Public Charter Schools Press Release RSS Feed

Alice-Johnson-Cain-Joins-National-Alliance-for-Public-Charter-Schools-as-Vice-President,-External-Relations

diana — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC - The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) today announced Alice Johnson Cain will lead the organization’s federal policy and communications initiatives as vice president for external relations.

"We couldn't be happier to have Alice Johnson Cain on our team. She has deep knowledge of education policy and education reform issues. She sees the tremendous impact public charter schools are having in communities that need them," said Peter C. Groff, president and CEO, NAPCS. "Our mission is to deliver unprecedented levels of academic achievement for all students by fostering a strong charter school sector. This work requires an expert who understands the political and social implications at play. Alice Cain is that expert, and we look forward to our work together."

"Public charter schools are changing the lives of children in communities across our country," said Cain. "The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is focused on making sure all charter schools are - without exception - schools of excellence. With over 420,000 children on charter school waiting lists, I am eager to work with federal policymakers to ensure that education policies support charter school growth and success."

Cain has more than 20 years of experience developing education policy both on and off Capitol Hill. She spent six years as Congressman George Miller’s chief advisor for K-12 education where she worked on Race to the Top, the Investing in Innovation program, the RENEWAAL Act to assist the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina and efforts to improve the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. She also spent six years working in the Clinton Administration where she directed the policy office of the National Institute for Literacy and managed a commission of leading business, labor, higher education and nonprofit leaders who developed education and training policy recommendations for Vice President Al Gore. Cain also spent a number of years working for Marian Wright Edelman at the Children’s Defense Fund and Senator Paul Simon. Cain comes to NAPCS from the Hope Street Group where she served as education director. She spent several years volunteering in District of Columbia Public Schools, in after-school programs, and teaching General Educational Development classes to students who did not complete high school.

About the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools:
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. NAPCS works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The Alliance provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. NAPCS represents more than 1.8 million students enrolled in more than 5,000 charter schools across 40 states and the District of Columbia.

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Alliance-Statement-on-U.S.-Department-of-Education-Awarding-$50-Million-to-Support-Charter-Growth-and-Replication

adminUser — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Sarah Johnson, (202) 521-2826
Deborah Veney Robinson, (202) 521-2828
pressroom@publiccharters.org

Washington, D.C. – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools applauds the U.S. Department of Education for awarding $50 million in Charter School Grant Program to replicate and expand high-quality public charter schools. In response to this announcement, Peter C. Groff, president and CEO, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, released the following statement:

“For the first time ever, the federal government‘s Charter School Grant Program is being used to grow the nation’s best charter schools. Today is a great day for the awardees and for the thousands of families and children who will now be able to attend high-quality public charter schools. It is especially fitting that these grants are announced now, when America’s attention is focused on improving public education like never before. With the recent release of Waiting for ‘Superman’ and on the heels of NBC’s Education Nation Summit this week, all eyes are on education reform – and the role of charter schools in particular. It says a lot that the U.S. Department of Education took this very visible step at this time, and announced the awards for growing our best charter schools.

The Department has taken a great step to show its commitment to ensuring parents and children across the country have high-quality public charter school options, and we encourage them to continue this work. The demand for charter schools has never been greater, and these schools need our support more than ever. Because charter schools on average receive only 80 percent of the funding available to other public schools in the same district, these grants are incredibly important. Applications for this round of funding exceeded $350 million. In addition, last year more than 420,000 children were hoping, but unable, to secure a seat at a public charter school. We call on the Obama Administration to continue their efforts to expand and replicate high-quality public charter schools, and also to ensure charter management organizations like these awardees are able to directly access funding for their teachers through the recently passed Education Jobs Funding.

We look forward to continuing our work with Congress and the Obama Administration through the appropriations and authorization process. Our goal is to ensure charter schools are a core component of our nation’s education reform efforts, and that the best charter models are able to grow in fiscal year 2011 and beyond.”

In past years, Charter Schools Program funds were only available for the start-up of new charter schools. In partnership with the entire charter school sector, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is especially grateful to President Obama and his Administration for working with us to make this important change last year through the appropriations process. We salute the bi-partisan Members of Congress who worked on this issue, including House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller (D-Calif.), House Committee on Appropriations Chairman David Obey (D-Wis.), Representative Jared Polis (D-Colo.), Representative Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.), Ranking Education and Labor Committee Member John Kline (R-Minn.), Representative Howard McKeon (R-Calif.), Representative Thomas Petri (R-Wis.), Representative Rush Holt (D-N.J.), Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Senator Michael Enzi (R-Wyo.), Senator Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) who through their various support and committees ensured this change took place.

The grants are expected to serve 76,000 students in 127 new and 31 expanded charter schools over the next five years. The following networks were awarded grants and the amount listed is the first-year award amount for each grant:

Charter School Network		First-Year Award Amount
Achievement First		$1,675,403
Aspire Public Schools		$5,587, 500
Foundation for a Greater Opportunity		$1,483,796
IDEA Public Schools		$8,734,617
KIPP Foundation in consortium with KIPP Regions		$14,550,084
LEARN Charter School Network		$1,025,750
Mastery Charter Schools		$5,130,000
Noble Network of Charter Schools		$3,269, 766
YES Prep Public Schools		$2,781,511
Propel Schools		$1,149,586
Success Charter Network		$1,986,987
Uncommon Schools		$2,625,000

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (Alliance) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. The Alliance works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The Alliance provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. More than 1.6 million students attend nearly 5,000 charter schools in 40 states and the District of Columbia.
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Annual-National-Rankings-of-Charter-School-Laws-Finds-Many-States-Strengthening-Charter-Laws

nora — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Washington State Passes Charter Law while 16 States Make Improvements; Only 8 States Remain with No Law

Washington, D.C. – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) today announced the release of its annual rankings of state charter school laws across the country, which found that many states took significant steps to strengthen their state laws. The report, and the NAPCS model charter school law it is based upon, is designed to support the creation of high-quality public charter schools, particularly for those students most in need of better public school options.

"This has been a historic year for public charter school policy across the country, as voters in two states, Washington and Georgia, passed public charter school initiatives," said Nina Rees, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. "The biggest takeaway from this year's rankings is that the public charter school movement is continuing to build upon its recent momentum. States with weak or no charter laws are basing new legislation on the experiences of states with stronger laws, while states that fell in the rankings did so because other states enacted stronger laws. These changes represent progress for the movement."

The rankings now include 43 states and the District of Columbia, due to Washington state voters for the first time ever approving a statewide charter school initiative last fall. This leaves eight states that have still failed to enact a charter school law: Alabama, Kentucky, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and West Virginia.

Now in its fourth year, Measuring Up to the Model: A Ranking of State Public Charter School Laws ranks each of the country’s 43 state charter school laws. Each state receives a score on its law’s strength based on the 20 essential components from the NAPCS model law, which include measuring quality and accountability, equitable access to funding and facilities and limited caps on charter school growth.

The top 10 states with laws best positioned to support the growth of high-quality charter schools are: Minnesota which this year recaptured the top spot, followed by Maine, Washington, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, California, New York, Indiana and New Mexico. Rounding out the bottom of the list, the five states with the weakest charter school laws include: Mississippi, which continued its hold as having the nation’s worst charter school law, followed by Maryland, Kansas, Alaska and Virginia.

Sixteen states made improvements that led to an increase in their scores, with ten of these states making significant changes to strengthen their laws, including lifting caps, strengthening authorizing and quality control environments and improving support for funding and facilities, all of which is reflected in this report’s rankings.

Three of these states lifted their caps on charter school growth: Hawaii, Idaho and Missouri. Four states expanded the types of entities that are allowed to authorize: Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, and South Carolina; while four states passed quality control measures setting the stage for the growth of high-quality public charter schools: Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, and South Carolina. Finally, three states, Connecticut, Hawaii and Utah, passed legislation that improved their support for charter school funding and facilities.

Six states made notable jumps over the past year. Minnesota moved back into the top spot that it occupied in the first two years of the rankings, from second place last year. By closely aligning their recently enacted charter school law with NAPCS’s model law, Washington landed in third place. After making several authorizing improvements, Colorado moved from seventh to fourth. Louisiana jumped from 13th to sixth place due to significant strengthening of its authorizing environment and increasing charter school autonomy. South Carolina moved up from 25th to 12th place. Hawaii saw the biggest jump of all states after overhauling its law in several areas, including lifting its caps and strengthening its authorizing environment, jumping from 35th to 14th place.

"We’re pleased to see states build upon the legislative gains they’ve made over the past several years, particularly in the areas of strengthening quality and accountability," said Rees. "Many states are amending their laws to lift caps, strengthen authorizing environments, and improve support for funding and facilities. All of these changes set the stage for the growth of high-quality public charter schools in these states."

Four states saw significant drops in their charter law rankings. New Hampshire dropped from 19th to 30th because the state board of education enacted a moratorium on the approval of state-authorized charters, and Rhode Island fell nine spots from 26th to 35th. Two states dropped eight places: Arkansas, from 17th place to 25th, and Utah, from 12th place to 20th. Besides New Hampshire, most states’ drop in the rankings had more to do with the substantive changes made in other states rather than any steps backwards in these states.

As lawmakers prepare for the upcoming legislative sessions, the rankings provide clear indications of where some states excel and others come up short in their charter school laws. The report is meant to be a tool that offers a roadmap for how governors and legislators can take action to strengthen education reform laws.

The complete analysis can be downloaded at the National Alliance for Public Charter School’s website: http://www.publiccharters.org/publication/?id=949. See detailed state-by-state summaries and color-coded maps of how states measure against each component at the http://www.publiccharters.org/law/.

About the National Alliance
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement by fostering a strong charter sector.

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Click here for more information.

Annual-National-Rankings-of-Charter-School-Laws-Released-Today-Finds-Overall-Advances-in-Quality-and-Accountability

nora — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) is today announcing the release of its annual ranking of state charter school laws across the country. The report, and the NAPCS model charter school law it is based upon, is meant to be a useful tool to assist in passing laws that support the creation of more high-quality schools. Following one of the most positive years for state charter school legislation in recent memory, there were numerous changes in this edition’s rankings. Sixteen states saw their charter school law scores increase, 22 states’ overall scores remained the same, and four states fell in their overall score. Maine’s law, which passed last year, vaulted to the top of the rankings. Of the states that allow charter schools, Mississippi’s law remains at the bottom of the list.

In its third year, Measuring Up to the Model: A Ranking of State Public Charter School Laws ranks each of the country’s 42 state charter school laws. Each state receives a score on its law’s strength based on the 20 essential components from the NAPCS model law, which include measuring quality and accountability, equitable access to funding and facilities and limited caps on charter school growth.

“What’s most encouraging about the charter school movement’s legislative efforts is that they are more frequently marrying growth with quality and accountability,” said lead author of the report and NAPCS Vice President for State Advocacy and Support, Todd Ziebarth. “The long-term viability of the charter school movement is primarily dependent on the quality of the schools that open. It’s critical that state lawmakers recognize the importance of charter school quality and accountability – and the impact that their laws have on it. We are glad to see that they are increasingly doing so.”

In the 2011 rankings, the average score of all states with a charter school law was 100 (out of a maximum possible 208), and in this year’s rankings the average state score rose to 107, demonstrating that state charter laws are increasingly improving. The top 10 states with laws best positioned to support the growth of high-quality charter schools are Maine, Minnesota, Florida, New Mexico, Massachusetts, Indiana, Colorado, New York, California and Michigan.

At long last, Maine enacted a charter school law, becoming the 42nd jurisdiction to do so. Additionally, as a result of positive policy changes made over the past year, New Mexico made a big jump in the rankings, moving from 20th to fourth; Indiana went from 25th to sixth; and Rhode Island from 37th to 26th.

Conversely, Georgia fell from seventh to 14th and New Jersey dropped from 26th to 31st. Louisiana dipped in the rankings from ninth to 13th, and Idaho dropped four spots from 28th to 32nd.
The nine states that have still failed to enact a charter school law include Alabama, Kentucky, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia.

"There were a lot of shake-ups on the list this year. Most notably, Maine's new charter law is ranked number one after passing a strong charter law that is aligned with the NAPCS' model charter law, although it is yet to be seen how the implementation or enforcement of the law plays out," says Ursula Wright, interim president and CEO, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. "While we see an increasing number of states creating favorable policy environments for high-quality charter schools, we acknowledge there is still a lot of work to be done.”

As lawmakers prepare for the upcoming legislative sessions, the rankings provide clear indications of where some states excel and others come up short in their charter school laws. The report is meant to be a tool that offers a roadmap for how governors and legislators can take action to strengthen education reform laws.

The complete analysis can be downloaded at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools’ website: http://www.publiccharters.org/publication/?id=658. See detailed state-by-state summaries and color-coded maps of how states measure against each component at the http://www.publiccharters.org/law/.

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About the National Alliance
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement by fostering a strong charter sector. For more information, please visit our website at www.publiccharters.org

Click here for more information.

Bill-Cosby-to-Address-Thousands-of-Public-Charter-School-Advocates-at-Charter-Schools’-20th-Anniversary-Conference

nora — Thu, 31 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Nearly 4,000 Supporters from Across the Nation to Convene at National Alliance for Public Charter Schools Annual Conference

Washington, D.C. – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) today announced that Dr. Bill Cosby and Dr. Deborah Kenny, founder and CEO of Harlem Village Academies, will keynote the annual National Charter Schools Conference, the nation’s largest gathering of charter school leaders, educators and supporters from across the country. Marking the 20th anniversary of the public charter school movement, the conference will take place June 19-22 in Minneapolis, MN. The theme for this year’s conference is “20 Years of Innovation: Proving the Possibilities,” and will be held at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

As one of America’s most beloved comedians and education advocates, Dr. Cosby will host an informative keynote session by asking Dr. Kenny one of education’s most important questions: “How do we give every child in our nation an excellent teacher – and how do we keep those teachers passionate, happy and effective?” Through this keynote session, Kenny will share findings from her new book Born to Rise and share her insights about what it takes to create schools where every classroom is led by a “superstar” teacher. Dr. Cosby, who holds a doctorate in education, has a long history of supporting positive school choice and closing the achievement gap.

“The best of these charter schools have served as the paradigm,” said Dr. Cosby. “When will the failing systems get the memo?”

“Public charter schools have provided an answer to the thousands of families who demand more high-quality education that best suits the diverse needs of their children,” said Ursula Wright, interim CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “As we celebrate 20 years of the charter school movement, we are invigorated by education advocates like Bill Cosby who share in our vision to improve public education and drive the charter movement forward.”

The 2012 National Charter Schools Conference will bring nearly 4,000 charter leaders, teachers, advocates, policy makers and education reformers together to share innovative ideas and be inspired by some of the brightest minds in education, public policy, business and philanthropy. With the first charter school founded in St. Paul, MN in 1992, the charter school movement grew in its first 15 years to reach one million students in 2006. Only five years later, today there are approximately over two million students enrolled in 5,600 charter schools across 41 states and the District of Columbia. Despite this growth, hundreds of thousands of students remain on waiting lists to attend the high-quality public charter school of their choice.

The conference will include sessions and conversations regarding important next steps as charter schools continue to transform education; state and policy issues affecting the sector; and celebrating the innovative milestones in the charter movement. Additional presenters and participants include Tony Miller (Deputy Secretary COO, U.S. Department of Education), Howard Fuller (Institute for the Transformation of Learning, Marquette University), Ember Reichgott Junge (former State Senator, Minnesota), Don Shalvey (Deputy Director of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation), John Merrow (Learning Matters, Inc.), and John Danner (CEO of Rocketship Education). A complete overview of the entire week’s activities can be found at http://www.publiccharters.org/Conference.

About the National Alliance

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement by fostering a strong charter sector. For more information, please visit our website at www.publiccharters.org.

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Click here for more information.

Charter-School-Student-Participation-Grows-By-76-Percent-in-Just-5-Years

nora — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Advocates Prepare to Celebrate Success of Public Charters During National Charter Schools Week, May 6-12, 2012

Washington, D.C. – The number of students attending public charter schools across the country has grown by an estimated 76 percent in the last five school years, according to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS).

As parents, teachers and students from across the country prepare to celebrate National Charter Schools Week next month (May 6-12, 2012), advocates are recognizing the tremendous advancements in public charter schooling that have laid a new, bipartisan foundation for education reform in America.

Student enrollment in public charter schools grew from 1,165,200 students in 2006-2007 to an estimated 2,035,261 in 2011-2012. Over the same period, the number of public charter schools grew by 41 percent – from 3,999 to 5,627 – with an expected 521 new public charter schools opening in the 2011-2012 school year alone.

“Support for public charter schools transcends party lines and ideological backgrounds, with more Americans now realizing the extraordinary opportunities that public charter schools provide to children, communities, and our country,” said Ursula Wright, interim president and CEO of NAPCS. “Yet despite the significant growth experienced in recent years, demand for charter schools in our country far outpaces the number of seats available to students in these schools.”

Next month, thousands of participants will celebrate National Charter Schools Week with special events and activities at schools across the country. The awareness generated by these events will compliment local advocacy efforts like seeking improvements to laws that would allow for the creation of new charter schools, equitable funding for charter schools when compared to traditional district schools and increased access to unused or under-utilized public school buildings.

In just 20 years, the public charter school movement has reached 41 states and the District of Columbia by enacting charter school laws. (The nine states that do not have charter school laws are Alabama, Kentucky, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia.) Maine passed its first charter school law in the summer of 2011. There are now approximately 5,600 public charter schools enrolling what is estimated to be more than two million students nationwide. Charter schools are tuition-free public schools that are allowed to be more innovative while being held for accountable for improved student achievement. These figures were compiled based on data from state departments of education and state charter school support organizations and resource centers.

For more information about public charter schools, or about National Charter Schools Week, visit the website of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools at www.publiccharters.org.

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Charter-Schools-Serve-Community-and-Special-Student-Populations

diana — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC - In response to the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education hearing “Education Reforms: Exploring the Vital Role of Charter Schools,” the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools released the following statement from its president and CEO, Peter C. Groff:

“We commend chairman Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) for convening the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education to hear how public charter schools are uniquely positioned to meet the needs of students who may not be thriving in a traditional district school environment.

Charter schools are independent public schools designed to improve academic achievement for students. They are unique public schools that foster a partnership between parents, teachers and students to create an environment in which parents can be more involved, teachers are given the freedom to innovate and students are provided the structure they need to learn with all three parties held accountable for improved student achievement.

As today’s panelists discussed, charter schools serve the communities in which they are located in a multitude of ways. When charter schools move into neighborhoods, they provide a safe gathering place for students and families. They develop rigorous programs to boost academic achievement for all students including bringing students with special needs and English Language Learners to high levels of achievement. Collectively the charter school movement is also making significant progress developing new, innovative, high-quality programs while closing schools which do not meet students' academic needs.

It is clear from today’s hearing that public charter schools are bringing programs to communities that desperately need them. We look forward to working with Congress through the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to ensure that charter schools remain a high-quality, highly-accountable piece of America’s public education system."

About the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools:

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. NAPCS works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly those families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The Alliance provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. More than 1.6 million students attend nearly 5,000 charter schools in 40 states and the District of Columbia.
Click here for more information.

Colorado-League-of-Charter-Schools’-Jim-Griffin-Inducted-into-2012-Charter-Schools-Hall-of-Fame

nora — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT

National Alliance for Public Charter Schools awards education pioneer for contributions to Colorado and national charter sector

Washington, D.C. – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) today announced that Jim Griffin, President of the Colorado League of Charter Schools, will be inducted this week into the Charter Schools Hall of Fame for his contributions to the national charter school movement. In particular, Griffin is being honored for his work establishing the Colorado League of Charter Schools as a strong model for state charter school support organizations across the country.

Colorado has been at the forefront of the national charter school movement since 1993, when its charter law was first enacted. Early on, Griffin launched the nation’s first comprehensive state association in the League, which for nearly 20 years has led the Colorado charter movement. He has worked with legislators and key stakeholder to develop solutions ranging from facilities financing to state accountability systems, and school support efforts including legal advocacy, new school development, group purchasing, and performance management. As a result, Colorado’s charter effort continues to thrive by any number of measures – school quality, growth and stability. Today, over 78,000 students attend 174 charter schools in Colorado. This amounts to about 10 percent of total public school enrollment in the state – one of the highest in the nation.

Griffin has also contributed substantially to charter efforts across the country, playing a key role in helping other state associations adopt best practices developed by the League. He also played an integral role in starting the NAPCS and providing critical support to charter efforts in other states. Griffin’s leadership has also helped the movement address the issue of quality in the nation’s charter schools.

“Jim has worked tirelessly for the thousands of Colorado families who have demanded and chosen a better education for their children,” said Nina Rees, CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “Colorado has been on the forefront of our nation’s charter school movement and has provided other states with examples of how strong policies and effective leadership can have a positive impact on kids. The 20th anniversary of the charter school movement is a particularly appropriate time to honor people like Jim who share in our vision to improve public education and drive the charter movement forward.”

“It’s an honor to be included in the same group as some of the bold pioneers and risk takers who have been able to take a simple idea and turn it into a movement that is now benefitting millions of students,” said Griffin. “It’s simply amazing to think through the challenges faced by the charter community and how far we’ve come over the past 20 years, but it’s ever important that we press on to realize the promise of our public school system.”

As the public charter school movement celebrates 20 years since the first charter school opened in Minnesota, Griffin will be inducted along with three key Minnesota education leaders in this year’s Hall of Fame. The four 2012 inductees will join an exclusive club of 16 other members who have been honored over the last five years since the Charter Schools Hall of Fame was established. This honor recognizes individuals and organizations for their contributions in the following areas: pioneering efforts in the development and growth of charter schools; commitment and contributions to charter schools and education; innovative ideas and successful implementation of those ideas; and inspiration to others in the charter school movement.

The four new inductees will be honored on June 20 at the 2012 National Charter Schools Conference in Minneapolis, MN. The conference will bring together thousands of charter leaders, teachers, advocates, policy makers and education reformers to share innovative ideas and be inspired by some of the brightest minds in education, public policy, business and philanthropy.

The conference will include sessions on how charter schools can continue to transform education, address state and policy issues affecting the sector and celebrate the innovative milestones in the charter movement. Additional presenters and participants include: Tony Miller (Deputy Secretary COO, U.S. Department of Education), Howard Fuller (Institute for the Transformation of Learning, Marquette University), Ember Reichgott Junge (former State Senator, Minnesota), Don Shalvey (Deputy Director of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation), John Merrow (Learning Matters, Inc.), and John Danner (CEO of Rocketship Education). A complete overview of the entire week’s activities can be found at http://www.publiccharters.org/Conference.

About the National Alliance

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement by fostering a strong charter sector. For more information, please visit our website at www.publiccharters.org.

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Click here for more information.

Defense-Authorization-Bill-Clears-Senate:-Changes-Enlistment-Policies-for-Online-Charter-School-Graduates

nora — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Washington, D.C. – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) today released the following statement from interim president and CEO Ursula Wright in reference to the FY12 Defense Authorization Bill passing the U.S. Senate:

“We are encouraged that this bill updates the military recruitment and enlistment policies to provide parity for online public school graduates. Virtual charter schools follow federal and state guidelines and must adhere to all accountability standards. Students graduating from these schools are equivalent to students graduating with a degree from a brick-and-mortar public school. We’re happy to see the U.S. Congress taking the steps to ensure the Department of Defense updates its policies.”

Online charter schools are increasingly popular and effective next generation learning models that can provide students with individualized learning opportunities. Today’s technology facilitates these experiences, offering students direct access to content that will build their knowledge and skills, while simultaneously assessing performance, providing immediate feedback, and storing and tracking student data over time. It is important that policies, particularly at the federal level, support innovation as we move into the next frontier of education.

Graduates of online public schools, operated either by charter schools or school districts, are currently considered Tier II candidates for the purposes of military enrollment—the equivalent of a GED —despite the fact that they fulfill all of the same graduation requirements established by their state of residence as their brick-and-mortar counterparts. This policy is a result of old attrition data being used to establish tiers; the Tier II category was established before online public schools even existed.

The FY12 National Defense Authorization Bill creates a provision that would provide parity for online public school graduates in military recruitment and enlistment policies. It also calls for the Secretary of Defense to prescribe a policy on recruitment and enlistment that incorporates data from each diploma source of its recruits in order to analyze attrition rates. This bill, including these provisions, passed the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this summer.

The NAPCS, along with the International Association for K-12 Online Learning and K12, Inc., have been actively supporting changes to the military recruitment and enlistment policies to better keep with the growing trends in education delivery. The bill will now go to conference committee to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions before heading to President Obama’s desk for his signature.

About the NAPCS
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement by fostering a strong charter sector.

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Click here for more information.

Do-Americans-"Like"-Public-Charter-Schools-Even-More-than--Facebook-and-Google003F

diana — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC – Seven out of 10 Americans support public charter schools, according to today’s Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup poll. This compares to only 43 percent who report having a Facebook page and 60 percent who report visiting Google at least once a week, according to an unrelated USA Today/ Gallup poll. Does that mean public charter schools are more popular than Facebook and Google? The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) can’t say for sure, but we do know support for public charter schools is on the rise.

In all seriousness, “Betting on teachers: The 43rd annual Phi Delta Kappa/ Gallup Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools” reports the highest approval ratings for charter schools since Gallup began asking this question 10 years ago. The nation’s first charter school law was passed 20 years ago, and charter school support has increased steadily ever since. Today’s report finds that Americans across all ages and political affiliations increasingly support public school options but that support is strongest among Americans under age 40 (76 percent).

“We hear from parents across the country all the time about their support for charters – and are thrilled to see this new evidence of growing demand for additional high-quality, public school options,” said Peter C. Groff, president and CEO, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “All children deserve the opportunity to attend a high-quality, public school, and charter schools are giving that option to nearly two million children. We hope this unprecedented public support will translate into many more children soon being able to take advantage of all that public charter schools have to offer.”

Click here to "like" NAPCS on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CharterSchools

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement by fostering a strong charter sector.
Click here for more information.

Education-Commissioner-Gist-Named--“Champion-for-Charters”-by-National-Alliance-for-Public-Charter-Schools

daniel — Tue, 03 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Sarah Johnson, (202) 521-2826
Diana Ozemebhoya , (202) 521-2838
pressroom@publiccharters.org

Washington, DC – This week the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) recognizes Rhode Island Education Commissioner Deborah Gist for her commitment to promoting high-quality charter schools. Annually, the Champions for Charters awards recognize public officials for leading a major public charter issue or initiative, serving as a highly visible public charter school advocate, and consistently supporting charters as a high-quality public school choice option. The honorees are announced during National Charter Schools Week, which runs May 1-7.

“Commissioner Gist has shown extraordinary commitment to children in Rhode Island by partially lifting the cap on charter schools and taking bold steps to ensure all students have a high-quality teacher in their classroom,” said Peter C. Groff, president and CEO, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “The nation can look to Commissioner Gist as a leader in education reform. On behalf of the 1.6 million children enrolled in charter schools, we thank Commissioner Gist for her courage and commitment to high-quality public charter schools.”

“The expansion and creation of public charter schools is an important part of our plan for transforming education in Rhode Island. I strongly believe that our public charter schools must be models for excellence and not islands of excellence,” Deborah A. Gist, R.I. Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education. “We want all of our schools to learn from other successful public schools, including public charter schools. As Commissioner of Education in Rhode Island, I will continue to advocate for high-quality public charter schools, and we will be vigilant in ensuring that our public charter schools advance learning for all students and close achievement gaps.”

Gist has led Rhode Island policymakers to partially lift the state cap on charter schools, and strengthen charter school accountability. Gist also pushed legislators to approve a school financing formula, which improved funding equity for all public schools including charters.

Joining Gist in receiving this year’s recognition are U.S. Representative Howard “Buck” McKeon, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa of California and New Mexico State Senator Mark Boitano.

Today marks the beginning of the 12th annual National Charter Schools Week activities celebrating the ways in which charter schools are helping children and families. Charter schools are independent public schools that are free to be more innovative and are held accountable for improved student achievement. They foster a partnership between parents, teachers and students to create an environment in which parents can be more involved, teachers are given the freedom to innovate and students are provided the structure they need to learn. This week, public charter school supporters around the nation are hosting and participating in numerous activities to mark the movement’s success and growth.

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. The NAPCS works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and underserved families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. NAPCS provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. More than 1.6 million students attend nearly 5,000 charter schools in 40 states and the District of Columbia.
Click here for more information.

Eighteen-Public-Charter-High-Schools-Named-Among-the-Nation’s-Top-100-Best-College-Prep-High-Schools

diana — Tue, 24 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC - In response to the Washington Post ranking of the most effective college- preparatory public high schools in the nation, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools released the following statement from its president and CEO, Peter C. Groff:

“We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the 18 public charter high schools named among the Top 100 schools by the Washington Post. The ‘High School Challenge’ identifies public high schools across the nation effectively preparing students for college, and we are pleased to see charter schools represented among the nation’s best public programs.

Charter high schools make-up seven percent of America’s public high schools, yet 18 have been named in the Top 100. This means charter high schools are over represented in the Top 100 and more likely to provide a rigorous college preparation when measured by this index. Public charter schools routinely demonstrate that all children are capable of achieving at high levels, regardless of life circumstance. No student’s opportunity for success should be hindered by a lack of public school options, and these high-quality public charter high schools are providing the kind of college preparatory opportunities all families deserve.

On behalf of all the families served by charter schools, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools expresses gratitude to the dedicated teachers and innovative school leaders behind this accomplishment. Thank you for your belief that all children deserve an excellent education.”

The Top 100 Schools:

Rank, Public Charter School - City, State:

#3, Corbett Charter School - Corbett, Oregon
#4, BASIS Tucson - Tucson, Arizona
#8, Signature School, - Evansville, Indiana
#10, North Hills Prep - Irving, Texas
#11, Peak Preparatory School - Dallas, Texas
#19, Westlake Academy, Westlake, Texas
#24, Preuss School UCSD - La Jolla, California
#27, Sonoran Science Academy - Tucson, Arizona
#36, University High School - Fresno, California
#37, Eastwood Academy - Houston, Texas
#41, Sturgis Charter Public School - Hyannis, Massachusetts
#42, American Indian Public Charter - Oakland, California
#50, Peak to Peak Charter - Lafayette, Colorado
#54, Raleigh Charter High School - Raleigh, North Carolina
#57, Benjamin Franklin High School - New Orleans, Louisiana
#60, MATCH Charter Public School - Boston, Massachusetts
#62, Harding Charter Prep - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
#83, Summit Preparatory Charter High - Redwood City, California

About the Rankings: The Washington Post's High School Challenge Index divides the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or other college-level tests a school gave in 2010 by the number of graduating seniors. While not a measure of the overall quality of the school, the rating can reveal the level of a high school’s commitment to preparing average students for college.

About the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools: The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. The NAPCS works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The NAPCS provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. More than 1.6 million students attend nearly 5,000 charter schools in 40 states and the District of Columbia.
Click here for more information.

Georgia-Supreme-Court-Decision-Limits-Charter-Schools

diana — Mon, 16 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC - In response to the Supreme Court of Georgia ruling knocking down the 2008 Georgia Charter Schools Commission Act, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools released the following statement from its president and CEO, Peter C. Groff:

"Today’s four-to-three decision from the high court of Georgia struck down as unconstitutional a 2008 Act that authorized the creation of charter schools approved by the Georgia Charter Schools Commission.

The court’s ruling directly limits opportunities for new charter schools in Georgia, unleashes uncertainty for the 17 public charter schools created pursuant to the 2008 act and blocks families and children from accessing the public education options they deserve. This is an aggressive and unfortunate step backward for education reform in Georgia.

While declaring the 2008 Georgia Charter Schools Commission Act unconstitutional, the Georgia Supreme Court went even further and granted exclusive control of K-12 public education to local school boards. This ruling inhibits new and existing charter schools from bringing public school options to Georgia’s children, because local school boards are not best suited to focus singularly on authorizing and supporting public charter schools as the Georgia Charter Schools Commission was designed to be.

Charter schools are independent public schools designed to improve academic achievement for students. The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools advocates for independent state-level entities like the Georgia Charter Schools Commission because such agencies carry a single mission: to devote all their time and resources to properly authorize and oversee public charter schools. Similar state level entities have shown to be successful in Arizona, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Idaho, and Utah.

This ruling overturns the 2010 ruling which found the Georgia Charter Schools Commission to be constitutional. We are disappointed for the families and children in Georgia who will not have access to the innovative public school options provided by charter schools authorized by the Georgia Charter Schools Commission."

About the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools: The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. NAPCS works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The Alliance provdes assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. More than 1.6 million students attend nearly 5,000 charter schools in 40 states and the District of Columbia.

Click here for more information.

Maine-Enacts-Public-Charter-School-Law

diana — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC - In response to Maine’s vote to create a public charter school law in Maine, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools released the following statement from its president and CEO, Peter C. Groff:

"Today is a historic day for the families and educators in Maine. Through bipartisan support in the legislature and from Governor Paul LePage, Maine has become the 42nd jurisdiction with a public charter school law.

"We are especially pleased that the new law in Maine is well aligned with the best practices in charter school law exemplified in the NAPCS model law. Maine lawmakers wisely heeded the lessons about what has worked and what has not worked in the public charter school movement over the past 20 years and crafted legislation that sets public charter schools up for success in their state. Because of these actions, Maine's families and educators will have access to more high-quality public school options and the overall public education system will be strengthened."

About the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools:

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. The NAPCS works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and underserved families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The Alliance provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. More than 1.6 million students attend nearly 5,000 charter schools in 40 states and the District of Columbia.

Click here for more information.

Milestone-20th-Anniversary-to-Draw-Thousands-to-Birthplace-of-Public-Charter-Schools

nora — Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Educators and Advocates Convene in Minnesota with National Alliance to Celebrate 20 Years of Public Charter Schools

Washington, D.C. – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) today announced that thousands of teachers, school leaders, district officials and advocates will gather to celebrate 20 years of public charter schools at the 12th annual National Charter Schools Conference on June 19-22 in Minneapolis, MN. The largest gathering of charter school leaders in the nation, the conference will kick off a week-long celebration of the charter school movement featuring Bill Cosby as the keynote speaker.

The first public charter school, City Academy, opened in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1992. Its creation ushered in a new movement allowing communities to create independent public schools that provide parents with more public school options and teachers greater flexibility in order to better serve the diverse needs of students. The movement grew in its first 15 years to reach one million students by 2006, taking only five more years to surpass two million. Despite this recent increase, hundreds of thousands of students still remain on waiting lists to attend the charter school of their choice in the more than 5,600 charter schools which operate across 41 states and the District of Columbia.

“These past 20 years have proven that in communities across the country, public charter schools are delivering on their promise to provide innovative education and drive student achievement,” said Ursula Wright, interim president and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “We are excited not only to celebrate the movement’s milestones, but also to ensure we continue progressing forward until every state allows for effective and accountable public charter schools for their children.”

The conference celebrates the opening of the nation’s first charter school and the many milestones which have occurred in the 20 years since. Highlights include:

Congress provided funding to allow communities to start charter schools in 1994.
President Bill Clinton called for the creation of 3,000 charter schools in his State of the Union address in 1997.
Over half the states in the nation permitted charter schools by 1997.
President George W. Bush reauthorized charter school start-up funding in 2002.
NAPCS was formed to establish national leadership on quality and accountability for the charter school movement in 2005.
National charter school enrollment surpassed one million students in 2006.
Presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain both pledged support for charter school expansion during a live presidential debate in 2008.
National charter school enrollment surpassed two million students in 2011 with the largest increase in enrollment (over 200,000 additional students) in a single school year.

Public charter schools have achieved bipartisan support over the years, currently enrolling five percent of the nation’s public school students. Research from a RAND study, as well as a Betts and Tang meta-analysis indicates that charter schools increase high school graduation and college acceptance rates, and provide significant benefits to students from low-income neighborhoods or students who are struggling in traditional public schools.

For more information about charter schools, or about the National Charter Schools Conference, please visit www.PublicCharters.org/conference. Advanced registration rates expire for the conference on May 31st.

About the National Alliance

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement by fostering a strong charter sector. For more information, please visit our website at www.publiccharters.org

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Click here for more information.

Minnesota-Public-Charter-School-Pioneers-Inducted-into-Charter-Schools-Hall-of-Fame

nora — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT

National Alliance for Public Charter Schools honors education innovators for their contributions in starting the charter school movement

Washington, D.C. – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) today announced that the nation’s first public charter school and two influential Minnesota education advocates will be inducted into the Charter Schools Hall of Fame for their efforts and contributions to the public charter school movement. City Academy High School first opened its doors in 1992, laying the foundation for the next 20 years of the charter school movement. Also honored will be Eric Mahmoud, founder and CEO of Seed Academy, Harvest Preparatory School, Best Academy and Sister Academy, and Jon Schroeder, Founding Director of the Charter Friends National Network.

“The Minnesota story is a shining example of how lasting, innovative change can be spawned by a small group of people who believe that there is a better way,” said Nina Rees, CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “The 20th anniversary of the public charter school movement is a particularly appropriate time to honor the nation’s first public charter school as well as two Minnesota champions who share in our vision to improve public education and drive the charter movement forward.”

City Academy High School, founded in 1992 in St. Paul, MN, is the nation’s first charter school. Created by educators Milo Cutter, Barron Chapman and Terry Kraabel, the charter school was initially designed for students who have dropped out of school and whose homes were wracked by poverty or substance abuse. The charter school allows students to participate in activities such as building homes for Habitat for Humanity, studying biology at local nature centers and allows students to work toward their high school diploma or to get back into a more traditional high school. Since opening, the school has expanded, but is kept small to keep class sizes small.

Mahmoud has led Harvest Preparatory and Best Academy to become two of the top schools in Minnesota closing the academic achievement gap between white and black children. Mahmoud has also successfully implemented, coached and mentored programs and staff focused on African American children’s academic achievement and moral development. He has provided guidance for four new charter school initiatives in the past 10 years, and recently developed “The Five-Gap Analysis,” which parses the achievement gap into five specific areas that schools must address in order to close the education gap. He has also developed the “Gap-Closing Framework,” which provides a coherent and aligned educational model to accelerate student learning.

Schroeder played a major role in drafting and enacting legislation that eventually led to the creation of the federal Charter Schools Program while on the staff of former U.S. Senator Dave Durenberger (R-MN). Since its enactment in 1994, Congress has appropriated more than three billion dollars in startup and facilities funding for this crucial national program. Schroeder subsequently was the founding director of Charter Friends National Network (CFNN) from 1996-2004. Under his leadership, CFNN founded “National Charter Schools Week,” advised numerous state legislatures and fledgling state charter support organizations and convened working groups on accountability, facilities financing and special education. From 2001-2005 he helped lead CFNN’s transition into the NAPCS. From 2005 to 2008 he served as a founding member of the NAPCS’ board and executive committee and chaired its public policy committee.

This year’s inductees also include Jim Griffin, the President of the Colorado League of Charter Schools. The four 2012 inductees will join an exclusive club of 16 other members who have been honored over the last five years since the Charter Schools Hall of Fame was established. This honor recognizes individuals and organizations for their contributions in the following areas: pioneering efforts in the development and growth of charter schools; commitment and contributions to charter schools and education; innovative ideas and successful implementation of those ideas; and inspiration to others in the charter school movement.

WHAT: 12th annual National Charter Schools Conference, presented by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS).

WHO: City Academy High School, Eric Mahmoud, and Jon Schroeder to be entered into the Charter Schools Hall of Fame. A complete overview of the entire week’s activities can be found at http://www.publiccharters.org/Conference.

WHEN: Tuesday, June 19 – Friday, June 22, 2012
*Hall of Fame ceremony will be Wednesday, June 20

WHERE:   Minneapolis Convention Center
                1301 2nd Avenue South
                Minneapolis, MN 55403
                Media can check in at registration desk to get credentials.

WHY: The four new inductees will be honored on June 20 at the 2012 National Charter Schools Conference in Minneapolis, MN. The conference will bring together thousands of charter leaders, teachers, advocates, policy makers and education reformers to share innovative ideas and be inspired by some of the brightest minds in education, public policy, business and philanthropy.

The National Charter Schools Conference marks the 20th anniversary of the public charter school movement. This year’s conference returns to the Twin Cities where the public charter school movement began; City Academy, the nation’s first charter school, opened in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1992. The largest gathering of charter school leaders in the nation, the conference will kick off a week-long celebration of the charter school movement.

About the National Alliance

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement by fostering a strong charter sector. For more information, please visit our website at www.publiccharters.org.

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Click here for more information.

Mississippi-Passes-Major-Improvements-to-its-Public-Charter-School-Law

nora — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

National Alliance for Public Charter Schools Issues Statement Commending Move to Create High-Quality Public Charter Schools

Washington, D.C. – In response to the Mississippi legislature’s vote to pass HB 369, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools released the following statement from its president and CEO, Nina Rees:

"Today is a historic day for families and educators in Mississippi. Through bipartisan support in the legislature – particularly the leadership from Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves, Senate Education Committee Chairman Gray Tollison and House Education Committee Chairman John Moore – Mississippi has established a solid foundation for creating autonomous, accountable public charter schools in the state.

"For the first time in the state’s history, HB 369 will allow start-up public charter schools. It also provides public charter schools with the flexibility to innovate, while ensuring that public charter schools will be held to a high standard of accountability for results. The bill also requires local, state and federal funding to follow a student that chooses to attend a public charter school.

"The forces protecting the status quo remain alive and well in the state and fought hard against a strong charter school bill. While we still have more work to do to improve the law, this bill is a major step forward for Mississippi, particularly for students in failing districts.

"This forward movement could not have happened without the collective efforts of our coalition of public charter school supporters, including Mississippi First, the Mississippi Center for Public Policy, Better Education for Mississippi, the Mississippi Association of Realtors, the Mississippi Coalition for Public Charter Schools, the Black Alliance for Educational Options and the National Alliance.

"It also would not have occurred without the support of several lawmakers in the state, including Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves, Senator Gray Tollison, Speaker of the House Phillip Gunn, Representative John Moore, Representative Charles Busby and Governor Phil Bryant. Because of their efforts, Mississippi’s families and educators will have access to more high-quality public school options and the overall public education system will be strengthened.

"We look forward to continuing to work with our partners in Mississippi to ensure the law is implemented to create high-quality public charter schools and to further strengthen the law in the coming years."

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Click here for more information.

NAPCS-President-Nina-Rees-Issues-Statement-on-CREDO-Study

nora — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Washington, D.C. – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) president and CEO Nina Rees issued the following statement on the Charter School Growth and Replication study released today by The Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO). The CREDO study analyzed public charter expansion and replication nationwide.

“As the public charter school movement has grown to more than 6,000 schools, this research validates that an increasing portion of the 2.3 million students served are receiving the highest-quality public education,” said Nina Rees, president and CEO of the NAPCS. “With strong findings that demonstrate that many Charter Management Organizations are achieving success with underserved students as they scale, we need to capture what’s working in these schools and share them with the broader education community.

“The charter school movement is making great strides at advancing quality as it continues to grow,” said Rees. “Policy makers are working tirelessly to strengthen charter laws and educators and advocates are increasing their focus to ensure that growth and achievement can happen together, particularly for low-income and minority students. These efforts are continuing to show in recent research.

“The CREDO report also validates the importance of charter school authorizers – groups that are able to hold charter schools accountable for student achievement, and ensure that those that are not serving students with a high-quality public education no longer have that privilege,” added Rees. “Over the past several years, between 100 and 200 public charter schools have closed annually and that’s largely a good thing.”

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Click here for more information.

NAPCS-President-Nina-Rees-Issues-Statement-on-Sequester

nora — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Friday, March 1, 2013

Washington, D.C. – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) president and CEO Nina Rees issued the following statement on the sequester, which begins today:

“I am disappointed that our leaders in Congress and the Administration were not able to reach an agreement under their self-imposed deadline to avert the sequester,” said Nina Rees, president and CEO of the NAPCS. “There is no doubt that these drastic cuts will greatly harm our public education system, for public charter schools and traditional public schools alike.

“These cuts will have a detrimental impact on the ability of public charter schools to grow and will hurt existing charter schools’ ability to plan for the future,” said Rees. “Charter schools, especially those in the earliest stages of formation, rely heavily on the seed money provided through the federal Charter Schools Program. In addition, any cuts to Title I and IDEA will be particularly painful, especially for the many charter schools that disproportionally serve low-income children. Charter schools already receive approximately 20 percent less funding than traditional public schools, and the more than 2.3 million students served by public charter schools cannot afford additional cuts.

“On behalf of the public charter school movement, I call on Congress and the Administration to put politics aside and work quickly to mitigate the damage the sequester will have on all public school students, including those in public charter schools.”

About the National Alliance
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement by fostering a strong charter sector.

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Click here for more information.

NAPCS-Releases-Annual-Ranking-of-State-Charter-Laws;-Race-to-the-Top-Helped-Some-States-Improve

adminUser — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Sarah Johnson, (202) 521-2826
Deborah Veney Robinson, (202) 521-2828
pressroom@publiccharters.org

Minnesota’s law is nation’s strongest; Mississippi is the weakest

Washington, D.C. – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) today released its second annual report which ranks the nation’s charter school laws from the strongest to the weakest. Measuring Up to the Model: A Ranking of State Public Charter School Laws analyzes the country’s 41 state charter laws and scores how well each supports charter school quality and growth based on the 20 essential components from the NAPCS’ model charter school law.

The new report captures all the legislative moves states made to be more competitive under the U.S. Department of Education’s Race to the Top program. Overall, Minnesota’s charter school law ranked the highest and Mississippi’s new charter school law ranked the lowest.

“There were a lot of shake-ups on the list this year,” commented Peter C. Groff, president and CEO, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “Through the Race to the Top competition, states had a new incentive to take bold steps and make major improvements to their charter school laws. Some chose to do so and gained in our ranking. Those who made superficial or no changes, however, often lost ground.”

“High-quality charter schools start with strong charter school laws. Our state charter law rankings describe how laws can ensure charter schools are able to innovate in ways that boost student achievement while being held to high standards of academic, fiscal, and operational performance,” explained Todd Ziebarth, vice president of state advocacy and support, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “The rankings and the model law developed by the Alliance and other key stakeholders are moving lawmakers in key states to make positive policy changes.” Ziebarth is the author of the report.

As a result of positive policy changes made over the past year, Florida made the biggest jump from 2010, moving from number 11 to second place. Because of charter schools legislation passed in 2010, Massachusetts also made a jump, from number six to third place. And, the charter school legislation New York enacted in 2010 moved it from number eight to number five.

Conversely, the District of Columbia tumbled the furthest from 2010, dropping from the second to the eighth place. In addition, California fell from the third to the sixth position, Georgia fell from fourth to seventh, and Utah dipped from seventh to tenth.

As a new crop of governors and legislators prepares for the upcoming legislative sessions, the rankings provide clear indications of where some states excel and others come up short in charter school laws. They also offer a positive roadmap for how governors and legislators can take action to strengthen their charter school laws.

“While the legislative moves made in 2010 ranged from the positive to the meaningless to the hostile, the charter movement overall saw positive policy movement across the country,” said Ziebarth. “The road ahead remains long, though. Governors and legislators must do more to give parents access to high-quality public charter schools by providing funding equity, increasing facilities support, removing antiquated limits on growth and strengthening authorizer environments.”

The 10 states with laws shown to best support the growth of high-quality charter schools are: Minnesota, Florida, Massachusetts, Colorado, New York, California, Georgia, District of Columbia, Louisiana and Utah.

The report also found that 24 states and the District of Columbia still have caps that impede the growth of charter schools. In nine of these states, such caps are severely constraining growth: Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Ohio. More than 420,000 students across the country are hoping for an additional seat at a charter school and there is no correlation between caps and school quality or student achievement. “These states should remove their arbitrary restrictions on charter growth,” added Ziebarth.

There are 10 states that have still failed to enact a charter school law: Alabama, Kentucky, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia. The complete analysis can be downloaded at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools web site: www.publiccharters.org/charterlawrankings2011. See detailed state-by-state summaries and color-coded maps of how states measure against each component at http://charterlaws.publiccharters.org.

The complete analysis can be downloaded at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools' webpage: www.publiccharters.org/charterlawrankings2011.

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) is the national nonprofit organization committed to increasing the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently don't have access to quality public schools.

Download a PDF version of this press release here.

RSVP to attend the report's official press briefing event scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 19, 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. EST, at the National Press Club's Holeman Lounge in Washington. Admission is free.

Read the NAPCS' June 2009 release, A New Model Law for Supporting the Growth of High-Quality Public Charter Schools.
Click here for more information.

National-Alliance-for-Public-Charter-Schools-Announces-New-CEO:-Nina-Rees

nora — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Rees to Accept New Position Before Nearly 4,000 Advocates at Next Week’s National Charter Schools Conference; Shares Her Vision for Charter School Movement

Washington, D.C. – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) is pleased to announce that Nina Rees will become the organization’s new president and Chief Executive Officer. Rees will be formally introduced in her new position at the 12th annual National Charter Schools Conference, which begins on June 19 in Minnesota in front of nearly 4,000 attendees. Rees’s appointment also coincides with the 20th anniversary of the nation’s public charter school movement.

As head of the NAPCS, Rees will focus on growing the charter movement, with a focus on raising the number of high-quality charter schools, advancing a strong federal policy agenda, serving as the recognized voice for the national movement and leveraging NAPCS’ state-policy expertise in order to have the greatest impact on the rapidly growing national charter school movement. Earlier this week a national survey found that more than 600,000 students are on a waiting list to attend a public charter school.

“We’re pleased to have found such a high-caliber individual in Nina to take the reins as leader of the nation’s charter school movement,” said Mashea M. Ashton, Board Chairman, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “Nina comes to the National Alliance with tremendous background and experience in the education reform arena. As the first head of the Office for Innovation and Improvement at the U.S. Department of Education, Nina was responsible for the first time spearheading innovative federal programs that included charter schools, where she created a lasting impact that is still being felt to this day. We know that she will continue to do great things for students in charter schools and their families nationwide.”

“To lead the nation’s charter school movement is the opportunity of a lifetime,” said Rees. “In addition to giving parents more schooling options for their children, charter schools have also resurrected the hope and vision behind our public education system and counter the notion that low-income families don’t care about the education of their children.”

Rees has over 20 years of experience in Washington, D.C., including serving as the first Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement at the U.S. Department of Education. She oversaw the administration of 28 grant programs, supporting 1,300 projects including charter schools around the nation, and helped implement several provisions of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act.

“Nina is a very talented and committed leader for the national charter school movement,” said Howard Fuller, Chair of the Black Alliance for Educational Options and Founding Chair of the National Alliance. “She will bring to the National Alliance tenacity, focus and strong leadership skills that will be of great benefit to the organization and the movement. She also knows how to work in a bipartisan manner. But her most important attribute is her absolute commitment to advancing the educational achievement of all kids, but particularly those who are the most disadvantaged by the current educational systems and educational practices in this country.”

“The spirit of the charter school movement is embedded in the hearts of those who are running charter schools, and we need to leverage this more effectively and operate with a greater sense of urgency.” Rees added. “My focus will be to help replicate effective models, attract new education entrepreneurs and further garner bipartisan support. After two decades, it's clear that charter schools can help preserve the American ideal of a quality public education. The challenge for the next two decades is to build on past accomplishments to ensure that every child can realize the benefits of high-quality public schools.”

Rees currently serves on the board of advisors of the Education Policy and Governance Program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, the National Association of Charter School Authorizers, the Apple Tree Institute for Education Innovation and the review board for The Broad Prize for Public Charter Schools. She also serves on the board of directors of the Charter School Development Corporation and the Education Industry Association.

Most recently, Rees spent over six years as Senior Vice President for Strategic Initiatives for Knowledge Universe, a leading global education company with investments in early childhood education, before and after school programs and online instruction. Rees oversaw the organization’s public policy and government relations work in Washington, DC.

Born in Iran, Rees and her family immigrated to the United States when she was 14. She lived in Blacksburg, VA and received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Virginia Tech University, and her Master of Arts in International Transactions from George Mason University.

Charter schools are tuition-free public schools that are allowed to be more innovative while being held for accountable for improved student achievement. These open-enrollment schools foster a partnership between parents, teachers and students that lead to improved results. Public charter schools enroll five percent of the nation’s public school students, and the movement has seen steady rising growth since its inception twenty years ago. Today, over two million students are enrolled in public charter schools. To celebrate this year’s 20th anniversary of the public charter school movement, NAPCS will host the 2012 National Charter Schools Conference, June 19-22 in Minneapolis, MN, featuring keynote speakers Dr. Bill Cosby and Dr. Deborah Kenny, founder and CEO of Harlem Village Academies.

About the National Alliance

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement by fostering a strong charter sector. For more information, please visit our website at www.publiccharters.org.

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Click here for more information.

National-Alliance-for-Public-Charter-Schools-Announces-New-CEO:-Peter-C.-Groff

adminUser — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Deborah Veney Robinson, 202-521-2828
Sarah Johnson, 202-521-2826

Continuing a Distinguished Career in Public Service, Groff Accepts New Position Before an Audience of More than 4,000; Shares his Vision for Charters

Washington, D.C. – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is pleased to announce that effective July 1, Peter C. Groff is the organization’s new president. Groff assumes the position previously held by Nelson Smith, who announced in February his plans to step down from the CEO role. Groff’s announcement was made on the final day of the 10th annual National Charter Schools Conference, which was held in Chicago and attracted more than 4,000 attendees.

“The board of directors is deeply appreciative of Nelson’s contributions, and also very excited to have recruited such a high-quality leader to take the helm from him,” said Mashea Ashton, board chairman, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “Peter has impeccable credentials. He comes to us with experience as a trusted member of President Obama’s administration in the U.S. Department of Education, and he also already established himself as a champion of the charter movement in Colorado. We know he will continue to do great things for children and their families nationwide,” said Ashton.

Before joining the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, Groff served as the director of the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships at the U. S. Department of Education. Prior to accepting that position, Groff was the founder and executive director of the University of Denver’s Center for New Politics and Policy (formerly Center for African American Policy), and lectured at the University’s Public Policy program.

Groff also served as the 47th president of the Colorado State Senate and was the first African-American in Colorado to hold that post, and only the third African-American in the nation’s history to hold the gavel as state Senate president. Senator Groff, who was called the “Conscience of the Senate,” served in the Colorado General Assembly for nine years and passed landmark legislation creating visionary education reform measures, prohibiting racial profiling and requiring booster seats for young children.

“This is an exciting time for the charter sector, and I am excited to be here,” said Peter Groff, president and CEO, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “We are poised to change the face of public education. As the organization continues its work to shape public opinion and influence policy on charter schools, I am committed to ensuring our voice will be a critical part of the education reform discussion.”

Born in Chicago, Groff was raised in Denver. He has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Redlands (Calif.), a Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver College of Law and an honorary Ph.D. from the University of Denver.

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (http://www.publiccharters.org) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. The Alliance works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The Alliance provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. More than 1.5 million students attend nearly 5,000 charter schools in 40 states and the District of Columbia.
Click here for more information.

National-Alliance-for-Public-Charter-Schools-Announces-New-Senior-Vice-President-for-Federal-Affairs:-Gina-Mahony

nora — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Mahony Brings Significant Education Experience and Legislative Accomplishments to the Public Charter Schools Sector

Washington, D.C. – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) is pleased to announce that Gina Mahony will become the organization’s new Senior Vice President for Federal Affairs. As the leader of NAPCS federal affairs, Mahony will focus on improving federal support for the growth and expansion of high quality public charter schools across the country. She begins her new position on August 31, 2012.

“We’re thrilled to have hired such an accomplished and respected professional to lead our federal advocacy work,” said Nina Rees, NAPCS President and CEO. “Gina brings a deep knowledge of education reform issues and will expertly represent the interests of the more than 2 million students currently enrolled in public charter schools.”

Before joining NAPCS, Mahony was a Policy Director at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, serving as a strategist, advocate and advisor for Fortune 500 and privately-held companies, coalitions and trade associations on issues before the U.S. Congress, the Executive Branch, and federal agencies. Prior to her work at Brownstein, Mahony spent 11 years working on Capitol Hill, serving more than five years as a senior policy advisor to Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD), during his tenure as House Majority Leader and Democratic Whip. During her time on the Hill, she developed and implemented legislative strategies on a variety of policy issues, including education.

“I am incredibly excited to represent the charter school sector in Washington,” said Mahony. “Having worked closely on the Charter School Expansion Act of 1998, I am thrilled to join the movement at a time when the opportunity to serve so many of nation’s neediest children through high-quality charter schools has never been greater.”

Mahony received a Bachelor of Arts in Government from the University of Notre Dame, and her Master of Education in Administration, Training and Policy Studies from Boston University. She serves on the Parish Pastoral Council at Holy Trinity Church in Georgetown, and has been a basketball coach at Holy Trinity School since 2002.

About NAPCS
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement by fostering a strong charter sector. For more information, please visit our website at www.publiccharters.org.

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Click here for more information.

National-Alliance-for-Public-Charter-Schools-Announces-New-Slate-of-Officers-on-Board-of-Directors

adminUser — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Deborah Veney Robinson, 202.521.2828
Sarah Johnson, 202.521.2826

Mashea Ashton, CEO, Newark Charter School Fund, Elected Chairperson

Washington, D.C. – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is pleased to announce the 2010-2011officers for its board of directors. Together these leaders in the charter sector have devoted decades to improving educational outcomes for students. As leaders of charter schools, charter school support associations, management companies, foundations and non-profit organizations, their experiences represent all areas of the charter school movement, and place them among the nation’s most accomplished and respected education reformers.

The board of directors elected Mashea Ashton, CEO, Newark Charter School Fund, as chairman. Ashton has personally assisted in the development of charter schools throughout her career. As Executive Director of Charter Schools for the New York City Department of Education, Executive Director of New Leaders for New Schools-NYC, and National Director of Recruitment and Admissions for KIPP ( Knowledge is Power Program), Ashton helped more than 100 school leaders launch their careers and more than 50 schools open their doors.

“Mashea’s contributions to the charter school movement are tremendous. Her work in New York City and Newark has given thousands of students the chance to choose a high-quality charter school. We are honored to have her lead our board,” said Peter Groff, president and CEO, National Alliance for Public Schools.

Also elected to serve as officers on the board of directors were:

Vice Chairperson, Deborah McGriff, Partner, New Schools Venture Fund
Secretary, Josh Edelman, Deputy Chief, Office of School Innovation, D.C. Public Schools
Treasurer, John Lock, CEO, Project Lead the Way
Executive Committee At-large, Fernando Zulueta, President, Academica Corporation.

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (http://www.publiccharters.org) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. The Alliance works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The Alliance provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. More than 1.6 million students attend nearly 5,000 charter schools in 40 states and the District of Columbia.

Click here for more information.

National-Alliance-for-Public-Charter-Schools-Announces-New-Vice-President-for-Communications-and-Marketing:-David-Hoff

nora — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Washington, D.C. – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) is pleased to announce that David Hoff will become the organization’s new Vice President for Communications and Marketing. As the leader of NAPCS’s communications function, Hoff will be the spokesperson for NAPCS and the public charter school movement. He begins his new position on October 9, 2012.

“We’re thrilled that David Hoff is joining our team” said Nina Rees, NAPCS President and CEO. “David’s deep experience in education and communications will help us spread the word about the high-quality public school options rapidly expanding across our nation.”

Before joining NAPCS, Hoff was the deputy assistant secretary for communication development at the U.S. Department of Education, where he worked closely with senior Education Department officials to develop messages supporting the Obama administration’s goal of providing a cradle-to-college education for all children. He oversaw speechwriting, publications, the Web site, and new media for the department. Prior to joining the Department in May 2009, David was a journalist for more than 20 years including more than 12 years at Education Week. He first wrote about charter schools in 1993 while at Education Daily.

“I'm excited to join the public charter school movement and the National Alliance,” said Hoff. “The movement is growing rapidly and is focused on providing a high-quality education for millions of children. It's driving the conversation around high expectations for students, teacher effectiveness and other key education reforms."

Hoff is a graduate of Hope College in Holland, Michigan. He lives in Arlington, Virginia with his wife and two sons.

About NAPCS
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement by fostering a strong charter sector. For more information, please visit our website at www.publiccharters.org.

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Click here for more information.

National-Alliance-for-Public-Charter-Schools-Applauds-President-Obama’s-Support-of-High-Quality-Charter-Schools

adminUser — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Deborah V. Robinson, 202-521-2828
Sarah Johnson, 202-521-2826

White House message renews commitment to education reform under Race to the Top

Washington, D.C. - The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools today released the following statement from president and CEO, Peter Groff. This statement is in response to President Obama’s remarks to the National Urban League’s 100th Anniversary Convention:

“The National Alliance applauds President Obama for voicing support for high-quality public charter schools and standing by his education agenda including the Race to the Top competition. His plan to improve public education includes expanding the number of high-quality public charter schools and a campaign pledge to double funding for the Charter Schools Program.

As the President affirmed, charter schools are independent public schools developed as partnerships between parents, teachers and civic leaders. As such, they are able to design cutting-edge programs that prepare students for the global economy. They are allowed this freedom to be innovative while being held accountable for improved student achievement.

The Obama Administration and the U.S. Department of Education understand the potential high-quality public charter schools have to bring great teachers to every student and to bring all communities a public school that is held accountable for delivering a quality education. According to the U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences 2007-2008 Schools and Staffing Survey, charter schools serve a higher percentage of low-income, African-American and Latino students who are often underserved in traditional public schools. Charter schools are already working in many communities to close the achievement gap for these students. That is why states supporting high-quality charter schools are given points toward earning Race to the Top grants. It is also why two of the four options for improving perpetually failing schools move students into high-quality public charter schools.

We commend the President for recognizing the urgent need for education reform and steadfastly defending high-quality public charter schools. The Obama Administration deserves our support as we build greater accountability into our schools and better public school opportunities for our nation’s children.”

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (http://www.publiccharters.org) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. The Alliance works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The Alliance provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. More than 1.6 million students attend nearly 5,000 charter schools in 40 states and the District of Columbia.
Click here for more information.

National-Alliance-for-Public-Charter-Schools-Applauds-Six-Charter-Schools-Recognized-on-“The-Oprah-Winfrey-Show”

adminUser — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Sarah Johnson, 202.521.2826

$6 Million Awarded to High-Performing Charter Schools During Special Broadcast About New Documentary Film “Waiting for Superman;” Dialogue to Continue in Live “Oprah” Show on September 24

Washington, D.C. - The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is proud to recognize six public charter schools honored with cash awards of $1 million each during the Sept. 20 broadcast of “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” Oprah Winfrey, host of “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” will continue her discussion about reforming America’s schools in a live broadcast on Friday, Sept. 24. The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools urges the entire nation to tune into this exciting show to learn more about what we must all do to ensure every child has access to a high-quality public education.

The following schools were highlighted during a special show on Sept. 20 promoting the new documentary film, “Waiting for Superman,” which explores the challenges facing public education in America:

The Mastery Charter Schools of Philadelphia
Aspire Public Schools in California
Denver School of Science and Technology
LEARN Charter School in Chicago
New Orleans Charter Science and Math Academy
and YES Prep Public Schools in Houston

"We couldn’t be more proud of these outstanding public charter schools whose ‘no excuses’ philosophy have built a culture of high achievement for all their students,” said Peter C. Groff, president and CEO, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “Parents across the country are clamoring for the chance to enroll their children in unique, high-performing public charter schools like these. ‘Waiting for Superman’ tells their stories and forces viewers to confront some ugly truths about the separate but unequal system of public education in America," he added.

‘Waiting for Superman’ goes inside the lives of five young people whose educational futures hang in the balance, as they hope for a chance to attend a great public school that has more applicants than seats. Each of the great schools profiled in the film is a public charter school. Charter schools are tuition-free, public schools that are closing the achievement gap.

During her show, Oprah Winfrey conceded, “There is no easy fix for failing schools in our country, but there are some schools that are getting it right big-time. We invited the founders, the principals, and teachers from those six innovative schools. I know there are so many more, but we invited them. They are the real-life superheroes of education.”

This is the 25th and final season of “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” Ms. Winfrey chose this issue and this particular broadcast to award the final grants from the Angel Network, a public charity that raised more than $80 million since its inception, and was made possible by donations from her viewers.

“Today, we're here with founders, with principals and teachers from some of the most groundbreaking schools in the country. These school leaders are doing whatever it takes, taking the hours and the sacrifice to make sure that children in our country, your children, succeed, and I value nothing more in the world than education. It is the reason why I can stand here today. It is an open door to freedom. And we wanted to be able to, on behalf of the viewers, give you something to go back to your schools and make life better for the children in your schools. So the Angel Network is giving each of your charter school networks $1 million,” said Oprah Winfrey.

“I urge every American to see ‘Waiting for Superman,’ and I applaud Ms. Winfrey for using her personal passion and commitment as a way to draw the public’s attention to this important issue. No child’s education should be left to chance, and Ms. Winfrey has challenged us all to do better,” said Groff.

“Waiting for Superman” will debut in theaters in New York and Los Angeles on Sept. 24, and in cities across America in October. To learn more about the film, or to take the pledge to see it, visit www.waitingforsuperman.org. To learn more about how public charter schools are changing the face of public education, visit http://www.publiccharters.org/.

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (Alliance) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. The Alliance works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The Alliance provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. More than 1.6 million students attend nearly 5,000 charter schools in 39 states and the District of Columbia.

Click here for more information.

National-Alliance-for-Public-Charter-Schools-Applauds-the-Bill-0024-Melinda-Gates-Foundation-for-Promoting-District-Charter-School-Collaboration

adminUser — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Sarah Johnson, (202) 521-2826
Deborah Veney Robinson, (202) 521-2828
pressroom@publiccharters.org

Washington, D.C. - The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools today released the following statement from its President and CEO, Peter C. Groff, on the new ways that public charter schools and traditional public schools in nine communities are working to provide high-quality education for all students:

"The Collaboration Compact is a serious step toward substantive education reform. We are thrilled to see this level of partnership, and the willingness to put the needs of children first. In the end, both charter schools and district schools want the same thing – to provide a high-quality public education for all students. When both sides are working together, they will be able to share best practices, leverage resources and ultimately provide a better set of options for parents, teachers and students. Several of these cities, like Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Nashville, Tenn., New York and New Orleans have a strong charter school presence and a visible commitment from local leaders to embrace all forms of education reform. Baltimore, Denver, Hartford, Conn., and Rochester, N.Y are also among the communities boldly incorporating public charter schools into their overall efforts to improve public education.

We also applaud the role of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in encouraging these innovative partnerships. It is our hope that these Collaboration Compacts will serve as a model of what can and should be done in every community across America. It is essential that our mayors, school boards, teachers' unions, superintendents and charter school leaders to work collaboratively to improve student achievement and make our communities stronger. Public education is, after all, a public trust. Everyone has a stake in making it better."

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (Alliance) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. The Alliance works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The Alliance provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. More than 1.6 million students attend nearly 5,000 charter schools in 40 states and the District of Columbia.
Click here for more information.

National-Alliance-for-Public-Charter-Schools-Celebrates-14-“Blue-Ribbon”-Public-Charter-Schools

adminUser — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Sarah Johnson, (202) 521-2826
Deborah Veney Robinson, (202) 521-2828
pressroom@publiccharters.org

U.S. Department of Education honors nation’s top schools and those serving disadvantaged students

Washington, D.C. – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is pleased to recognize 14 public charter schools honored as 2010 National Blue Ribbon Award winners by the U.S. Department of Education.

These schools are among the 254 public schools recognized as 2010 National Blue Ribbon Schools and are being honored for their success at bringing students from any background to high levels of achievement.

“Public charter schools are among the nation’s top schools, and the Alliance congratulates the educators and families who have worked to bring high-performing schools into their communities," said Peter C. Groff, president and CEO, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.

The award winning public charter schools are: Aurora Borealis Charter School, Kenai, Alaska; Aspire - Capitol Heights Academy, Sacramento, Calif.; Hawthorne Math and Science Academy, Hawthorne, Calif.; KIPP Heartwood Academy, San Jose, Calif.; Synergy Charter Academy, Los Angeles, Calif.; The Preuss School UCSD, La Jolle, Calif.; Newark Charter School, Newark Del.; Mater Academy East Charter School, Miami, Fla.; Gray Charter School, Newark, NJ; North Star Academy Charter School, Newark, NJ; Greenville Technical Charter High School, Greenville, SC; Briarmeadow Charter School, Houston, Texas; The Varnett Public School - East Campus, Houston, Texas; and Brompton School, Kenosha, Wis.

“The Alliance applauds the Department of Education for recognizing these high-quality public charter schools and urges them to continue supporting public charter schools that can bring high-quality programs to underserved communities,” added Groff.

The Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public schools based on one of two criteria. Schools may be honored for leading students, regardless of backgrounds, to high levels of performance and ranking among the state's highest performing schools as measured by state assessments. Schools with at least 40 percent of their students from underserved backgrounds are honored for improving student performance to high levels as measured by the school's performance on state assessments.

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (Alliance) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. The Alliance works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The Alliance provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. More than 1.6 million students attend nearly 5,000 charter schools in 40 states and the District of Columbia.
Click here for more information.

National-Alliance-for-Public-Charter-Schools-Commends-ED’s-Selection-of-Charter-School-Innovators

adminUser — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Sarah Johnson, 202.521.2826

Seven of 49 Innovation Grantees Support Existing and New Public Charter Schools

Washington, D.C. - The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools today released the following statement from president and CEO, Peter Groff. This statement is in response to the U.S. Department of Education announcement of 49 Investing in Innovation Fund (i3) grant award recipients:

“The National Alliance commends the U.S. Department of Education in selecting seven organizations committed to high-quality public charter schools as Investing in Innovation Fund (i3) grant award winners. The i3 competition rewards only the most innovative programs with demonstrated success in raising academic achievement for students in low-performing schools, closing the achievement gap, decreasing dropout rates, and increasing high school graduation, college enrollment and college completion rates. That seven of 49 awards will support high-quality public charter schools shows clearly these innovative schools are successfully implementing the most sought-after education reforms.

“We look forward to supporting the Department of Education and these grant award recipients in their efforts to bring a better education to all students, particularly those in communities that need it most. High-quality public charter schools are leading the way in education reform because innovation and accountability for success are inherent to the very idea of public charter schools. The recognition and support of these awards will help ensure high-quality public charter schools continue to deliver excellent results for public school students.

“A total of $650 million is available through the i3 grant awards with the largest awards going to those organizations most able to demonstrate prior success. Organizations supporting high-quality charter schools are represented under each of the three grant award categories showing that they are serving students in a variety of ways.

“The National Alliance congratulates the following winners and wishes them success in securing ongoing support of their work: KIPP Foundation awarded up to $50 million; New Schools for New Orleans awarded up to $30 million; Alliance for College Ready Schools awarded up to $5 million; AppleTree Institute for Education Innovation awarded up to $5 million; IDEA Public Schools awarded a up to $5 million; Los Angeles Public Schools “L.A.'s Bold Competition -- Turning Around and Operating Its Low-Performing Schools” awarded up to $5 million and will incorporate charters into its turn-around strategy; and the Achievement Network awarded up to $5 million."

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (http://www.publiccharters.org) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. The Alliance works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The Alliance provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. More than 1.6 million students attend nearly 5,000 charter schools in 40 states and the District of Columbia.
Click here for more information.

National-Alliance-for-Public-Charter-Schools-Finds-Eight-Race-to-the-Top Finalists-Supportive-of-Charter-Schools

adminUser — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Deborah Veney Robinson, 202.521.2828
Sarah Johnson 202.521.2826

Based on Annual Ranking of the Country’s 10 Strongest State Charter School Laws

Washington, D.C. - The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools today released the following statement from president and CEO, Peter Groff. This statement is in response to the announcement of 19 finalists in the second round of competition for Race to the Top funding under the U.S. Department of Education.

“We are pleased to see strong representation from states supportive of public charter schools as finalists in the second round of the Race to the Top competition. Eight of the finalists ranked among the top ten states shown to support the growth of high-quality public charter schools in our annual examination of state charter laws. We commend these states for the commitment they’ve shown to education reform by enacting legislation that supports high-quality charter schools.

They are: Arizona, California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts and New York. Two of the other finalists, Florida and Pennsylvania, ranked 11th and 12th out of 40 states with charter laws. We wish them success in their continued pursuit of a high-quality charter school sector within a healthy public education system.

Six states have raised or eliminated caps that hinder the growth of high-quality public charter schools in response to Race to the Top. We are pleased to see Hawaii, Louisiana, Massachusetts Illinois, New York and Rhode Island advance to the final stage of the competition.

Unfortunately, three finalists fail to meet at least one Race to the Top guideline because they continue to block charter school growth. They are: Kentucky, North Carolina and Ohio. Despite education reform efforts that may exist in these states, they are keeping high-quality charter schools from bringing parents another public school option. Kentucky, in particular, has yet to pass a charter school law.

Maryland, also a finalist, was shown to have the worst charter school law in the country according to our rankings.

The remaining states, New Jersey and South Carolina, have charter laws that could be improved, but do not restrict the growth of high-quality public charter schools with caps. The Obama Administration and the U.S. Department of Education have created an unprecedented opportunity for reform with the Race to the Top. We applaud the Department’s efforts to date and urge them to reinforce their commitment to the growth of high-quality public charter schools by awarding grants only to those states with a track record of supporting high-quality public charter schools.”

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (http://www.publiccharters.org) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. The Alliance works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The Alliance provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. More than 1.6 million students attend nearly 5,000 charter schools in 40 states and the District of Columbia.
Click here for more information.

National-Alliance-for-Public-Charter-Schools-Hosts-Rally-at-Georgia-State-Capitol-Building

diana — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Atlanta, Ga. – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS), in conjunction with the Georgia Charter Schools Association today hosted a rally on the steps of the Georgia State Capitol Building to demonstrate their opposition to a recent Georgia Supreme Court decision that declared the Georgia Supreme Court decision unconstitutional.

"Public school charter schools help families because they bring a community of parents, teachers and students together to do whatever it takes to bring children to higher levels of academic achievement," said Peter C. Groff, president and CEO, NAPCS. "Charter schools are already working to bring unique, high-performing schools to Georgia families who want them and deserve them. The recent ruling by the Supreme Court is unfortunate because it makes it more difficult for these high-performing schools to reach families, but it won't stop Georgia parents from demanding more high-quality public charter school options."

On Monday, June 13, the Georgia Supreme Court declined to reconsider its May 16 decision to declare the Georgia Charter Schools Commission unconstitutional, casting doubt on the futures of the 16 schools approved by the Commission and the more than 16,000 students they serve. Read the profiles of the approved GCSC charter schools here: http://gcsc.georgia.gov/00/channel_createdate/0,2095,164887540_165245121,00.html.

"The majority of the Georgia Supreme Court has just found 16,000 innocent children in Georgia guilty of choosing a better education. And even worse, the justices have sentenced them, in many cases, to failing or inadequate schools,” said Tony Roberts, president, Georgia Charter Schools Association. ”Georgia, which ranks among the lowest in the nation for K-12 education, in terms of achievement and graduation rates, has been robbed of one of the most important components of its Race To The Top. We, who believe parents exert the most local control of their children's education, encourage Governor Deal, members of the Legislature, and all citizens of Georgia to correct this travesty of justice by all means possible."

At the conclusion of this year's National Charter Schools Conference, attendees boarded buses from the Georgia World Congress Center and convened at the steps of the Georgia World Congress Center at 11:00 a.m. EST to hear from education reform leaders.

Featured speakers included nationally acclaimed school choice advocate Dr. Howard Fuller, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools President and CEO Peter Groff, Georgia House Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones (R-Milton), Georgia Rep. Alisha Morgan (D-Austell), Ivy Preparatory Academy Head of School Nina Gilbert and Tony Roberts.

The Georgia Charter Schools Commission is a state-level, independent public charter school authorizing entity. The Commission has the power to approve or deny petitions filed by charter school operators to open schools, and the power to renew or revoke school charters based upon key factors including student achievement and operational performance. The Commission has approved 16 public charter schools since its inception in 2009. The Commission is the only statewide authorizing entity created with the sole purpose of overseeing and administering Georgia public charter schools, a paradigm that could significantly increase the growth of the state’s public charter sector for families and students who desire high-quality public education options.

The theme for this year’s NAPCS conference is “Because Every Child Can Succeed.” A complete overview of the week’s activities can be found at www.nationalcharterconference.org.

About the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools:

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. NAPCS works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The Alliance provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. NAPCS represents more than 1.8 million students enrolled in more than 5,000 charter schools across 40 states and the District of Columbia.

Click here for more information.

National-Alliance-for-Public-Charter-Schools-Issues-a-Statement-on Senate-Action-to-Eliminate-Proposed-Cuts-to-Education-Funding

adminUser — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Deborah Veney Robinson, 202.904.1719
Sarah Johnson, 202.210.6527

Washington, D.C. – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools today released the following statement from its president and CEO, Peter Groff. This statement is in response to the July 22 vote in the U.S. Senate to proceed with cloture on HR 4899, the war supplemental that included $800 million dollars in education reform funding cuts, including a rescission of $100 million to the Charter Schools Programs:

“Fifty-one U.S. Senators -- Republicans, Democrats, and an Independent -- stood strong in the name of education reform and voted against accepting education reform cuts as a way to finance new domestic spending. Over the past few weeks, there has been considerable attention and focus on the $800 million in proposed education reform funding cuts. This courageous vote on behalf of America’s families and children should send a clear and powerful statement: Americans value education reform and Congress will not finance new domestic spending by cutting critical education reform investments.

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is especially grateful for the stand the Obama Administration took, by issuing a veto threat in its Statement of Administration Policy on this legislation. The Alliance also applauds the Senators who stood strong in support of education reform, especially Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN) who has been leading the efforts in the Senate to ensure no education reform funding was cut.”

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (http://www.publiccharters.org) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. The Alliance works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The Alliance provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. More than 1.6 million students attend nearly 5,000 charter schools in 40 states and the District of Columbia.
Click here for more information.

National-Alliance-for-Public-Charter-Schools-Issues-a-Statement-on-Proposed-Federal-Funding-for-Charter-Schools

adminUser — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Sarah Johnson, (202) 521-2826
Deborah Veney Robinson, (202) 521-2828
pressroom@publiccharters.org

Funding Requests for both the Fiscal Year 2012 Budget and the Fiscal Year 2011 Continuing Resolution Support Charter School Growth

Washington, D.C. – In response to President Barack Obama’s fiscal year 2012 budget request, and the proposed fiscal year 2011 Continuing Resolution, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools released the following statement from its president and CEO, Peter C. Groff:

Over the past several days, both President Obama and the House Majority have proposed budget requests that would have a positive impact on the growth and replication of high-quality charter schools. Because the budget is the moral document of our nation, it shows what we care about and how much we care. These proposed investments show that the president, the secretary of education and the Congress care about our children and the nation's future.

On February 14, President Obama released his Administration’s fiscal year 2012 funding request for the federal government, including the U.S. Department of Education. The President’s request signaled his Administration’s sustained and strong commitment to education reform, and the recommended funding increase for the Department of Education is especially to be commended, given the country’s current economic challenges. We applaud the president for continuing to make progress against his pledged goal of doubling the amount of federal funding allocated to charter schools.

With this proposed budget, the Administration takes noticeable steps forward to support education reform, including increasing funding for many deserving programs and pushing to maximize the effective distribution of the available funding by streamlining the Department of Education’s programs. However, the Department of Education again proposes funding ‘autonomous public schools’ with funding from the public charter school programs under a newly created Expanding Educational Options Program. The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools opposes this part of the proposal, just as we did last year. We argue that autonomous public schools are already sufficiently resourced with state and municipal funding, while charter schools desperately need these resources. We call upon the president and the Department of Education to continue the work of streamlining education dollars, and to stay clear of this duplicative spending.

The Department of Education made several important requests, including $900 million for a new Race to the Top program which would now be open to school districts. It also requested an increase for the 21st Century Community Learning Center, up to $1.27 billion, an increase of approximately $100 million above the previous year’s funding. In addition, this funding can now be used for extended learning time, which is an important component of many high-quality charter schools. The Department of Education also requested $150 million for promise neighborhoods, a program that supports innovative and effective projects like Harlem Children’s Zone. We were especially excited to see a proposal of $90 million in funding for a new Advanced Research Projects in Agency-Education (ARPA-ED), which would be an exciting new way to focus on innovation, especially blended learning models.

While it is time to begin looking ahead to next year’s budget, there is also unfinished business from fiscal year 2011. To bring closure to this year’s budget, on February 11 the House Majority released its proposed Continuing Resolution to provide funding for the federal government for the remainder of fiscal year 2011. On behalf of the public charter school movement, we applaud the support the new majority has shown for our sector. During this difficult economic time, we recognize Congress has many competing demands for funding. While many initiatives and programs are projected to receive less funding, the Continuing Resolution proposes to continue funding the charter programs at last year’s levels, which will ensure parents and children around the country have more high-quality public school options. In addition, we are hopeful that Congress will find a way to allow flexibility in the amount of this funding available for replicating and expanding our best charter models, as well as to support the existing facility aid programs. Enabling more funding to support these purposes won’t cost anything, and will allow the appropriations to best meet the needs of the charter school sector.

We look forward to working with the Administration and Congress over these next few months to finish both the fiscal year 2011 work, as well as the work for fiscal year 2012. While these two proposals may have many differences, they both support charter school growth and show strong bi-partisan support for these innovative public schools.

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. The Alliance works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The Alliance provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. More than 1.6 million students attend nearly 5,000 charter schools in 40 states and the District of Columbia.
Click here for more information.

National-Alliance-for-Public-Charter-Schools-Issues-a-Statement-on-the-Selection-of-Round-Two-Race-to-the-Top-Winners

adminUser — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Deborah Veney Robinson, 202.904.1719

Washington, D.C. – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools today released the following statement from its President and CEO, Peter Groff, on the states selected for funding by the U.S. Department of Education in the second round of the Race to the Top competition:

“We are pleased to see five states that are strongly supportive of public charter schools among those awarded Race to the Top grants today. According to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools’ annual rankings of state charter laws, the District of Columbia has the second strongest law in the country. Georgia has the fourth strongest, followed by Massachusetts, New York and Florida, with the fifth, eighth and eleventh strongest charter laws, respectively. These states are boldly incorporating public charter schools into their overall efforts to improve public education.

However, we are concerned that the selection of three states – Maryland, North Carolina, and Ohio – sends the wrong message. They have clearly shown a resistance to embracing the role of public charter schools in education reform. Even the U.S. Department of Education scored theses states among the lowest of those awarded grants. Sadly, these states are still being rewarded for actively limiting public-education options for the families that need them the most. Maryland has the worst charter law in the country, North Carolina has a cap of 100 charters that it reached almost 10 years ago, and Ohio has some of the most arbitrary caps in the country.

Since the Race to the Top grants competition was announced in June 2009, 15 states have lifted their caps on charter schools and one state has enacted a charter law. We applaud the Obama Administration for its role in encouraging these positive changes. Overall, six of the 12 winners in the first and second rounds have removed restrictions on growth: Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, and Tennessee.

As we approach the potential third round of funding, we urge the Administration to recommit to only awarding grants to those states that are truly committed to all facets of education reform.”

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (http://www.publiccharters.org) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. The Alliance works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The Alliance provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. More than 1.6 million students attend nearly 5,000 charter schools in 40 states and the District of Columbia.
Click here for more information.

National-Alliance-for-Public-Charter-Schools-Names-America’s-“Top-10”-School-Districts-Served-by-Charters

adminUser — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Sarah Johnson, (202) 521-2826
Deborah Veney Robinson, (202) 521-2828
pressroom@publiccharters.org

New Orleans has highest percentage; Los Angeles Unified serves most students

Washington, D.C. – Topping the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools' list of districts served by charter schools is New Orleans, where 61 percent of public school students attend charter schools. Decimated by Hurricane Katrina, the city took the unprecedented opportunity to rebuild the public education system with charter schools as the foundation. Second and third on the list are Washington and Detroit, where chronically failing school systems have turned to public charter schools as a primary piece of education reform strategy. In each case, when faced with the challenge of significantly improving public education, these cities have chosen a model providing a system of public charter schools, each given freedom to innovate, extend school days and partner with parents, teachers and the local community to better serve students.

“New Orleans is the most prominent example, but there are four cities where at least one student in three attends a charter school,” said Peter C. Groff, president and CEO, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “The public education system is shifting in major cities across the nation. When families have an option, an increasing number of them are choosing public charter schools over the traditional public schools available to them.”

Today, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools released its annual report of school districts with the highest percentage and highest number of public school students enrolled in public charter schools. The report uses 2009-2010 school-year enrollment figures. Four city school districts now have at least one in three public school students enrolled in public charter schools: New Orleans, Washington, Detroit and Kansas City. In 16 cities at least one in five students attends a public charter school.

Two districts have more than 50,000 students enrolled in charter schools. Los Angeles leads the nation with, 68,469 and Detroit is second with 50,139 charter students.

“In the last five years we’ve seen strong growth in both the number of students served by charter schools and the proportion of public school students choosing charters. It tells us that there is a strong and continued demand for these innovative schools,” said report author Anna Nicotera, research director, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “People want to be able to choose the best public school option for their child, and public charter schools are giving families that chance.”

The “Top 10” highest percentages of public charter school students are in these 12 districts: New Orleans Public School System (61 percent), District of Columbia Public Schools, (38 percent), Detroit Public Schools (36 percent), Kansas City, Mo. (32 percent), Dayton Public Schools, Ohio (29 percent), Flint Community Schools, Mich. (29 percent), Gary Community School Corporation, Ind. (28 percent), DeSoto Independent School District, Texas (27 percent), St. Louis Public Schools, Mo. (27 percent), Central Dauphin School District, Pa. (26 percent), Albany City School District (24, percent) and West Chester Area School District, Pa. (23 percent).

The “Top 10” districts serving the highest number of public charter school students are: Los Angeles (68,469), Detroit Public Schools (50,139), Houston Independent School District (34,567), The School District of Philadelphia (33,916), Chicago Public Schools (33,711), Miami-Dade County Public Schools (30,859), New York City Department of Education (30,049), District of Columbia Public Schools (27,660), New Orleans Public School System (22,481), Broward County Public Schools, Fla. (21,603).

Download a copy of the report, “A Growing Movement: America’s Largest Charter School Communities” at www.publiccharters.org/2010marketsharereport.

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (Alliance) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. The Alliance works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The Alliance provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. More than 1.6 million students attend nearly 5,000 charter schools in 40 states and the District of Columbia.
Click here for more information.

National-Alliance-for-Public-Charter-Schools-Official-Transcript:-Reed-Hastings,-Founder-and-CEO,-Netflix

adminUser — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Deborah Veney Robinson, 202-521-2828
Sarah Johnson 202-521-2826

Address to National Charter Schools Conference, June 30, 2010

Chicago, Illinois - We're all so fortunate to be together and have this incredible mission together of providing more opportunity for more children. You all chose not a life of ease; you chose a life of impact. And 55 years ago, Nelson Mandela could've chosen a life of ease. He was a lawyer and he chose a life of impact, and we are all much better for it. And somewhere in this audience is our Nelson Mandela and I don't know who she or he is yet – nor do you – but the change and the path that we're on is long-term and fundamental.

But if you look back in history, what scares me is how many generations have spent our lives trying to improve school districts. For brevity's sake, let's just look at the last hundred years. In the 1920s, the big effort to change American public education was to provide individualized education – the Dalton Plan. And the Dalton Plan was very ambitious and widely adopted as the answer to how to improve opportunity for children. By 1930, almost ten percent of American public schools had adopted some form of the Dalton Plan, so that's more than the entire charter movement today. But by 1950, the Dalton Plan had gone.

Well, another generation comes along and says, "Integration. Desegregation. That's the answer." With amazing courage, they fought phenomenal battles and won lots of aspect of desegregation and integration. And ultimately we find that it hasn't really changed opportunity for children.

And then you go up to the sixties and seventies and the big movement was alternative schools, and there were hundreds and thousands of alternative schools. Every state passed a law about alternative schools and providing opportunity for proximity and parent involvement. And then all the alternative schools twenty years later are largely gone.

And so then there was Nation at Risk in 1983, No Child Left Behind. These waves of change keep coming and each generation thinks that we have the answer, and yet when we look at the cumulative track record of all of the people who were just as passionate as we are and just as committed as we are to providing opportunity for children, the track record is mixed, at best. And I think the fundamental reason is not properly separating symptom from underlying causes.

Let me give you an example. In dermatology, you can imagine you come to your doctor and you say, "You know, I've got this rash on my arm," and the doctor looks at it and says, "Well, it could be a lot of things, but here's some hydrocortisone." And you put it on and it goes away. And three days later you've got a rash here and you come in, "Hey, you know, now I've got this rash here." The doctor's a little more concerned, but gives you a little more hydrocortisone and it goes away.

Three weeks later you've got rashes everywhere and the doctor starts running some diagnostic tests, gives you some hydrocortisone, but he also figures out, "Wow, you've got a gluten allergy that's developed and if you stop eating bread, then these rashes will go away." Well, that's an example of what doctors do and they try to get at the root causes of what the symptoms are. It's not that the rash isn't painful, but merely treating the rash doesn't achieve any fundamental change.

A friend of mine from the Midwest came out recently to see me. He’s a business guy, so we were getting along. He's built a substantial business and he said, "Unions are the problem. God, unions! We've got to beat the unions. The teacher's union is just killing reform in my state. We've got to beat the unions. The unions are the problem. They're the problem in the schools; they're the problem in the charter movement. We've got to beat the unions." I let him go on a bit.

And I said, "Well, that's funny. You know, if the union's the problem, then you would expect that the low-union states – Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas – would be kicking butt educationally, and the high-union states – like New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts – would be floundering horribly." And, of course, he got the point. He goes, "Wow. I hadn't thought about that" – and that, in fact, there's actually a positive correlation between strong unions and educational outcome state by state, not a negative correlation.

So, in fact, it's pretty hard to really believe that if suddenly unions went away that we'd see massive educational change. And that's a bit of a shock, right? And it's not that unions are very helpful to our efforts – they're not. They're like the rash. It's painful, but if you treat the rash, you're treating the symptom, so we systematically have this bias, which is people spend their whole lives trying to attack the symptoms, in this case, the teachers' unions, when they're not the fundamental cause of what's going wrong.

I got to go to Beijing last week and it's a fantastic city now. It's more like New York or Tokyo than it is like Calcutta. And it's just so prosperous. And when I was in high school, China was very different. China was recovering from pretty severe famines that had killed tens of millions of people in the sixties and seventies.

And this started me thinking. In the seventies when China was starving and you wanted to help China because you had a real affinity for the Chinese people, you might have done several things. One of them would be to take a fifty-kilo bag of rice, put it on your shoulder, and walk or drive into China and feed people. And you would've saved fifty, a hundred lives, and that would be fantastic, and that's kind of like teaching.

All of us that are teaching, we're influencing 150 or 30 kids in an intense way and we're saving those kids. And we don't think it's strategic, but we think it's wonderful work, and it is. That's like bringing in rice.

Now, there's another category of what you might have done for China in the 1970s, and you might have said, "Geez, with these thousand collectivized farms, the problem is they don't use fertilizer well. You know, I'm an agricultural expert, so I'm going to go to China and I'm going to work with some of the collectivized farms to improve the use of fertilizer." And, of course, with a thousand collectivized farms, you find five or ten that you can work with and want to work with you, and, in fact, the fertilizer improves agricultural productivity and less people are starving.

And you write it up and you say, "We figured out the answer. Here's the study. The efficacy that shows if you use fertilizer..." And you come back in five years, and not only has it not spread to the other collectivized farms, but the farms that you worked with has changed management and leadership, because it's basically a political party boss relationship, and those farms are no longer using the fertilizer and productivity has returned to its low state.

In hindsight, from this distance, you can say, "Oh, yeah. Well, the problem is the big collectivized farms," and that, in fact, it's hard to get real improvement if the workers don't get any of the food, the peasants don't get any of the food, and these are political bosses.

And then, in fact, the third way of working with China would be to work on restructuring, to be whispering in Deng Xiaoping's ear, "Okay, I know capitalism sounds crazy, but let's just try it in the southern part down near Hong Kong and let's see how it works." And then, in fact, as it works, then Deng Xiaoping becomes a believer and famously says about communism and capitalism, "White cat, black cat – who cares. As long as it catches a mouse." Okay. He depoliticizes the whole issue in one statement, and China from 1980 on explodes in economic productivity, including agricultural productivity. And to look at China today, no one is starving. Okay, so phenomenal change.

So there were really three ways of going about China improvement – trying to help from the outsider's point of view. One is bags of rice. One is fertilizer. And one is restructuring.

Okay, well, let's get to school districts. So ten years ago, Roy Romer got himself appointed the head of the L.A. Unified School District and he was a very accomplished politician, had been the governor of Colorado, head of the National Governors Association – very sophisticated guy. And, of course, he calls in all the philanthropists and all of the do-gooders, and tremendous amounts of money, time, and effort go into L.A. Unified in his tenure, me included.

This is the guy that can change the system. This is the guy that can make a difference. And year after year he did very impressive work and the test scores rose, more opportunity, incredible amounts of teacher training, curriculum support and formative assessment. I mean, L.A. was really on fire in the beginning part of this last decade.

But then, things being what they are, the school board evolved and new people got elected. In a large city, the school board is like after dog catcher but before state assembly, so it's one of those steps of new people who had graduated from dog catcher and on it goes. And eventually, when there are newly elected school board members, they're like, "Romer what?" They didn't buy into the reforms that Romer did and eventually, he's gone.

And now, if you look in Los Angeles, two or three superintendents later, all of the work that Roy Romer and the philanthropists did is basically gone. And this is the basic problem in school districts is they get a little better and then they get worse and at any point in time, there's always a few major large urbans to give you hope. D.C. right now, I mean, who cannot be hopeful? New York – who cannot be hopeful?

The problem is it's always a different set of cities. Fifteen years ago, everybody was really excited about Seattle. Now you never hear about Seattle. So what's happening here is that instead of improving, school districts are just oscillating. They get a little better and with a thousand large school districts in the nation, there are always some that are improving. And we look at them and we say, "See? It can work." But if you look over the long-term, nothing has really changed school districts.

But why is that? Okay, because over the last hundred years a lot of other things have gotten better. Certainly the for-profit side, but let's put that to the side. Look at the Navy. The Navy has gone through so many transformations from wooden steel-clad boats a hundred years ago to an incredibly effective fighting force at what they do today. Rapid transformation. And I don't know if it's been completely straight-line improvement – maybe there have been some bumps along the way – but basically the overarching theme is improvement. And if you look at most of the sectors of the economy, you do get this steady improvement.

And then it occurred to me, "You know, we're always saying, "God, why don't schools run more like businesses?" And the answer, I think, is the publicly elected school board. And if we look at General Electric, GE, one of the most phenomenal companies on the planet, well over a hundred years old, getting better and better, doing bigger and bigger projects – if the board of GE were selected as you graduated maybe from a state assembly, you would run for the board of GE and then you would go to U.S. senator. It was like somewhere in between. And we got seven people across the nation who could win that election. Then GE would operate as schizophrenically as our school districts.

And so the realization is that what happens on GE's board is that it's a self-perpetuating governance structure. The board selects new board members. What that does is solidify the vision. The vision stays constant and that the fundamental problem is we have so many great educators trapped in our current school districts with these publicly elected boards. And one of the things that fools us is in many of the communities in which the elites live, the school board works reasonably well.

Okay, in Palo Alto, California, it's like half of the school board has Ph.D.s. And so you get a cross-signal from the mainstream of where most kids are in both rural and urban areas. But if you look at rural and urban areas, the overarching problem is the school boards. And it's not, again, the people on the school board. It's simply the system the way it's set up, which is, it gets constant change that's not bought into the vision, and without steady vision there is no opportunity for excellence. If you've got self-perpetuating governance, there's a chance of excellence. Okay, self-perpetuating governance. Who else?

Well, nonprofits. They're self-perpetuating boards and so the Sierra Club stays on track for what it's doing over multiple generations, because as they get new leaders and the board evolves, they pick the board members and they stay true to their vision.

The Catholic Church. The bishops pick the Pope. The Pope picks the bishops. It's a self-perpetuating organization that has stood the test of time. The Navy is self-perpetuating. The officers pick the new officers. The officers pick who gets promoted.

What if there was a general election – seven people who, again, were somewhere between Congress and Senate, and some electoral phase – who are supposed to run the Navy? That would be a disaster for the Navy, right? But that's how we have school districts. So again, it’s symptom and cause. The fundamental issue is publicly elected school boards. Okay, well, that's nice, but what are we going to do about it? We've got thousands of these and the districts are big systems.

Oh, my gosh. We're going to have to grow the charter schools not from three or four percent to ten percent, but three or four to twenty, to forty, to eighty percent of kids. Really? And more properly, it's not that charters have to grow. It's those self-perpetuating organizations – organizations that get to pick a vision and try to get to excellence achieving that vision. That's the key thing is this self-perpetuating governance, which doesn't guarantee excellence. It gives you a shot at excellence. That is the fundamental thing. And the breakthrough in charter schools is having this nonprofit, or for-profit governance, but basically operate like all the rest of the economy where the professionals involved continue and pick the next leader rather than a lay board of people who are somewhere between dog catcher and state assembly.

Now, when you think about how are we going to grow from a few thousand schools to fifty thousand and over what time frame, because when you look at Nelson's original growth chart around the overall charter schools, now we're going about ten percent a year. And so if you want to see education reform and you want to save kids and you want all this great stuff to happen, it's easy to think charter schools aren't going to get us there.

And so we have to do two things. One, we have to keep reminding everybody, "Well, it's the best opportunity we have, because fixing school districts, we've been trying that for a hundred years, and the fundamental problem is the elected school board. And two, we can increase the rate of growth at charter schools.

How do we do that? We need everybody who runs a great, single-site charter school to open one more. Just from one to two – from one to two. The vast majority of charter schools are single-site schools. Those of them that have their sea legs, they've got operational sophistication, they're doing well – just open one more, and if the fives go to tens and the tens go to twenty, that's a huge acceleration of the growth rate.

Frankly, I'm a little tired of the separation between who are the CMOs and who are the freestanding mom and pop. It's not a real distinction. There are people who want to grow. There are some people who don't, and that's okay if you don't, but for most people, it's about serving children, and if you can serve more children better then that's a big accelerant.

So one is growth – single site to two sites. The next big accelerant is technology. Finally, the cost of technology, computers and the Internet are coming down dramatically and there is a tremendous opportunity to use technology to accelerate learning. And this opportunity is not just for charters; it's also for school districts and some school districts will sign up for it and that's great. But charters have a unique opportunity to embed it over time as part of their vision and to seek excellence and continue to get better and better.

Now, when you think about technology, a simple little example is Rosetta Stone. Rosetta Stone does foreign language acquisition and they've spent over fifty million dollars developing that technology. And you get to buy it for about a hundred bucks. It's really pretty incredible. You know, if you build a big high school campus for fifty million, the second one costs you fifty million – probably sixty. You don't get it for a hundred bucks. The amazing thing about making great software like Rosetta Stone is that then the marginal cost of using it is very low, and so high schools are starting to use Rosetta Stone.

And in elementary school, Headsprout and language acquisition, DreamBox and math. There's a range of companies coming in and figuring out new ways of working to provide all new products to accelerate learning and to accelerate economic efficiency. If all of you could get the amazing results that you have on two-thirds of your current budget because you were using much more software to simulate the learning, then you could grow much faster.

So when people say the charter school movement's not growing fast enough to ever provide a solution, I say, "Well, that may be true, but let's accelerate its growth. Let's help the single sites get to two sites. Let's apply a lot of technology and let's really set our sights on the long-term." Some day this conference won't be called the National Public Charter Schools. It will just be the National Public Schools.

As crazy as that sounds, imagine Nelson Mandela thinking, in 1957, someday the ANC's not going to be a guerrilla organization and illegal. Someday the ANC is going to be the government. Really? Yeah, actually, that's what happened. The ANC became the government. And it took a long time. Anything and everything important takes a very long time, but we're on the right path.

When Nelson Mandela went to Robin Island, he didn't know he would be at Robin Island for thirty years, but because of that, and all the work that his colleagues did, we have an amazing and peaceful transition in South Africa and a better world to live in.

So I know that a lot of the work that everybody does in this room is very hard. You get beaten up by the unions, you get beaten up by school boards, there are a lot of rashes, and you do have to treat the rashes sometimes. It's a significant problem, but when it's really hard and when you're thinking how is this ever going to work out, I want you to remember just to say to yourself, "Hey. At least I'm not on Robin Island."

Okay. I'd like to do this – everyone together – so that you remember it later. On three, we're going to say, "Hey. At least I'm not on Robin Island." One, two, three: "Hey. At least I'm not on Robin Island." Okay, one more time. One, two, three: "Hey. At least I'm not on Robin Island." Wonderful. Thank you. [Applause.]
Click here for more information.

National-Alliance-for-Public-Charter-Schools:-Official-Transcript:-U.S.-Secretary-of-Education,-Arne-Duncan

adminUser — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Deborah Veney Robinson, 202-521-2828
Sarah Johnson 202-210-6527

Address to National Charter Schools Conference, July 1, 2010

Chicago, Illinois - I'm sorry I couldn't be with you there live today in person, but I'll keep my remarks very brief and open it up to any questions you might have. First of all, it has been a remarkable year for charter schools. We've seen a number of states remove barriers to innovation. I've visited a number of charter schools in a dozen or more states, been to dozens of charter schools around the country, and I've just been amazed by the quality, the commitment, the difference that charter schools are making in students lives.

I've been to school after school where achievement gaps have basically been eliminated, where children in inner-city communities are performing as well, if not better, than their counterparts in much wealthier suburbs. And for all the challenges we face in this country educationally, the reason why I'm actually so optimistic is because you guys are helping to demonstrate what's possible, where there are high expectations, where there is an absolute belief that every child can be successful. And I want to thank you for that remarkable commitment.

I can go through a litany of the schools I've visited.

I will tell you; maybe the most meaningful, emotional one for me was the YES College Prep graduation in Houston. To see a couple different schools' basketball stadiums filled with young people—every single senior graduating, every single senior going on to college—to see them stand up with such pride and hold up the shirts of their universities or their banners, to see the impact that was having on them and their families, but most importantly, the culture that it was building for the sixth and seventh graders who were sitting there and soaking that environment in, you can't not want to be a part of that going forward.

And so I just want to thank all of you for the hard work and the movement, the progress we've seen around the country. Having said that, I want to challenge this group. There are a couple of things that I think we have to do much better, frankly, as a movement. We know where the opposition comes from. We know what the challenges are and I think this charter community maybe hasn't been as active at taking on some of those challenges and addressing them as we should have been. So that I have a couple thoughts – a four-point plan – just to put on the table for you guys to think about, that I think in the upcoming year will be critical to the long-term health and vitality of the charter movement.

We know where the complaints come from. We know what the issues are. One is a complaint around a lack of serving diverse populations, the creaming issues we're aware of, and so I think as a coalition, as a group, we need across the country for – pick a number: five, ten, fifteen, twenty – some set of charters each year to be open that address these specifically.

So, we hear concerns about not enough English language learners being served. Obviously I saw an extraordinary example there in Houston with YES College Prep, but if there are places – New York, other cities – that don't have enough charters serving ELL students, you guys need to collectively think through who are the players who are doing a fantastic job who are going to step into the void and, systemically across the country, each year, start to address that issue.

Secondly, you get a complaint about charters not serving special education students. So who are the set of charters? Again, five, ten, 15, 20 – whatever the number is across the country each year - that is going to step-up and they're disproportionately going to serve students with special needs.

Third, you have the issue of creaming, and we can get into whether or not that's true, but we have a small set of charters that I think are doing an extraordinary job of serving only students who have been kicked out of traditional public schools – the opposite of skimming or creaming. We have a few of those. I don't think we have enough.

And so, who amongst all the players in the room there today are going to step-up and help those students who, by definition are not being creamed, but whose needs were not being met in traditional settings. And I think if you could come up together with a game plan to start to hit in those three populations – ELLs, students with special needs, students who have been kicked out or expelled from traditional schools – and said you're committed to serving those and serving more of them each year and creating schools where that's their mission, that's their focus, I think that would absolutely move this conversation to a different level.

Secondly, I've been learning a lot here in Washington. I've been here eighteen months, but I will tell you quite frankly that as far as – and I don't think I'm telling you anything you don't know - but far too many of the representatives of the children you serve, see you as part of the problem, not as part of the solution.

So I think building stronger relationships with the CBC, the Congressional Black Caucus, the Hispanic Caucus, building better relationships with the leaders of the civil rights organizations, there's not a widespread understanding or acknowledgement of the difference that charters can and are making in the lives of the most underserved children around the country.

I think building those relationships at the state and at the national level are hugely, hugely important in getting folks to come out and visit schools and dispel myths. I can't overstate how important that relationship building will be for you.

Third, I thought Caroline Hoxby's randomized control study looking at the students in New York who entered into the lottery – some got in, some didn't – was an absolute breakthrough. And it's, as you know, apples to apples that directly addresses the creaming issue, the skimming, that only more motivated parents are sending their children to charters and that's why charters get better results.

What I would urge you, that for all of you that have long waiting lists, and, again, it demonstrates the great work you're doing, but when you have long waiting lists where you have lotteries where some students are getting in and some aren't, I would actively encourage you to get your local researchers to do longitudinal studies of students who get into your schools who apply and students who don't.

It's obviously an apples to apples comparison that will shine a spotlight on the real impact that the great charter schools are having. I think having many more of those studies that look at a whole host of issues going forward around the country will absolutely change the debate.

And the final thing I'll say – and I'm going to be a little bit tough on this, because I challenged it at your convention last year. I challenge the charter community to be more vocal and to step out on charter schools that weren't succeeding, bad charter schools. And quite frankly, I've felt a lack of courage around that this past year, and I think the damage that that's doing to all of you and the charter brand around the country is unfortunately huge.

As we look to shut down and turn around the five thousand lowest performing schools around the country, about two hundred of those happen to be charter schools, and that, to me, is absolutely unacceptable.

All of you are in the room because you're a part of the charter school movement, you're part of the charter school franchise, and bad charter schools taint all of your reputations. It allows your opponents – your opposition – to use those examples.

And there has not been, that I'm aware of – and maybe I'm missing something – there has not been courageous leadership from the charter school movement itself to step up and say, "Here are criteria below which these schools should cease to exist." If you were much more proactive in that area – not that you maybe have the ability to close them down – but you should not be tolerating, in your family, academic failure.

I think you need to do the same around authorizers where you have states or districts that are much too lenient in who they approve and much too lenient in who they allow to continue to operate. I think you need to have a list of good authorizers and bad authorizers, and very clear criteria about what it takes.

At the end of the day, the movement can't be to create more charter schools. The movement's got to be to create more great schools, and, unfortunately, we have far too many mediocre charters and we have far too many charter schools that are absolutely low performing.

Your best are world-class. Your best give me extraordinary reason for hope for public education in this country, but this movement has to do a much better job of policing itself. Again, the political costs that the charter school movement is paying for poor performance is maybe much higher than you realize.

And the silence, the lack of courage, the lack of leadership on both individual schools and on authorizers that are allowing these things to continue, I think does this movement a great disservice and I would strongly, strongly urge this organization to step into that void with courage and leadership, and let the country know what you stand for.

So I'll stop there and take any questions you might have. And, again, for those schools that are doing an amazing job of closing achievement gaps and bringing hope to communities that haven't had a quality education opportunities sometimes for decades, I thank you so much for that hard work and commitment. Thanks, and I'll open up any questions you might have. [Applause.]

Moderator

So there are two mics out here somewhere and you should feel free to... Oh, we've got people up there already. Alright. Well, let's start at mic one, if you could introduce yourself and then go ahead and ask the Secretary a question.

Michael Coy

Good morning, Mr. Secretary. My name is Michael Coy. I'm the Director of School Choice at the Florida Department of Education. Florida is going to be reapplying for the CSP grant, probably in January, and the issue that a lot of folks have been talking about is the news we got yesterday with regard to the $100 million cut that's been proposed by Representative Obey, and it's obviously a great concern, given the importance of that funding for things like the CSP grant for facilities and for our replication ideas.

And I'm wondering, is the Administration committed to fighting that cut to the 2010 budget? And then, also, is the Administration still committed to its promise to maintain full funding and possibly increase funding for the 2011 budget?

Secretary Duncan

Obviously we're proposing record increases in funding for charter schools as we move forward, particularly if we give reauthorization. On the current proposal on the table, we're in active conversations with Congress and we recognize the need for offsets. We want to save hundreds of thousands of teacher jobs around the country and we think there are some potential other ideas out there.

So there are a few more innings left to play in this game and we're continuing to actively engage with Congress, and we think there are other offsets that would meet the need without jeopardizing our reform agenda. We're going to push very, very hard to have Congress look at those other options and opportunities.

Moderator

Thank you. Let’s go to mic two. Go ahead.

Andrew Louis

Good morning, sir. Andrew Louis, Chief Programming Officer at Georgia Charter Schools Association. As part of the Administration's ESEA blueprint, it proposes using charter school funding to fund non-charter schools. State and locals provide dollars to start new traditional public schools, but not the same for charter schools.

State and locals also do not need resources to enable existing schools to become autonomous public schools. Why is the Administration supporting a reform that weakens and undermines the public charter school sector?

Secretary Duncan

Good question. I actually beg to differ on a couple points there. I don't think it weakens and undermines the charter sector. What we want to do is we want to replicate successful schools and unfortunately what we have in too many places... The goal is not to replicate charters. The goal is to replicate success. And again, I think the lack of courage in the charter movement to shut down and call out those schools that are desperately underperforming in the charter community – again, two hundred being among the five thousand worst in the country. We can't just say we want to replicate every charter school. I wish we could. We're not in that situation.

So what we want to do is replicate success. We want to replicate high performance. We want to replicate those schools that are closing achievement gaps and raising the bar for all students. There are fantastic charters that are doing that. We want to support them.

There are traditional schools that are doing that and we want to support that, as well, and the $400 million fund we want to create is actually a 56 percent increase and in very tough budget times, we're putting a disproportionate amount of resources behind replicating success in whatever form or fashion that might be. And again, that's got to be our collective goal is to support those schools, whatever they look like, that are making a difference in students' lives.

Moderator

Thank you. Let’s go back to mic number one. Go ahead.

Sean Bradley

Good morning, Mr. Secretary. I'm Sean Bradley. I'm with the American Federation for Children. My question for you is, in addition to Race to the Top and the work that the federal government did to provide assistance to states that opened themselves up toward charters, what other federal programs are going to be utilized to ensure that states embrace charters?

And we all in this room agree that we have to do something about poor-performing charter schools, but we... There are some high quality charter schools out there. So the question is, again, what is the federal government going to do to continue on the [emphasis] of Race to the Top, but expanding and ensuring that states embrace charter schools?

Secretary Duncan

Yeah, we're going to do everything we can to make sure states are embracing, and supporting, and replicating, and learning from those world-class charter schools, and amongst the best public schools in the country today, charters, I think, are way disproportionately represented.

It should be an absolute source of pride to the charter community that when I go to different states and they try to tell me what's the highest performing, high poverty, high minority school in your state, in your district, in your city? It's amazing to me how many times those top performing schools are charters. I don't think there's a coincidence there and you should be extraordinarily proud of the difference you're making.

Whether it's the Race to the Top Fund, whether it's the Invested Innovation Fund (i3), whether it's Promised Neighborhoods - in every competition, in every grant proposal that we're putting out there, we want to replicate success and build upon that.

Charter schools can be the heart of Promised Neighborhoods communities. Networks of charters working with universities can have fantastic Invest in Innovation proposals, so Race to the Top, I think, was a huge step in the right direction. What we're really trying to have is programmatic coherence behind every single different competition and every single different opportunity we're putting out there. Again, to be clear, replicating great, great charters has to be at the heart of that. I want to see that happen in all of these areas.

Again, and just to push, I know I'll being a little hard-edged here, but I talked about this last year and so I want more, frankly, than an agreement that we need to do something. What I think this community needs to do is not agree to do something; this agreement needs to actually do something.

And this community has been about action. It's been about social justice. It's been about bringing dramatic change for children and communities that haven't had that, and again, we can't do enough to celebrate and replicate, and learn from success.

When it's not working, this community has to police its own and has to step up, because you don't want other people doing that for you. Trust me on that. And the more this community can take pride of authorship, pride of ownership, and step up and say, "We're not going to tolerate failure," what that would do for you guys politically would be absolutely extraordinary.

Moderator

Secretary, I will commit as a member of the board of the National Alliance to get to you a list of the charter schools that our state associations and others have actively worked to close, because we took your statement absolutely seriously last year, and our state associations have been working with the charters in their states to do exactly that.

We don't always get press, because we don't necessarily want to embarrass the people who are having their schools shut down, but we commit to get that information to you and also to continue our vigilance and expand our vigilance to make sure that all of our ranks are on board.

Secretary Duncan

I appreciate that and just to push a little bit, Caprice, it's not, to me, about embarrassing anybody, it's about helping children learn. And when you have schools that are – because of their lack of success – perpetuating poverty and perpetuating social failure, I think we have a moral imperative to step up and say that those children deserve better.

That's the heart. The genesis of the charter movement was this fundamental belief that children deserve dramatically better than what they have and so where it's not happening, be that in a traditional school, or district, or in a charter, I think we can't be silent in the face of that, and we need to speak up, and we need to do something better for those children now.

Moderator

We absolutely agree with you, sir. I'd like to be able to get one more question in, so let's go to mic two.

Francisco Aguilar

Good morning, Mr. Secretary. I'm Francisco Aguilar from Agassi Prep. Thank you for coming to our school earlier in the school year. Our school would like to partner with a non-district food service provider; however, the school food authority prohibits this.

As the School Lunch Program is reauthorized, how will the department ensure that all public schools have a chance to improve their school meal options, and especially have a choice in school food authorities?

Secretary Duncan

First, I want to say that your school was one of the just extraordinary schools I visited around the country that looked like a college campus. I would have loved to go to a school like that in high school and to see just the camaraderie between the staff and the students, to see the commitment they are giving – absolutely amazing. So you should be so proud of the work you're doing and it was fun to get some sense of the extraordinary effort that's going on there.

I will check and work on that with you. Secretary Vilsack has been a phenomenal partner. As you know, he wants to reauthorize the Child Nutrition Act. We want to get rid of junk food in vending machines. We want to make sure the meals are much more nutritious.

I hear what you're saying about you want more options about who you can work with, who you can partner with. That's probably a local decision. I don't know what we can dictate from here, but something I'm absolutely happy to follow up with you offline to see what we can do to facilitate you having the best options possible to get nutritious food to your children.

Moderator

Thank you very much. Thank you, Secretary, for spending this time with us. We're pleased to be able to spend this time with you and we appreciate the frank dialogue that you engage in with us, and thank you very much for spending the time.

Secretary Duncan

Keep up the great work and you guys have been extraordinary.
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National-Alliance-Issues-Statement-on-President’s-Proposed-Budget

nora — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

2014 FY Budget Proposal Provides Crucial Support for Public Charter Schools

Washington, D.C. – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools president and CEO Nina Rees today issued the following statement on the White House’s proposed budget for the 2014 fiscal year:

“We applaud the Obama Administration for recommending an increase in the funding of the Charter Schools Program and thank them for their continued support of high-quality public charter schools,” said Nina Rees, president and CEO of the National Alliance. “While we support the proposed increase in funds for replicating and expanding public charter schools, there is an urgent need to also increase funding for starting new schools to meet the growing demand from parents and families nationwide – unfortunately, the Administration's budget proposal only does the former.

“By the start of the 2014 fiscal year, public charter schools in 26 of the 43 public charter school states and the District of Columbia will not have access to critical start-up funding for new schools. Given the important role that this funding has played in the growth of the public charter school sector, the lack of funds in so many states is a major issue that needs to be addressed by Congress as it works on the FY 2014 budget.

“We are also concerned about the Administration's proposal to roll the Charter Schools Program into an Expanding Educational Options program that would support both public charter school and other autonomous public schools. This proposal has the potential to significantly decrease the support for the creation of new charters, which is especially problematic given that the growth in funding for the Charter Schools Program has failed to keep up with the growth in the sector over the past few years.

“We greatly appreciate the Administration's support for public charters and look forward to working with Congress to make sure the FY 2014 budget for the Charter Schools Program is aligned to the current needs of the entire public charter school sector.”

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National-Alliance-to-Testify-Against-Proposed-I.R.S.--Regulations-Forcing-Charter-School-Educators-Out-of-State-Retirement-Plans

nora — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Proposed Regulations by I.R.S. Could Impact Retirements of More than 95,000 Employees in Public Charter Schools

Washington, D.C. – Today, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) will lead charter advocates from across the country in testifying at an Internal Revenue Service (I.R.S.) public hearing against proposed regulations that likely would force states to prohibit public charter school educators from participating in state retirement plans. The proposed regulations, released in November 2011 and titled “Determination of Government Plan Status,” would affect an estimated 95,000 public charter school employees nationwide – potentially forcing more than 93 percent of the nation’s charter school workforce to either leave their public charter schools or lose their state pensions.

The NAPCS brought this issue to the attention of the I.R.S. shortly after the proposed regulations were released, urging the federal agency to amend the proposed regulations to specify that public charter schools, authorized by state charter statutes and funded with public dollars, be treated like all other public schools, permitting charter school employees to maintain their participation in state retirement plans.

Since the I.R.S. released proposed pension regulations last November, the federal agency has received more than 2,300 public comments in response. Over 95 percent of those comments were specific to the regulations’ likely negative impact on public charter school employees.

As currently written, the proposed regulations would not only jeopardize the retirement security of public charter school employees already participating in such plans, but they effectively would prevent many public charter schools from recruiting and retaining veteran public school employees, significantly interfering with charter schools’ ability to achieve their educational goals. Furthermore, excluding public charter school employees from state retirement systems could cause significant funding problems for many state retirement plans.

“Public charter school employees should have the option of participating in state pension plans, and that choice should be up to charter school employees, rather than the Internal Revenue Service,” said Renita Thukral, NAPCS Senior Director of Legal Affairs. “These proposed regulations, as currently drafted, will cause a great deal of harm for charter schools as well as state pension funds across the country, and we encourage the I.R.S. to fix these proposed regulations as soon as possible.”

The public hearing on the proposed regulation will take place at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, July 9th, and will be held in the Auditorium, Internal Revenue Building, 1111 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington DC. Testifying against the proposed regulations on behalf of the NAPCS includes: Renita Thukral, Senior Director, Legal Affairs, NAPCS; David Dunn, Executive Director, Texas Charter Schools Association; and Jill Gottfred, Policy Manager, Illinois Network of Charter Schools.

About the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement by fostering a strong charter sector. For more information, please visit our website at www.publiccharters.org.

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National-Charter-Schools-Week-Kicks-Off-Today-–-Celebration-Runs-through-May-12,-2012

nora — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Advocates and Families Across Nation Celebrate 20 Years of Public Charter Schools in America

Washington, D.C. – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) leads the nation in celebrating the single largest and most impactful education reform effort of the past two decades: public charter schools.

National Charter Schools Week celebrates the many benefits of public charter schools, which includes providing parents with better public school options, innovative teaching and learning methods, and autonomy to create real time school improvements as a means of improving student achievement. Parents, teachers, students and advocates will recognize the successes of these innovative and effective schools while stressing to lawmakers in states across the country to do more to expand access to high-quality public charter schools.

According to the NAPCS, which organizes National Charter Schools Week, advocates have significant reason to celebrate in 2012. The number of students attending public charter schools has increased by an estimated 76 percent over the past five school years, while the number of schools has grown 40 percent (from 3,999 to an estimated 5,627). These schools are serving more than two million students across the country, while more than 400,000 students sit on waiting lists to be able to attend the high-quality public charter school of their choosing.

“Over the past 20 years, Americans from all backgrounds have experienced the transformational benefits of high-quality public charter schools, and National Charter Schools Week raises awareness of the continued need to expand access to these schools for millions of additional children,” said Ursula Wright, interim president and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “Despite significant progress in recent years, a great deal of work remains if we are to ensure that every state in the country allows effective and accountable charter schools for children.”

What started as an experiment in Minnesota in 1991 has now swept the country, with 41 states and the District of Columbia offering high-quality public charter school options and enrolling five percent of the nation’s public school students. With this growth, public charter schools have achieved bipartisan support over the years.

Charter schools are independent, tuition-free public schools allowed freedom to be more innovative, while being held accountable for improved student achievement. These open enrollment schools foster a partnership between parents, teachers and students that lead to improved academic results.

Studies indicate that effective public charter schools are making a significant impact on student achievement. Research from a RAND study, as well as a Betts and Tang meta-analysis indicates that public charter schools increase high school graduation and college acceptance rates, and provide significant benefits to students from low-income neighborhoods or students who are struggling in traditional public schools.

For more information about public charter schools, or about National Charter Schools Week, please visit www.PublicCharters.org.

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The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement for all students by fostering a strong charter sector. The Alliance provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement.

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National-Conference-Celebrates-20th-Anniversary-of-the-Public-Charter-School-Movement

nora — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Educators and Advocates Convene in Minnesota with National Alliance to Commemorate 20 Years of Public Charter Schools

Washington, D.C. – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) announced that today, June 19th as the beginning of a week-long celebration of the 20th anniversary of the public charter school movement. Thousands of teachers, school leaders, district officials and advocates are set to gather at the 12th annual National Charter Schools Conference to be held June 19-22 in Minneapolis, MN. This represents the largest gathering of charter school leaders in the nation and will feature Dr. Bill Cosby and Dr. Deborah Kenny, founder and CEO of Harlem Village Academies, as the keynote speakers.

The 2012 National Charter Schools Conference will bring thousands of education reformers together to share innovative ideas and be inspired by some of the brightest minds in education, public policy, business and philanthropy. Twenty years after the first charter school was founded in St. Paul, MN, the charter school movement has grown to serve over two million students in 5,600 charter schools across 41 states and the District of Columbia. Despite this growth, over 600,000 students remain on waiting lists to attend the high-quality public charter school of their choice.

“We are excited to have this chance to reflect on the rapid growth and major success of the public charter school movement two decades after the first public charter opened its doors,” said Nina Rees, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “Public charter schools are now entrusted with providing the education for over two million students, and we are looking to a future in which every family has access to quality public school options for their children.”

The nation’s first public charter school, City Academy High School, opened in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1992. Its creation ushered in a new movement, allowing communities to create independent public schools that provide parents with more public school options and teachers greater flexibility in order to better serve the diverse needs of students. The movement grew in its first 15 years to reach one million students by 2006, taking only five more years to surpass two million.

Support for charter schools is at an all-time high. According to figures released by NAPCS, nearly half of all states strengthened their existing charter school laws and one state enacted a new charter school law since January 2011. These state legislatures improved their charter school laws – oftentimes through bipartisan support – by lifting caps restricting charter growth, providing more equitable funding and facilities support, and enacting new authorizing and accountability measures. These legislative enactments have allowed more than 5,600 charter schools to open, seeing strong growth more recently with 400 to 500 new charters opening each year and 180,000 to 200,000 new students enrolling.

About the National Alliance

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement by fostering a strong charter sector. For more information, please visit our website at www.publiccharters.org.

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National-Waitlist-Figures-for-Public-Charter-Schools-Surpass-600,000-Students

nora — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT

New National Alliance Survey Finds Demand for Quality Charter Options Increased Nearly 200,000 Students in Two Years

Washington, D.C. – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) today released the results of a new national survey which found that the number of students on a waiting list to attend a public charter school has surpassed 600,000 students. This year marks the largest figure ever recorded of students waiting to attend a charter school – an increase of nearly 200,000 students since 2010.

The new survey results, which found that an estimated 610,000 students were on a public charter school waiting list across the nation as of last fall, topped the previous record set two years ago, when 420,000 students were reported on a waiting list. The NAPCS’ first survey in 2009 found that nearly 365,000 students were placed on a waiting list to attend a charter school. The waiting lists to attend a public charter school grew 67 percent since the 2008-2009 school year, demonstrating an increased demand from families who want more high-quality charter schools. Increased demand far outpaced the movement’s ability to add seats over the past two years.

“Hundreds of thousands of parents are desperate for the type of high-quality public school options that many are finding in charter schools. It’s frustrating for too many parents who simply want a high-quality public school education for their children but are forced to endure the uncertainty of a charter school lottery,” said Ursula Wright, interim CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “We need to remove the barriers that prevent students from attending the public charter schools of their choice, while ensuring that every charter school that enrolls them is of the highest quality.”

According to the survey, nearly two thirds of charter schools (64 percent) across the nation reported having children on their waitlist, with an average waiting list totaling 228 students. The survey also found that more mature charter schools had longer waiting lists. Schools open for six or more years had an average waiting list of 239 students, while younger charter schools averaged 188 students. Twelve charter schools in the nation reported waitlists of 2,000 students or more.

Demand to attend a charter school continues to grow even as new charter schools open and existing schools add students through expansion. Since the 2008-09 school year, charter schools added over 300,000 additional students through the opening of new schools, as well as 350,000 students from existing charter schools that expanded. Despite the total increase of 650,000 new students enrolled in charter schools during this time, the national waiting list total has grown to over 610,000.

The national survey found that inadequate facilities remains a major challenge public charter schools face. More than half (56 percent) of public charter schools responding to the survey reported that their current facility will not have adequate space for enrollment in five years.

These figures are based on a national survey of charter schools conducted in the spring of 2012 by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. National and statewide public charter school data can be found on the NAPCS Public Charter School Dashboard: http://www.publiccharters.org/dashboard.

About the National Alliance

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement by fostering a strong charter sector. For more information, please visit our website at www.publiccharters.org.

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Nearly-Half-of-All-State-Legislatures-Have-Strengthened-Charter-School-Laws-In-Just-Two-Years

nora — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT

National Alliance for Public Charter Schools Finds that Over a Two-Year Period, 23 State Charter School Laws Are Improved and One New State Charter School Law is Enacted, Often With Bipartisan Support

Washington, D.C. – According to figures released today by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS), 23 states strengthened their existing charter school laws and one state enacted a new charter school law since January 2011. These state legislatures improved their charter school laws – oftentimes through bipartisan support – by lifting caps restricting charter growth, providing more equitable funding and facilities support, and enacting new authorizing and accountability measures.

Twenty years after Minnesota opened the nation’s first charter school, 41 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws allowing charter schools. These legislative enactments have allowed more than 5,600 charter schools to open to serve more than two million students. The charter school sector has seen strong growth more recently, with 400 to 500 new charters opening each year with 180,000 to 200,000 new students enrolling.

“It’s encouraging that so many states are significantly strengthening their charter school laws, responding directly to the demand from families for quality public school choice in their communities,” said Todd Ziebarth, NAPCS Vice President for State Advocacy and Support. “The continuing success of the charter school movement relies on high-quality schools being allowed to operate across the nation. Policymakers are seeing charter schools as a solution, and we’re seeing their legislative efforts reflect this perspective.”

Since 2011, 12 states either partially or entirely lifted their caps prohibiting charter school growth. Most notably, North Carolina eliminated its cap of 100 charter schools, Michigan phased out its cap on the number of charter schools that can be approved by public universities, and Indiana and Wisconsin removed limits on virtual charter enrollment. Meanwhile, Maine became the 42nd jurisdiction to enact a charter law in 2011, passing one of the strongest charter laws in the nation.

Additionally since 2011, 12 states took steps to provide more equitable charter school funding and facilities support. These changes are critical since charter school students only receive about 75 percent of the funding compared to their traditional public school counterparts at the national level. Indiana, for example, enacted legislation to create a charter school facilities assistance program to make grants and loans to charter schools (and appropriates $17 million for this effort), and require school districts to make vacant space available to charter schools at a nominal cost. Also, Texas enacted a law that allows state-authorized charter schools meeting certain financial criteria to apply to have their bonds guaranteed by the state’s Permanent School Fund.

Fourteen states also took steps to strengthen charter school authorizing and accountability. Most significantly, four states created new, independent statewide charter authorizers, while Hawaii, New Mexico and Rhode Island passed major quality control measures setting the stage for the future growth of high-quality public charter schools. Furthermore, in Georgia, where a 2011 state Supreme Court ruling abolished the statewide charter authorizer, both the state’s House and Senate passed legislation in favor of a bipartisan constitutional amendment that would allow the statewide charter authorizer to be reinstated – an effort that required over two-thirds majorities in each chamber. The proposed amendment will now go before Georgia voters in November.

In addition to these legislative advancements, efforts are underway to enact charter laws in the nine states that still do not allow charter schools, sometimes with bipartisan support.

“The efforts of the last two years have resulted in numerous positive policy changes that will lead to a stronger charter movement,” said Ursula Wright, interim president and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “While there is still a lot of work to do, we are excited by the positive progress that has taken place in recent years.”

Charter schools are tuition-free public schools allowed the freedom to be more innovative, while being held accountable for improved student achievement. These open enrollment schools foster a partnership between parents, teachers and students that lead to improved results. Public charter schools enroll five percent of the nation’s public school students, and the movement has seen steady rising growth since its inception twenty years ago. Today, over two million students are enrolled in public charter schools. To celebrate this year’s 20th anniversary of the public charter school movement, NAPCS will host the 2012 National Charter Schools Conference, June 19-22 in Minneapolis, MN, featuring keynote speakers Dr. Bill Cosby and Dr. Deborah Kenny, founder and CEO of Harlem Village Academies.

About the National Alliance

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement by fostering a strong charter sector. For more information, please visit our website at www.publiccharters.org

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Click here for more information.

New-National-Report-Showcases-Six-Public-Charter-Schools-Improving-Student-Achievement-in-Underserved-Communities

charter — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Public Charter Schools Show Proven Success in Closing the Achievement Gap

Washington D.C. - The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) today is releasing its most recent Issue Brief, “A Mission to Serve: How Public Charter Schools are Designed to Meet the Diverse Demands of our Communities.” The report recognizes six high-performing charter schools in three underserved communities that have proved successful at closing the achievement gap for their largely African American and Latino student populations.

Meant to be used as a case study for how communities can leverage charter school autonomy to close the achievement gap, the report examines the use of location-based strategies, recruitment efforts and enrollment processes that successful schools have used to achieve their respective missions. The report highlights the following six high-performing public charter schools: West Denver Prep (Denver, CO), DSST Public Schools (Denver, CO), Achievement Prep (Washington D.C.), E.L. Haynes Public Charter School (Washington D.C.), Preuss School UCSD (San Diego, CA) and High Tech High (San Diego, CA).

Through strong results in student achievement, low attrition rates, high college acceptance and recognized academic success, these schools are providing their communities with high-quality public school options. What’s notable is that in each city, the two highlighted schools have sought out different, but equally valid methods of serving the community: one school deliberately serves those in the most underserved portions of their cities; the other seeks to create student bodies more representative of the makeup of the whole cities.

“Public charter school autonomy allows for mission-driven schools to meet the needs of our nation’s most underserved communities,” said Ursula Wright, interim president and CEO of the Alliance. “By providing more public schools with this kind of autonomy, we increase the potential for raising student achievement.”

The report notes that charter schools tend to operate in underserved communities, largely serving communities of color. The report cites recent data which finds that nationwide charter schools enroll a greater percentage than traditional public schools of low-income students (46 percent versus 41 percent), Black and Latino students (27 percent versus 15 percent and 26 percent versus 22 percent, respectively) and students who perform lower on standardized tests before transferring to public charter schools.

According to the report, “One of the most exceptional developments within the first two decades of the movement has been the rise of high-performing public charter schools with missions intently focused on educating students from traditionally underserved communities. Given that the demographics of these communities are often homogeneous, it is no surprise the demographics of these schools are that way as well. In fact, the student populations at these public charter schools usually mirror the populations in nearby district schools.” The report goes on to state, “The past decade or so also has seen a noteworthy rise in high performing public charter schools with missions intentionally designed to serve racially and economically integrated student populations. These schools are utilizing their autonomy to achieve a diverse student population through location-based strategies, recruitment efforts and enrollment processes.”

“Looking at high performing public charter schools that are consciously designed to serve their students—whether in homogeneous or diverse environments—underscores that public charter schools can accommodate both models and, in the process, provide more high quality options to our nation’s students,” said Wright.

Currently, the charter movement includes over 5,600 charter schools across 41 states and the District of Columbia. These schools are serving more than two million students across the country, an increase of approximately 76 percent over the past five school years, with hundreds of thousands of students on waiting lists to attend the high-quality public charter school of their choosing.

The Issue Brief can be found online at http://publiccharters.org/publication/?id=755 and national and statewide public charter school data can be found on the Public Charter School Dashboard:
http://www.publiccharters.org/dashboard.

####

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement by fostering a strong charter sector. For more information, please visit our website at www.publiccharters.org

Click here for more information.

New-Report-Identifies-110-Districts-With-10-Percent-of-Students-Enrolled-in-Public-Charter-Schools

nora — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Marks First Time More Than 100 School Districts Reach Milestone

Washington, D.C. — For the first time ever, more than 100 school districts have 10 percent of their students enrolled in public charter schools, according to a report released today by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS), titled A Growing Movement: America’s Largest Charter School Communities. Nationwide, charter school enrollment increased by 200,000 students in 2011-12, with more than two million students now enrolled in these independently run, innovative public schools that foster partnerships between parents, teachers and students.

According to the report, 110 school districts now have at least 10 percent of their public school students enrolled in public charter schools, a record high and an increase of nearly 15 percent over the previous year. In addition, 25 school districts have more than 20 percent of their public school students enrolled in charter schools. Seven districts enroll at least 30 percent of their public school students in charter schools.

“Whether in cities, towns, or rural communities, parents and teachers are collaborating to offer innovative options in the public school system to meet students’ needs,” said Nina S. Rees, the president and CEO of the NAPCS. “The increase in public charter school enrollment in all types of communities across America shows that parent demand for school options continues to grow. These numbers will continue to rise as teachers and parents work together to provide high-quality options in communities across America.”

Exceptional findings from the report include:

The seven school districts now with more than 30 percent of their public school students enrolled in public charter schools include: New Orleans, Detroit, Washington D.C., Kansas City (Missouri), Flint, Gary, and St. Louis.
The five school districts with the largest charter school enrollment grew by an average of 17 percent in 2011-12, adding a total of nearly 44,000 new students. These school districts include: Los Angeles Unified School District, New York City Department of Education, Detroit Public Schools, The School District of Philadelphia and Chicago Public Schools.
The percentage of New Orleans students attending public charter schools grew from 70 percent in the 2010-11 school year to 76 percent in the next school year. The city’s charter schools are the highest-performing sector in the district.
Among the 50 districts with the largest charter school student enrollments, 29 school districts saw the number of students enrolled in public charters increase by 10 percent or more. Clark County, Nev., and Hillsborough County, Fla., were identified as the districts with the fastest growing enrollment of charter schools, with increases of 64 percent and 52 percent, respectively.

To produce the report, NAPCS gathered public school enrollment data to identify districts where the highest local proportions of students are enrolled in public charter schools.

Download a copy of the report A Growing Movement: America’s Largest Charter School Communities – Seventh Annual Edition at http://publiccharters.org/publication/?id=902. The report uses 2011-2012 school-year enrollment figures. Please e-mail NAPCS at pressroom@publiccharters.org to ask questions about the report’s findings and speak with a charter school expert.

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Click here for more information.

Nine-More-Race-to-the-Top-States-Need-to-Prioritize-Public-Charter-Schools

diana — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC - In response to the U.S. Department of Education announcement that nine more states will receive $200 million in Race to the Top funding, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools today released the following statement from its president and CEO, Peter C. Groff:

“We support the U.S. Department of Education in their commitment to galvanizing education reform through the Race to the Top grant competition. While the announcement of $200 million to be shared between nine states represents a smaller investment, we are encouraged that it will still be applied rigorously to support the growth of high-quality charter schools.

Of the nine states to share this $200 million, several have shown outstanding commitment to supporting the growth of high-quality charter schools. Specifically, California, Colorado and Louisiana, have charter school laws which rank in the top ten for the nation. Arizona and Pennsylvania rank 11th and 12th respectively. Illinois, New Jersey and South Carolina have charter school laws that are somewhat supportive of public charter schools and will hopefully use funds to further improve the support system for charter schools in these states.

Kentucky stands out as the only applicant yet to pass a charter school law. Given that supporting charter schools was a specific guideline under the Race to the Top competition, we look forward to seeing Kentucky commit to allowing the creation of charter schools. Despite education reform efforts that may exist in Kentucky, this state is keeping high-quality charter schools from bringing parents another public school option.

We hope the secretary will use this opportunity to reaffirm that the benefits sought in the original Race to the Top applications, including ensuring successful conditions for high-performing schools and other innovative schools, are as fully realized as possible. This includes following the lead set by states like Massachusetts, Ohio and Rhode Island by requiring that the eight eligible states with charter schools ensure those schools are equitably included in any sub-grant opportunities provided to local education agencies.

We look forward to working with any state committed to supporting the growth of high-quality charter schools. As states apply for this round of grants ranging from $10 million to $50 million, we expect public charter schools will remain a priority for work within Race to the Top scope of work.”

About the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools:

Number-of-Public-Charter-School-Students-in-U.S.-Surpasses-Two-Million

nora — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) announced today that the number of students attending public charter schools across the nation has surpassed two million. Over 500 new public charter schools opened their doors in the 2011-12 school year, an estimated increase of 200,000 students. This year marks the largest single–year increase ever recorded in terms of the number of additional students attending charters.

There are now approximately 5,600 public charter schools enrolling what is estimated to be more than two million students nationwide. The numbers equate to a 13 percent growth in students in just one year, while more than 400,000 students remain on wait lists to attend the public school of their choice. This significant milestone demonstrates increased demand from families who want more high-quality educational options for their children.

“We are very encouraged to see the active role parents are playing to ensure their children receive a high-quality education,” said Ursula Wright, interim CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “The results that charter schools are demonstrating are not only a testament to the hard work of thousands of teachers and charter leaders, but to families demanding more in terms of what a high-quality education means for their individual children.”

The top states that added the greatest number of students over the past year include: California with 47,000 new students; Florida with 23,500 additional students; Texas with 22,000 additional students; and Ohio with more than 12,000 additional students.

California leads the nation in total number of charter schools with 983 schools in
operation, followed by Arizona with 524, Florida with 520, Ohio with 360, and Texas with
284.

In addition to the more than 500 new schools nationwide, roughly 150 public charter schools did not re-open their doors this fall. These schools closed for a variety of reasons, including low enrollment, financial challenges and low academic performance. The closures provide further evidence that the charter school intent works—schools that do not meet the needs of their students should close.

The states with the largest number of school closures include: California (34), Arizona (22), Florida (18), Ohio (14), and Wisconsin (11).

Charter schools are tuition-free public schools that are allowed to be more innovative while being held for accountable for improved student achievement. These figures were compiled based on data from state departments of education and state charter school support organizations and resource centers.

National and statewide public charter school data can be found on the Public Charter School Dashboard:
http://dashboard.publiccharters.org/dashboard/home

For more information, please contact:
Stephanie Grisham
(480) 707-7434
Stephanie@larsonpr.com

###

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement by fostering a strong charter sector. For more information, please visit our website at
www.publiccharters.org
Click here for more information.

President-Bill-Clinton-Honored-with-Lifetime-Achievement-Award-at-National-Charter-Schools-Conference

diana — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC – President Bill Clinton will be presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools at the National Charter Schools Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

“We are deeply honored to recognize President Clinton for his ongoing commitment to giving all students high-quality public school options. Without his leadership, our movement would not be where it is today,” said Peter C. Groff, president and CEO, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “President Clinton has championed public charter schools throughout his career, most especially with the establishment of the federal Charter Schools Program, which has allowed thousands of charter schools to open and will give millions of students a chance at a better education.”

The award recognizes President Clinton’s ongoing support of public charter schools spanning more than 20 years. President Clinton established the federal government’s interest in supporting the development of the charter school movement in 1993, when he proposed the Charter Schools Program (CSP). This program was enacted through the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) in 1994. The CSP is a discretionary grant program, administered by the U.S. Department of Education. It supports the planning, development and start-up process for new charter schools.

When President Clinton was elected in 1992 there was only one charter school open. By the time his administration left office, there were over 2,000 charter schools across the nation. Today more than 5,000 charter schools serve more than 1.8 million students across America.

President Clinton will speak on Tuesday, June 21st at 11:30 a.m. EST in the Thomas Murphy Ballroom at the Georgia World Congress Center. This event is open to credentialed media and registered conference attendees only. The theme for this year’s conference is “Because Every Child Can Succeed.” A complete overview of the week’s activities can be found at www.nationalcharterconference.org.

President Clinton will be joined by an impressive line-up of keynote speakers, including the Honorable Mayor Cory A. Booker, Newark, New Jersey; Success Charter Network Founder and CEO Eva Moskowitz; U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan; and Children Defense Fund (CDF) Founder and President Marion Edelman.
About the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools:

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. NAPCS works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The Alliance provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. NAPCS represents more than 1.8 million students enrolled in more than 5,000 charter schools across 40 states and the District of Columbia.

Click here for more information.

President-Bill-Clinton-Honored-with-Lifetime-Achievement-Award-at-National-Charter-Schools-Conference

diana — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC – President Bill Clinton today accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools at the National Charter Schools Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

“We are deeply honored to recognize President Clinton for his ongoing commitment to giving all students high-quality public school options. Without his leadership, our movement would not be where it is today,” said Peter C. Groff, president and CEO, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “President Clinton has championed public charter schools throughout his career, most especially with the establishment of the federal Charter Schools Program, which has allowed thousands of charter schools to open and will give millions of students a chance at a better education.”

The award recognizes President Clinton’s ongoing support of public charter schools spanning more than twenty years. President Clinton established the federal government’s interest in supporting the development of the charter school movement in 1993, when he proposed the Charter Schools Program (CSP). This program was enacted through the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) in 1994. The CSP is a discretionary grant program, administered by the U.S. Department of Education. It supports the planning, development and start-up process for new charter schools.

When President Clinton was elected in 1992 there was only one charter school open. By the time his administration left office, there were over 2,000 charter schools across the nation. Today more than 5,000 charter schools serve more than 1.8 million students across America.

Joining President Clinton before 4,000 charter school teachers, leaders and supporters were the Honorable Mayor Cory A. Booker, Newark, New Jersey, Success Charter Network Founder and CEO Eva Moskowitz and Peter C. Groff, president and CEO, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.

About the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools:

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. NAPCS works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The Alliance provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. NAPCS represents more than 1.8 million students enrolled in more than 5,000 charter schools across 40 states and the District of Columbia.

Click here for more information.

PUBLIC-CHARTER-SCHOOL-MOVEMENT-CELEBRATES-20-YEARS-OF-PUBLIC-EDUCATION-INNOVATION,-STUDENT-ACHIEVEMENT,-AND-PARENTAL-CHOICE

nora — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT

National Alliance for Public Charter Schools Highlights Two Decades of Success

Washington, D.C. – Twenty years ago tomorrow, the first public charter school opened, forging the path for the most innovative public education reform movement in a century. City Academy High School in St Paul, MN was proposed by a local Citizens League and authorized by bi-partisan legislation endorsed by a Democratic-majority legislature and a Republican governor.

Today, demand for public charter schools is at an all time high. More than 2,000,000 students in 41 states and D.C. now attend a charter school, and more than 610,000 more are on waiting lists. The results of the new Phi Delta Kappa (PDK)/Gallup poll show the public nationwide favors public charter schools by a two to one margin.

Public charter schools are tuition-free public schools allowed the freedom to be more innovative, while being held accountable for improved student achievement. These open enrollment public schools are demonstrating that the achievement gap can be closed and that every child, regardless of where they live or their socio-economic status, can achieve at high academic levels. While the nation’s more than 5,600 charter schools represent only five percent of the nation’s public schools, they are disproportionally represented onUS News & World Report’s Best High Schools list (17%), Washington Post’s High School Challenge Index list (25%), and Newsweek’s Transformative High Schools list (60%).

“The cornerstone of the public charter school movement is to bring effective innovation into the teaching and learning process, to provide parents choices that better suit their children’s personal needs, and to allow educators the autonomy they deserve to best educate their students,” said Nina Rees, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS), the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement.

“Twenty years later, and after more than 200 studies on charter schools, we’ve learned that eliminating unnecessary restrictions on how we teach, and breaking down the barriers of who can help children learn, has enhanced how children can achieve, learn, and develop.”

In the last two years, nearly 41 state legislatures strengthened their charter school laws by lifting caps restricting charter growth, providing more equitable funding and facilities support, and enacting new authorizing and accountability measures. Maine enacted its first charter school law.

In addition, the public charter school movement has been embraced by a wide swath of Americans, including Presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama; business leaders Bill Gates and Craig Barrett; celebrities Bill Cosby, John Legend, and Andre Agassi; and organizations including the National Council of La Raza and the United Negro College Fund.

In the coming decade, leaders of the public charter school movement will concentrate their efforts on making the charter sector the source of innovative solutions to public education’s most pressing challenges and providing more high-performing schools to families and students across the nation.

About NAPCS?
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement by fostering a strong charter sector. For more information, please visit our website at www.publiccharters.org.

NAPCS has been at the forefront of analyzing and sharing important charter school data and effective educational practices. Its Public Charter School Dashboard provides the most comprehensive set of publicly available public school data, including performance, enrollment, demographic, and graduation rates for districts and states nationwide.

Its newest report, Fulfilling the Compact, highlights the trends driven by charter schools including integrating and utilizing technology in effective ways; transforming how teachers and school leaders are recruited, supported, and retained; and reinventing how schools are operated and educational opportunities are provided.

Click here for more information.

Public-Charter-Schools-Bolstered-by-“Champions-for-Charters”-Honorees

daniel — Mon, 02 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Sarah Johnson, (202) 521-2826
Diana Ozemebhoya , (202) 521-2838
pressroom@publiccharters.org

Washington, DC – This week the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) recognizes public officials from California, Rhode Island and New Mexico for their commitment to promoting high-quality charter schools. This year’s awardees are U.S. Representative Howard P. McKeon (CA), New Mexico State Senator Mark Boitano, Rhode Island Education Commissioner Deborah Gist and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. The honorees are announced annually during National Charter Schools Week, which runs May 1-7.

“Charter schools are delivering high-quality, public education options for children who may otherwise be trapped in chronically failing schools, and these unique schools are made possible through support from policymakers, ” said Peter C. Groff, president and CEO, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “On behalf of the 1.6 million families with children enrolled in charter schools, we thank these policymakers for their courage and commitment to high-quality public charter schools.”

Annually, the Champions for Charters awards recognize public officials for leading a major public charter issue or initiative, serving as a highly visible public charter school advocate, and consistently supporting charters as a high-quality public school choice option.

This year’s honorees are being recognized for the following accomplishments:

U.S. Representative Howard P. McKeon (CA) - As the former chairperson and ranking member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee McKeon ushered in a bill to improve and reauthorize the federal Charter Schools Program (CSP), an essential piece of legislation for helping new charter schools open. This bill was the first to focus on replication and expansion of the best charter school models. McKeon has continued to show his support for annual increases in appropriations for the CSP.
New Mexico Senator Mark Boitano - New Mexico Senator Mark Boitano has demonstrated steadfast support for public charter schools during his 11 years in the legislature. In particular, his sponsorship of the 1999 Charter Schools Act and leadership in strengthening it in 2006 continues to open up countless new public education opportunities for children, teachers and principals throughout New Mexico.
Rhode Island Education Commissioner Deborah Gist – Gist has led Rhode Island policymakers to partially lift the state cap on charter schools, and strengthen charter school accountability. Gist also pushed legislators to approve a school financing formula, which improved funding equity for all public schools including charters.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa - Villaraigosa courageously backed charter school operators in their efforts to take over new and low-performing campuses in Los Angeles. Villaraigosa has also led efforts to give charter schools access to bond agreements and facilities throughout the city.

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. NAPCS works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and underserved families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. NAPCS provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. More than 1.6 million students attend nearly 5,000 charter schools in 40 states and the District of Columbia.
Click here for more information.

Public-Charter-Schools-Growing-Stronger:-Serving-1.8-Million-Students-in-More-Than-5,000-Schools

diana — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Atlanta, Ga. – Today the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) kicks-off the eleventh annual National Charter Schools Conference celebrating charter school successes and opportunities. Four thousand charter school professionals gather to hear from keynote speakers including President Bill Clinton, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Mayor Cory Booker of Newark, New Jersey.

“This week we are thrilled to celebrate the high-quality public school options charter schools are giving to more than 1.8 million students across America. These independent schools are among the most powerful tools working to reform public education,” said Peter C. Groff, president and CEO, NAPCS. “We gather in Atlanta, a significant location for civil rights accomplishments, and recognize that improving public education for all students is the most pressing civil rights issue today. Public charter schools are leading the charge and delivering new options to children who deserve access to high-quality, public schools.”

To describe both growth and quality of the charter school movement, NAPCS today released the latest dataset on the Public Charter Schools Dashboard. This dashboard is the most comprehensive, publically available database of statistics and indicators about the growth and quality of public charter schools. The dashboard hosts detailed information on every charter school in operation including enrollment, student demographic and achievement data. It also aggregates relevant statistics to national, state and district -levels. A total 1.8 million students attended 5,277 public charter schools in 2010-2011, representing an 11.8% growth over 2009-2010.

The dashboard shows public charter schools serve a higher percentage of non-white and urban students. Sixty-three percent of public charter school students are non-white, compared with 42.7 percent non-white in traditional public schools. Roughly 55 percent of public charter schools are located in large cities compared with 25 percent of traditional public schools were located in large cities. Effectively bringing high-quality public schools to these traditionally underserved communities is a primary focus of the conference, themed “Because Every Child Can Succeed.” More than 140 conference sessions for educators and charter supporters address improving legal, operational, governance and academic outcomes for charter schools.

This event is open to credentialed media and registered conference attendees only. A complete overview of the week’s activities can be found at www.nationalcharterconference.org.

About the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools:

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. NAPCS works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The Alliance provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. NAPCS represents more than 1.8 million students enrolled in more than 5,000 charter schools across 40 states and the District of Columbia.

Click here for more information.

Public-Charter-Schools-Now-Enrolling-At-Least-30-Percent-of-Students-in-a-Record-Six-School-Districts-Nationwide

diana — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Washington, D.C. -- A record number of school districts—six—have at least 30 percent of their public school students enrolled in public charter schools, according to an annual report released Monday by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) entitled A Growing Movement: American’s Largest Charter School Communities – Sixth Annual Edition. In addition, an all-time high of 18 school districts have more than 20 percent of their public school students enrolled in charter schools.

“This report demonstrates that in areas where families have a choice, a growing number of them are choosing public charter schools over the traditional public schools available to them,” said Ursula Wright, interim president and CEO of the NAPCS. “Consequently, the public education landscape is shifting in many major cities.”

Exceptional findings from the report include:

Six school districts now have more than 30 percent of their public school students enrolled in public charter schools: New Orleans, Washington D.C., Detroit, Kansas City (Missouri), Flint, and Gary.
18 school districts have more than 20 percent of their public school students enrolled in charter schools.
An astounding 70 percent of public school students in New Orleans attended public charter schools in the 2010-2011 school year. Charter schools are the highest performing sector of public schools in the city.
Los Angeles again tops the list of districts with the highest number of public charter school students enrolled with 79,385 students. To provide a sense of scale, the number of students enrolled in public charter schools in Los Angeles, alone, would place the city’s charter schools in the top 45 of the 100 largest school districts in the United States.
Nearly 100 school districts now have at least 10 percent of public school students in charter schools.

“We estimate that there are now more than 2 million students in public charter schools across the country,” said Wright. “And with hundreds of thousands more students across the country hoping for an additional seat in a charter school, we expect our share of the public school landscape to continue to rise in the coming years.”

The “Top 10” highest percentages of public charter school students are in these 12 districts: New Orleans Public School System, La. (70 percent), District of Columbia Public Schools, (39 percent), Detroit Public Schools, Mich. (37 percent), Kansas City, Mo. (35 percent), Flint City School District, Mich. (32 percent), Gary Community School Corporation, Ind. (30 percent), St. Louis Public Schools, Mo. (29 percent), Dayton Public Schools, Ohio (27 percent), Youngstown City Schools, Ohio (24 percent), Albany City School District, NY (23 percent), Cleveland Municipal School District, Ohio (23 percent) and Toledo Public Schools, Ohio (23 percent).

The “Top 10” districts serving the highest number of public charter school students are: Los Angeles Unified School District, Calif. (79,385), Detroit Public Schools, Mich. (45,073), the School District of Philadelphia, Pa. (40,322), New York City Department of Education, N.Y. (38,743), Chicago Public Schools, Ill. (37,909), Houston Independent School District, Tex. (37,499), Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Fla. (35,380), District of Columbia Public Schools (29,366), New Orleans Public School System, La. (27,728) and Broward County Public Schools, Fla. (24,150).

The “Top 10” districts that experienced the highest annual growth in the percentage of public charter school students are: Orange County Public Schools, Fla. (42 percent), Memphis City Schools, Tenn. (41 percent), New York City Department of Education, N.Y. (29 percent), Mesa Public Schools, Ariz. (27 percent), Baltimore City Public Schools, Md. (26 percent), New Orleans Public Schools, La. (23 percent), Alpine School District, Utah (22 percent), San Antonio Independent School District, Tex, (21 percent), Indianapolis Public Schools, Ind. (20 percent), Los Angeles Unified School District, Calif. (19 percent) and the School District of Philadelphia, Pa. (19 percent).

Download a copy of the report A Growing Movement: America’s Largest Charter School Communities – Sixth Annual Edition at http://www.publiccharters.org/publication/?id=613. The report uses 2010-2011 school-year enrollment figures. Please e-mail the NAPCS at pressroom@publiccharters.org to discuss the report’s findings and to speak with a charter school expert.

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Public-Charter-Schools-Reach-New-Milestone:-Record-6,000-Schools-Are-Serving-2.3-Million-Students

charter — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Data from Current School Year Shows 80% Growth in Enrollment Over Five Years

Washington, D.C. — The number of public charter schools operating in the United States has surpassed 6,000 for the first time in the 20-year effort to provide innovative alternatives to traditional public schools, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools announced today. These new figures are based on estimates from the 2012-13 school year. The 6,000 public charter schools are now educating more than 2.3 million students – also a record number – in the current school year.

The public charter school movement had a net gain of 381 schools for the 2012-13 school year. Charter schools are enrolling 275,000 more students this year than in 2011-12 – the largest single-year increase since the movement’s inception.

“The growth of the public charter sector continues because parents are demanding quality options for their children,” said Nina Rees, the president and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “Charter leaders are opening schools to respond to parents and to provide more students with a quality education that meets their needs.”

The first public charter schools opened 20 years ago in a handful of states and the movement has grown steadily to comprise more than five percent of public schools in the country, according to the data the National Alliance collected on the current school year.

Five states were responsible for a net gain of 237 total new schools this school year. The five leading states include: California with 81 total schools added; Florida with 67 schools added; Texas with 41 schools added; New York with 25 schools added; and Michigan with 23 schools added. These five states now account for more than 2,400 of the nation’s public charter schools.

These increases continue five years of significant growth for public charter schools. Since 2007-08, the public charter sector has added 1,700 schools – almost a 50 percent increase – and is serving an additional one million students – an increase of 80 percent.

“The growth over the past five years has been truly remarkable,” Rees said. “Our movement has momentum that will continue to positively impact public education because our leaders are committed to pursuing innovation and replicating success in communities across America.”

The new data is available on the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools’ data dashboard: http://dashboard.publiccharters.org/dashboard/home.

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Report-Shows-Charter-Schools-Have-Lasting-and-Positive-Impact-in-Rural-Areas

nora — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools Highlights the Portability of the Charter Model

Washington, D.C. – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is today announcing the release of its most recent Issue Brief, “Beyond City Limits: Expanding Public Charter Schools in Rural America.” As lawmakers in states with predominately rural areas grapple with the idea of enacting charter school laws, this brief is meant to be used as a guide for policymakers, charter support organizations, and communities that want to offer high-quality options that can meet the educational needs of rural students.

The Issue Brief dissects common challenges faced in rural public education, the current landscape of rural charter schools, and also discusses some key hurdles that must be overcome in order to launch a successful public charter school in a small community. Additionally, innovative approaches that charter schools have used to achieve success in rural areas are highlighted, which offer real-life examples and policy recommendations for achieving charter school quality and scale.

“Rural students comprise a vital segment of the American public education system; however, their educational needs are not being met,” said Ursula Wright, interim president & CEO. “One in four students, which equates to over 11 million children, attend rural public schools and one in five of the nation’s lowest performing schools are in rural areas. There is a real focus required to ensure rural schools are meeting the academic needs of their students and charter schools can help by providing high-quality options.”

In 2009-10, there were 785 rural charter schools in operation, comprising 16 percent of all charter schools nationwide, enrolling more than a quarter-million students. This is in comparison to more than 30,000 district run rural schools, which accounts for 33 percent of all traditional schools. In addition to citing examples of successful charter schools located in rural areas, the report highlights the common challenges faced by tall rural public schools - charter and traditional - including budget constraints, course offerings, recruitment, special education resources, and transportation.

An example of a successful charter school in a rural area can be found in Paradox Valley, Colorado. The community saw its local district school close in 1999 a result of declining population, forcing students to travel three hours to attend the nearest public school. In response, the local community founded the Paradox Valley Charter School to not only address logistical issues, but also take a stance toward preserving its distinctive rural culture. During the 2010-2011 school year, Paradox served 54 students ranging from pre-K to eighth grade, and consistently reaches its adequate yearly progress accountability benchmarks.

There are a number of ways that policymakers and charter support organizations can help expand high-quality charter schools in rural communities. For policymakers, laws allowing for public charter schools and then equitable funding of those schools must be at the forefront. The further development of rural charter schools is contingent upon lawmakers setting a level playing field that is conducive to growth. State charter support organizations are instrumental in making sure that rural communities are well-informed on the potential benefits of charter schools.

The Rural Issue Brief can be found online at http://www.publiccharters.org/publication/?id=693 and national and statewide public charter school data can be found on the Public Charter School Dashboard: http://www.publiccharters.org/dashboard.

For more information, please contact:
Stephanie Grisham
(480) 707-7434
Stephanie@larsonpr.com

About the National Alliance
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement by fostering a strong charter sector. For more information, please visit our website at www.publiccharters.org.
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Senator-Boitano-Named-“Champion-for-Charters”-by-National-Alliance-for-Public-Charter-Schools

daniel — Tue, 03 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Sarah Johnson, (202) 521-2826
Diana Ozemebhoya , (202) 521-2838
pressroom@publiccharters.org

Washington, DC – This week the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) recognizes Senator Boitano for his commitment to promoting high-quality charter schools. Annually, the Champions for Charters awards recognize public officials for leading a major public charter issue or initiative, serving as a highly visible public charter school advocate, and consistently supporting charters as a high-quality public school choice option. The honorees are announced during National Charter Schools Week, which runs May 1-7.

“Senator Boitano has shown leadership and continued commitment to high-quality charter schools throughout his time as a public servant,” said Peter C. Groff, president and CEO, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “On behalf of the 1.6 million children enrolled in charter schools, we thank Senator Boitano for making sure New Mexico families have access to high-quality public charter schools.”

"Charter schools are truly the change agents and disruptors in public education today. Their innovative approach to governance, budgeting, staffing, scheduling and curriculum - coupled with their small size - has energized students and parents,” said Sen. Boitano. “Charters have long waiting lists in my school district. I've already seen a significant change in our traditional public schools in New Mexico because of the reforms pioneered by our charters."

New Mexico Senator Mark Boitano has demonstrated steadfast support for public charter schools during his 11 years in the legislature. In particular, his sponsorship of the 1999 Charter Schools Act and leadership in strengthening it in 2006 continues to open up countless new public education opportunities for children, teachers and principals throughout New Mexico.

Joining Boitano in receiving this year’s recognition are U.S. Representative Howard “Buck” McKeon, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa of California and Rhode Island Education Commissioner Deborah Gist.

Today marks the beginning of the 12th annual National Charter Schools Week celebrating the ways in which charter schools are helping children and families. Charter schools are independent public schools that are free to be more innovative and are held accountable for improved student achievement. They foster a partnership between parents, teachers and students to create an environment in which parents can be more involved, teachers are given the freedom to innovate and students are provided the structure they need to learn. This week, public charter school supporters around the nation are hosting and participating in numerous activities to mark the movement’s success and growth.

Statement-from-Nina-Rees-on-the-2012-Election

nora — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Washington, D.C. – The 2012 election is an important moment in the public charter schools movement.

In two states, voters sent a clear message that they want public school options that are unique partnerships between teachers, parents, and students and that respond to the specific needs of their communities.

Voters in Georgia rejected the status quo and created conditions that support the growth of high-quality public charter schools that are accountable for student achievement. Now, charter applicants who are rejected by school districts will have access to a fair appeals process.

In Washington state, where votes are still being counted, voters are on the verge of making their state the 42nd with a public charter school law. If the results hold up, families and children in Washington will have the chance to attend schools that are as innovative as the companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Boeing that drive the state’s economy forward.

In addition, the re-election of President Obama maintains leadership for charter schools at the national level. In his first term, President Obama created an environment where charter schools could thrive through the incentives in Race to the Top, Investing in Innovation, Promise Neighborhoods, and other reform programs. Over the past three years, almost half of states have revised their charter school laws to support growth and quality. Over the past four years, enrollment in public charter schools has risen by almost 1 million students. Today, more than 2 million students attend these unique public schools that serve the needs of students and their parents.

With the support of voters in Georgia, Washington and other states, and with the leadership from elected officials in state houses and Washington, D.C., the best days are ahead for the public charter school community.

About NAPCS

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The-National-Alliance-for-Public-Charter-Schools-Applauds-House-Passage-of-the-“Empowering-Parents-Through-Quality-Charter-Schools-Act-of-2011”

diana — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Washington, D.C. —The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools today released the following statement from president and CEO Peter C. Groff to applaud the U.S. House of Representatives’ passage of the Empowering Parents through Quality Charter Schools Act of 2011:

“Today was a good day for parents, teachers and—most importantly—the nearly two million students who attend public charter schools. It is also a day of renewed hope to the 420,000 children on waiting lists to attend a public charter school. The Alliance applauds the House’s strong bipartisan vote on this education reform bill that will help grow and sustain our nation’s charter school movement. It is fitting that Congress showed such strong support for charters, given that seven out of 10 Americans support these independent public schools. Charter schools promote excellence and innovation – and are working tirelessly to close the achievement gap in many of our nation’s most underserved communities.”

The bill, which is the first of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorization bills to be passed by the House, provides funding to open new charter schools and replicate and expand high-performing models; streamlines and updates the federal charter facilities aid programs to ensure charter school students can learn in the best possible school settings; drives the next generation of state policies around quality; supports the evaluation of charter schools’ impact on students, families and communities; and encourages the sharing of best practices between public charter schools and traditional public schools.

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The-National-Alliance-for-Public-Charter-Schools-Commends-Outgoing-President-and-CEO,-Peter-C.-Groff

diana — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Washington, D.C. —The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) today announced the departure of its president and CEO, Peter C. Groff. This former elected official, public servant and charter school advocate has accepted a position with the Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO) where he will serve as a Senior Advisor to oversee legislative outreach efforts. In addition, he will focus on leadership development with black elected officials and forming stronger coalitions with traditional civil rights organizations and community groups on issues related to education reform. Ursula Wright, Chief Operating Officer at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, has been named the interim president and CEO.

“The board of directors is deeply appreciative of Peter’s contributions and supports his decision to take on the very important work of establishing greater coalitions of support for education reform among black elected officials,” said Mashea Ashton, board chairperson, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools and founding trustee of the Black Alliance for Educational Options.

“Peter is the perfect person to spearhead BAEO’s Black elected official outreach and diversity initiatives,” said interim president and CEO Ursula Wright. “His work at BAEO will complement and reinforce many of the policy initiatives in which the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is engaged. This is an exciting time for the charter sector, and I am comforted to know that Peter will be working hard to develop new legislative champions across the country.”

Before accepting his position at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, Groff served as the director of the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships at the U. S. Department of Education. Prior to accepting that position, Groff was the founder and executive director of the University of Denver’s Center for New Politics and Policy (formerly Center for African American Policy).

Groff also served as the 47th president of the Colorado State Senate and was the first African-American in Colorado to hold that post, and only the third African-American in the nation’s history to hold the gavel as state Senate president. Senator Groff, who was called the “Conscience of the Senate,” served in the Colorado General Assembly for nine years and passed landmark legislation prohibiting racial profiling, requiring booster seats for young children and creating visionary education reform measures.

“Joining BAEO at this time will allow me to focus on what I consider to be a critical barrier to education reform – the fact that African American families are not keeping up with the pace of reform or realizing the extent to which they are being left behind,” said Groff. “My work at BAEO will allow me to further my advocacy of the charter sector by focusing intently on engaging the entire African American community.

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The-National-Alliance-for-Public-Charter-Schools-Releases-Statement-on-Charter-School-Management-Organization-Study

diana — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Washington, D.C. —The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) today released the following statement from interim president and CEO Ursula Wright in reference to a new report issued today by the Mathematica Policy Research and the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) that explores the practices and effectiveness of charter school management organizations:

“We are encouraged by a number of the findings of the new Mathematica Policy Research and CRPE report on the effectiveness of Charter Management Organizations (CMOs) nationwide, which shows that many of the nation’s strongest CMOs are delivering exceptional results for the students and families they serve.

It is good to see strong evidence confirming what we in the charter space have believed for a while: High-performing charter school organizations are dramatically increasing the odds that black and Latino students, and students from low-income families will succeed in college and beyond. Specifically, children served by the highest-performing CMOs are achieving three years of learning in only two years of school.”

The findings from the report, which examined the academic performance of 22 CMOs with at least four middle schools, include:

About half of CMOs have positive impacts on student achievement relative to neighboring district schools, while almost one-third are under-performing their local districts. Students in the highest-performing CMOs benefit from three years of learning gains over two academic years.

Hispanic students tend to benefit most from CMOs, especially in math.

Scale need not hamper quality. Larger CMOs tend to have greater academic gains than smaller ones.

“We need to replicate what’s working within these high performers to ensure that all students can thrive in a high-quality public school,” said Wright. “At the same time, we must also as a movement acknowledge that there is a small subset of CMOs that are not serving their students well. It is important that we take these results seriously and encourage charter authorizers, and the rest of the charter school community, to take steps to ensure that all public charter schools are meeting their intended promise.”

Click here to learn more about the report http://www.mathematica-mpr.com/index.asp. Please e-mail the NAPCS at pressroom@publiccharters.org to speak with a spokesperson and discuss the report’s significance to the public charter school movement.

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U.S.-Education-Secretary-Arne-Duncan-Urges-Public-Charter-School-Supporters-to-Demand-Quality;-Children’s-Defense-Fund-Leader-Agrees-Charter-Sector-Must-Hold-Itself-Accountable-for-Student-Success

diana — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Atlanta, Ga. – U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Children’s Defense Fund Founder and President Marian Wright Edelman today addressed 4,000 public charter school supporters at the National Charter Schools Conference hosted by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS).

“Charter schools can play an important role in school reform by offering high-quality public school options for thousands of children,” Secretary Duncan said. “I look forward to working with leaders in the charter school community, both to broaden their impact on strengthening the education system in states and communities and to enhance quality and accountability throughout the charter school sector.”

“We know public charter schools are delivering the only high-quality public school option for thousands of children in major urban cities in America,” said Peter C. Groff, president and CEO, NAPCS. “Two strong advocates for children joined us today, U.S. Education Secretary Duncan and Children’s Defense Fund leader Marian Wright Edelman, to remind us that our children need more from us. That’s why professionals at every level of the movement: state education agencies, policymakers, authorizers, legislators, teachers and school leaders, gather at the national charter conference and commit to quality. We have shown some strong successes, and we intend to keep strengthening our movement as we strive to meet growing demand for more high-quality public charter schools.”

Yesterday President Bill Clinton accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award from NAPCS for his ongoing support of public charter schools spanning more than twenty years. Since President Clinton left office, public charter school growth has remained steady. Over the last five years, enrollment in public charter schools increased by roughly 160,000 students per year.

“Public charter schools bring parents, students and a community together to design a unique public school meant to serve the community where it is developed,” said Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president, Children’s Defense Fund. “But to truly resolve the inequities present in public education, we must demand that charter schools hold themselves to the highest standards of quality and effectiveness. Accountability is crucial for all public schools.”

The National Charter Schools Conference is open to credentialed media and registered conference attendees only. A complete overview of the week’s activities can be found at www.nationalcharterconference.org. More than 140 conference sessions will focus on helping educators and charter school supporters focus on building quality operations and academic programs into all charter schools. The theme for this year’s conference is “Because Every Child Can Succeed.”

About the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools:

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. NAPCS works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The Alliance provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. NAPCS represents more than 1.8 million students enrolled in more than 5,000 charter schools across 40 states and the District of Columbia.
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U.S.-Rep.-McKeon-and-Mayor-Villaraigosa-Named--“Champions-for-Charters”-by-National-Alliance-for-Public-Charter-Schools

daniel — Tue, 03 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC – This week the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) recognizes U.S. Representative Howard “Buck” McKeon and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for their commitment to promoting high-quality charter schools. Annually, the Champions for Charters awards recognize public officials for leading a major public charter issue or initiative, serving as a highly visible public charter school advocate, and consistently supporting charters as a high-quality public school choice option. The honorees are announced during National Charter Schools Week, which runs May 1-7.

“Charter schools are delivering high-quality, public education options for children who may otherwise be trapped in chronically failing schools, and these unique schools are made possible through support from policymakers, ” said Peter C. Groff, president and CEO, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “On behalf of the 1.6 million families with children enrolled in charter schools, we thank Representative McKeon and Mayor Villaraigosa for their courage and commitment to high-quality public charter schools.”

As the former chairperson and ranking member of the House Education and Labor Committee McKeon ushered in a bill to improve and reauthorize the federal Charter Schools Program (CSP), an essential piece of legislation for helping new charter schools open. This bill was the first to focus on replication and expansion of the best charter school models. McKeon has continued to show his support for annual increases in appropriations for the CSP.

Mayor Villaraigosa courageously backed charter school operators in their efforts to take over new and low-performing campuses in Los Angeles. Villaraigosa has also led efforts to give charter schools access to bond agreements and facilities throughout the city.

“We congratulate Mayor Villaraigosa and Rep. McKeon, whose support for charter schools and education reform truly embodies the term ‘charter champion.’ We are very appreciative of the Mayor’s commitment to expand charter schools, increase accountability, and improve charter-district relationships in order to ensure that every family and student in Los Angeles has the choice to attend a school that will deliver on its promise of a quality education,” said Jed Wallace, president and CEO of the CCSA. “Rep. McKeon has also demonstrated long-term support for charter schools at the federal level by supporting the Charter Schools Program and standing up for families across the country. Our charter school sector in California would not be the success it is without the support of these two charter champions.”

Also receiving the honor this year are Rhode Island Education Commissioner Deborah Gist and New Mexico State Senator Mark Boitano.

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (http://www.publiccharters.org) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. NAPCS works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and underserved families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. NAPCS provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. More than 1.6 million students attend nearly 5,000 charter schools in 40 states and the District of Columbia.
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