Volume I, Issue 17, October 27, 2005
Charter Leader News
This issue of the Charter Leader News features information on:
- Government Grants
- English Language Learners Workshops
- Latest Charter Center Guidebook
- State Lawmakers Hosting Charter School Forums
As Election Day approaches, it fitting that a good deal of our efforts are shifting
toward advocacy and working with state lawmakers to lift the statewide cap. This
is an ideal time for school leaders to get active and seek some face-time with local
and state legislators. There are many ways to gain visibility for your schools
and the charter school movement: invite lawmakers to visit your school, write
letters, make calls, or schedule a meeting.
Earlier this month State Assembly Education Chairman Steve Sanders (D-Manhattan)
announced that he is resigning at the end of the year. We have hopes that Assemblyman
Sanders will help with cap-lift legislation during the remainder of his tenure.
In other news, it was reported this week that United Federation of Teachers (UFT)
President, Randi Weingarten, would support lifting the cap -- "but only if the
law is changed to make it easier for teachers at those schools to decide whether
they want to be unionized." The UFT president's comments were reported on Tuesday
in the New York Daily News.
Our response: Any decision to lift the cap should be based on expanding the number
of high-quality charter schools to students and families. We support teachers
and ensuring that they have the services, benefits and salaries commensurate with
the critically-important work they do, and commitment they make to their students.
The Charter Schools Act of 1998, Article 56, gives charter school teachers and
faculty the ability to unionize if they so choose. We believe this provision of
the law strikes the right balance while preserving a fundamental quality of charters
-- the autonomy to make staffing, budget and curriculum decisions to meet the
needs of their students.
Charter School Program (CSP) Federal Grant:
The New York State Education Department (SED) will soon be releasing the Request
For Proposals (RFP) for the 2005-2008 cycle of the Charter School Program Planning
and Implementation Grants.
Eligible applicants can apply for planning, program design and initial implementation
of a charter school. To be eligible, an applicant must have applied to an authorized
public chartering authority or an existing charter school operator who has never
received this grant. We encourage every eligible charter school operator to apply.
Once the RFP is released, the Charter Center will offer technical assistance and
workshops to interested charter schools. If you plan to apply, please contact
Tony Lopez at 212-437-8304, or by email:
alopez@nycchartercenter.org.
English Language Learners Assessment Institute -- November 21:
On November 21, the Office of English Language Learners (ELL) and the Division
of Assessment and Accountability will host the first New York City ELL Assessment
Institute. This event will focus on understanding ELL assessments, administering them
effectively and using data to drive instruction.
Dr. Lorraine Valdez Pierce, co-author of Authentic Assessment for English Language Learners, Practical Approaches for
Teachers, will be the keynote speaker. Workshops will cover a wide range of topics,
including ELL interim assessments, special education assessments and content area
assessments, El SOL and the New York State English as a Second Language Achievement
Test (NYSESLAT). The event will be held at New York University’s Kimmel Center
from 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM. LISs, ELL RISs and ISSs/FRSs, RSACs, RSSPs, Principals
and Assistant Principals are invited to attend. Click here to register for the workshops online.
Government Grants Guidebook Now Online:
We are pleased to announce that the first edition of the Government Grants Guidebook is available on our Web site. The guidebook details sources of federal entitlement
funding and competitive government grants which are available to all charter schools.
If you are interested in applying for these funding opportunities, and would
like technical assistance or training, please let us know. We encourage school
leaders to review all of our guidebooks online and think of them as a key information
source for solutions and guidance on effective school operations.
Upcoming Advocacy Meetings and Forums:
State Senator David Paterson (D-Manhattan) and State Assemblyman Michael Benjamin
(D-Bronx) will hold charter school forums in November to discuss strategies for
lifting the cap with elected officials, parents, school leaders and constituents.
On November 15 (5:00 -7:00 PM), Senator Paterson will invite state and local
elected officials from his district and surrounding areas to Harlem Children's
Zone Promise Academy Charter School (35 East 125th Street), to discuss legislation
to lift the cap on charter schools and ways to mobilize community leaders and
other supporters around expanding the number of charter schools in their neighborhoods.
On November 16 (6:00 - 8:00 PM), Assemblyman Benjamin will hold a similar forum
at Bronx Preparatory Charter School (3872 Third Avenue, at 172 Street) with a
focus on raising awareness about charter schools and explaining the process for developing
schools in communities.
In addition, the Charter Center urges school leaders to attend next month's "Legislative
Advocacy and Financial Equity" panel discussion. The Nov. 9 panel will explore
and answer questions concerning funding issues, policy, charter school law and
legislative strategy. The panel meeting will run from 5:00 to 7:30 PM, and take
place at the Charter Center, 111 Broadway, Suite 604. Dinner will be served.
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.
