Volume II, Issue 7, March 31, 2006
Charter Leader News
This week's issue of the Charter Leader News features
information on the following . . .
Advocacy
Secretary Spellings Policy Address - April 5
Teach for America Application Deadline - April 7
Board Enhancement Project
CAP LIFT TOP PRIORITY
Our top priority remains achieving a lifting of the
current "cap" of 100 Charter Schools in New York State. On March 28th, the Assembly and State Senate reached an agreement on their
budget bill, with extensive school aid and school capital funding, but no Charter School cap lift.
While this was a disappointment, we continue to have the
Governor's pledge and commitment (and the Mayor's support) that over the course of the next ten days negotiations will proceed with the
leadership in Albany to link the Charter Schools cap lift to a final budget agreement.
Your letters, postcards, calls and visits to state lawmakers are
critical to our success. The more visibility this issue receives, the greater our chances that the cap lift will
happen. More than 50 key New York City influencers have signed letters to the Governor, Speaker Silver and Senator Bruno urging them to
take action on the cap lift. Those letters have been published in the city's largest daily newspapers as well as in upstate publications.
The Charter Center is working with all of its allies and partners
to expand this coalition of supporters and seek ways to have their voices heard. In coming days you will receive information on how you can
contribute to this effort as we approach the final days of budget deliberations.
Next to the children and families that make up the city's charter
school community, one of the most critical selling points to expanding the number of public charter schools is the passion for
excellence and commitment to academic rigor YOU as school leaders and board members bring to your work. Now, more than ever, we need your
help and efforts in this fight for more high-quality public charter schools.
Thank you for your commitment to young people.
OPERATIONS NEWS
Apply for "Teach
For America" Corp Members by April 7:
Teach For America (TFA) is partnering with the Charter Center to
help place a cohort of its 2006 corps members in NYC charter schools this fall. Applications for corps members are due to TFA by Friday, April 7, 2006. To obtain an application, please contact
Jessica Cordova at 212-279-2666, ext. 430, or by email: jessica.cordova@teachforamerica.org.
The application process includes a preliminary phone conference
with TFA to obtain more information about your school, hiring needs and goals. TFA anticipates being able to send you a selection of resumes to
review within 48 hours. Most charter schools should be able to complete the interviewing and hiring process by May 19, 2006.
TFA recruits and selects corps members based on a record
of achievement, perseverance, critical thinking, organizational ability, and the ability to inspire and motivate others. Over the summer, TFA
provides training to equip corps members with the tools they will need to drive forward toward ambitious, measurable goals for their students.
During their two-year commitment, corps members are responsible for attending Saturday teacher training and certification classes, and are supported
throughout the year by TFA Program Directors who have themselves succeeded in the classroom and who work closely with principals to help corps
members achieve success in the classroom. Although corps members commit to only two years in the classroom, many of them continue to teach for
a third year and beyond. More than 50 former TFA corps members now serve as principals, assistant principals and charter school founders in New
York City.
Charter schools that meet the following criteria will be given
priority:
- A desire to work with Teach For America over the long
term
- The ability to place at least two corps members per
year
- A salary commensurate with the DOE salary for first-year
teachers
- Non-profit management
If you have any questions about the application process or
TFA, please call Anna Hunter at 212-279-2666 ext. 404.
Board Enhancement
Project:
Through various retreats, forums and consulting
group initiatives, the Charter Center has been pleased to work with many individual charter school Boards to help
them institute effective governance practices and polices. Prior to the end of the school year, Paula Gavin and Tony Lopez will
contact each Board Chair to discuss their role, assessment, development plans and specific member needs.
Charter school leaders should feel free to offer inputs during this
outreach to Board Chairs.
CURRENT EVENTS
U.S. Education
Secretary to Give Policy Address on School Choice and Charters -- April 7
Education Secretary Margaret Spellings and former U.S. House of
Representative Rev. Floyd Flake will discuss innovative options and ideas to improve education including expanding charter schools, public
school choice and supplemental educational services on Wednesday, April 5, 2006, at 11 am, at the Greater Allen Cathedral of New
York in Jamaica, Queens.
To register to attend this event, call 1-888-465-4401, or contact
Veria Samaroo at: vsamaroo@nysca.org. We encourage you to attend this event and
share this invitation with other charter school supporters and community members.
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.
