February 3: Top Story - Georgia Board of Education to Hear Appeals to Charter Commission Rulings
According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Georgia Board of Education’s charter school committee held a special meeting yesterday to prepare for the first time to hear objections to decisions by the Georgia Charter Commission.
In other headlines...
‘Utah Legislature: Bill Allowing Universities to Charter K-12 Schools Passes Committee’
‘Charter Schools Can Help’
Rally in Albany for NY Charter Schools
‘Fresh Debate Over New National Charter School Movement’
Ball State Places Indiana Charter School on Probation
Georgia Board of Education to Hear Appeals to Charter Commission Rulings
According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Georgia Board of Education’s charter school committee held a special meeting yesterday to prepare for the first time to hear objections to decisions by the Georgia Charter Commission. The Board of Education has the authority to overturn a charter commission ruling with a two-thirds majority vote. The committee will hear from two charter school operators whose applications were denied and from four school systems that object to charter schools newly approved in their districts. “No one here is trying to overrule or take away or diminish what the commission has done,” state charter school committee member Brian Burdette said. “All I want to do is ... my due diligence. I want to be able to look each person in the eye and say I looked at that.”
Source: Atlanta Journal Constitution, http://www.ajc.com/news/committee-faces-appeals-of-289363.html
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‘Utah Legislature: Bill Allowing Universities to Charter K-12 Schools Passes Committee’
According to the Deseret News, a Utah Senate committee unanimously passed a bill yesterday which would allow colleges and universities to authorize charter schools. Current law only allows school districts and the State Charter School Board to approve charter schools. "I think it's a great idea," said Sen. Brent H. Goodfellow. "To some extent, we're already doing it." Goodfellow was referring to partnerships between several charter schools and universities, such as the Edith Bowen Laboratory Schoo, which is staffed by Utah State University education students, and the Utah County Academy of Sciences, where students can earn two years of college credit at Utah Valley University.
Source: Deseret News, http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700006642/Higher-ed-charter-bill-advances.html
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A Shelby County Reporter editorial advocated for the Alabama House and Senate to quickly pass bills currently under consideration to open the state to charter schools. “We feel charter schools will help all schools improve, including public and private schools, because of the competition among the schools for students and for innovative teaching methods.” The Reporter argued that such a move would also improve Alabama’s chances of winning federal funding in the ‘Race to the Top’ competition.
Source: Shelby County Reporter, http://www.shelbycountyreporter.com/news/2010/feb/02/charter-schools-can-help/
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Rally in Albany for NY Charter Schools
According to WNYT and WCAX, thousands of New York charter school students and supporters rallied in Albany yesterday to protest funding cuts. All New York public schools will see their per-pupil allocations reduced this year; charter schools worry that they may face further legislative cuts. Governor David Paterson told the crowd he would continue to work to raise the charter school cap from 200 to 460.
Source: WNYT, http://wnyt.com/article/stories/S1397352.shtml?cat=300, WCAX, http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=11919631
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‘Fresh Debate Over New National Charter School Movement’
The New York Jewish Week explored the movement to establish Hebrew-language charter schools. Currently, there are three such charters operating, two in Florida and one in New York. A new effort by the Hebrew Charter School Center hopes to see at least 20 more starting up by 2015. The Center held a three-day institute last month, attended by representatives from a dozen charter schools in various stages of development, and is prepared to award $750,000 in grants to six schools, including the Albert Einstein Academy for Letters, Arts and Sciences, which would be California’s first Hebrew-language charter. A related story in the Los Angeles Times about the Einstein Academy said that interest in the school has been “overwhelming,” with more than 350 requests for information so far. If approved, the school would open in the fall with 225 students.
Source: New York Jewish Week, http://www.thejewishweek.com/viewArticle/c36_a17842/News/New_York.html, Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-hebrew-charter3-2010feb03,0,1839723.story
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Ball State Places Indiana Charter School on Probation
The Journal Gazette reported that Ball State University has placed the Imagine MASTer Academy on probation, after a three- month investigation prompted by a series of Journal Gazette articles. In order to be released from probation, board members must complete mandatory training, make all decisions in public meetings, and disassociate itself from two schools it runs in Texas. Ball State authorities said they were surprised by the Imagine’s governance issues, since most schools that have high student achievement, student and employee retention and financial solvency as have appropriate governance structures. Ball State authorizes more than 30 charter schools in Indiana.
Source: Journal Gazette, http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100202/LOCAL04/302029971/1002/LOCAL
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