Michigan Charter School Evaluation standards of The Program Evaluation standards (Utility, Feasibility michigan CharterSchool Evaluation The Evaluation Center Western michigan University http://www.wmich.edu/evalctr/charter/micharter.html
Extractions: Charter schools offer students alternative and diverse educational programs, with the goal of improving academic achievement. The intention behind this new form of public schooling is that by providing further autonomy to schools, they can pursue innovative teaching practices and create a diversity of school options from which parents can choose. During the last three years, the number of charter schools (i.e., public school academies) in Michigan has grown rapidly and currently includes 106 operating schools across the state. The Evaluation Center is one of two organizations asked by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) to evaluate the charter school initiative in Michigan. While we have not been charged with the task of evaluating individual schools, we will collect a large amount of school-specific data from the 51 schools that we visit. In evaluating the overall initiative, we will collect data and information from charter schools, authorizing agencies, management companies, MDE officials, as well as representatives of traditional public schools and intermediate school districts. This particular evaluation was started in the autumn of 1997 and will be completed in December 1998.
Extractions: Charter Schools in Michigan Law: Passed in 1993 Rank : 5th strongest of the nation's 40 charter laws CER Grade : A Schools Students MONEY MATTERS: A new Michigan study on charter school funding dispels the allegation that charter schools cost traditional public schools money. In fact, the study released by the Michigan Chamber Foundation, shows that Michigan charter schools are funded on an average of $1,036 less per pupil than traditional public schools. The amount is broken down to an average of $355 in operating funds and $681 in capital funding. The range is higher in places such as Ann Arbor, where the differences in operational funding, is as high as $2,000. The biggest disparity between traditional public schools and public charter spending is a staggering $3,800 in the city of Southfield. The clear conclusion is that charters save money and if traditional systems followed the example of charters, all children would benefit from the additional resources. The complete report can be found at http://www.michchamber.com
Substandard Charters Fail 17 000 Pupils - 10/26/03 teaching more than 17 000 of michigan's charter school students provide an education that falls short to meet state standards than traditional schools, michigan has put thousands of http://www.detnews.com/2003/schools/0310/26/a01-307295.htm
NCSC - National Charter School Clearinghouse NCSC is the charter school resource for public charter school research, funding resources and technical assistance within the charter school community. Indianapolis, Indiana. michigan. Nationwide. New York standards with the right sort of support. Read the report at http//www.ncee.org/pressroom/. charter school Students http://www.ncsc.info/
Charter Schools Fill Public Education Niche - 6/23/02 number of responsibilities, including drafting sound accreditation standards fortraditional The audit praised michigan s charter school leaders for oversight http://www.detnews.com/2002/editorial/0206/23/a16-521303.htm
Charter Schools of charter schools in Arizona, California, michigan and Texas AFT has set criteriafor good charter school legislation which embody standards all public http://www.cfepe.org/charter_schools.htm
Extractions: Charter schools are supposed to allow parents and teachers to develop publicly funded schools with the flexibility to be innovative and free of rules and regulations that stifle creativity. The charter school movement has grown from one school in Minnesota in 1992 to about 1,100 charter schools across the country today. Currently, 36 states and the District of Columbia have legislation authorizing the creation of charter schools. The notion of what constitutes a charter school continues to evolve. The original idea for charter schools envisioned a group of teachers, perhaps with the help of parents, developing a plan for a school and applying for a charter from the local school board. Charter schools might have a specific academic focus (e.g., math and science or the arts) or employ specific teaching techniques or target a specific group of students (e.g., at-risk). These charter schools would operate as part of the local public school district, supported by public education funds. However, many charter schools depart from this original vision. If the goal is improved student achievement, students in some charter schools are not faring very well. Studies of charter schools in Texas and Arizona show that there has been no evidence of improved student performance among charter school students. A 1998 UCLA study of California charter schools found that charter schools rarely had clearly defined goals or standards and none was "doing more with less" money. In addition, the charter schools exerted considerable control over the types of students they serve. Unlike other public schools, they’re not taking all comers. In Michigan, researchers found that because of weak monitoring efforts, poorly performing charter schools are not likely to be closed.
Charter Schools: Michigan Charter Schools Battle Public School District charter schools in michigan face battle for students from the Flint Community schools. Read about the tactics being used against the charter schools. Flint, michigan public school district is waging an advertising campaign against competing local public charter schools also criticize academic standards and teacher credentials at http://www.iedx.org/article_1.asp?ContentID=EN683&SectionGroupID=NEWS
Extractions: Charter Schools: Are They Needed? Looking at Both Sides of the Debate Michael Lorenzen Most reform concepts work by making changes within schools. However, a newer reform idea works by creating entirely new schools. The charter school movement seeks to improve public school by creating new, rival, and competing public schools. The hope is that competition for students will force public schools to improve. However, many do not believe the free market will actually bring this about and may actually harm public schools. Despite the relative newness of the charter concept, the ideas behind it are not new and an examination of education literature can shed a lot of light on the concept. Description of charter schools The pro-charter school group, the Michigan Association of Public School Academies (MAPSA), defines on their web page that, "Charter Schools are public schools-free and open to all. They are started by interested parents, educators, and business and community leaders. Each school is created with its own unique curricula and is licensed by a school district, community college or, most often, a state university." The mostly anti-charter National Education Association, (NEA) furthers the definition by writing on their web site, "These school are deregulated, autonomous and independent of the rules and regulations that govern traditional schools The theory that underlies the charters is that such freeing of some public schools will hasten educational innovation, improve student achievement, create greater parental involvement, and promote improvement of public education in general. And the theory follows that if there's no educational improvement, the school will be held accountable and the school's charter won't be renewed."
Overview Of Charter Schools Policy To govern the system of charter schools, michigan has created a hierarchical structurethat Finally, the school accreditation standards that will http://charterschools.msu.edu/ocsp/studyfin.htm
Extractions: STUDY FINDINGS Several studies are summarized in this section. When the study findings were divided into sections, these sections are listed. In most every case, the summary is quoted from the respective Executive Summary. Themes In Studies When looking at the studies as a whole, several themes appear which warrant further discussion. These themes partly follow the purposes of charter schools as outlined in the legislation. Western Michigan University: "An Evaluation of the Michigan Charter School Initiative: Performance, Accountability, and Impact," by Jerry Horn and Gary Miron
Charter Schools Office Opens Application Process: Central Michigan LIFE the university has set high standards for prospective the future to accommodate charterschool applicants who offer excellent programs to michigans school http://www.cm-life.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/02/20/40359db6cb63e
Extractions: Central Michigan Life February 20, 2004 The Charter Schools Office recently announced the opening of its charter application process. While there are no vacancies to fill because of a cap imposed by the state on public universities, officials say they want to build a pool of applicants for future consideration. CMU has chartered 56 schools across Michigan and is recognized as the largest university authorizer of charter public schools in the nation. Because of this reputation, the university has set high standards for prospective operators. Irwin said while no applications have been submitted yet, there has been a significant number of requests for applications. The deadline for the free application process is March 31. Goenner said those applying should be aware of the expectations. Charter Schools Office opens application process You could be the first to post feedback to this article!
Charter School Accountability Update -- May 2002 As public schools, charters are subject to the standards, testing and charter/whatspublic.html(It should be noted that michigan charter school leaders have http://www.charterfriends.org/cfi-accountability-may02.html
Extractions: ACCOUNTABILITY BACK to Accountability Main Page CFNN ACCOUNTABILITY UPDATE MAY 2002 A periodic update on developments on charter schools and accountability US DEPARTMENT OF ED SCHEDULES MEETINGS ON NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND The U.S. Department of Education has scheduled a series of five meetings around the country to discuss and get advice on implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 , adopted last year by the Congress. According to a Department press release, the meetings are designed to educate the public about the critical need for challenging content standards and high-quality assessments in K-12 education, and to give the public an opportunity to comment on new rules for standards, assessments and academic progress under the new law. "For No Child Left Behind to work, we need the input, energy, enthusiasm and expectations of entire communities. We're working to engage the public like never before to help us implement this historic law," Education Secretary Rod Paige said in announcing the meetings. "This new law is all about improving student achievement and accountability for resultsand we won't know how we're doing unless we have challenging standards and tests that measure student progress. As we travel to these communities, we look forward to hearing from parents, educators, policy makers and those who will be most affected by the new law." The one-day public meetings (all 9 am 5 pm) will take place May 6
USCS: Overview Of Charter Schools for educational reasonshigh academic standards, small class 428), Florida (227),Texas (221), michigan (196). * The National charter school Directory 2003 http://www.uscharterschools.org/pub/uscs_docs/gi/overview.htm
Extractions: Charter schools are nonsectarian public schools of choice that operate with freedom from many of the regulations that apply to traditional public schools. The "charter" establishing each such school is a performance contract detailing the school's mission, program, goals, students served, methods of assessment, and ways to measure success. The length of time for which charters are granted varies, but most are granted for 3-5 years. At the end of the term, the entity granting the charter may renew the school's contract. Charter schools are accountable to their sponsor usually a state or local school board to produce positive academic results and adhere to the charter contract. The basic concept of charter schools is that they exercise increased autonomy in return for this accountability. They are accountable for both academic results and fiscal practices to several groups: the sponsor that grants them, the parents who choose them, and the public that funds them.
NEA: NEA Home in a degradation of standards for the of minority students enrolled in michigan scharter schools has steadily In Los Angeles, a charter school principal used http://www.nea.org/nr/nr990414.html
Extractions: Weak Laws Open Doors to Abuses That Hurt Kids WASHINGTON, D.C. The National Education Association (NEA) is calling on state legislatures to strengthen charter school laws, warning state lawmakers not to repeat the mistakes of many states who have suffered the effects of unaccountable charter school regulation. "Charter school laws without adequate accountability measures open the door to gross abuses that hurt students," said NEA President Bob Chase. "Charter schools must serve their communities and be fully accountable to taxpayers. Charters can be vehicles for streamlining administration, increasing parental and community involvement, and expanding the menu of education choices and options. Short-sighted laws will damage, if not discredit, the value of the charter school movement." NEA recommends that charter laws require charter schools to meet state standards and to provide comprehensive reports to the public about progress and challenges facing the schools. These measures must ensure that
NEA: Questions And Answers conforming with state or local standards; most charter In Lansing, michigan, earlyin 1998, the superintendent out of a Lansing charter school because they had http://www.nea.org/charter/accnt98.html
Extractions: For and About Members Help for Parents Press Center Legislative Action Center ... Vouchers Updated: Dec 10, 2002 Charter Schools Research NEA Resources Other Resources April 1998 Accountability in charter schools is a bottom line concern in this new experiment in public schooling. Charter schools receive freedom and autonomy in exchange for improvements in learning and climate. Are charter schools indeed accountable to their constituencies: students, their parents, and the taxpaying public at large? This paper looks at the issue of accountability in three broad categories: student learning; equity concerns, and public accountability. In each category, the goal is to raise points that can, in the long run, lead to the weakening of this experiment. Policymakers owe it to students, their parents, educators and the public to ensure that charter laws and the oversight of charter implementation will lead to strong performance and equitable outcomes for all involved. I. Student Learning II. Equity Concerns III. Public Accountability IV. Resources Standards Not Clear.
Extractions: State-By State Analysis MICHIGAN The Michigan law meets most of the AFT criteria, except that in some instances it allows charter schools to be approved without the participation of the local school district. Admissions policies: Admission policies are open, although a charter school may set standards similar to ones other districts are allowed to set. The law specifies that a charter school cannot discriminate admissions on the basis of intellectual or athletic ability, measures of achievement or aptitude, status of handicapped person, or any other basis that would be illegal if used by a school district. Students must be state residents, and if too many students apply, they must be chosen by a random selection process. State standards apply: Yes. But state standards are now voluntary for all school districts. Charter must specify the school's education goals and curricula to be offered. Academy must have educational goal, program, and curricula to be offered. Uses the same test instrument: Yes. Progress should be assessed using at least the Michigan Education Assessment Program (MEAP) or an assessment instrument developed under law for a state-endorsed high school diploma, or one or more nationally normed test: the California Achievement Test, the Stanford Achievement Test, the Iowa Basic Skills, or the Metropolitan Achievement Test. The charter school application must specify the method of pupil assessment.
Extractions: Led the fight to pass legislation to save most employers $35 to $65 annually per employee by cutting the minimum unemployment insurance tax, eliminating automatic inflation adjustments on benefits and capping wage replacement benefits. Later, the Michigan Chamber helped defeat legislation to repeal the reform law.
Letters | Standards | NW Education can shoot baskets well. Lance Magmer Manistee Middle school Manistee,michigan. Washington s charter Wars. Your article Stuck on http://www.nwrel.org/nwedu/2001fall/letters.html
Extractions: High Standards for All In This Issue Taking a Second Look at Standards A Delicate Dance on Eggshells Birth of a Standard ... Subscribe I am in the eighth grade. When my class plays dodgeball [" The Death of Dodgeball Fall 2000 ], two teams are made discretely. Then each captain calls out his or her team. When the game starts, nearly all the people play. When someone is weak and can't throw very well, they get in close or slip around behind him (when we play, there are about 15 feet where both teams can go). For example, when I have the ball I charge, get in close, throw or tag, and move out. By the way, I am not that strong (in throws, anyway), and I have no hand-eye coordination. I can't run very well, but I can still play dodgeball and get people out and play a good game. Oh, and even overweight people can do good in dodgeball if they can shoot baskets well. Lance Magmer Manistee, Michigan Your article [" Stuck on the Starting Blocks Spring 2001 ] relies mostly on Jim Spady's version of reality about the "charter school wars" in Washington. Jim is certainly entitled to his viewpoint, but I'm surprised that you would present it as if it were the only perspective or the full story. One could argue plausibly that Washington would have charter schools by now if it were not for the character of Jim and Fawn Spady's activities to promote them. The Spadys antagonized many possible supporters with their self-righteousness and politics of personal attack. In their rhetoric either you were with them or you were corrupt or selfish. In 1996, Jim debated Rosemary McAuliffe in one of my graduate classes, and he devoted perhaps a third of his time to personal attacks on her character and integrity. A good number of my students who were attracted to the idea of charter schools were appalled by Jim's behavior.
Homegrown | Charter Schools | Northwest Education, Spring 2001 1999 evaluation report on michigan charter schools, researchers Jerry meet demonstrableperformance standards and to Plan for Your charter school, the network http://www.nwrel.org/nwedu/spring01/homegrown.html
Extractions: By Lee Sherman Customized schools matching local needs and expressing founders' philosophies are sprouting up in communities across Alaska, Idaho and Oregon T here's a new breed of pioneer in the Northwest. Descendants of the fur traders, gold miners, and homesteaders of the 1800s are turning their adventurous spirit toward another groundbreaking endeavor: Creating schools from scratch. Charter schools are the educational equivalent of the Oregon Trail. The details are different: The covered wagons are likely to be minivans and U-Haul trucks. The supplies aren't bacon, hardtack, and buckshot, but pencils, textbooks, and software. Dangers aren't cholera, whitewater, or unseasonal snowfall but rent increases on crummy facilities, philosophical divisions among founders, and hostile editorials in local newspapers. "Building a warm, nurturing community within these human-scale schools, which average fewer than 200 students, is quite rewarding," observes Professor Bruce Fuller of the University of California at Berkeley. Within this "colorful garden of charter schools," he says, one can find "inventive pedagogy, strong ways of raising kids, and educators who are unsurpassed in their commitment to learning and to a variety of moral values." The rapid spread of this innovation across vast geographic and political divides is a testament to its adaptability. Like a chameleon, the charter concept changes colors wherever it lands. In the howling winds of the Alaskan tundra, where native families are struggling to hold onto an ancient way of life, a charter school can become an immersion program for Yup'ik culture and language. In the dense forests and frozen fjords of southeast Alaska, where annual rainfall is measured in feet, a charter school can become a conservatory where children make music and art against winter's storms. Across the Gulf of Alaska on the oil-rich Kenai Peninsula, where commercial fishing families are being driven out of a dying industry, a charter school can become a rigorous prep school where "the basics" include Latin and Greek.
Extractions: Unlike state and national school choice initiatives, charter schools seem to better match the reality of local school control in the United States. Because education is really a local good, it makes sense that charter schools have had more traction than other school choice initiatives. Getting one charter school or ten charter schools approved in a local community, with local stakeholders who have a vested interest in the outcome, may be politically feasible, where a statewide voucher initiative would not be. Related Links Workplace Charter Schools: Florida Blazes the Trail. Examines the progress made by the nation's first satellite charter school and explores recent developments. Full Text News Release Satellite Charter Schools: Addressing The School-Facilities Crunch Through Public-Private Partnerships.
