61. Number 2 Pencil: Will California's Charter School Teachers Soon Be Unionized? Although Arizona still has more charter schools than any other state, california now has the highest enrollment, with some 170,000 students in charter schools. http://www.kimberlyswygert.com/archives/002078.html

Number 2 Pencil Kimberly's take on testing and education reform Main April 14, 2004 Will California's charter school teachers soon be unionized? The California Teacher's Association has their eye on charter school employees With major financial backing from the National Education Association, California’s largest teachers’ union has launched an initiative to organize employees in hundreds of charter schools in the state... For its part, the 2.7 million-member NEA is backing the California effort in the hope that it will yield lessons for union organizers elsewhere. NEA leaders also argue that unionized teachers can play a watchdog role in charter schooling by pushing for greater public accountability, particularly in schools run by for-profit companies... Although Arizona still has more charter schools than any other state, California now has the highest enrollment, with some 170,000 students in charter schools. Some California charter leaders are upbeat about the prospect for productive partnerships with unions, pointing to some places where such relationships have already been forged. Others are deeply suspicious of the 335,000-member CTA’s organizing effort, afraid it will bring to charter schools a rules-oriented mentality that they left regular public schools to escape. TrackBack Comments Post a comment Name: Email Address: URL: Remember personal info?

62. Charter Schools: A New Breed Of Public Schools Report 2, 1993 referendum on taxfinanced vouchers that will be on california s general election ballot in November is threatening the future of california s charter schools. http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/envrnmnt/go/93-2ca.htm

NCREL's Policy Briefs Charter Schools: A New Breed of Public Schools Report 2, 1993 Pathways home page Contents Previous section ... Next section California's Charter Law As early as 1983, the California legislature mandated higher standards, revamped curriculum frameworks, lengthened the school day and year, established mentor teacher programs, improved textbooks, and set up teacher accountability systems. In recent years, the state also has passed laws to create more school-based management systems and teacher career opportunities and to promote school restructuring. Yet, legislators and educators were dissatisfied with student learning progress resulting from these changes. The charter originally was proposed in 1987-88 by California public school educators frustrated by bureaucracy and eager to have real freedom with accountability. A year after Minnesota enacted its charter law, California passed legislation authorizing up to 100 Charter Schools beginning in 1993. California's charter law seeks to: improve student learning increase learning opportunities for all students, particularly for academically low-achieving students

63. NEA: Charter Schools In the first half of 2002, the california State Board of Education reduced funding to 46 charter schools after an audit found the schools failed to follow http://www.nea.org/charter/

For and About Members Help for Parents Press Center Legislative Action Center ... Vouchers Updated: May 26, 2004 Research NEA Resources Other Resources Charter Schools NEA policy embraces high standards, accountability and strong local control for charter schools. It also offers guidance in the form of various criteria that can significantly improve the chances for success of these programs, which after 10 years are still in the experimental stage. Among other things, NEA firmly believes that all affected public education employees must be directly involved in the design, implementation and governance of these and other educational programs. Failures spur review of charter school laws Charter schools are part of the landscape of public education. According to the Education Commission of the States, as of August 2001 there were more than 2,300 public charter schools serving more than 500,000 students nationwide. The Commission reported that 37 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have laws providing funding and permitting charter schools to operate. However, many of those statutes are being revisited and revised in light of a number of charter school failures, some with disastrous consequences for students. NEA's position on charter schools is necessarily general. State laws and regulations vary widely, and NEA state affiliates have positions that are appropriate to the situation in their states. For example, accountability for meeting high academic standards is an essential component of successful charter schools. But not all state charter laws have strong accountability requirements. In addition, not all state laws require charter schools to develop programs conforming with state or local academic standards, and many charter laws do not require charters to participate in the state accountability system.

64. NDOL: Charter School Lessons By Nelson Smith california s charter schools are created under a law that set out a sevenpart rationale including increased learning opportunities, innovation, and the http://www.ndol.org/ndol_ci.cfm?kaid=110&subid=134&contentid=251919

65. KCBS Regional Wire Instruction Jack O Connell authorized an investigation of california charter Academy in spending on teachers and whether money was moved between the schools. http://cbs2.com/california/CA--CaliforniaCharter-kn/resources_news_html

66. The Heartland Institute - California Charter School Hit With 'Poison Pill' - By If a california voter initiative favoring more charter schools qualifies in June for the November ballot, an awardwinning charter school will have to close http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=13412

67. The Heartland Institute - New California Charter Law Boosts School Choice - By G competition, quality control, declared Wilson in signing the bill at the San Carlos Learning Center, one of california s first charter schools. http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=13206

68. National Association Of Charter School Authorizers - apple Applying for Excellence Fostering Quality charter schools in california NACSA is collaborating with leading california authorizers to translate the http://www.charterauthorizers.org/site/nacsa/

Welcome to the National Association of Charter School Authorizers' Website! Applying for Excellence: Fostering Quality Charter Schools in California NACSA is collaborating with leading California authorizers to translate the experience of active authorizers into leadership and practical resources that will help newer California authorizers implement a sound application process. Building Excellence in Charter School Authorizing . Follow the progress of our federally-funded program of research and technical assistance in support of quality charter school authorizing. View the Principles and Standards for Quality Charter School Authorizing , which were officially adopted by the NACSA membership on May 14. Read the latest in our series of Issue Briefs ... Building a Foundation for Success: How Authorizers Can Help Schools with the Facilities Challenge Consult our Critical Design Issues for Charter School Authorizers , which guides the development of comprehensive authorizer practices through a series of issues, illustrations and case studies Special Education . Our Reference Guide to Special Education Law for Charter School Authorizers seeks to bring greater clarity to the key elements of federal special education law and regulation and the authorizer’s oversight role in ensuring that charter schools are appropriately addressing the educational needs of students with disabilities.

69. Santa Rosa Press Democrat // News For California's North Bay And Redwood Empire higher student achievement. More than 170,000 students are enrolled in california s 470 charter schools. Richard Atkinson, former http://www.pressdemocrat.com/local/california/11charterweb.html

Low-tech edition ( About Home News Bill would let universities get in charter school game March 11, 2004 By JENNIFER COLEMAN Associated Press Writer SACRAMENTO (AP) Public universities and colleges could authorize and oversee charter schools, lending their expertise in science, business or the arts to K-12 schools, under a bill introduced Wednesday. The bill, by Democratic Sen. Dede Alpert and two Republicans, Assemblywoman Pat Bates and Sen. Chuck Poochigian, builds on a recommendation by the Legislative Analyst's Office to expand charter school oversight beyond school districts, which it said sometimes lack the time, money or expertise to monitor charters aggressively. Charter schools are publicly funded, independent schools that enjoy some freedom from state regulations in hopes that more flexibility will mean higher student achievement. More than 170,000 students are enrolled in California's 470 charter schools. Richard Atkinson, former president of the University of California system, said getting universities involved would encourage even more charter schools. "I believe the evidence now for the effectiveness of charter schools is pretty impressive," said Atkinson, who now works with the California Charter School Association. "As they prosper, the remaining public schools will prosper."

70. ED410322 1996-11-00 How Well Are Charter Schools Serving Urban And Minority Stud Unpublished manuscript, Teachers College, New York, NY. Corwin, RG, Flaherty, JF (Eds.). (1995). Freedom and innovation in california s charter schools. http://www.ericfacility.net/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed410322.html

ERIC Identifier: Publication Date: Author: Schwartz, Wendy Source: ERIC Clearinghouse on Urban Education New York NY. How Well Are Charter Schools Serving Urban and Minority Students? ERIC/CUE Digest, Number 119. THIS DIGEST WAS CREATED BY ERIC, THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ERIC, CONTACT ACCESS ERIC 1-800-LET-ERIC Charter schools have become popular because many people believe that they can provide a high quality education to public school students without the regulatory constraints imposed on conventional public schools. Charters are created and managed by an entity comprised of parents and/or teachers, community and/or business leaders, non-profit organizations, or for-profit businesses. The District of Columbia and 25 states now have laws permitting these independent public schools to be chartered by school districts or the state Department of Education, and thus they can receive public monies for their operation. The autonomy granted the schools varies widely, however. Urban areas are particularly fertile ground for the development of charter schools because there is a great need to find ways to improve education in the face of poor resources and overcrowding in the public schools. However, since most urban students are either disadvantaged or members of minority groups, there are concerns that charter schools may "cream off" the students identified as easiest to teach (frequently white or middle class children), leaving the remainder to founder in arguably inferior conventional public schools.

71. ED425896 1999-01-00 Charter Schools: An Approach For Rural Education? ERIC Diges california Department of Education. (1992). california Codes. Education Code, Section 4760047625, charter schools Act of 1992. Sacramento Author. http://www.ericfacility.net/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed425896.html

ERIC Identifier: Publication Date: Author: Collins, Timothy Source: ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools Charleston WV. Charter Schools: An Approach for Rural Education? ERIC Digest. THIS DIGEST WAS CREATED BY ERIC, THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ERIC, CONTACT ACCESS ERIC 1-800-LET-ERIC Charter schools have emerged in the 1990s as a prominent and controversial school reform idea. This Digest describes characteristics of charter schools, outlines some tentative research findings, discusses advantages and shortcomings, and summarizes challenges rural communities might face in starting such a school. WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED ABOUT CHARTER SCHOOLS In some ways, charter schools are traditional and tap historic rural roots of public education. They give parents, students, and educators public school alternatives based on the idea that competition will bring educational innovations (Thomas, 1996). But there is potential for controversy, especially in poor rural communities with limited financial and educational resources to support additional schools. Since Minnesota passed the first charter school law in 1991, 32 other states and the District of Columbia have passed similar legislation (Hirsch, 1998). The Center for Education Reform (1998) estimated 1,129 charter schools existed nationwide in September 1998. Most schools were in the South and West. Half were in three states: Arizona, California, and Michigan. Almost another quarter were in four other states: Colorado, Florida, North Carolina, and Texas. While the number of charter schools has increased rapidly since 1991, these schools represented only about 0.5% of public school students in charter states during the 1996-1997 school year (RPP International, 1998). It is unclear how many were in rural areas.

72. CALIFORNIA'S CHARTER SCHOOLS ACT OF 1992 california S charter schools ACT. (enacted 1992, as amended through the 1996 legislative session). Title 47600. This part shall be http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/ender/sb1448.html

CALIFORNIA'S CHARTER SCHOOLS ACT (enacted 1992, as amended through the 1996 legislative session) Title 47600. This part shall be known, and may be cited, as the "Charter Schools Act of 1992." Legislative intent 47601. It is the intent of the Legislature, in enacting this part,to provide opportunities for teachers, parents, pupils, and community members to establish and maintain schools that operate independently from the existing school district structure, as a method to accomplish all of the following: (a) Improve pupil learning. (b) Increase learning opportunities for all pupils, with special emphasis on expanded learning experiences for pupils who are identified as academically low achieving. (c) Encourage the use of different and innovative teaching methods. (d) Create new professional opportunities for teachers, including the opportunity to be responsible for the learning program at the school site. (e) Provide parents and pupils with expanded choices in the types of educational opportunities that are available within the public school system. (f) Hold the schools established under this part accountable for meeting measurable pupil outcomes, and provide the schools with a method to change from rule-based to performance-based accountability systems.

73. Staff Report - Charter Schools In california, charter schools were first authorized under the charter schools Act of 1992. charter schools in california can be created in two different ways. http://www.ci.pasadena.ca.us/charterreform/staffreport_charterschools.asp

Charter Reform Task Force city home services departments mayor / council ... city clerk main City of Pasadena Charter Reform Task Force on School District Governance CHARTER SCHOOLS A Report for Task Force Review and Deliberation At its meeting of March 8, 2000 Prepared by Dr. Raphael Sonenshein, Staff Consultant Background A charter school is a public school with greater flexibility under the requirements of the State Education Code than a regular public school. A charter school operates under a contract with a state or local agency for a specified time. This contract frees charter schools from certain regulations that otherwise apply to public schools. In exchange for greater flexibility, charter schools are expected to be accountable for improving student performance. The concept of charter schools has won support across a wide political and ideological spectrum, and has been embraced by the White House as a key element of its education efforts. It was highlighted in the 1999 report of the National Commission of the States. In 1991, Minnesota became the first state to authorize charter schools. California followed in 1992. A federal report issued in 1999 indicated that there were a total of 1,050 charter schools in operation in 1998.

74. Home Smart Kids Of Knightsen, A California Charter School HomeSmartKids™ of Knightsen, a california charter School brings a fresh approach of mutual trust among parents/guardians and schools in American education http://www.homesmartkids.com/indexNOF.html

NEW Enrollees click here RE-ENROLLING Families click here ... Advisors Only MISSION To provide resources and support to parents/guardians who have elected to educate their children in the home. OBJECTIVE To build and foster a community of learners which views education as not confined to the traditional four walls of a classroom, rather a free flowing exchange of knowledge and ideas worldwide through technology. SEARCH OUR SITE brings a fresh approach of mutual trust among parents/guardians and schools in American education, by honoring parental/guardian choice in curricular materials and instructional methodology based upon the needs of each and every child. HomeSmartKids of Knightsen, a California Charter School P.O. Box 488 Antioch, CA 94509 (925) 757-KIDS (5437) Toll Free: 1-800-309-3434 (outside the 925 area code) Email TM Inc. This site managed by: Outback Solutions More Information? Email the Designer

75. Charter School Seduction -- Homeschool Christian.com program in Northern california. I attended the meeting, and here s what happened Well, it s a good think I was informed about charter schools and government http://www.homeschoolchristian.com/Position/Charter.html

Leadership Position Papers Return to Leadership Position Papers Page Index Charter School Seduction Hold out $100 per month per kid and see what happens! by Mary Leggewie March 1999, updated April 2000 See links at bottom of page info about K12 (Bill Bennett's program) I was recently called by a homeschooling mom here in Southern California who invited me to attend a meeting held by a man who is a new "educational facilitator" for a charter homeschool program in Northern California. I attended the meeting, and here's what happened: Well, it's a good think I was informed about charter schools and government Independent study programs (ISPs) before I went, because this definitely seemed "too good to be true." They waved $100 per month PER kid in front of the parents (8 moms were there, 24 locally have already signed up) and told them this was their "mad/fun money." What a temptation to some of those moms with 5-7 school-aged kids! It's hard to turn down that kind of money when many are struggling to buy groceries. The man who is the "educational facilitator" was a very nice Christian man. He firmly believes he's checked it all out (although he wasn't able to answer several questions because he's only been at it for 3 months). He's a leader in the community, so he has the respect of many families. He teaches at a local school.

76. AFT: Research: Publications, Reports And Surveys: Charter School Laws: Do They M H., Nakagawa, K., and Corwin, R. Parent Involvement Contracts in california s charter schools Strategy for Education Improvement or Method of Exclusion? http://www.aft.org/research/reports/charter/csweb/ref.htm

AFT Home Departments Research Charter Schools Index ... Conclusions Publications, Reports and Surveys CHARTER SCHOOL LAWS: DO THEY MEASURE UP? Download in MS Word 6.0 - 473 kb] REFERENCES American Federation of Teachers. Charter School Briefing Packet . Washington, D.C.: American Federation of Teachers. 1995. American Federation of Teachers. Making Standards Matter 1996: An Annual Fifty-State Report on Efforts to Raise Academic Standards. Washington, D.C.: American Federation of Teachers. 1996. American Federation of Teachers. National Education Standards and Assessments . American Federation of Teachers Convention Resolution, Washington, D.C. August 1992. American Federation of Teachers. Resolution on Charter Schools. Adopted AFT National Convention, Anaheim, Calif., July 1994. American Federation of Teachers. U.S. Education: The Task Before Us . American Federation of Teachers Convention Resolution, Washington, D.C. August 1992. Avenoso, K. "Charter School's Hopes Collide With Reality," The Boston Globe.

77. Charter School Resources charter schools in california It describes 15 specific findings about what has really been happening with charter school reform in california. http://www.pathsoflearning.org/library/charters2001.cfm

Action Guides Feature Articles Learning Circles A to Z Theories ... Site Map - overview of the web site sections Paths of Learning magazine and this web site are published by the Foundation for Educational Renewal Foundation for Educational Renewal Action Guide: Charter School Resources This online guide was prepared as a supplement to “On the Journey to Become a Charter School” by Franci Sassin, an article published in Paths of Learning Issue No. 7, January 2001. Contents of this action guide: A Brief Introduction Charter Schools Around the Country Charter Schools in California Some Words of Caution A Brief Introduction If charters are an option that you would like to consider, below are just a few places to start your research. In addition, it is also helpful to get in touch with another charter school in your district and ask questions about the political hoops through which they have had to jump. As Franci mentions in her article, to plan a charter, you must be willing “to leave the world of education and enter the world of politics.” On the more hopeful side of things, you can read some of the materials and guides by the Center for School Change and Joe Nathan. Charter Schools Around the Country

78. Freedom And Innovation In California's Charter Schools (Full Text) Freedom and Innovation in california s charter schools (Executive Summary 29 pages). Ronald G. Corwin and John F. Flaherty, Editors http://www.wested.org/policy/pubs/full_text/pb_ft_freedom.htm

Freedom and Innovation in California's Charter Schools (Executive Summary- 29 pages) Ronald G. Corwin and John F. Flaherty, Editors Southwest Regional Laboratory Prepared under a subcontract with Far West Laboratory for Educational Research and Development (contract no. 91002006, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education). The content does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of Far West Laboratory or the U.S. Department of Education, nor does the mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by these agencies. The Southwest Regional Laboratory (SWRL) is a nonprofit, public educational agency that exists to address challenges resulting from changing demographics and increasing numbers of at-risk children in the metropolitan Pacific Southwest. The Laboratory addresses its mission by engaging in research, development, evaluation, training, technical assistance, and policy analysis. Table of Contents: List of Contributors Introduction School Autonomy Do Charter Schools Have Freedom? What Are the Differences Between Those Charter Schools That Have a High Degree of Automony and Those With Less Autonomy?

79. More On Charter Schools (Full Text) In a more recent study of california s charter schools, researchers have found that parental involvement, whether required by a parental contract signed when http://www.wested.org/policy/pubs/full_text/pb_ft_more.htm

More on Charter Schools Kyo Yamashiro and Lisa Carlos, 1995 Table of Contents: Introduction What constitutes a charter school? What do supporters of charter schools argue? What do opponents of charter schools argue? ... State Charter School Contacts Introduction: The charter school movement is one of the fastest growing education reforms of the Nineties. In 1992, only two states, California and Minnesota, had passed charter school legislation. By the end of 1995, 19 states had charter school laws in place and at least 16 others had considered similar legislation. At the federal level, Congress passed legislation in 1994 authorizing grants to support states' charter school efforts. Despite such popular interest, fewer than 250 charter schools are currently operating nationwide. Whether this small but growing number of schools will lead to greater innovation and influence the systemwide transformation of public education remains to be seen. Below is a summary of the issues surrounding charter schools and the implications of recent research about the future of this movement. What constitutes a charter school?

80. SignOnSanDiego.com > News > State -- California Schools Chief To Investigate Cha california schools chief to investigate charter school s finances. By Jennifer Coleman ASSOCIATED PRESS 1002 am March 20, 2004. SACRAMENTO http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20040320-1002-ca-californiacharteracade

document.write(''); Choose Category All of SignOnSanDiego News Sports Entertainment Yellow Pages Classifieds Web Community Events News After the Fires In Iraq War on Terror ... Internet Access California schools chief to investigate charter school's finances By Jennifer Coleman ASSOCIATED PRESS 10:02 a.m. March 20, 2004 State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell said Friday that he launched the probe of the California Charter Academy based on the recommendation of the Advisory Commission on Charter Schools. "I appreciate the advisory commissioners' unanimous and serious concerns of California Charter Academy's handling of its operations over the past several years," O'Connell said. "Therefore, I am opening an investigation and audit today." The academy, a network of four charter schools, enrolls about 8,200 students from Southern California to Butte County in more than 50 satellite campuses and several independent study programs. On Thursday, the advisory commission cited concerns about California Charter Academy's finances, and voted to cut state funding by 30 percent for two of its four charters. The commission said officials weren't up front about their reserves, how much they spent on teachers and whether money was moved between the schools. Academy officials said they would be able to respond to the concerns at the commission's next meeting in April. The company did not immediately answer a call for comment Friday.

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