and students stay together for 5 to 8 years to foster stability, continuity of guidance, commitment and trust. • Rhythm of the day is organized to balance the thinking, feeling and doing. • Core academic subjects are taught in block periods. • Textbooks are not used in the lower grades at the elementary level. (Teachers add their artistic creativity to curriculum resources to enliven the presentation of the subject.) Children create their own individual books for each subject. 17

  18. Educational Approach & Distinctive Teaching Techniques (cont’d) • Science is taught on an empirical basis leading to conclusion of laws and formulas. • Foreign language is taught from grade 1-8. • Handwork (Knitting, crocheting, sewing, wood and metal work, and bookbinding in addition to other arts). • Music is introduced in the 1st grade with the recorder leading to other instruments, choir and orchestra later. 18

  19. Comparison with the Medford School District (MSD) Philosophy • Similarities: The goals of the MTPCS are aligned with the 8 goals outlined in the MSD School Board Policy A.D/AE-R Educational Philosophy and Goals. • Differences: A balanced education of the Heart, Head and Hand - a holistic model of education integrating art, music, movement in the lesson plans to address diverse learning styles. This model implements a unique approach and distinctive teaching techniques that currently are not being used in the MSD. 19

  20. Proven Curriculum & Pedagogy • Success Stories: The schools below have either average percentages of students meeting or exceeding test benchmarks that are higher than that in their respective school districts and/or states or that their test scores are higher than the district average or among the highest in their districts/states on state standardized tests : • Urban Waldorf School – 94% of students are black and economically disadvantaged • Yuba River Charter School • Pine Forest Charter School • Eugene Village School (Eugene, OR) – Title 1 school (2nd charter term) • Lighthouse School (North Bend, OR) • Other References: Results of Waldorf Education, Comments on Waldorf Education among articles in attachments. 20

  21. Special Education – Roles, Responsibilities & Placement Considerations • The special education process remains the same as for children with disabilities attending any other public schools in the district. • The placement decision will be made on a case by case basis by the IEP team. • The resident district remains responsible for the delivery of these services in compliance with I.D.E.A., other applicable statutes and rules. • MTPCS’ Strengths: Provision of certain types of enrichment in a variety of learning styles. • MTPCS’ Limitations: Services of a Special Education teacher may be on an itinerant basis rather than on an in-house basis. 21

  22. MTPCS Supporters • Families with children attending Waldorf inspired preschools • Families of Waldorf alumni • Families, new to Waldorf, seeking a holistic, arts-integrated alternative education • Waldorf educators 22

  23. Charter Organizational Details • Proposed School Name: The Madrone Trail Public Charter School (MTPCS) • Size : 60-75 students in the first year, increased to 225 at full enrollment in the 7th year of operation • Grade Levels: K-2 in the first year, with a new grade added every year until the school reaches grade 8. • Term of the Charter: 5 years and renewable by joint agreement between the MTPCS and the MSD. • Proposed Start Date: September 2007 23

  24. Charter Organizational Details • Proposed School Calendar: Same calendar as the calendar for public elementary schools in the Medford School District with the exception that teacher in-service days shall be scheduled to coincide with the February Waldorf teachers conference. • OAR 581-022-1620 with regard to instructional time: • Grades 4–8 -- 900 hours • Grades 1–3 -- 810 hours • Grade K -- 405 hours 24

  25. Admission Policies • The MTPCS shall not limit student admission based on ethnicity, national origin, disability, gender, income level, English proficiency or athletic ability. • As a school of choice, out-of-district students may apply without an inter-district transfer. • Priority is given to returning students and siblings of current students in the following years. • If the number of applications exceeds the number of spaces available, the school will conduct an equitable lottery and priority will be given to in-district students. 25

  26. MTPCS Employment Model and Employment Benefits • The MTPCS will be the sole employer of the teaching and administrative staff. • PERS to all staff working >= 600 hours/year. • Medical Insurance to all main lesson teachers, the School Director & the Administrator and employees working >= 30 hours/week. • (MTPCS requests to join the MSD’s health insurance group policy). • Workers’ compensation insurance to all staff. 26

  27. Qualifications of Teachers & Staff • Per ORS 338.135, at least 50% of the total FTE (full time equivalency) must be “highly-qualified” licensed teachers and/or administrators. The other 50% must be registered by the TSPC. • Waldorf training and/or equivalent and Waldorf teaching experience is required for the School Director and for teachers. 27

  28. MTPCS Governance Structure 28

  29. Description of Committees • Regulatory: Monitoring changes to regulations affecting charter schools and helping design their implementation plan; designing correction plan for any violation. • Funding: Organizing fund-raising events and in charge of grant writing process. • Festivals and Multicultural Affairs: Organizing festivals and multi-cultural events; identifying multi-cultural issues and designing multi-cultural programs. 29

  30. Description of Committees (cont’d) • Curriculum and Assessment: Evaluating and improving curriculum programs; aligning educational programs to state content standards and designing an implementation plan for different assessment methods. • Hiring: Employees and Faculty recruitment. • Ombudsman: Conflict Resolution between any parties at the MTPCS. At least two board members will attend training by Mediation Works. 30

  31. Description of Committees (Cont’d) • The committees are a means by which parents, teachers and community contribute time and skills toward the improvement of the children’s educational environment. • An MTPCS school board member will chair each committee and report activities to the MTPCS Board, to the School Director and to the Parent Council. 31

  32. Risk Management • Commercial General Liability Insurance • Liability Insurance for Directors & Officers • Automobile Liability Insurance • Workers’ Compensation Insurance • Property Insurance 32

  33. Facility • The MTPCS is currently in search of a facility. • Expressed interest in the old Westside School. • Reserves $47K from the Federal Incentive Grant award to bring the facility up to code in the first 2 years of operation. 33

  34. Three Areas of Accountability • Academic Accountability • Financial Accountability • Legal and Regulatory Accountability • Annual evaluation process with the MSD 34

  35. AcademicAccountability to Parents & Students • Performance benchmarks and goals • Evaluation of student work portfolio • Bi-annual written reports by teachers based on observations of students’ progress • Parent-Teacher conferences • Student self-evaluation 35

  36. Academic accountability to the MSD, the state of Oregon & the federal government • Mapping of Waldorf curriculum to state content standards • Participation in Standardized Testing • Participation in AYP starting in 2009-2010 • Administration of DIBELS to students in 1st & 2nd grades • Administration of Early Screening Inventory (ESI-K) , Temperament and Atypical Behavior Scale (T.A.B.S)and other assessment tools to support the “Child Find” effort to students in Kindergarten. 36

  37. Financial Accountability • Bookeeping, accounting system in compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and with the Oregon State Chart of Accounts. • Submission of annual budget to the MSD and the school district board for review and approval. • Financial records keeping in accordance to federal, state, and local laws, rules and regulations. • Municipal Audit. • Maintenance of receipts of expenditures against Federal Incentive grant at least 3 years from the final date of payment. • Submission of audited financial statements to the MSD. 37

  38. Regulatory Compliance & Accountability • Regulatory Committee will monitor changes to regulations affecting charter schools and design implementation plan for the new changes. • Regulatory Committee will monitor compliance and design plan to rectify any violations. 38

  39. Finances • Start-Up Funds - Federal Incentive Grant award • Operating Funds - State School Fund based on ADMw • Other Sources: federal, state, private grants and foundations and fundraising 39

  40. Federal Incentive Grant Award • $25,000 - Development of charter proposal • $25,000 - Development of charter agreement • $120,000 - Year 1 ($90K + $400 x n students) • $120,000 - Year 2 ($80K + $400 x n students) • Curriculum & market research, business plan • Legal fees for charter agreement • Professional development of teachers and staff • Community outreach & marketing materials • Equipment, furniture and educational materials • Development of curriculum materials • Other initial operating costs 40

  41. Flow of State School Fund to Charter Schools for students NOT on an IEP • For a K-8 student residing WITHIN the sponsoring district, the sponsoring district pays the charter school a minimum of 80% of its General Purpose Grant per ADMw. • For a K-8 student residing OUTSIDE the sponsoring district, the sponsoring district pays the charter school a minimum of 80% of its General Purpose Grant per ADMw. The sponsoring district also pays the resident district half of the per ADMw amount for this student that is left over after payment has been made to the charter school. 41

  42. Flow of State School Fund for Students Not on an IEP Flow of SSF for in-district students Flow of SSF for out-of-district students A minimum of 80% of ADMw Half of remainder MSD/resident/sponsoring district MSD/sponsoring district A minimum of 80% of ADMw MTPCS Residentdistrict MTPCS 42

  43. Flow of State School Fund to Charter Schools for students ON an IEP • For a K-8 student residing WITHIN the sponsoring district, the sponsoring district pays the charter school 40% of its General Purpose Grant per ADMw. • For a K-8 student residing OUTSIDE the sponsoring district, the resident district pays the charter school 40% of its General Purpose Grant per ADMw. The resident district also pays the sponsoring district 5% of its General Purpose Grant per ADMw for this student. 43

  44. Flow of State School Fund for Students ON an IEP Flow of SSF for in-district students Flow of SSF for out-of-district students 5% of each ADMw 40% of each ADMw MSD/resident/sponsoring district MSD/sponsoring district 40% of each ADMw Residentdistrict MTPCS MTPCS 44

  45. Funding for the Kindergarten class • The MTPCS requests 90% of ADMw for in-district students (v.s. 80%) due to: • Weight for each K student = ½ • Kindergarten class will have 1 teacher + 1 paid assistant • Kindergarten is one of the important cornerstones of Waldorf education. • During the first term of the charter, not enough classes to contribute toward overhead expenses • This request for additional fund will amount to a maximum of $6K+/year 45

  46. Analysis of impact on the MSD 46

  47. Analysis of impact on MSD (cont’d) 47

  48. Analysis of Impact on MSD • Due to the MTPCS’ slow growth strategy, the impact on the MSD will be minimal. • The first year, K-2 = 63.9 ADMw or < .5% of MSD total ADMw • Yearly incremental impact on MSD = 1 class size = 29.75 ADMw • At full capacity in the 7th year, K-8 = 251.1 ADMw or 1.8% of MSD total ADMw 48

  49. Estimate of MTPCS Student Composition • 85% from private school or homeschool student population • 10% from out of district student population • 5% from MSD student population • This estimate is based on analysis of student market, surveys and direct feedback from student families. 49

  50. Analysis of financial impact on MSD • MTPCS will have a net positive financial impact on the MSD’s annual budget as the MSD shall have: • Additional revenue from students who would otherwise have been part of the private school or homeschool student population. • Additional revenue from out-of-district students. • Revenue from 20% of students’ ADMw from former MSD students. 50

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