FOCUS D.C. Public Charter School Bulletin
December 3, 2003
--Charter School Startup Seminar Draws Big Crowd
--Dangerous Facilities Bill Withdrawn
--Hearing to be Held Friday, December 12, on New Special Ed Categories
--Witnesses Protest Encroachment on Charter School Autonomy
--DCPS Experiences Another Sharp Enrollment Drop
--State Education Office Issues Out of State Tuition Rules
--Charter Schools to Receive NCLB Implementation Funds
Sixty-Five Charter School Hopefuls Receive How-To Training
Sixty-five potential charter school applicants attended the first-annual FOCUS Charter School Startup Seminar. The seminar, held over two consecutive Saturday mornings in November, featured presentations by local experts on a wide variety of startup issues, including curriculum and assessment, special education, business operations, and facilities development and finance
The seminar complements the two-volume FOCUS Guide to Starting A Charter School in the District of Columbia, now available from FOCUS. Those who attended the seminar and others thinking about starting a charter school in D.C. can obtain the Guide by contacting FOCUS at 202/387-0405.
Councilmember Withdraws Charter School Facilities Bill
Following a discussion with a FOCUS-led team concerned about a bill that would have made it nearly impossible for charter schools to obtain facilities financing, the bill's author, Council member Carol Schwartz, decided to withdraw the legislation. Several of the bill's co-sponsors had previously withdrawn their names from the bill following discussions with FOCUS.
The abandoned legislation would have required that the real estate of any charter school that lost its charter immediately
become the property of the District of Columbia Government.
Hearing to be Held Friday, December 12, on New Special Ed Categories
The Committee on Education, Libraries, and Recreation (Kevin Chavous, chair), will hold a hearing on Friday, December 12,
from 10:00 to 1:00, on Bill 15-206, which redefines the special education categories of the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula. If passed, the bill would eliminate the requirement that levels 2, 3, and 4 special education students be educated in a "resource room," "separate class," or "separate DCPS or public charter school," respectively. The bill also would change the
number of hours of specialized services that would qualify for funding at each level.
Those wishing to testify at the hearing should call 724-8068. The bill may be viewed at http://www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us.
Witnesses Protest Encroachment on Charter School Autonomy
Witnesses from the D.C. Public Charter School Board (DCPCSB) and FOCUS testified at a recent hearing that the "District of Columbia Public Schools Performance and Accountability Act of 2003," introduced in October by Kevin Chavous, would improperly impinge on the chartering boards' exclusive authority to monitor the performance of D.C.'s public charter schools.
The Act purports to set up a District of Columbia accountability system for all public schools in D.C., including public charter schools, and would give the superintendent of schools authority to collect and report data from the public charter schools. The language of the Act arguably would also give the Superintendent the power to hold charter schools accountable for student performance, in direct violation of the School Reform Act.
FOCUS is monitoring the progress of this bill and will keep you informed of developments.
DCPS Experiences Another Sharp Enrollment Drop
DCPS's own 2003 unaudited enrollment count shows total enrollment at 62,494, a decline of approximately 2,500 students from last school year. Since the first charter schools opened in 1996, DCPS has lost a total of just over 15,000 students, approximately 13,000 of whom now attend public charter schools.
State Education Office Issues Out of State Tuition Rules
The State Education Office has issued new regulations governing what charter schools and DCPS schools must charge out of state
residents who enroll their children. The charges mirror the amounts provided to the schools by the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula. For example, an out of state preschooler would be charged $7,510, while the parents of a 4th or 5th grader would pay $6,419. Out of state students requiring special education services would face additional charges, again mirroring the additional funding received by the schools for such students.
Charter Schools to Receive NCLB Implementation Funds
Connie Spinner, head of the State Education Office, announced at a recent meeting that between two and three million dollars would
be made available to the charter schools this fiscal year to help with implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act. Details will be provided to the schools by the SEO in the near future.
Friends of Choice in Urban Schools
1530 16th Street, NW #001
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 387-0405 phone
(202) 667-3798 fax
www.focus-dccharter.org