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Volume I, Issue 20, December 9, 2005

Charter Leader News

This issue of the Charter Leader News features information on . . .

Regional Meetings for Special Education Coordinators
"Last Call" for Facilities Planning and Financing Workshop
Charter School Promotion Plans for 2006 (We Need Your School Lottery Information!)

The Charter Center congratulates five new charter schools approved today by the New York State Board of Regents to open in fall 2006. They are: Democracy Preparatory Charter School (Harlem), Harlem Success Charter School, East New York Preparatory Charter School, Community Roots Charter School (Brooklyn), and South Bronx Classical Charter School. The Regents also approved a charter school in Buffalo.

They join three other approved 2006 charter schools: Leadership Prep Charter School (Brooklyn), New Heights Academy Charter School (Manhattan) and City Collegiate Charter School (Brooklyn).

The Regents' action is further evidence that the statutory limit on charter schools in New York must be addressed. There are now 92 charter schools authorized against the state's 100-school cap. Again, we urge school leaders, parents, teachers and supporters to continue to put pressure on state lawmakers to lift or eliminate cap. Be proactive! Call, write or visit your state lawmaker and let them know the cap must go!

Thank you.

*At your direction, we can include other leaders from your school or your Education Management Organization (EMO) on the distribution list. Please let us know.

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

Regional Meetings for Charter School Special Education Coordinators:

The Charter Center’s Special Education Coordinator, Dr. Arthur Sadoff, has arranged for charter schools to meet with Committee on Special Education staff in their respective regions during December and January.

These meetings will focus on process and procedures for the evaluation and delivery of services for children in charter schools. Please make sure that your special education coordinator/teacher attends this important meeting.

December 20, 2005: Region 9 (333 Seventh Avenue, 4th floor, New York, NY 10001) 9 am to 11 am. Schools have already been notified.

January 10, 2005: Region 10 (2120 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10032) 9 am to 11 am. Schools will receive notification.

January 11, 2005: Region 8 (345 Adams Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201) 9 am to 11 am. Schools will receive notification.

January 17, 2005: Region 5 (82-01 Rockaway Boulevard, Ozone Park, NY 11416) 9 am to 11 am. Schools will receive notification.

Other Regional Committee Special Education meetings will be announced shortly. For additional information contact Arthur Sadoff at asadoff@nycchartercenter.org.

OPERATIONS NEWS

"Last Call" for Dec. 13 Facilities Planning and Financing Primer:

The Charter Center is hosting a workshop on facilities planning and financing for charter school leadership teams on Tuesday, December 13, from 8:30 am to 2 pm. Due to the overwhelming response for this event we are nearing full capacity.

If you plan to attend and have not yet reserved your place, or if you have submitted an RSVP but are unable to attend, contact Florence Adu at 212-437-8309 by Friday December, 9th. For additional information about this event visit http://www.nycchartercenter.org/breaking_news.html.

Charter School Promotion Plans for 2006 (We Need Your School Lottery Information!):

In keeping with our ongoing efforts to raise public awareness about New York City charter schools, the Charter Center will purchase space in several big weekly newspapers in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens beginning in 2006. The media buy is part of a broader public education effort by the Charter Center to define charter schools as viable school options for parents and to generate public support for lifting the statewide cap on charters schools.

From January through March (current schools), and again in April and May (new schools), the Charter Center will publish a series of double-page advertisements in weekly newspapers to inform the public about current and new charter schools, their respective lottery schedules and application procedures for student enrollment. The ads will target parents and feature contact information on charter schools located or soon to be located in the borough's communities.

We will also advertise in ethnic publications in the city as well as a few large daily newspapers.

To assist us in scheduling our media buys so that they correspond with school lottery announcements and schedules, please contact Laura Smith at lsmith@nycchartercenter.org, or call 212-437-8311, with the date, time and location of your school's lottery. We need this information by December 20. Your cooperation with this request is appreciated.

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.