1. Charter Schools EDSC 310 - Group G: Craig Jones Rachel Hixson
Bryan Klotzsche
Jonathan Valdez
Kristin Kreese

2. Charter Schools - Topics
History/Background of Charter Schools
Present Programs at Charter Schools
Pros of Charter Schools
Cons of Charter Schools
Conclusion

3. History/Background of Charter Schools
What is a Charter School?
A nonsectarian public school of choice that operates with freedom from many of the traditional public school policies.
The charter school practices more freedom because of its increased accountability to a state or local school board.
What is a “Charter”
A contract detailing the school’s mission, program, goals, and ways to measure their success
Charters last for about 3-5 years and after the expiration the school decides whether or not to renew the contract.

4. Charter School
Although different in many ways, the campuses of charter schools vs. public schools are very similar.

5. History/Background of Charter Schools
The roots of charter schools
The idea of the charter schools has had a lot of its inspiration from such concepts as:
Alternative schools
Magnet schools
Privatization
Many other alternative programs from the traditional public school programs

6. Ray Budde
The term “charter is mainly credited to a New England educator named Ray Budde in the 1970’s who thought that groups of teachers should be given charters from the local school board to experiment with new teaching styles.

7. Albert Shanker
Another educator responsible for the success of charter schools is Albert Shanker. Albert has been very involved in education and was a past president of the American Federation of Teachers.

8. History/Background of Charter Schools
When did it start?
Finally, in Philadelphia around the late 1980’s there started to develop schools-within-schools called charters.
Minnesota participated and started charter schools with three basic values:
Opportunity
Choice
Responsibility for results
Passed into law
In 1991, Minnesota passed a charter school law
In 1992, California passed a charted school law
Since 1994, the number of states passing the charter school law has increased from 19 to 42

9. History/Background of Charter Schools
Charter schools of today
In 2006, President bush asked for $219 million in grants to support the upbringing of 1,200 new and already existing charter schools
Bush also asked for $37 million to help charter schools get the needed credit to lease, renovate, or buy school facilities
Although charter schools are mainly funded by the state and its local area to help with operations, the charter schools do not receive funds for its facilities.

10. Charter Schools – Five Standards
Current charter schools are held to five basic standards:
Student academic achievement first
Provide challenging curriculum and excellent resources
Ethical leadership
Leaders are exemplary stewards of the school’s mission
Continuous focus on increasing quality
Constant efforts to improve the quality of the school
Responsible governance
Leaders understand vision and carry vision out
Fiscal Accountability
Makes good use of it funds and keeps a record available to the public

11. Charter Schools – Present Programs
Today, there are charter schools in 40 states as well as the District of Columbia.
There are over 3,000 charter schools nationwide, with over 700,000 students attending these schools.
Over 70% of charter schools are found in only seven states:
Arizona, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, and North Carolina
These states are known to have the strongest laws to autonomy from labor laws and granting the necessary funding for charters

12. President Bush and Charter Schools
Bush at Harlem charter school

13. Charter Schools – Present Programs
Charter School Facility Grant Program:
Passed in 2001
Gives charter school $750 per unit of average daily attendance
Money goes toward building rent and lease cost
Specific regulations:
can cover no more than 75% of facility expenses;
must be located in same area as public school with at least 70% of student population receiving reduced-price meals
Charter School USA
Helps develop, manage, and fund charter schools
Incorporates the cooperation and help of businesses, government, and non-profits together to make charters stronger

14. Charter Schools - Local
Current Charter Schools in OC
Dana Point –
Opportunities for Learning, 67 students
Santa Ana –
Albor Charter School, 388 students
Nova Academy, 11 students
Orange County High School of the Arts, 1297 students

15. Charter Schools - Pros Alternate Choice More of a selection
It doesn’t cost the student to attend, unlike private schools
Offers different opportunities to students who just don’t fit well into public schools
More of a selection
Charter schools are public schools, and can’t discriminate on enrollment, in some states you can enroll in a school that is out of the district boundaries
Charter schools come in different flavors, meaning many have a specialty in certain disciplines.

16. Charter Schools - Pros Often a better type of schooling
Are able to perform trial and error methods of teaching, allowing them to find better ways of teaching
Still participate in state testing
70% of LA charter schools outperformed comparable district public schools on the API (Academic Performance Index)
Why are charters better?
More flexibility on curriculum, budget, and staffing
Ability to make quick and effective changes to meet the student’s needs
High level of accountability
More open to innovation of new teaching styles

17. Charter Schools – Cons Unfair Advantage over Public Schools
Flexibility to develop unique program in order to attract students. In contract, public schools are restricted in the range and type of programs they can offer.
Likely to take the most talented public school students and their highly involved families, leaving public schools with students who may be difficult and expensive to educate
Actively discourage the inclusion of low-achieving students
May discriminate against minorities resulting in increased racial, ethnic, and social segregation.

18. Charter Schools – Cons The Case Against Charter Schools
Lack safeguards for accountability found in traditional public schools
Therefore, not competing on level playing field
Some charter schools fall short of meeting broader educational standards of student performance
Exempt from state requirements for licensing teachers
Employ teachers and other staff who have little or no training in subject they teach
Redirect funds away from traditional schools at a time when resources are stretched
Other Drawbacks
Because charter schools operate as a business, they are subject to market forces that may eventually force them to close.
The emergence of education management organization as proprietors of their charter schools creates “pseudo-school districts” in which decisions are made far removed from the school

19. Work Cited History of Charter Schools: Charter Schools - Cons:1. 2. 3.
Charter Schools - Cons:
1. Metcalf, Kim K., Neil D. Theobald, and Gerardo Gonzalez. "State University Roles in The Charter School Movement." Phi Delta Kappan 84 (2003):
2. "Charter Schools." Encyclopedia of School Psychology. Ed. Steven Lee. Thousand Oaks: Sage Reference, 2005. 3 pp. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale. California State Univ. Fullerton. 9 Dec. 2008  3.

20. The End
Thanks for listening.