Augsburg College and Charter School Sponsorship What does it mean?

What is a Charter School? A Charter School: is a public school funded with public money; is non-sectarian, non-religious, and may not discriminate in student admissions; is operated by parents, educators, and/or community leaders; is free to be a unique school designed to meet the needs of the students it intends to serve; is a public school that operates under a sponsorship contract with the local school board, state board, college or university or a non profit organization with assets valued at more than $2,000,000 is a public school whose curriculum and budget is determined by the charter school board of directors; is required to meet the same graduation standards as other schools; Is financially accountable for all monies, as any district school is; is responsible for improving achievement or it will be closed.

WHY CHARTER SCHOOLS? Charter schools offer parents, teachers, community organizations, and individuals the opportunity to design, develop, and implement new, innovative, and creative ways to educate children. Charter schools provide the opportunity for new ideas and visions in education to take shape. They are an opportunity to involve stakeholders (teachers, students, parents, community) in the education process in new ways. Charter schools can address specific problems of high-risk students, students of color, and low income students. Charter schools may focus on different approaches to increasing student achievement: Allows teachers and parents the opportunity to be responsible for the learning program at the school site, Build strong partnerships between schools and families, Chance to create smaller school. (Center for School Change)

Charter schools are able to implement reform models faster and more efficiently at a grass roots level

Another way to look at it

Reform in a large school district is like piloting a supertanker Must plan way ahead to bring into port Difficult to maneuver Many different groups involved in the process (tugboat, port director, captain, ship-hands) Very complicated machine which takes a great deal of time to fix when broken One mistake is very costly so great caution must be taken Great deal of politics involved in the operation

Charter schools are like speedboats Can maneuver quickly Easily change its course if needed Fewer people involved in process More risks taken Mistakes can be made but consequences are often not as severe Not as many regulations that might get in the way of operation, less politics

Each has its place, advantages, and disadvantages

How is Augsburg College currently involved with charter schools? Augsburg College currently sponsors two charter schools El Colegio Charter School(9-12) Augsburg Academy for Health Careers(9-12)

El Colegio Charter School Located in south Minneapolis, it opened in fall 2000; Created to support growing Latino population in Twin Cities; Project based curriculum with a focus on arts and language acquisition; Goal is to increase graduation rates and increase the number of Latinos who go on to college; Current enrollment at 90 students with a max capacity of serves a very mobile population; Augsburg recently committed to continue a second three year sponsorship; Although it has been difficult El College is a success story and is growing stronger

Augsburg Academy for Health Careers Slated to open Sept in St. Paul; Will serve a diverse student population with a rigorous high school academic program focused on preparing students for a vocation in health related careers; Emphasis on hands-on activities with mentors from the health professions; Developed in collaboration with Faith in the City which includes Fairview Health Services, Luther Seminary, Central Lutheran Church, Lutheran Social Services, Thrivent, and Augsburg College; Received Gates grant as part of the Star Schools project through the Center for School Change; Highly qualified board and project director

Augsburg College has made a commitment to sponsor charter schools along with the following higher education institutions: Hamline University St. Thomas University College of St. Catherine Bethel College St. Mary’s University Metro State University Concordia University Century College Inver Hills Community College St. Paul College Central Lakes Community College

Why sponsor a charter school? Chartered schools are often organized around innovative education practices and are able to implement those practices with less obstacles than a district might have. Frequently serve non-traditional students or students who are in one way or another alienated from the larger schools. Provide an unfulfilled need in the community. For example, Augsburg College currently sponsors a high school that will encourage minority students towards a career in health and medicine. Many higher education institutions sponsor and support chartered schools with the ideas that they may serve as a “lab school”.

What are the benefits of being a sponsor? Provide a setting where research based approaches to learning can be implemented Provide opportunities for the students enrolled in a chartered school to make a closer connection to a higher education institution. Opportunities for departments within the college to offer internships, and a chance to share their expertise Opportunity to further extend the mission of the college. Chartered schools frequently serve marginalized students who are struggling in their current traditional large school system. Since chartered schools are frequently small they offer these students a chance to be known and become successful engaged citizens. Chartered schools tend serve diverse student groups

The sponsor does not Provide revenue to the school Plan or run the school Manage employees or employment policies Assume financial responsibility or liability Assume responsibility for legal issues Manage and run performance indicators such as standardized tests, graduation rates, attendance policies, audits, etc.

Where is Augsburg as a sponsor? Agreed to be a sponsoring institution Currently holds sponsorship contracts with two schools Collected data from currently operating schools Networking with other sponsoring agencies Hired a part time sponsor liaison to develop and monitor sponsorship criteria Providing field experience and work study students to El Colegio Currently developing sponsorship criteria and oversight tools

Future Sponsorship criteria to consider: Philosophy and mission of school Rationale for school (need) Geographic location of school Community being served Curriculum approach Supporting research Assessment indicators to be used to measure student success Level of community support Experience and education of developer(s)

What are the next steps? Feedback and input from stakeholders (questionnaire, discussion groups, etc.) Develop advisory board Decide on sponsorship criteria (small schools, service learning focus, focus on diversity, geographic location etc.) Develop monitoring and accountability tools and procedures Monitor, review and support existing schools

For further information regarding charter schools you can contact me at: Chris Brown Augsburg College Charter Liaison Memorial Hall