Volume II, Issue 2, January 27, 2006
Charter Leader News
This week's Charter Leader News features information on the following . . .
Advocacy
Operations News
2006 Charter School Jobs Fair
Capital Funding Opportunities
The Charter Center congratulates Achievement First-Bushwick Charter School, Carl C. Icahn Charter School Bronx-North
and Parkchester Charter School (Uncommon Schools), three new charter schools approved this week by SUNY's Board of Trustees.
Achievement First-Bushwick Charter School will open this fall. Carl C. Icahn
Charter School Bronx-North and Parkchester Charter School will open in 2007. SUNY
also approved two charter schools to open in Albany and Rochester. There are now 13 new charter schools scheduled to open in New York City in fall
2006, raising the total number of charters schools in the city to 60.
Now that the last remaining charters have been authorized and the state has officially
reached the 100-school "cap," it is incumbent upon all who have invested in the
charter school movement to support efforts to lift the cap.
Gov. Pataki's Executive Budget proposal, released last week, called for an increase
in the charter school cap from 100 to 250, and for exempting from this limit any
charter schools approved by the New York City Schools Chancellor. Other key elements
of the Governor's proposed legislation include making charter schools eligible
for state building aid reimbursement, providing charter schools with access to
finance and construction management services from the Dormitory Authority, and
giving not-for-profit organizations approved by SUNY the authority to grant charters.
With growing support in the Legislature for a cap lift, now is the time to urge
parents, donors, community groups and other supporters to get involved. Next month,
the Charter Center will provide copies of its 2006 Charter School Parents Advocacy Guide to all interested charter schools. The Guide offers helpful information on how
charter school supporters (parents especially) can advocate on behalf of their
schools and lifting the cap.
The Parents Advocacy Guide, ongoing charter school promotions in weekly newspapers
and on radio, our February 13 Lobby Day in Albany and other communication initiatives are all part of the Center's efforts to keep
charter schools visible throughout budget deliberations. Whether you have your
charter, or hope to obtain one in the near future, the cap lift has significant
implications for the charter school movement in New York State. To be successful
in lifting the cap, we will need the participation and support of all leaders
in the charter school community.
VADIR Reports due February 10, 2006:
All public schools, including charter schools, are required to submit the Summary
of Violent and Disruptive Incidents (VADIR) for incidents occurring July 1, 2004
through June 30, 2005 using the BEDS Online Internet application. BEDS Online
has been modified to gather data on Violent and Disruptive Incidents, but is fundamentally
the same application that was used to submit the fall 2005 BEDS forms. The incident data are due online by February 10th.
Save the Date! 2006 NYC Charter School Job Fair, March 18, 19:
The 2006 New York City Charter School Job Fair will be held on March 18 and 19
at the Brooklyn Marriott Hotel. We have scheduled the Job Fair to dovetail with
the New York Charter Schools Association Conference, which is also taking place at the Marriott, March 16-18. The Job Fair is tentatively scheduled to run from 3 to 8 pm on Saturday, March
18, and from 9 am to 3 pm on Sunday, March 19. (The Charter Schools Conference
is scheduled to end at 3 pm on Saturday.)
The Job Fair is intended to provide a forum for NYC charter school representatives
to meet and interview both national and local candidates for teaching, administrative
and specialist positions. The Charter Center is launching an ad campaign and
recruiting Web site as a means of expanding the total pool of potential hires
for all schools. The Job Fair is one facet of this larger outreach effort, and
more information about participation in the Job Fair will be announced in the next
Charter Leader News.
In case you are interested in other job fairs, the Charter Center is cooperating
with K12 Connect on their Saturday, March 4, Job Fair, which will be held at Columbia University's Teachers College. We will provide
a $100 discount to any charter school registering for this event - http://www.charterschooljobs.com/csj/JobFair/NewYorkEmployerStart.aspx.
Partnership with ADP
ADP is one of the country’s largest payroll management companies. Currently,
they serve almost 50 percent of NYC’s charter schools. In order to increase the
collective buying power of New York's charters, the Charter Center is pleased
to announce a partnership with ADP that will benefit both new and existing ADP
clients. A summary of the partnership is below. Please note that the benefits
and cumulated volume discounts of the partnership are extended to all charter
schools in the state. For more information, please contact Rob Carra at ADP: Robert_Carra@adp.com or call (718) 484-5212.
- Schools may choose the ADP payroll solution that best meets their needs.*
- The first nine charter schools that enroll in ADP will receive a 15 percent discount.
Charter Management Organizations are also eligible.
- All new clients will receive one month free.
- The $350 set-up fee will be waived. A $150 licensing and training fee will still
apply.
- Upon the 10th enrolled new school, a 20 percent discount will be applied to all
new and all existing ADP charter schools. **
- Upon the 15th enrolled new charter school, a 30 percent discount will be applied
to all new and existing ADP charter schools. **
- End of year processing will be discounted to a minimum fee of $75 or $4.75 per
employee, whichever is higher.
- ADP will contribute 10 percent of the annual revenue, for the first year only,
from all new enrollments to the New York Charter Schools Association.
* ADP’s Time and Attendance products are not included in this discount program.
** Discounts are not ‘in addition to’ other discounts already received by current ADP clients.
Free Furniture - First Come, First Served:
The Charter Center's facilities consultant, Rose Day of Relocation Management
Solutions, Inc., has access to donated desks, conference tables, chairs, file
cabinets and bookcases. Interested schools should email Rose Day at rose@relocationmanagement.com or call 516-741-8466. This offer is extended to charter schools on a first come,
first served basis so act now.
Laura Smith To Join NYC Department of Education:
It is with mixed emotions that we announce Laura Smith is leaving the Charter
Center to join the NYC Department of Education. While we will miss Laura’s direct contributions to NYC charter schools, we
wish her every success and happiness as she moves to a new assignment working
on the second phase of the Chancellor’s Children First reform initiative. Laura's strategic skills and passion for effective public education
make her an ideal choice for this initiative. We want to acknowledge and thank
Laura for the great operations work done on behalf of NYC charter schools. Her
spirit of cooperation and hard work has made her a go-to resource for operational
issues facing charter schools -- an area we will continue to prioritize. All our
best to Laura.
Discretionary Capital Funds Available for Charter Schools:
In this election year for the Legislature, capital funds are often available
from your local Assembly Member and State Senator. These funds can be used for
the purchase of tangible items (computers, software, books, video equipment, etc.), or for building renovations.
If your school is interested in pursuing these funds, now is the time to act.
In order to request capital funding, write a letter to your Assembly Member and
Senator that includes the following:
- a brief description of your school, including grades, number of students, unique
characteristics/programs;
- a description of your capital need and what the money would be used for;
- your tax ID number;
- the name and phone number of a contact person if their office has any questions.
Requests should be for approximately $10,000 to $15,000, and may be characterized
as covering a fraction of a cost the school is facing. If funds are approved,
it can take up to a year to actually receive them, so do not make a request if
the funding need is more urgent.
Alternative Teacher Certification Discussion at Hunter College - Feb 9, (4 -
5:30pm):
The Charter Center is pleased to announce a roundtable discussion with Dr. David
Steiner, Dean of the Hunter College School of Education, on alternative teacher
certification programs for charter schools. The roundtable is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2006, from 4-5:30 pm at Hunter College, in the Dean's Conference Room located on the 10th floor of the West Building of Hunter College (SW corner of
68th Street and Lexington Avenue). Several schools have expressed an interest
in this topic and the Charter Center and Hunter College look forward to gathering
ideas for a program that would best meet the needs of charter schools. If you
are interested in attending, please RSVP to Tracy Wright at: twright@nycchartercenter.org or call 212-437-8301.
Charter School Board Chair Forum - Feb. 15, 2006 (5-7pm):
Please join us at the Charter Center for our next Board Chair Forum on February
15, 2006, from 5-7 pm. School leaders, Board Chairs and Treasurers are encouraged
to attend the forum, which will feature a presentation on strengthening fiscal
management and oversight by Fiscal Management Associates. Space is limited so
please RSVP by February 10, 2006, to Tracy Wright at: twright@nycchartercenter.org or call 212-437-8301.
The forum will cover Board and Management Responsibilities in Establishing and
Monitoring Controls; Framework for Evaluating Internal Controls; Assessing Risk; Documenting
Controls; Improving Systems; Setting a Tone at the Top; Developing Sound Anti-Fraud
Procedures; Finance/Audit Committee Roles; Hot-lines, Tips and "Whistle Blower"
Policies; and Action Plans for Preventive Controls.
Reminder! Feb. 13 Lobby Day in Albany:
The Feb. 13 Lobby Day in Albany should be on the calendars of all prospective charter school leaders applying
for charters in 2007 and beyond.
It's an opportunity to meet your legislators, press for the cap lift and advocate
on behalf of your school. The Charter Center and New York Charter Schools Association are partnering to ensure Lobby Day participants are adequately briefed on advocacy
strategies and how to make the most of their meetings with legislators. All legislator
meetings will be arranged in advance. Bus transportation will be provided from
NYC to Albany (arrive back in NYC by 6:30 pm), as well as meals and refreshments
for all who attend.
Community Forums Scheduled in Manhattan and Queens:
The Hispanic Federation and the Charter Center will sponsor two charter school community forums in February.
The first is Feb. 9, in Manhattan at the Amber Charter School (220 East 106th St., New York, NY. 10029). The next is Feb. 28, in Queens at the Elmhurst Senior Center (75-01 Broadway, Elmhurst, NY, 11373).
The purpose of the forums are to raise public awareness about charters schools
among parents, community organizations and individuals who may be interested in
starting schools in their community. The forums, which run from 5:30 pm to 7:30
pm, feature presentations by charter school leaders, parent representatives, education
officials and community leaders.
Mission:
The mission of the New York City Center for Charter School Excellence is to stimulate
the supply of high quality charter schools and support ongoing student excellence
in all NYC charter schools, impacting the effectiveness of public education. As
an independent nonprofit, the Charter Center is an advocate, bridge and catalyst
for the achievement of academic and operational success and sustainability of
all NYC charter schools for each young person.
