By Michael Musante

For those of you old enough to remember the Rocky and Bullwinkle show (a satirical cartoon that aired in the early 1960s), one of my favorite parts was when Sherman and Mr. Peabody (not related to recently retired FOCUS Board Chairman Mike Peabody) would step into the “WABAC” machine (pronounced “wayback”) and visit events in the past. Mr. Peabody usually delivered some dreadful pun that would deliver a poignant message about what they saw.

By Lauren Outlaw

Since the creation of the Office of the State Superintendent (OSSE) in 2007, FOCUS has been engaged in a never-ending battle with OSSE to protect charter school’s autonomy.  The School Reform Act leaves financial, administrative, personnel, and curriculum matters to the exclusive control of the charter school.  Moreover, the SRA also exempts charter schools from laws, statutes, and regulations created by the OSSE, DME, DC Council, Mayor or the SBOE for the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS).  Despite these legal mandates, however, the OSSE continuously proposes new requirements and regulations that purport to apply to charter schools, encroach on the autonomy that is vital to charter schools’ success and are often duplicative of PCSB efforts.

Most recently, these encroachments have manifest in a Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS) for pre-schools; a kindergarten entrance assessment (KEA); new graduation requirements; and student discipline and compulsory attendance/truancy proposed regulations.

By Alison Collier

This year, FOCUS’s annual gala honored founder Malcolm “Mike” Peabody who is stepping down as board chair after 17 years. Under his stewardship, charter school enrollment has grown to 35,000 students in 57 schools on 100+ campuses making up 43% of the total public school population in the District.

“Who’d a thunk,” Mike said in his farewell speech.  “I certainly never imagined we would get to this level so fast.”

Over 250 people attended the March 21^st gala, and enjoyed dinner, drinks, and dancing as well as a program celebrating Mike’s contributions to the DC charter school movement. Attendees included: current charter school leaders; founders of the charter school movement; representatives from various charter support organizations; political officials including Mayor Anthony Williams, Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, Councilmember David Catania; and other friends of FOCUS.

By Lauren Outlaw

A couple of weeks ago, Mayor Vincent Gray released his proposed budget for FY 2014, and unsurprisingly, DCPS is slated to receive an additional $80.4 million outside the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula (UPSFF), which will not be matched or given to charter schools. Where is this extra $80.4 million coming from? Like in past years, the 2014 proposed budget cleverly allocates funds to other government agencies that in turn provide free services to DCPS (but not to public charter schools or their students).  More specifically:

1. The Teacher Retirement Fund allocation is $31.6 million;
2. The Department of General Services will receive a $46.3 million line item for DCPS; and
3. The Office of the Attorney General will also receive a $2.4 million line item for DCPS.

By Taekia Blackwell

Groundswell (n): 1. Usually ground swell: a broad deep undulation of the ocean caused by an often-distant gale or seismic disturbance. 2. A rapid spontaneous growth (as of political opinion). Those in the charter school movement know that behind any “rapid spontaneous growth” there’s a lot of hard work and a powerful and clear motivation, a mission that transcends. However, I’m getting ahead of myself.

Here’s a question: What do you know about collective bargaining for lowered energy prices and purchasing clean energy through Renewable Energy Credits?

By Ram Uppuluri

During the six years since I first started working as Counsel to the Committee on Human Services and have become the Senior Policy Advisor at FOCUS, I have learned more than I ever thought I would about the causes and devastating impacts of youth violence and juvenile crime; the desperate demand for positive youth programs in our neighborhoods; the overwhelming numbers of so-called “disconnected” and “at-risk” youth in the District; and the seemingly never-ending stream of homeless and incarcerated youth and many others headed for a life of dependency on the system.

The odds of these young people becoming productive citizens and contributing members of society are diminished further every day by the lack of education and educational opportunities they received in their youth.

By Lauren Outlaw

FOCUS and PCS in the News: February 2013

With the release of audited enrollment numbers, the release of the Chancellor’s plan to close 15 DCPS buildings (without providing the right of first offer to the charter schools) and the approval of Rocketship’s charter application, the District was a flurry of charter school activity in February.  The articles below highlight FOCUS and PCS in the news last month.  Also, don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook!

More students attending D.C. public schools (The Washington Examiner, 2/6/13)

This article discussed the five percent increase in public school enrollment based on the recently released enrollment audit.  The audit confirmed that public charter schools saw a ten percent increase and are now enrolling 43 percent of all public school students in the District.  FOCUS Executive Director Robert Cane commented that charter growth is happening “in spite of the government” and that “the District should learn to embrace the charter schools.”

For more data on charter enrollment statistics, check out our Data Center.

By Alison Collier

Over the past few weeks, FOCUS has received many phone calls from groups interested in applying for a new charter school in DC. With the application deadline from the DC Public Charter School Board fast approaching (applications are due March 1st, 2013), we thought it would be helpful to provide our insight about the process.

Read the application guidelines from the Public Charter School Board
The application requires a detailed blueprint of your proposed school, communicated via 150 pages plus appendices. It is not easy!

By Alison Collier

Are you looking for a high quality public school for your child? Interested in career opportunities at one of the 57 charter schools in Washington, DC? Want to see the thriving charter movement for yourself? Come to the Charter Expo!

The 4th Annual DC Public Charter School Expo will be held at the Washington Convention Center on Saturday, January 5th, 2013, from 12-4pm. The Expo will bring together the local charter school community, parents, prospective teachers, community members, and vendors. Admission is free!

By Ram Uppuluri

A recent Associated Press article, “DC, once violent center of the crack epidemic, is now on pace for fewer than 100 homicides” highlights the significant drop in the number of 2012 killings in the District of Columbia. Down to less than 100 killings so far this year, this figure represents a significant decline since the early 1990s when the number of killings a year approached 500.

The author identifies gentrification and improvements in law enforcement techniques and medical care as causes for this trend.  Not mentioned, however, is the substantial impact education has on decreasing violence and homicide rates.