www.emory-lavista.org

Sally Harrell, Co-President sallyharrell@riverside.net

Marshall Orson, Co-President marshall.orson@devonwoodmedia.com

Nancy Moore, Vice President davidenancymoore@bellsouth.net

Donna Toulme, Corresponding Sec dtoulme@bellsouth.net

Greg Studdard, Community Rel. gsms123@aol.com

Charter Schools: Everything You Want and Need to Know

Panel Presentation

Phil Andrews, former Executive Director of the Georgia Charter School Association,

President, Charter School Solutions http://www.charterschoolsolutions.net/who-we-are/bio..., moderator

Gigi Conner, Co-found of Neighborhood Charter School & Atlanta Charter Middle School http://www.neighborhoodcharter.com/ http://www.atlantachartermiddle.com/content/governin...

Gary Rowe, Board Member, Ivy Prep Academy, a Georgia Commission Charter School http://www.ivyprepacademy.org/index

Nicole Knighten, Interim Director, Governmental Relations/Special Projects, DeKalb County Schools http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/support/government/index...

ELPC Co-President, Marshall Orson welcomed the audience to Fernbank Elementary and thanked the school for hosting. He thanked the DCSS Board of Education Members and Administrators and Principals in attendance. Mr. Marshall, Fernbank Elementary School Principal extended a warm welcome noting humorously that his elementary aged-daughter did not earn a lottery spot at their local charter school. Ms. Susan Mitchell, Assistant to Senator Weber, regretfully shared the senator’s absence while noting his commitment to exploring legislation around charter clusters (elementary, middle, high school). Mr. Orson introduced and thanked the panel.

Mr. Andrews presented a brief overview of charter schools in GA a state with a great number of charter schools. He noted that primarily, there are two types of charter schools; conversion charter schools and start up charter schools. When an existing school transitions to a charter school it is identified as a conversion charter school. Within GA, a cluster of schools can be converted legally. For an example, visit Georgia Career Academies at the high school level http://www.georgiacareeracademies.org/index.php . There are several entities that can initiate a charter school http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/pea_charter.aspx , private organizations or county school systems, can go directly to state charter commission http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/pea_charter.aspx?PageReq=PE... .

Mr. Rowe added to the discussion by sharing his enthusiasm for addressing students’ unique learning needs/styles and Ivy Prep’s success with http://ilearn.com/index.html ilearn.com. He spoke highly of Head of School, Nina Gilbert’s commitment to Ivy Prep where the focus is on innovation and change that challenges the status quo in some public educational settings http://www.ivyprepacademy.org/gilbert-nina .

Ms. Conner detailed the initiation of the Neighborhood Charter School noting that a history of the process is on their website http://www.neighborhoodcharter.com/about-ncs/history.... She detailed the collaborative effort by dedicated parents, APS administrators and BOE members that resulted in the school and a newly formed middle school http://www.atlantachartermiddle.com/content/governbo... .

Ms. Knighten noted that DCSS has the largest number of charter schools in GA. She reiterated the district’s responsibility to support viable models with strong leadership and curriculum as well as to support choice to ensure unique educational opportunities for DCSS students. Ms. Knighten’s office assists entities through the process from initiation to implementation.

Mr. Andrews noted the stringent DCSS process that has resulted in one of the highest number of charter schools in the state and asked “How is a balance achieved between stringent and welcoming?” He shared that Charter Review Teams make recommendations to the DCSS BOE who interact with the community to improve the quality of applications. Mr. Andrews asserted that charter school funding issues are consistent with the current crisis in public education. He highlighted a new school opening in fall, Leadership Preparatory Academy as illustrative of the stringent planning process http://www.dekalblpa.com/default.aspx . Mr. Andrews encouraged potential applicants to move forward with the process because it is always more difficult than anticipated.

Then Mr. Andrews facilitated questions and answers.

Q: What is a commissioned charter school?

A: A commissioned charter school is approved by the state through the state charter system that was created in 2008 through the passage of in the General Assembly of HB 881, the Georgia Charter Schools Commission Act. This law created a state level commission empowered to authorize charter schools even when local districts deny the petitions. Members are appointed by the State Board of Education from a slate recommended by the Governor (6 recommendations for 3 positions), Lt. Gov. (4 recommendations for 2 positions), and Speaker (4 recommendations for 2 positions). In addition, the Department of Education is required to appoint one ex officio member http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/pea_charter.aspx?PageReq=PE... . For the definition of commission chart school please visit http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/pea_charter.aspx?PageReq...

C: Ms. Nina Rubin noted on behalf of the Georgia Charter School Association http://www.gacharters.org/about-us/who-we-are/ that GA has 4th strongest charter school laws in the nation.

Q: How do you draw the district for a charter school?

A: Neighborhood was defined by the city as the district of Grant Park. Mr. Andrews reiterated the importance of adopting predefined areas to minimize negative politics.

Q: Who has that boundary information?

A: In DeKalb County, county specified attendance zones are utilized as defined by the school system and sometimes reflect agreements between schools and the county. As a state commissioned charter school, Ivy Prep was open to all girls statewide. A lottery is used when demand exceeds supply. Mr. Rowe noted that Ivy Prep is no longer state commissioned school and the enrollment is open to students in DeKalb and Gwinnett counties.

Q: How are results measured in charter schools and what is the impact of charter schools on the surrounding schools?

A: Mr. Andrews noted that multi-method school/student assessments are the standard in good public, charter, and independent schools. Mr. Rowe noted that the portfolio system of assessment is utilized at Ivy Prep in addition to test results.

Q: Audience members requested school board members’ comments about charter schools.

A: Board Members McChesney and Womack noted that DCSS has been receptive to charter schools and Ms. Knighten continued to provide additional details and directed the audience to the DCSS website (see her link above). The board members expressed concern about tax dollars leaving the county.

Q: Can the charter system be used to preserve current school choices from being cut? How many sources of funding can be used? How much autonomy over personnel, staffing, and curriculum is gained?

A: Board Member Womack, Budget Chairmen, noted the dire financial circumstances and addressed an array of financial difficulties that will continue to worsen.

Q: Could some of the closing schools in county be leased to charter schools?

A: Leasing is a possibility but sales will not occur given the depressed real estate market. Decisions about property use will be based on the community

Q: Often teachers are dealing with discipline and not with education, are these concerns in charter schools?

A: Mr. Rowe noted that Ivy prep has very few discipline problems which he attributed to students engagement in the curriculum and strong parental involvement.

Q: Who pays for charter school facilities?

A: Ms. Conner shared the degree of parental involvement and the hardship endured after the school fire in the Neighborhood Charter School. Mr. Rowe and Ms. Conner noted that per student allotment does not cover facilities.

Q: Will charter schools ease the county financial burden?

A: Ms. Knighten noted that 14 charter school petitions are being considered currently and that funding cuts are enforced equivalently among charter and public schools. Mr. Orson noted that school foundations are excellent funding sources and highlighted the foundations at Fernbank Elementary and Morris Brandon as examples.

ELPC Co-President Marshall Orson thanked all for attendance and participation while re-iterating thanks to Principal Marshall and Fernbank Elementary for hosting. He noted appreciation to DCSS BOE Members McChesney and Womack for attendance and participation. He invited all to the next ELPC meeting:

4/21/10 Revisited: SOS Coralwood Elementary

Interim Superintendant Tyson

2477 Coralwood Drive
Decatur, Georgia 30033-1323
678-874-6002 All meetings begin with refreshments at 8:45 and run from 9:15 to 10:30.

To receive information from council, please send an e-mail to EmoryLavistaParentCouncil@gmail.com

Respectfully Submitted, Susan M. Furman, Recording Secretary, smfurman4@comcast.net